Players reject NBA's offer, begin to disband union

[WillParkinson]

Source: Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA players rejected the league's latest offer Monday and have begun the process to disband the union.

The decision likely jeopardizes the season.

"We're prepared to file this antitrust action against the NBA," union executive director Billy Hunter said. "That's the best situation where players can get their due process."

He said players were not prepared to accept the NBA Commissioner David Stern's ultimatum, saying they thought it was "extremely unfair."

"This is the best decision for the players," union president Derek Fisher said. "I want to reiterate that point, that a lot of individual players have a lot of things personally at stake in terms of their careers and where they stand. And right now they feel it's important — we all feel it's important to all our players, not just the ones in this room, but our entire group — that we not only try to get a deal done for today but for the body of NBA players that will come into this league over the next decade and beyond."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5isKAiZCb870tRCsfhU7lr0Yidl2Q?docId=43dce8d2ff5141758303fdf8c8c3af91

[4moronyears]

1. Well considering that our former star was a prima donna

and took one of the best players with him leaving us a bunch of workers that did better than the NBA stars.

I want our best player back and the season cancelled.

Why? Two of our good players are stuck in a Chinese contract that doesn't opt-out.

[former9thward]

2. This is really ridiculous.

They are down to arguing over about 2% of revenues. The owners are risking throwing away a season of revenues over it and the players are throwing away a season of their not so long playing careers. Crazy.

[charlie and algernon]

3. From what I read on ESPN, the season was doomed regardless

there are 6 or 7 owners, including Michael Jordan, who were dead set against David Stern's offer of a 50/50 split. They want a 53/47 split in favor of the owners. So even if the players had agreed to the current offer, the owners wouldn't have agreed to it.

[Blue_Tires]

12. god, jordan is a piece of shit...

[SoCalMusicLover]

4. Bye Bye Season

On the one hand, a giant amount of revenue is now going to be lost, workers and businesses that count on the NBA games are going to be devastated.

On the other hand, we're in a deep recession/depression, so people will save lots of money they would have spent on tickets, concessions, souvenirs, parking, gas, etc.

In the end, people will realize that life still goes on, even without being able to watch LeBron and all his millionaire friends dunk the ball.

[WillParkinson]

8. Devastated...

My job depends on the ball players. And yet, oddly, I don't really care. All of them, owners and players, are a bunch of overpaid prima donna crybabies.

[wcollar]

5. NBA

Gee, there is a good chance there will be NO professional basketball this season.
and your point is........................................?

[DocMac]

10. The point is GREED!

Don't suppose they could split the 2% and discuss the matter during the next year?

Nope.

[jakefrep]

14. There will be professional basketball this season.

It's called the "NCAA".

[GKirk]

6. Couple questions

what does disbanding the union do for the players?
and
Don't the players negotiate their own salaries? How does the split of TV revenue fit into that?

[MilesColtrane]

7. The union has to be decertified before players can file individual lawsuits against the...

owners and the NBA to stop the lockout.

The players and their agents do negotiate their own salaries, but limits are imposed by the league-wide salary cap.

The salary cap is set by the CBA and is determined after the split of TV profits is nailed down.

[FreeBillClinton]

9. I salute the players for taking a stand

Many of these guys are signed to long term contracts. They are potentially sacrificing their own earnings so they don't screw the players that come after them with an unfair deal.

The owners have been unreasonable jerks throughout the entire process. I hope they lose in court and the players are awarded damages.

[closeupready]

11. Isn't this more like entertainment news?

I really couldn't care less about sports - or at least, sports news.

Flame away, but that's my honest feeling.

[w4rma]

13. Nope. This is pretty important, actually. (nt)

[Leftist Agitator]

15. No, this is Labor News.

You know, organized labor, that thing that Rightists can't stand?

I support the NBA Players Union 100%. It's hard for some to have sympathy for players who often earn millions of dollars a year, but when you consider that they are making the league team owners BILLIONS, and that they only see a small fraction of the revenues that they earn for the owners, having sympathy gets a damned sight easier.

Even if they are technically in the 1%, the players are being exploited by the Ownership class the same as anyone else.