I”ve been sitting on my Golden State Warriors 2011-12 season preview for a couple months, waiting patiently for the NBA labor dispute to resolve (you know, holding off until there”s confirmation that they”ll actually play a 2011-12 season).
But as the lockout continues through its fifth month, both sides don”t appear any closer to striking a deal.
So rather than reading about how first-time head coach Mark Jackson will do this season, or whether the Warriors” core four will improve or what impact rookie guard Klay Thompson might have, you”re looking over a reminder of how sports, like most aspects of American culture, are about money.
The owners and players remain deadlocked as they decide how to divvy up basketball-related income during the next few years.
Most news reports indicate the owners want, at worst, a 50-50 split – a far cry from the previous collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which gave the players the better end of a 57-43 split.
The players reportedly continue to come to the bargaining table wanting a majority of the income.
It”s a standoff; nobody”s budged so far. And it”s hard to blame either side.
The league reported earlier this year that more than 20 owners say they”re losing money. The previous structure clearly wasn”t working for many teams (mostly those in small markets).
The players want to keep getting a majority of the income the league earns because of how successfully they perform on the court and entertain fans.
Of course there are other disputed matters (salary cap type, wage scales and the luxury tax), but the key to the lockout is the basketball-related income debate.
News reports indicate the two sides probably aren”t close to agreeing on that important issue.
So with reporters pointing at impasse, it looks like canceled weeks might become canceled months, and suddenly one of America”s most popular sports leagues is staring down the barrel of a missed season.
The NHL lost a season in middle 2000s and is now arguably stronger than ever, but the NBA shouldn”t necessarily count on a similar result.
The NHL became a better product after its lockout mainly because the league implemented rule changes to eliminate ties and help increase scoring.
The NBA, on the other hand, can”t really follow that blueprint if it loses a season. What are league officials going to do: Make the foul-out threshold seven? Implement a 15-second shot clock? Eliminate traveling?
Pro basketball is already the most exciting, action-packed American sport; it”s hard to see how its rules could be modified to improve the game.
The NBA is coming off of a highly successful 2010-11 season, but both sides of the labor fight appear far too willing to throw in the towel on a 2011-12 season for money”s sake.
The diehard fans are entrenched, anxiously awaiting labor resolution, but the casual fans probably care a lot less than NBA players and owners think.
The owners and players need to get a deal done soon because in today”s 24/7 sports world, fans will find something else to watch. And they might just keep tuning in to those other games when the NBA comes back on the air.
Editor”s note: Jeremy Walsh is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. He can be reached at 263-5636 ext. 37 or jwalsh@record-bee.
com.
