Lockout after Lockout

With the NFL lockout going well over 100 days and training camps scheduled to begin in almost three weeks, labor negotiations continue and owners, players and fans are hoping that the two sides will come to a decision soon.  Players are continuing to conduct players only workout sessions to stay in shape hoping that they will be back to football soon. The major concern of the negotiations is trying to figure out how to agree on the division of revenues for the $9 billion business.  Besides the division of revenue there are other issues that needs to be panned out since the old collective bargaining agreement expired March 11 and the league is in need of a new CBA.

Following the footsteps of the NFL the NBA has also now entered a lockout.  Beginning their negotiations between the owners and players a week after the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA championship, the two sides were hoping to make a decision before the CBA expired Friday July 1.  With no success in the negotiations the NBA has now entered a player lockout and caused a halt in free agency, as the two sides are further a part in agreeance than the NFL has ever been throughout their negotiations.  David Sterns, NBA commissioner stated "We didn't see any options," after the two sides did not come to any decision on Thursday.  The NBA says that 22 of the 30 teams are unprofitable and the league lost about $300 million dollars last season even though they had a $4.3 billion revenue from last season.  The NBA owners wants to cut the 57% of basketball revenue that the players receive, establish stronger salary cap, reduce guaranteed contracts and lock players into a 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement.  On the other hand the players offered to cut revenue gain to 54.3% and give up $500 million in revenue for 5 seasons, in which the owners declined their offer. Adam Silver, NBA Deputy Commissioner, stated "NBA wants a system where all 30 teams are capable of being competitive and compete for championships."

It's looking like the NFL may come to a decision really soon, *crosses fingers*, as the commissioner did meet with rookies last week to discuss the business of the league, but the NBA players and owners are looking as far a part as ever.  Some believe that one of the reasons the NBA is so far apart is due to the owners being divided as well.  It's going to be a long journey for the NBA as it seems like the NFL is finally coming to the end of theirs after over 3 months of negotiations.  It would be a really touch year for not only owners and players but also fans who are hoping and praying they do not have to go a year with the NFL or the NBA.  *Stay Tuned*