Major Consequences of the entire 2011-2012 season lockout: NBA Featured Report (Part-1)
The future of the National Basketball Association got murkier when the representatives of the owners and players association arrived at a platform on 1st August to negotiate for the first time since NBA officially locked
out its players.
It was expected that both the parties will discuss the feasibility of the new economic proposal to show some progress. However, the conclusion of the meeting added fuel to the fire as the league filed lawsuits against a number
of players after they threatened to dissolve the union and take legal action by decertification.
During the meeting, the players association declared to take the case in the court on the ground that the lockout is unlawful. The NBA used the threat against the union and reached the doors of the court before them.
The possibility of a complete season wipe out has now started to become a reality as both the parties are now far away from making a settlement.
A few days later, the Executive Director of the National Basketball Player Association Billy Hunter expressed his fears that the entire 2010-2011 season might be cancelled. Hunter was of the view that the new division of hard-nosed
owners have reduced the options for David Stern to form an accord.
"The circumstances have changed among [David Stern's] constituency. In the last six or seven years, there is a new group of owners to come in who paid a premium for their franchises, and what they're doing is kind of holding his
feet to the fire." Billy Hunter said.
On the quest of imposing a hard salary cap, the owners are looking for a substantial decrease in the revenue percentage, contract length and salaries. After the first talks between the two parties landed in hot waters, the little
hope that was there to make a timetable of the conflict resolution subsided drastically. In the middle of August, David Stern launched another salvo when he accused the player of cancelling the scheduled meeting. The NBPA responded in kind and implied that
it was not due to them, but the vacations of the NBA commissioner that the session was cancelled.
The two way fire continued in the days that followed and only one thing became clear – the lockout is here to stay.
The NBA locked out its players on 1st of July upon the expiration of the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). At this moment in time, nearly two months have passed and during this stretch, the work stoppage
has postponed the free agency, Rookie Transition Programme and the Las Vegas Summer League. It’s just the beginning of the ugly consequences and the whole picture will only get darker with each passing day without a progress.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent Bettor.com’s editorial policy.
Tags: