NBA owners and players have left the fans to rot – A fan’s take on the Lockout
It is summer time, the time for the rich and famous NBA players, to embark overseas on promotional tours; strike new endorsement deals, play exhibition games and in the case of the much vilified superstar LeBron James, to pull off some endearing stunts at the Drew League.
Two days ago, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony left for China to promote a multinational shoe company. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant have already been there, and then off course they went to the Philippines along with Derrick Rose, Derek Fisher and few young guns to play two exhibition games.
It’s business as usual for the superstars of the league, who we all just love to love.
But the question is; do they love us?
The NBA is in a lockout. The NBA owners and the players are fighting over the money and the people who are suffering are us, the fans.
The league, the money it earns, is all about us, it has been all along. We are the ones who pay heavy dollars to witness the games, whether it’s the Mavs versus the Heat in the NBA Finals, or the Minnesota Timberwolves playing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the battle of the lightweights. It is we, who make the show successful and yet we get deprived of the action and get to have no say whatsoever, when the players and the owners fight, much like two greedy kids would fight over a candy.
The owners are businessmen and you would expect this out of them. For them it is just a way to earn more money and widen their already bloated bank accounts.
What is even more saddening is that the players, especially the big wigs, who fans idealize, are happy just to engage in promotional tours and personal pleasures.
Playing overseas or appearing in an exhibition games is not worrying, but to overlook the internal problems, which are facing the league, and not trying to resolve them is disturbing for many basketball experts and fans alike.
This is the very league not that has provided them with all the opportunities and the stardom they are enjoying. Standing united and representing the echo of millions of fans is the least they can do in these troubled times.
These players should understand this fact and try to be a part of solution rather than ignoring the issues and leaving it for the player’s union. But then, the president of the players union, a guy by the name of Derek Fisher, is busy displaying his talents in Manila. Just to put the record straight, he was the only NBA player, who managed not to land a bucket against the Filipinos in game-2. Hah! What an irony. Will he be able to do something once he returns? I will not risk my money.
All he does is to moan about how draconian is David Stern, NBA owners and their demands, and how innocent and deprived are the players.
Instead of equivocating, he and all the members of his union –the players – should stand on a single platform and dare the owners to retract on their demands.
They have to understand that time is of essence and they cannot go on wasting it, till the other party gets pressurized to make some concessions. We the fans need the action to start on time. We need to experience the thrill of the free agency, the trade and the build up to the regular season.
If the players and the owners get too late in finding a solution, they might never be able to attract the interest of the fans, they have so casually deserted.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent Bettor.com’s editorial policy.
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