Other Sports How will you react if the NBA cancels its season? - Page 5

Deberg_1990 · 09-29-2011, 12:55 PM

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/stor...t-consequences

It doesn’t necessarily matter what NBA commissioner David Stern meant when he said on Wednesday that the upcoming weekend of negotiations between players and the league would determine “whether they can either have a season or not have a season.” Maybe it was a threat, as it sure seemed to be—a grand warning that if they did not accede to a deal, players would miss out on an entire year of salary. But the league is insisting it was not a threat, so maybe it wasn’t.

It’s not really important, though, because we don’t need any pronouncements from Stern to notice that the pages are slipping away on the NBA’s calendar, and with both sides reporting on Wednesday that no progress had been made, at the very least, the beginning of the season is in jeopardy.

The sides will meet again on Friday, and considering it will take about two weeks to iron out the details of a collective bargaining agreement, it’s clear that without significant movement this weekend, the season won’t start on time on Nov. 1. During the 1998 lockout, the league started canceling regular-season games on October 13, and that timeline should hold up this time around.

Canceling the season is still an option, but it’s on the back-burner. There are some who believe that once some games are missed, owners will be willing to axe the whole season, as the NHL did in ’05. But bear in mind, losing an entire season would not just be a hit to the players. It would be a big hit to the owners, too. There is a provision in the league’s television contract that pays the league even in the event of lost games, something that surely increases the owners’ bargaining power in the early stages of a lockout. Owners will still be feeding from their deepest trough, while players miss paychecks.

There is a catch, though—if the entire season is canceled, the owners will have to return the television money, plus interest. The threat of the season being canceled can be arrived at just by looking at the calendar and noting the lack of progress the two sides have made. But there would be no point to a preemptive canceling of the season on Stern’s part.

SI.com’s Sam Amick reports that Stern has laid out a Jan. 7 drop-dead date for cancellation of the season. That was the same deadline in ’99, when a scattered and shortened 50-game season began on February 5—with very negative results. Attendance fell by 2.2 percent, television ratings fell sharply and NBA Finals ratings went from 18.7 to 11.3. That was largely because of the retirement of Michael Jordan and the breakup of the Bulls, but still, it took a long time for the NBA to recover its popularity.

The league last season regained its relevance among fans. Players have a lot at stake in the case of a canceled season. But while owners might be in a better financial position to withstand a long lockout, they saw the NBA finally climb out of its post-Jordan doldrums, and they have a lot at stake here, too.

A canceled season is still a possibility. But we’re a long way from that point.

RUSH · 09-29-2011, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

The NBA was kind of fun, back when you could follow a player through his college days, then through the NBA. HS players straight to the NBA screws all of that up. Who?

But I have never understood how someone could watch a whole NBA game, unless being personally vested. Friend or family of a player? Money bet on the game?

Granted, being floor level at an NBA game gives you real perspective of just how big, fast and talented these guys are.

But on TV, I will be snoring in about 4 minutes, not game clock 4 minutes either.

Huh? You haven't been able to go from high school to the NBA for like 7 years.

ChiefsCountry · 09-29-2011, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

Yes I have. Boring offenses with individual playmaking and little ball movement. Team defense does not even exist for the most part. Give me a college game with unique offenses, crowds that get into games and don't sit on their hands, and the crazy ups and downs of various national programs.

You can tell somebody has never been to a NBA game in person.

**The Franchise** · 09-29-2011, 01:44 PM

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Demonpenz · 09-29-2011, 01:44 PM

College game is sloppy these days.

**lewdog** · 09-29-2011, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

You can tell somebody has never been to a NBA game in person.

I have been to a few, but you are right, not many. I guess I was looking at it more from a TV watching kind of event, in which situation, college ball is more exciting for me and much less predictable.

ChiefsCountry · 09-29-2011, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by

I understand that the NBA isn't the average middle class cup of tea, but I don't understand why it's treated like the MLS around here.

Its amazing really how much hatred for the NBA is here.

1) Its the KU basketball effect. They think its the greatest thing ever, which it is not.
2) No local team in the state ie either KC and St. Louis.
3) Jordan effect. Fans of Jordan only, not the NBA.

Frazod · 09-29-2011, 01:45 PM

They can cancel college basketball as well for all I care. I hate basketball.

So I guess won't really give a shit.

**Bearcat** · 09-29-2011, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

Yes I have. Boring offenses with individual playmaking and little ball movement. Team defense does not even exist for the most part. Give me a college game with unique offenses, crowds that get into games and don't sit on their hands, and the crazy ups and downs of various national programs.

I went to a Hawks playoff game in Atlanta a couple years ago and it was pretty crazy... that's just one game, but it was freakin' Atlanta. And I've seen some pretty wild arenas on TV... at least in the playoffs. The Thunder seemed to have a very college-like atmosphere (and obviously there's a reason they call it that).

**dirk digler** · 09-29-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

Correction--Guess I am looking at it from a more TV observer of the sport though. Give me college games to watch all day, not NBA games. I suppose an NBA game is better than going to many college basketball games since at many programs there isn't a consistently developed program but give me the top 10 college basketball programs in the nation and I would gladly attend that game over the top NBA teams every day of the week.

