The NBA labor situation was the third feature on ESPN's "NBA
Today" yesterday. ESPN's Mark Jones reported, "One veteran
player tells me that about 75% of the players who are attempting
to decertify the union have no clue why they are decertifying.
They are simply doing it because their agents told them to."
David Moore of ESPN and the DALLAS MORNING NEWS: "If
decertification takes place, I think you'll see a climate where
more antitrust suits are filed against the league and you'll have
different factions battling for control of the union to represent
the players." Moore also said the luxury tax has emerged as an
issue the players "could become passionate about." Asked what
would happen if the union and league come to terms before the
vote, Moore: "If they do come to terms, it is all up to the
decertification vote. If one more than half of the membership
votes to decertify, then any agreement the two sides reached is
null and void" ("NBA TODAY," ESPN, 7/6).
COMMENTARY: Is NBC concerned about its NBA deal now that
the league is suffering labor turmoil? NBC Sports spokesperson
Ed Markey: "The thing that makes us confident that it'll be
resolved is the commissioner. If you had to pick a commissioner
to solve it, you'd put your money on David Stern" (Mike Bruton,
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 7/7). Also in Philly, Rich Hofmann
writes, "Chaos does not come close to describing the world of a
sports league without a players union" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS,
7/6).
