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10 Things That Irk Me About The Lockout
Posted by: Danny Hansen on October 1st, 2011
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.
October is the time of year where we are discussing Jazz-related questions such as, should the Jazz be in Boise for training camp? Which new free agent or acquisition will contribute this year? Should the Jazz make a trade before the season starts? Well, there is no training camp, free agency period, or possiblity of making any trades.
That’s right! We are still in a lockout! And as we get closer to canceling regular season games, I am getting very upset. In fact, there are so many things about this lockout driving me crazy, that I was able to pick ten to write about. Believe me, there are much more. So, in the name of self-therapy, here is my list of the 10 things driving me crazy about the lockout.
1. Serious negotiations start in late September/early October.
We keep hearing about how the calendar is not the friend of the NBA. They are up against it. It is the 11th hour. Well, of course you are going to feel rushed when you wait to the last possible minute to try and put a deal together. I do understand that there were meetings in August, but it was not serious. They sat around for 3 months trying to psyche the other side out. Now it is going to be too late.
2. Owners going for a kill
They have made up their mind on the system they want and expect the players to give it to them. It is like on Mortal Kombat when you have your opponent defeated but you still decide to rip off his head and throw it to the crowd. From the sound of things the players are willing to give up a lot, but the owners want their perfect system. And if they believe they need the players to lose checks to get it, it seems to me they will.
3. Players not really caring.
My usual summer morning routine is as follows: Wake up, blink, get out of bed, and walk to the computer to see what NBA/Jazz rumors surfaced while I dreamt about NBA/Jazz rumors. Every day this summer, a new rumor surfaced. Except that it was about a player signing a deal in Europe. Players decided that instead of fighting a fight for a new contract, they would just head to Europe to play. It wasn’t until this weekend that we hear star players actually getting involved in talks. More involvement from stars earlier definitely would have helped.
4. Nobody cares people are out of work.
While the billionaires try to split up money with millionaires, they are hundreds of people not working due to the lockout. They are piecing together part time jobs to make ends meet. We forget about security, arena workers, team staff, writers, and others, now out of work.
5. Their meetings only last 3-4 hours
Besides today’s meeting, most previous sessions have only last around 3-4 hours. If they were to work a 9 to 5 job, they would be home by noon.
6. Momentum of last season will be lost
If there are any group of fans that may be the most fragile, it is NBA fans. Now, I am not talking about die-hards, such as those that may be reading this. I am speaking of fringe fans that go to games to be seen. Unfortunately for the NBA, they make up a large portion of the fanbase. With a lockout, these fans will go elsewhere, and it may take a while to get them back. When the NBA slumps in popularity, it really slumps. And it takes years to get it back.
7. Jazz young players and coaches need a training camp and preseason
And they won’t get it. With a young core of Favors, Kanter, Hayward, and Burks, the Jazz could really use some practice time to grow. Plus, the Jazz need some time to implement a Tyrone Corbin system, whatever that may be. And because of this lockout we won’t get it.
8. NBATV
Have you flipped over to NBATV lately. Yes, you can see quality programming such as TeenWolf and Space Jam. Not that NBATV had great programming to begin with, but with the lockout it got even worse.
9. David Stern
I understand that he is representing very rich men and their billions of dollars, but there needs to be ’smug alert’ warning for whenever he speaks. I, for one, was relieved to hear Dwayne Wade got into it with him. He needs to know he is not the king of the world. Leonardo DiCaprio is.
10. Forgotten fans
Those of us that are paying all those billions that the league and players are trying to split, seem to be neglected and forgotten. For some of us, the NBA is our passion. I haven’t heard one person emerge and say that they need to cooperate with each other for the fans. And in not doing so, they may lose some.
Replies: 20
Views: 834
20 Responses
This is great Danny, I agree with almost all your points. Being selfish though, I especially am concerned with #7. I am so worried that if and hopefully when the season starts, the Jazz will allready be lagging behind just because they have so many young players who really have not played together as a team and basically a new coach. My only slight disageement with your list is NBA TV, I have greatly enjoy the classic games they have been replaying, not only those with the Jazz, but seeing Lary Bird, Magic, David Robinson, and even Jerry Sloan in their best playing days (Jerry in the 1964 (I think) All-Star game was fantastic). You are 100% correct about the fringe fans, when the JAzz mentioned on Facebook they were selling single season tickets, the response, at least those who commented on Facebook, was pretty negative and discouraging. I think as long as the NFL, MLB and college football are up and running, fans have plenty of other sports to keep their interest. Hopefully the NBA can get some of that interest back when the season starts.