I think there needs to be a distinction between regular season NBA games and the NBA playoffs. I would tend to agree with you about regular season NBA games because there is too many of them and most of them aren't important so it appears the players don't give much effort until the 4th quarter.

There is no competition though when you compare NBA playoff basketball to college bb because the NBA is much more superior product.

**HemiEd** · 09-29-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RUSH

Huh? You haven't been able to go from high school to the NBA for like 7 years.

See? They lost me a long time ago. Where did Kobe play college ball? Lebron James? Surely Lebron hasn't been in the NBA 7 years, has he?

**lewdog** · 09-29-2011, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I think there needs to be a distinction between regular season NBA games and the NBA playoffs. I would tend to agree with you about regular season NBA games because there is too many of them and most of them aren't important so it appears the players don't give much effort until the 4th quarter.

There is no competition though when you compare NBA playoff basketball to college bb because the NBA is much more superior product.

Yea agree with that.
While March Madness is simply amazing to watch, you are correct because it doesn't really determine the best team since it is a 1 loss elimination.

NBA playoffs are damn awesome, but the regular season leaves me just bored.

**dirk digler** · 09-29-2011, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Its amazing really how much hatred for the NBA is here.

1) Its the KU basketball effect. They think its the greatest thing ever, which it is not.
2) No local team in the state ie either KC and St. Louis.
3) Jordan effect. Fans of Jordan only, not the NBA.

yep.

**Bearcat** · 09-29-2011, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by

I understand that the NBA isn't the average middle class cup of tea, but I don't understand why it's treated like the MLS around here.

Kansas City is a college sports town, and before the Thunder, there wasn't an NBA team within an 8 hour drive.

Deberg_1990 · 09-29-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I think there needs to be a distinction between regular season NBA games and the NBA playoffs. I would tend to agree with you about regular season NBA games because there is too many of them and most of them aren't important so it appears the players don't give much effort until the 4th quarter.

There is no competition though when you compare NBA playoff basketball to college bb because the NBA is much more superior product.

yea, im starting to think that the NHL would work better in KC than the NBA.

kcmaxwell · 09-29-2011, 01:52 PM

What is this "NBA" you speak of?

09-29-2011, 12:55 PM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $334454	How will you react if the NBA cancels its season? http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/stor...t-consequences It doesn’t necessarily matter what NBA commissioner David Stern meant when he said on Wednesday that the upcoming weekend of negotiations between players and the league would determine “whether they can either have a season or not have a season.” Maybe it was a threat, as it sure seemed to be—a grand warning that if they did not accede to a deal, players would miss out on an entire year of salary. But the league is insisting it was not a threat, so maybe it wasn’t. It’s not really important, though, because we don’t need any pronouncements from Stern to notice that the pages are slipping away on the NBA’s calendar, and with both sides reporting on Wednesday that no progress had been made, at the very least, the beginning of the season is in jeopardy. The sides will meet again on Friday, and considering it will take about two weeks to iron out the details of a collective bargaining agreement, it’s clear that without significant movement this weekend, the season won’t start on time on Nov. 1. During the 1998 lockout, the league started canceling regular-season games on October 13, and that timeline should hold up this time around. Canceling the season is still an option, but it’s on the back-burner. There are some who believe that once some games are missed, owners will be willing to axe the whole season, as the NHL did in ’05. But bear in mind, losing an entire season would not just be a hit to the players. It would be a big hit to the owners, too. There is a provision in the league’s television contract that pays the league even in the event of lost games, something that surely increases the owners’ bargaining power in the early stages of a lockout. Owners will still be feeding from their deepest trough, while players miss paychecks. There is a catch, though—if the entire season is canceled, the owners will have to return the television money, plus interest. The threat of the season being canceled can be arrived at just by looking at the calendar and noting the lack of progress the two sides have made. But there would be no point to a preemptive canceling of the season on Stern’s part. SI.com’s Sam Amick reports that Stern has laid out a Jan. 7 drop-dead date for cancellation of the season. That was the same deadline in ’99, when a scattered and shortened 50-game season began on February 5—with very negative results. Attendance fell by 2.2 percent, television ratings fell sharply and NBA Finals ratings went from 18.7 to 11.3. That was largely because of the retirement of Michael Jordan and the breakup of the Bulls, but still, it took a long time for the NBA to recover its popularity. The league last season regained its relevance among fans. Players have a lot at stake in the case of a canceled season. But while owners might be in a better financial position to withstand a long lockout, they saw the NBA finally climb out of its post-Jordan doldrums, and they have a lot at stake here, too. A canceled season is still a possibility. But we’re a long way from that point.
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09-29-2011, 01:44 PM	#63
The Franchise Most Valuable Villain Join Date: Dec 2006 Casino cash: $2095047	DaKCManAP's reaction
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09-29-2011, 01:44 PM	#64
Demonpenz Woman should only make babies Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Apartment "G UNIT!" Casino cash: $-193864	College game is sloppy these days. __________________
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09-29-2011, 01:45 PM	#67
Frazod Did you hear what I said? Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $-556615	They can cancel college basketball as well for all I care. I hate basketball. So I guess won't really give a shit.
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09-29-2011, 01:52 PM	#75
kcmaxwell bored as hell... Join Date: Mar 2006 Casino cash: $2558769	What is this "NBA" you speak of? __________________ 2024 Adopt-a-Chief- Rashee Rice!!
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