Does Anyone Expect A Season?

[Irish]

I'm told that 22 of the 20 NBA teams lost money this past season. I have not been able to verify the claims that a majority of the teams would be better off if there was no season, meaning they would lose less with no season than if they played every game.

In the NFL, it was clear that the battle was over making enough money to justify their investments. But it was clear they were making money under thier old contract. They could not afford to lose a season. The NBA can't afford to continue.

A lot of the newer owners bought in with the dillusion that they could emulate the Spurs and stay afloat. Now, even the Spurs are losing money and did not get out of the first round.

The NBA can't solve their core problen which is that there are not enough great players, leading teams to bid them to the stratesphere. With the recession, there are even fewer individuals with Mark Cuban money looking for a write-off. Guys like Sarver grossly overpaid and couldn't get his money out of the team if he wanted to.

It is obvious there will be a hard cap and a hard ceiling. It is also obvious that it will be a very long time before existing contracts are worked off.

I would not be shocked if some teams will end up disbanded. It may take that to shock the players into a workable CBA.

 

[carey]

Not this year. I don't expect CBA progress till Fall 2012. Players were told to prepare to miss two full seasons by the NBAPA because the NBA wants such massive changes. They want to cut salary 40% and its worth it fir players to fight. So... Enjoy the NFL season and give Hockey a shot this Winter. It's a great game.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Not this year. I don't expect CBA progress till Fall 2012. Players were told to prepare to miss two full seasons by the NBAPA because the NBA wants such massive changes. They want to cut salary 40% and its worth it fir players to fight. So... Enjoy the NFL season and give Hockey a shot this Winter. It's a great game.

Wow. I didn't realize it was that bad.

I like basketball, but am good with football and hockey, which I guess is a good thing considering.

 

[Gaddabout]

If the NBA is going to miss two full seasons, someone else will start up a new league and it will work. The only question would be arena lease, since so many of the big-city teams control their own arenas and who plays in them. Get that worked out and you could have, say, a 10-team pro league in no time -- with NBA players.

 

[Mainstreet]

If the NBA is going to miss two full seasons, someone else will start up a new league and it will work. The only question would be arena lease, since so many of the big-city teams control their own arenas and who plays in them. Get that worked out and you could have, say, a 10-team pro league in no time -- with NBA players.

I think the fans are ready to accept a new league like the old ABA. With the entrance of foreign investors, I think it would have a chance. I'm so tired of the NBA as it is run by Stern.

 

[elindholm]

If the NBA is going to miss two full seasons, someone else will start up a new league and it will work. The only question would be arena lease, since so many of the big-city teams control their own arenas and who plays in them. Get that worked out and you could have, say, a 10-team pro league in no time -- with NBA players.

This is a really intriguing idea, but I don't think any "major" sports league can survive without a huge amount of TV revenue. Which networks would take a chance on damning their reputation by working with what would essentially be a protest league? No TV contract means not much money in the pot, which means not much money for NBA players used to earning millions -- which probably means that the players would figure, "Why bother?"

 

[Billy Bob]

I'm to the point were I don't care. the game is fixed and until that is fixed there is no sence in caring!

 

[TJ]

The more I listen to Hunter and Stern go at it, the more I believe there won't be a season.

Stern is way too stubborn to budge in his demands from the players. The players think he's down right insane and he is asinine.

To me, I think the NBA needs to hit the reset button. The trade restrictions, biased and controversial officiating and the manifestation of a few "super teams" is destroying the association. There are many small market teams who will not survive under the current conditions, like Minnesota and New Orleans.

The NBA needs a complete overhaul and it may mean player sacrifice, but for once, Stern needs to get off his high horse and start making concessions.

My hope and prayer is this is the beginning of the end for Stern. I am disgusted by the way he has handled the league. Yes, he has done some great things, such as build a more international fan base, but at a certain point, it is time to go. Some teams have become unprofitable because of current conditions and others are raking in the dough. I cannot discount how successful franchises such as the Lakers and Celtics have handled themselves; however, opportunities for other franchises to succeed must be apparent. It is far too easy to play the guessing game as to who will be in the playoffs. For example, last season, there was only one team from the Western Conference that was not in the playoffs last season that was there the previous season (of course, the Suns). Compare that to the NFL where parity is common and there are always surprise teams that come from nowhere.

To be truthful, I hope next season is canceled and pros go to Europe to get theirs. Football and Baseball will pacify me just fine.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The NBA needs a complete overhaul and it may mean player sacrifice, but for once, Stern needs to get off his high horse and start making concessions.

I don't think he can. Until the players are willing to concede on some pretty big issues, the NBA really has no room to begin the compromise process. And it's all complicated by the fact that the agents are still trying to convince the players that this "league is losing money" stuff is all a smoke screen and that if they are allowed to re-gain their former power, Stern will be rendered impotent (or at least less potent).

I'm not trying to turn this into a conversation better suited for the P&R board but this country is in some trouble also. You could just say that the NBA mirrors those problems but IMO the same excesses that have us on the brink of whatever we're on the brink of exist to an even greater degree in the NBA. Growing up in the 60's I was often told by the adults that we were on the brink of global devastation. I hope I'm as wrong as they were but it's not looking very good for us or for the NBA.

Steve

 

[BC867]

I'm not trying to turn this into a conversation better suited for the P&R board but this country is in some trouble also. You could just say that the NBA mirrors those problems but IMO the same excesses that have us on the brink of whatever we're on the brink of exist to an even greater degree in the NBA. Growing up in the 60's I was often told by the adults that we were on the brink of global devastation. I hope I'm as wrong as they were but it's not looking very good for us or for the NBA.

