At the league meetings in Orlando, NBA Commissioner
David Stern suggested Friday "that the owners will exercise
their option to reopen and renegotiate" the CBA after this
season, according to Tim Povtak of the ORLANDO SENTINEL.
Such a reopening "could lead to a player lockout, another
decertification effort of the player's union and the first
regular-season work stoppage in league history." Stern: "I
understand the possibilities, but we'll do what we have to
do. We think it [the CBA] could use some improvement."
Povtak: "Even with ticket prices escalating and the
popularity of the game moving globally, too many teams are
beginning to lose money. Many owners don't like what they
see in the future." Stern estimated that "one-third or
more" of the NBA teams lost money last season and that
"almost" half "are expected to lose money this season." The
NBA would like to close "various loopholes" that enable
teams to exceed the current salary cap and owners "want a
new deal before the bidding begins next summer on a new crop
of free agents." NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik: "We
feel that the salary system may be out of whack." Stern:
"We would like to come up with a notion that actually sees
player salaries continue to rise at a rate that keeps pace
with increases in revenue without seeing ticket prices rise
at such an extraordinary rate" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 9/20).
Granik, on the number of teams losing money: "That's a big
difference from a few years ago, when it was only one or two
teams" (Peter May, BOSTON GLOBE, 9/20). In N.Y., Mike Wise
wrote that NBA labor peace "may be threatened again." The
league can reopen talks at its option, without union
approval, but no action can be taken until April (N.Y.
TIMES, 9/20). NBPA Exec Dir Bill Hunter: "If the league is
so inclined to set aside that deal, so be it. Everything
will be back on the table" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 9/20).
REAX: In Fort Lauderdale, Ira Winderman: "Based on the
tone of the league's highest-ranking officials, as well as
the stance of the union's newly elected leadership, a
showdown appears inevitable for the lone major U.S. sports
league never to experience a work stoppage" (SUN-SENTINEL,
9/20). In Boston, Peter May: "The possibility of another
summer labor mess is real" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/21). USA
TODAY's Greg Boeck writes that "at issue" is the league's
salary structure, as "owners committed more than" $1B to
long-term player deals last summer. But Boeck adds that the
NBPA "is armed for a confrontation" with its newly elected
President, Patrick Ewing (USA TODAY, 9/22). One NBA exec,
who requested anonymity: "I think there are some big
questions about whether the league can continue to work this
way. Something has to be done." The exec added: "If we
ever come to a period of non-growth, then the league is in
deep, deep, deep trouble" (DENVER POST, 9/21).
