The circumstances that led to the NBA lockout are
examined by Mark Asher of the WASHINGTON POST under the
header "Lockout Issues Began Long Time Ago." WA State Univ.
Professor Rodney Fort. co-author of "Pay Dirt: The Business
of Professional Sports," said "there's a lot to be gained"
for owners in the lockout. Fort: "If the owners impose a
hard cap that drives the total revenues of basketball closer
to 50-50, they stand to gain 7 to 8 percent of total
revenues in perpetuity. The total value of that will be in
billions of dollars, more than two, less than five. ... That
may have to do with their assessment that the lockout will
work" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/15). Former FBI agent Charles
Bennett, who is a member of the NBPA's negotiating team said
that when NBA Commissioner David Stern uses the term "hard
salary cap," he "really means a deal without the Bird
provision." Bennett: "A lot of it is more emotional than
the hard numbers. I don't believe David is using hard as we
perceive it to be. If he is, we're all in trouble. I read
this as 'reasonable certainty'" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/15).
LOSING THEIR PR ADVANTAGE? In Minneapolis, Dan Barreiro
writes that, by insisting that season-ticket holders make
payments despite the lockout, while at the same time filing
a lawsuit claiming they should not have to pay players, NBA
teams "might be ... obliterating whatever small public-
relations advantage they enjoy." Barreiro, on the owners'
stance: "How's that for gall? ... As a [PR] move, it has
boondoggle written all over it" (STAR TRIBUNE, 7/15).
FREQUENT FLIER DEFENSE? NBA referee Steve Javie, who
was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for
"allegedly being a tax cheat," has a "defense to the
criminal charges" that he downgraded first-class plane
tickets and pocketed the money, according to his attorney,
Gregory Magarity. Magarity said that the IRS "fails to
consider" that Javie flew first-class on his trips by using
his personal frequent flyer points to upgrade his seats.
Six of the eight other NBA refs charged with tax fraud have
pleaded guilty (Jim Smith, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 7/15).