Steve

Good point! The Have's and the Have Not's. The top ten percent . . . and everyone else.

Sports used to be a diversion from our everyday frustrations. Now it is just part of it.

 

[Mainstreet]

The more I listen to Hunter and Stern go at it, the more I believe there won't be a season.

Stern is way too stubborn to budge in his demands from the players. The players think he's down right insane and he is asinine.

To me, I think the NBA needs to hit the reset button. The trade restrictions, biased and controversial officiating and the manifestation of a few "super teams" is destroying the association. There are many small market teams who will not survive under the current conditions, like Minnesota and New Orleans.

The NBA needs a complete overhaul and it may mean player sacrifice, but for once, Stern needs to get off his high horse and start making concessions.

My hope and prayer is this is the beginning of the end for Stern. I am disgusted by the way he has handled the league. Yes, he has done some great things, such as build a more international fan base, but at a certain point, it is time to go. Some teams have become unprofitable because of current conditions and others are raking in the dough. I cannot discount how successful franchises such as the Lakers and Celtics have handled themselves; however, opportunities for other franchises to succeed must be apparent. It is far too easy to play the guessing game as to who will be in the playoffs. For example, last season, there was only one team from the Western Conference that was not in the playoffs last season that was there the previous season (of course, the Suns). Compare that to the NFL where parity is common and there are always surprise teams that come from nowhere.

To be truthful, I hope next season is canceled and pros go to Europe to get theirs. Football and Baseball will pacify me just fine.

I agree with your post except the last sentence. I just wish there didn't have to be canceled season(s) to get it accomplished. IMO, if JC (or someone of comparable stature) was hired as the new commissioner it would open up a new era of trust. I then believe an agreement could likely be achieved with the players and the owners based upon new found trust and leadership which I think is sorely lacking.

 

[BC867]

IMO, if JC (or someone of comparable stature) was hired as the new commissioner it would open up a new era of trust.

Jerry will be 72 in November. He sold his stake in the Suns at the age of 64 because of age.

I think it will have to be someone of a comparable stature.

 

[Mainstreet]

Jerry will be 72 in November. He sold his stake in the Suns at the age of 64 because of age.

I think it will have to be someone of a comparable stature.

I'd take JC at age 72 over Stern any day.

It wouldn't have to be JC but it should be someone who is respected by both owners and players. Any ideas? I'm drawing blanks right now but there must be such a person.

 

[Cheesebeef]

i don't expect a season... nor really care.

 

[Tyler]

i don't expect a season... nor really care.

I agree with this 100%. I have been slowly getting over the NBA for about 3 years now. If/when they miss a full season I dont know that I will go back. I guess we will just have to see when/if this gets resolved. Either way, no sweat off my nutts.

 

[Bert]

I would support a new league with NBA players in a heartbeat.

Stern is the most corrupt commish in sports and his arrogance in pretending that the NBA is "fine" is what got them to this point.

Jim Rome grilled him last season saying; "Well it's well known that your brain child; the D-League is costing the NBA millions each season and the WNBA is also losing money."

Stern basically said; Nuh uh... and refused to discuss it any further. Actually to be fair he said something like; "no we're fine, we're fine, the Dleague is fine and the WNBA is fine just like the NBA is fine, its the greatest game on earth!" Which I equate to "Nuh-uh"

Like he wont discuss any other controversy like suspensions, favoritism, PED's, Referee corruption/gambling.

Stern's arrogance is a big part of what went wrong in the NBA. If I didn't love the Suns so much, I wouldn't watch at all until he's gone.

 

[AsUdUdE]

yeah.. no 2011-12 season, not gonna happen..

 

[chickenhead]

Not that I think it's the better location, but it would be interesting to see Glendale make a play for a team in the second league.

 

[crisper57]

I hope there is no season. I hope the players decertify and the courts rule their contracts can be voided. I hope the Euro Leagues rise up in place of the NBA as a viable alternative. I hope all this finally gets David Stern fired.

I want all this to happen because I feel there is no way the two sides will ever come to an agreement without tremendous outside pressure. The things I stated above should be enough to do the trick.

 

[Mainstreet]

Well there is the WNBA for those fans who follow this league.

Yesterday the Sun tip the Mercury. Is there some irony here about the names of these two teams?

 

[elindholm]

Stern basically said; Nuh uh... and refused to discuss it any further.

That's pretty much the same reaction he had when someone asked him about long travel times for a possible NBA team in Europe. He said that travel would not be an issue, and that from the East Coast to Europe is no farther than from the East Coast to the West Coast. First of all, this is simply untrue: Does Stern really think that none of us have access to maps, to check out this claim on our own? But secondly, it overlooks the huge distance that teams would sometimes have to travel from the West Coast to Europe.

 

[Mainstreet]

That's pretty much the same reaction he had when someone asked him about long travel times for a possible NBA team in Europe. He said that travel would not be an issue, and that from the East Coast to Europe is no farther than from the East Coast to the West Coast. First of all, this is simply untrue: Does Stern really think that none of us have access to maps, to check out this claim on our own? But secondly, it overlooks the huge distance that teams would sometimes have to travel from the West Coast to Europe.

Americans need more maps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

 

[Mulli]

Americans need more maps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

 

[Irish]

I am intrigued by the idea voiding ALL contracts.

 

[Superbone]

I am intrigued by the idea voiding ALL contracts.

Won't happen.