The path to an N.B.A. labor deal, and the end to a 131-day lockout, came into sharper focus Tuesday, with the players signaling for the first time that they would accept the league’s proposed 50-50 split of revenues.
Derek Fisher, the union president, made that overture at a news conference, with 43 players standing behind him. In return, the union wants the league to relax its proposed restrictions on free agency.
By offering to take the league’s offer, the union effectively shifted the onus back to Commissioner David Stern and the owners.
“We’re open-minded about potential compromises on our number,” Fisher said, referring to the revenue share for the players. “But there are things in the system that are not up for discussion, that we have to have, in order to be able to get this season going again.”
Stern told NBA TV that he would be happy to take a call from Billy Hunter, the union’s executive director. However, Stern said he could not resume negotiations until he consulted with the owners’ labor relations committee. At midnight Tuesday, no new talks had been scheduled. Stern also told the network that he denied Hunter’s claim that the league was about to cancel games “up through Christmas.”
Damn, I didn't actually expect the NBA players to cave on the revenue sharing. But now the question is, will the owners follow suit. I mean David Stern is a useless asshole so who the fuck knows. Maybe they will just come out and say fuck the players. Hopefully we will have basketball this year, at some point. But I'm not holding my breath.
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| The NBA season is in this clown's hands now |
I mean I hope the owners realize that having no season this year will fucking destroy the NBA. Football might have been able to withstand a full year lockout, but basketball will drop in popularity like an all fat chick Dancing with the Stars.
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