Seriously, 9 to 5 job really exist ??! I know the 7 to 7 or 8 job, but never heard about a 9 to 5, and people say French are lazy……..
Maybe it is time that we create a Union of Fans. Starting from the first preseason game, every day that goes on where no new deal is made we will not watch or attend for three games.
I will always love my Jazz but as the lockout has gone on and on I am losing interest in the NBA, I have learned that my life goes on just fine without the NBA.
I don’t get why if they feel the urgency now and are trying to “save the season” why didnt’ they meet earlier in end of July, August and meet every day normal job hours to get the job done. That would have shown to me they actually cared and I wouldn’t have developed these sour feelings towards the league and players.
You mean King David is not really King?
Jazzaholic
Yeah but French Dude… we work more than one day a week.
Always like you stuff DH
@Dave, yes, as i say every week, TGIT, thank god it’s tuesday
Good points! I relate to everything you mentioned, too.
The only point which I’m not as passionate is the players playing elsewhere. There can only be so many cooks (Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, Paul Pierce, Dwyane Wade, agents) in the kitchen before you start getting diminishing returns. Smart players who recognize that have cut their losses and play overseas. Their skills stay sharp and wallets don’t thin out as much. I applaude them for that, especially with the stubbornness of the owners.
- Layn
I agree 100%. These players are being way to greedy. It’s not like jobs are a dime a dozen these days. You play in the NBA it’s not like your struggling with money. You guys don’t live pay check to pay check. Be grateful that your dream came true come to a deal, and get back on the court.
LOL 53% is all they’re asking for…. Wish my boss would give me 53% of the profits….
I’m Really close to just writing off the NBA. I love basketball but cant stand greedy millionaires…..
It’s not 53% of the profits,
IT’S 53% OF EVERYTHING!!!
It’s 53% of the TOTAL income generated.
The owners would be ecstatic, if they could tie salaries to profits, as any other corporation might do in a labor negotiation.
The big “irk” for me is the greed for both sides! There’s plenty to go around. And, how about those agents, salivating in the wings, just waiting to pounce on any way to make more money off of someone else.
Jazzaholic
I agree with just about everything you said. My wife got disgusted with the NBA during the ‘98 lockout and it took years to get her back into it. They’re so concerned about money, do they think about the fans they will lose and the money those fans take with them?
The big concern for me, though, is #4. The owners and players who make millions and billions a year aren’t affected so much. But the normal 40-50 hour per week people who have to find another way to feed their families. They’re the ones who really get hurt.
53% of everything (I recall it was 57% at some point) is ridiculous in any other industry. I am totally on the side of the “greedy” owners. They bear a huge risk, they have found ways to front the money to buy and hopefully grow their franchise in the first place (I realize not all are as great as Utah’s Millers).
The players don’t lose anything – the get played huge minimum contacts. There are plenty of athletes in other sports who are satisfied with getting four digit salaries during their careers.
I want them to play, and I want them to play now (yes, the Jazz especially need the training camp, for reasons everybody here is aware of)!
don’t forget one thing when you say 53% is ridiculous in other industry, because they are not only employees, they are the raw material too, every products sell in NBA shop is sell because of them, their image and their name……. so what is the percentage in industry for employees, raw material, shop and marketing ???? less than 50, i don’t think so…….
@French Dude, thanks for bringing the raw materials idea up. NBA players are the product, they are not selling something the owners provide. Try to remember that Utah is one of the most pro-business, pro-management places in the US.
@Arne, Just curious about what area of highest level professional sports there are where the players are satisfied with making four digit salaries, that would be at the most $9,999 a year?
Most companies make just a small percentage of the total revenue, after expenses are taken out.
A NBA team had not just the $.57 player expense out of each dollar of total revenue taken in, but had another $.50+ of other expenses on top of that, to advertise, promote, pay coaches, trainers, airfare, hotels, food, ticket takers, janitors, insurance, interest etc. etc.
If you run a business and take in $1.00, and spend $1.07, you lose $.07. Multiple that by a few million dollars and it makes a bitter pill to swallow, especially if you just paid $350m for a franchise.
The owners want to make a profit and the players want to make a killing. Both are acceptable. The owners should make a profit now, when they sell the franchise they will make their killing, and the players have such a limited playing time, they should go for what ever the market will bear.
The players really have no leverage. If they don’t play this year, they 10-50% of their lifetime earnings. November 1st they start to lose real money.
It looks like the owners are caving on the hard cap, which is too bad, because that’s the key to a more competitive league.
Jazzaholic
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