By Rachel Shuster, USA TODAY
Commissioner David Stern pronounced the state of the NBA as highly exciting for fans, as evidenced by attendance and good TV ratings, but revealed little Saturday to indicate progress has been made toward reaching a new collective bargaining agreement with the players association.
By Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY
NBA Commissioner David Stern said both the league and the union understand it's crunch time heading toward the June 30 end of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
By Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY
NBA Commissioner David Stern said both the league and the union understand it's crunch time heading toward the June 30 end of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
"The only consensus is that we understand each other and we understand what's at stake (a lockout), and that nothing's personal," Stern said at news conference in Los Angeles before Saturday's skills competitions.
The positive thing coming out of Friday's meetings with the players union, Stern said, was that "the union agreed to talk about some things that were (previously) non-negotiable," but he declined to specify what those were.
Stern said the rhetoric that has marked the past year of negotiating through the media has been "excised," with the sides realizing that it's crunch time heading toward the June 30 end of the current CBA.
"I think what we've learned, and what the union has learned, is we both have the capacity to shut down the league," Stern said.
Stern said the union no longer disputes the "numbers" the league has shown indicating projections of a $350 million loss this season. "There's no disagreement about the numbers," Stern said. "There's disagreement about the component of the numbers and whether they should be included."
Billy Hunter, executive director of the players association, responded in a statement: "There has been ongoing debate and disagreement regarding the numbers, and we do not agree that the stated loss figures reflect an accurate portrayal of the financial health of the league."
Stern, asked if he would draw a $1 salary if there were a lockout, ias NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he would do in the event of a shutdown of his league, hesitated, smiled, then said, "The last time (the 1999 NBA lockout) I didn't take a salary. I think a dollar would be too high in the event of a lockout."
Among other subjects addressed by Stern:
?How is the gap between the sides on a new CBA similar to the gap before the 1999 lockout: "We had a huge gap back then, and we have a huge gap now. ? We're smarter now. We already had a lockout. We know what it feels like."
?Franchise tag for players, similar to what the NFL does: "It wouldn't surprise me if it becomes an item of discussion," but it hasn't so far.
?Contraction: "It's not currently on the table. ? It has been raised internally with respect to no particular team. ? It's not a majority sentiment, but it's out there."
?League ownership of the New Orleans Hornets: Asked if he felt positive the franchise would remain in the city, Stern said, "Yes." Asked if he would expand on that, he said, "No."
?Current negotiations for the sale of the Detroit Pistons from the Davidson family to Tom Gores: "It's in the final stages, and I would expect there would be a deal or won't be a deal in the next week."
?The return of the NBA to Kansas City, in the form of a team moving there: "There's been some dialogue (about a building for a team). ? There's not going to be expansion at this time or in the foreseeable future."
read football news read cricket news read golf news read baseball news read soccer news
No comments:
Post a Comment