In Chicago, Sam Smith wrote that, "According to one
general manager, almost a dozen teams lost money last season
because of the salary escalation created by the loophole
that allows teams to exceed the cap to re-sign their own
stars. So more than half the teams in the league this
season had payrolls exceeding the salary cap. Some team
officials say they will prompt the owners to reopen the
labor deal, as is permitted, after next season, which could
lead to a lockout or player strike" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/8).
WIN OR LOSE, BULLS PAY: Utah income tax law says that
"visiting major league athletes have to pay a prorationed
part of their salaries for 'duty days' while working in
Utah," according to Bernick & Spangler of the DESERET NEWS.
"Duty days" are days the visiting teams practice, play or
otherwise work at their professional jobs in the state.
Utah income tax is 7%, and for the seven days the Bulls have
been in Utah, Michael Jordan "will owe $40,000 in Utah
taxes" on his $30.14M salary (DESERET NEWS, 6/8).
STERN SPEAKS: In Salt Lake, Michael Lewis writes on NBA
Commissioner David Stern. Stern said that Utah "should not
suffer an inferiority complex from its NBA neighbors. Size
does not matter." Stern: "To me, the strength of the
league is the mix of different sizes and different types of
markets." Stern adds while there is "a finite amount of
sports energy" in any city, "the beauty for the NBA in Salt
Lake City is that that energy has been channeled very
intensely to the Jazz -- the same way in Portland it has
been channeled to the Blazers" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 6/10).
