NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter responded to comments made
on Wednesday by MSG President Dave Checketts, who implied
that owners are prepared to sit out the entire season.
Hunter: "Our players desperately want to play ball, and the
fans want us to play. But apparently the owners are only
interested in shutting this thing down, according to Mr.
Checketts. It's unfortunate and very apparent from his
remarks that the NBA will stop at nothing short of breaking
the union and the morale of the players" (Mult., 10/16).
NO FINE: An NBA spokesperson said Checketts would not
be fined for his comments. In Toronto, Bill Harris:
"Translation: The league either encouraged him to try to
frighten the players or at least agrees whole-heartedly with
his comments" (TORONTO SUN, 10/16). In Chicago, Steve
Rosenbloom, who calls the owners "intractable morons," cited
Checketts' comments that owners need to "get a deal that
allows them to survive." Rosenbloom: "And then he rode off
in his limo" (Steve Rosenbloom, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/16).
"MINOR PROGRESS": In N.Y., Mike Wise reports, "In what
could be construed as minor progress," NBA owners will
respond today to the NBPA's proposal. While league execs
"were interested in exploring the players' [tax system]
proposal ... privately they criticized the ability of it to
bring salaries in line with total league revenues and were
worried about competitive balance" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/16).
PETER'S PRINCIPALS: In N.Y., Peter Vecsey writes that
players and owners are "incapable of killing a sport that
every kid loves to play." He offers his solution, which
includes splitting BRI 50/50, modifying the Bird exception
to a maximum of $10M (with 10% raises per year) or 5% higher
than what the player was making the previous year; allowing
each team to designate two franchise players to re-sign as
long as they're on the team (N.Y. POST, 10/16).
REAX: A WALL STREET JOURNAL editorial: "Basketball may
be more vulnerable here than other sports if only because of
the high-profile bad behavior of its stars" (WALL STREET
JOURNAL, 10/16). In CO Springs, Ray McNulty wrote, "Hunter
and the players still don't get it. They don't realize how
much they've got to lose, how this is the last thing the NBA
needs when its biggest star is heading for the golf course
and its popularity is declining. They don't want to listen"
(GAZETTE-TELEGRAPH, 10/15). In Baltimore, John Eisenberg
writes that the NBA "needed to start doing things
differently" and calls this a work stoppage that "needed to
happen" (SUN, 10/16). In Charleston, Ken Burger called the
NBA a "league filled with arrogant players who think they
are above the law. If image is everything, pro basketball
should imagine what life is going to be like without Michael
Jordan. Because at a time when fickle fans are looking for
a reason to like this sport again, the NBA offers nothing in
return" (POST & COURIER, 10/15). In Lexington, KY, Billy
Reed: "Go ahead with your stupid lockout. I can get along
without you just fine. The college game is cheaper and more
fun" (HERALD-LEADER, 10/15). In Miami, header of Dan
LeBatard's column: "If The NBA Is Looking For Some Public
Sympathy, Don't Look Here" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/16).
CROWD IN HOUSTON: In Philadelphia, Phil Jasner reports
that 76ers assistant coaches watched the players' scrimmages
yesterday at Gustine, PA, Lake Recreation Center. The
"rules of the lockout allow team representatives to watch
workouts as long as there is no direct contact with the
players" (PHILA. DAILY NEWS, 10/16).
CAN OTHERS MAKE INROADS? Sharks Exec VP/Business
Operations Malcolm Bordelon, on the opportunity for the NHL:
"Maybe this helps us introduce the sport to the casual fan,
or the NBA fan. They'll say, 'Well, I've got this time on
my hands. I might check out a Sharks game.' We're all
competing for people's time, and maybe we'll win some fans
over once they see our game" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 10/15).
...TCU coach Billy Tubbs said the NBA lockout "does help the
focus get back on the college game. ... People here have the
opportunity to see one of the best college players (F Lee
Nailon) night after night. They certainly can't see one of
the best NBA players night after night -- especially when
the Mavericks are active" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/16).
MUNICIPAL LOSSES: The city of Seattle will lose
$115,000 per game from rent, club seat and parking revenues.
The Sonics will lose an estimated $500,000 per game in
ticket revenue and about $119,000 per game in gross
concession receipts. Sonics-related revenue goes toward
retiring the city's $73M share of renovations at Key Arena,
so the city "will eat into" $1M in profits that have been
generated by Key Arena "but were budgeted for other uses"
(SEATTLE TIMES, 10/14)....In Sacramento, the city's $73M
loan to the owners of the Kings and Arco Arena "is under new
scrutiny" after the cancellation of the first two weeks of
the regular season. But team and city officials said "they
believe there is no immediate threat of a default on the
loan, even if the entire season is canceled." Kings
President Rick Benner said the team and arena ownership
group would make money on the building from about 140 other
events each year and would try to fill the arena with other
events if the Kings don't play" (BEE, 10/14)....The lost
games will cost the Miami Arena and "nearby city parking
lots more than" $200,000 in lost revenues. The Heat pays
$25,000 in rent per game, while the arena earns about $5,000
from food and beverage sales and $4,000 from parking (MIAMI
HERALD, 10/15)....In San Antonio, Glenn Rogers wrote that
the Spurs lost "about" $1.2M in ticket revenue alone for the
lost games, but will not have to pay salaries of $2,774,392
(EXPRESS-NEWS, 10/14)....The city of Denver could lose "more
than" $1M in McNichols Arena seat-tax revenue generated from
the Nuggets, $350,000 in a lease fee and $300,000 in parking
if the league cancels the entire season. Ogden Services,
the arena's main vendor, said it could lose $2M in gross
revenue if the season is lost (DENVER POST, 10/15).
