Shane Battier shows sympathy for NBA fans, asks them to keep faith
Memphis Grizzlies star Shane Battier says he understands the frustration of NBA fans because of the lockout. The small forward knows the fans have every right to be upset at the fiasco that is the NBA lockout but has asked them
to keep patient because players will do everything in their power to win them back.
“I feel for them. I can’t deny their feelings, but I know that when we do settle, the players will do their best to win back our fans. We have unbelievable fans.” Battier said in an interview published on Sports Radio Interviews.
Battier went on to say that NBA fans and players share a passion for the game that is very strong and cannot be overcome by NBA owners enforce lockout.
“Anyone who’s an NBA fan or has been to an NBA game … knows that we share a bond and a passion over basketball. In the end, the game always wins.”
The question though is that how long will the NBA fans stick around. Many are disgruntled and disillusioned already because of the NBA labour dispute and things are only about to get worse.
The NBA lockout began on July 1st after the expiry of the old Collective Bargaining Agreement. However, instead of quickly formulating a new one, owners and players have been unable to resolve their differences, leading
to the cancellation of a month and a half worth of NBA regular season games.
NBA Commissioner David Stern issued an ultimatum to the players recently which they rejected, prompting a decertification of the National Basketball Players Association and filing of lawsuits against the owners in at least two
federal courts.
Battier acknowledges all that but has still asked the players not to take out their frustration on the game of basketball, whom he believed that all players and fans loved.
“You can talk about the litigation and the arguments, but basketball is basketball and it’s never going away. We’re hopeful that people don’t lose sight of that.”
The lockout meanwhile could now devour an entire NBA season, and if proceedings are allowed to go on in a court of law, it could take a big chunk of next season as well. The players made significant concessions during the labour
talks, but in the end too much greed by owners scuppered a deal.
With the matter now in the courts, it could take months for a ruling to be issued, which can always be appealed against by owners. The players have said that they would not seek a quick injunction for the season to start immediately,
because they believe that would only delay an eventual outcome in their favour and owners would try all tactics to avoid it.
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