‘Sir’ Charles Barkley believes that the NBA season will be lost - Lockout update
Bad news for basketball fans.
Former basketball great and current TV analyst Charles Barkley recently uttered that the NBA season for 2011-2012 probably will be cancelled. Barkley said he did not see the NBA owners and players agreeing on a new CBA in time to save the coming season.
Barkley, affectionately known as “Sir Charles”, has a tremendous insight on the game. In his playing days, Barkley was an outspoken player whose talent alone kept him in the headlines. Since retiring he has joined the crew at a popular TV show that provides in depth coverage of the NBA.
Barkley is a big fan of the game and as much as it hurt him to admit it, he went on to reveal that an NBA season for next year looks very unlikely,
“I don’t think they’re gonna play at all this year,” Barkley told a radio show. “I feel bad to be honest with you, I feel bad for the people who work for the teams and the people who work for the arenas. The players and the owners are going to be fine because it’s gonna get settled at some point. The NBA has already laid off 100 people, so it’s gonna get ugly, real ugly.”
Sir Charles does have a point. The NBA started releasing employees almost as soon as the lockout started on July 1st and the NBA Commissioner David Stern and the rest of the owners look determined to hold out until their hefty demands are met. Just a few days ago, Barkley’s old pal and current owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, a certain Michael Jordan, reiterated the determination of NBA owners to get a viable deal for themselves.
The NBA claims that 22 franchises incurred operating losses last season. Total loss for the league was put at $300 million. The NBA wants a new CBA that ensures that all the franchises are profitable, including ones in small markets. They have suggested reaching that goal by drastically cutting player salaries and keeping them locked out of any revenue growth for the next ten years.
The players, understandably, don’t want such a system put in place. They have in turn proposed that the league come upon a formula for revenue sharing to help ease the burden on smaller market teams.
The National Basketball Players Association has already been sued by the NBA. If things do not take a turn for the better it is expected that the NBPA would decertify and players would then take the league to court as well.
Such a scenario will almost guarantee that NBA games are lost.
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