Will There Be an NFL or NBA Season Next Year?
The NBA and NFL have not “dropped the ball” yet, as there are still negotiations taking place between team owners and players for both leagues. The two sides for the NFL met last week and are planning to meet again Monday and Tuesday of the week of July 11, 2011. It’s all in the details, and last week, negotiations became strained over rookie wage scale and unrestricted free agent guidelines.
As of mid July, it appears that July 19, 2011 is the day of reckoning. This is the date that mediator Arthur Boylan (a judge) has ordered a meeting between both sides. Many sources, including ABC and CBS Sports, are reporting that everyone is in good shape, but still a few minor issues.
How will all of this affect the regular season game? The lockout has already affected the preseason process, though delays will only be noticeable if training camps and free agency stalls, and if preseason games fail to take place. Just these preliminaries could cost the NFL half a billion dollars or more. Reportedly, if the league and its players come to an agreement by July 21, 2011, every preseason game will be played, except perhaps for the Hall of Fame game. Though preseason activities will be rushed, overall, it appears as if we will have something close to a normal NFL season ahead of us, if Thursday brings us good news.
What about the NBA? Things are not looking quite as favorable, considering there is already talk of “locked out” NBA players seeking jobs overseas. Yes, of all the major American sports, the NBA perhaps has the most international appeal, given basketball’s popularity, and the many overseas players.
Of course, NBA management dismisses this option, suggesting that players would receive substantially smaller paychecks working for other basketball teams around the world. True, the NBA does overpay its superstars…but next to zero (the current pay rate predicted for a lockout season), it is quite possible many NBA stars will be willing to play by European rules.
If there is an NBA lockout, it will be unprecedented and disastrous for free agency and draft lottery. Furthermore, FIBA, the governmental body for international basketball, would have to set up some rules for international basketball play, and to this date there is still no clearance for American basketball players to jump ship. Some minor players are already making plans overseas, so don’t necessarily believe that FIBA and the NBA are in cahoots.
What do you think? Are we going to see an NFL or NBA season this time around?