Despite one of the most popular NBA Finals in history and the historic popularity of the free-agent summer, it seems the NBA and the Players Association are readily preparing for a lockout of the 2011-12 season.
The NBA is holding its annual owners meeting in Las Vegas, and the hot topic under discussion is not the commercial success of the "Summer of LeBron," but the fear that the league and the Players Association will not be able to come to an agreement.
Their current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) ends on June 30, 2011, and could cause the worst work stoppage since the 1998-99 lockout.
The reason for the rift is the claim from the owners that they lost a combined $370 million in revenue due to lower ticket sales and the US's economic recession.
In a recent interview with ESPN.com, NBA Players Association Executive Director Billy Hunter added more fuel to the already raging fire, stating the league's profit/loss numbers are not only false, but skewed.
"[Commissioner] David [Stern]'s numbers are unfounded," said Hunt. "It’s a severe exaggeration."
When the NBA League Office a ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Bradley Chandler
Two Sides Divided: Is the NBA Preparing for a Lockout?
July 15th, 2010 by Bradley Chandler Leave a reply »
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