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Leagues and Governing Bodies

NBA SUPERSTAR INSURRECTION BRINGS LABOR TALKS TO A HALT

     While top NBPA execs met with NBA officials in New York
again yesterday on a new CBA, "chaos reigned elsewhere,"
according to Ailene Voisin in today's ATLANTA CONSTITUTION.  A
group of NBA superstars, including Michael Jordan and Patrick
Ewing, "led a rebellion designed to de-certify the union and/or
oust the current leadership.  Several of the game's best-known
agents, their motives unclear, continued to rail against [NBPA
Exec Dir] Simon Gourdine and president Buck Williams for refusing
to divulge information to their constituents.  Stunned NBA
officials canceled a Board of Governors meeting.  Dissenting
union members were surprised, or worse" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION,
6/20).  Jordan, who participated in conference call of the
agent's Advisory Committee, was said to be "very upset" that
Bulls Player Rep Steve Kerr knew nothing about the deal (L.A.
TIMES, 6/20).
          REVOLTING DEVELOPMENT:  One agent said Monday that 32
     players (about 10% of NBPA members) had signed statements
     renouncing the union as their negotiating agent.  If 51%
     sign, the union will be decertified and the players can sue,
     as their NFL counterparts did.  The agent said the players
     are prepared to take the case before the same judge, U.S.
     District Court Judge David Doty of Minneapolis (Mark
     Heisler, L.A. TIMES, 6/20).  In New York, Murray Chass notes
     that it is possible the notices "will never be delivered to
     the union, but will be used to induce Gourdine to be more
     forthcoming" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/20).  Agent Steve Kauffman:  "In
     football, the big difference was the union realized itself
     the best legal strategy was to decertify.  In that instance,
     the players and the union were in agreement.  But this
     revolt is like the Boston Tea Party.  It truly is taxation
     without representation.  The idea of a luxury tax is what
     sent these players wild" (Jackie MacMullan, BOSTON GLOBE,
     6/20).  Magic Player Rep Donald Royal:  "Before, [the union]
     sent me faxes or FedExed me about whatever was going on --
     but lately, I've had to find out everything from the media"
     (Susan Slusser, ORLANDO SENTINEL, 6/20).  Other players
     reported to have signed the notices:  Reggie Miller, Horace
     Grant, Moses Malone, Scottie Pippen, Alonzo Mourning, Dino
     Radja, Sherman Douglas and at least three players reps -- Ed
     Pinckney of the Bucks, Scott Williams of the 76ers and Pooh
     Richardson of the Clippers (Mult., 6/20).
          SIMON SAYS:  Gourdine's response:  "I think everyone
     has been fully informed, except perhaps the agents.  To that
     extent, I've taken the view that the agents advisory
     committee is what it says -- an advisory committee.  With
     the time constraints I have, I get direction from the
     executive committee, player reps and ultimately all the
     players" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/20).  More from Gourdine:  "I
     understand we have a little insurrection on our hands. ...
     My message to the players is:  be patient.  They know that
     we're working in their best interests to get the best deal
     for them and enhance for them their earning potential"
     (WASHINGTON POST, 6/20).  In Boston, Jackie MacMullan writes
     that the reaction has put a new CBA "in jeopardy, and could
     signal the end of the short reign of Simon Gourdine."  A
     number of Advisory Committee members "said there will be a
     call for Gourdine's resignation" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/20).
          DEAD DEAL?  In L.A., Mark Heisler writes that it isn't
     known whether the postponements on consideration of the new
     CBA "are merely procedural or whether the deal is blowing
     up" (L.A. TIMES, 6/20).  In New York, Shaun Powell writes,
     "The NBA's labor situation regressed from promising to grim"
     (N.Y. NEWSDAY, 6/20).  One "glitch," according Advisory
     Committee members, may be the NBPA's "lack of authority to
     sign over the licensing rights of its individual players to
     the NBA."  In Dallas, David Moore cites Marc Fleisher and
     another agent on the specifics:  Six-year term, expiring
     after 2000-2001; Salary cap up from $15.9M to $23M;  All
     rookies would sign three-year deals at the average salary
     for those chosen at their draft spot from the previous six
     years; the "Larry Bird Exception" would remain in place, but
     the league would assess a tax on any team that uses the
     exception to exceed the cap.  There would be no tax in the
     '95-96 season, a 50% tax in '96-97, and a 100% tax for the
     remainder of the contract (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/20).

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