- Jan 29, 2005
- 7,285
- 10
Not sure if this was posted yet. If so, mod feel free to lock
N.B.A. Has Tough Year and Tough Talks Ahead
By JONATHAN ABRAMS
Published: July 14, 2009
LAS VEGAS - Commissioner David Stern said Tuesday that less than half the N.B.A.'s teams turned a profit last season and that some owners had argued that a worst-case decrease in the salary cap of 5 percent might be too optimistic.
The league's board of governors convened here and will meet again Aug. 4 with the players union in hopes of jump-starting negotiations toward reaching a new collective bargaining agreement. The current one expires in June 2011.
Last week, the league predicted that its salary cap could drop to between $50.4 million and $53.6 million in 2010-11, which would represent a loss between 2.5 percent and 5 percent in basketball-related revenue. On Tuesday, Stern added that teams could face at least a 10 percent drop in ticket revenue next season.
"We are anxious to get going," Stern said of the negotiations. "We're not planning on a miracle here, but on the other hand, we'd be prepared to accept one."
Stern also announced the appointment of a labor-relations committee of 10 owners that would be headed by the San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt.
"There is complete agreement that we need to look for a system that keeps our players - as well paid as they are - at the top of the heap, but on the other hand returns the league to profitability at the same time," Stern said.
Some observers predict that the next collective bargaining agreement will feature drastic changes and that players will be forced to make concessions because of the economy.
In response to the league memorandum that the salary cap will probably decrease next season, Billy Hunter, the executive director of the union, cautioned that it could have a chilling effect on future signings.
"If it later turns out that the league did not have a good-faith basis for making these projections, the N.B.P.A. will pursue all available legal remedies, including a treble damages claim for collusion," Hunter told ESPN.com last week.
When asked about Hunter's statement, Stern smiled.
"We've been in touch," Stern said. "He knows that we welcome him saying whatever he needs to say, but the facts are out and you'll see our numbers and our projections out there."
http://www.nytimes.com/20...etball/15stern.html?_r=2
Not sure if we got many Twitter fans, but Bill Simmons has a few tweets the other day in response to this article that are really, really interesting:
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He means 2011-12, or more accurately summer of 2011, but anyway.
sportsguy33Link: http://tinyurl.com/nclxhw ... as I wrote in Feb, a 2010-11 lockout is looming. Renewal numbers much worse than they are letting on.
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sportsguy33Also: Stern knows from last experience that 50% of the stars can't survive without steady income coming in. He can break them. And he will. 
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sportsguy331 more link: My "No Benjamins Association" column from last Feb. Everything happened as predicted. http://tinyurl.com/aamsly
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...he then updated that last post...
sportsguy331 more note: Disaster looming in Phi, Indy, N.O. & Milw. Renewal numbers horrendous. Notice how they haven't made any moves?
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...although things are bad in New Orleans too...
sportsguy331 Effed up with last post: "Disaster looming in Phi, Indy, N.O. & Milw." Meant N.J. not N.O. Brainfart. The perils of quick-posting.
