During a news conference announcing the cable TV package for
the WNBA, NBA Commissioner David Stern predicted he would retire
in "another three to five years" -- but not before the league and
the NBPA negotiate their next collective bargaining agreement,
reports Mark Asher of the WASHINGTON POST. The current labor
deal expires after the 2000-'01 season, but the league can re-
open negotiations after '97-98 if player costs exceed a certain
level. Stern said he planned to renegotiate his $7M-a-year
contract. When asked if he would seek $100M, he responded, "No,
I want to keep ticket prices down" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/17).
BOOM OR BUST? Media reaction continues to the record-
setting NBA free agent deals. A N.Y. TIMES editorial claims the
combination of free agency and a salary cap "is producing a high-
rent replica of the American economy at large" (N.Y. TIMES,
7/17)....Brian Edgar, a Detroit-based financial consultant: "It
could be doomsday. I can see a point where the owners lock these
guys out and rebuild with lower-caliber talent" (DETROIT NEWS,
7/17). Mitch Albom writes the NBA "is going to sink under the
weight of its own greed" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/15). Pistons
coach Doug Collins: "It's killing the game. These owners are
crazy .... I'll bet David Stern is sitting in his office and
saying, `Oh, no ... don't do this'" (DETROIT NEWS, 7/17). ESPN
charted the off-season signings: Signed players -- 18; total
years -- 89; total money -- $603.2M ("SportsCenter," 7/16). Heat
center Alonzo Mourning: "We don't create the market, the owners
do and the owners have pretty much escalated the market to some
drastic numbers. ... The bottom line is that it's free
enterprise" ("Up Close," ESPN, 7/16).
