ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst noted NBAers, referees and officials from their respective unions are "scheduled to meet Saturday to attempt to bridge a widening gap between the sides in what has become an acrimonious season." The parties have "agreed to keep the participants in the All-Star Weekend meeting confidential at this point as this is expected to be the beginning of a longer process." In the meantime, both the NBA and the referees' union this week "launched campaigns on television and social media to attempt to change the narrative surrounding officiating this season." The NBA has used some of its commercial time during national TV broadcasts to show a version of a PSA that shows "positive player and referee interactions" (ESPN.com, 2/14).
BIG SPENDERS: In Seattle, Geoff Baker wrote MLS is entering a "new financial realm, throwing around money previously unseen beyond two or three elite players every team carries." There is concern the changes could "lead to a less egalitarian MLS system, where teams become 'haves' and 'have-nots' in spending and performance" much like MLB in prior decades. While recent MLB rule changes have "lessened the impact of spending to a degree and made it easier for smaller market clubs to contend for the playoffs, MLS appears headed in a different direction as its quest for growth continues." Big-money teams are just "itching to spend more and buy additional on-field success." The question is whether teams "outside major markets will also choose to maximize their increased spending limits" (SEATTLE TIMES, 2/12).
