The NBA Will Be Ruined If The Lockout Last Any Longer

The day has finally arrived.

The owners and players warned us, and although fans expected the day to come, losing regular season games is heartbreaking.

NBA fans have been told from high-end officials and analysts that this work stoppage will last for quite some time, and unlike the NFL lockout, this situation involves a myriad of variables. The parties are very far apart on issues, and David Stern reiterated that fact during his late-night conference yesterday.

People in school have been warning me to brace for a shortened NBA season, but I intentionally avoided their comments. I was always refreshing my browser page to see any updates from the reporters telling fans like me what was going on at the L’Hotel du Lockout. Nevertheless, I remained optimistic and believed common sense and the urge to save the NBA would influence the sides to sign a deal.

To put it shortly, I was completely wrong.

Just like the millions of NBA fans across the world, my jaw dropped when I read the various tweets saying the first 100 games were wiped out of the season. Like I said, I anticipated the cancellation, but I could never imagine the feeling when it actually happened. At this point the situation seems surreal, but I guarantee you when I come home from school and the schedule on NBA.com says “0 games,” I will flip out.

What is most irritating about this lockout is that billionaires and millionaires are fighting over money that somehow is at a shortage. Both sides are to blame for this money lockout, and I do not side with any one party.

The owners should be willing to pay the players more money, because let’s be honest, when I go to Lakers and Knicks game I pay to see Kobe and Carmelo, not James Dolan or Jerry Buss kicking back in their suites. The players are the reason why the NBA is what it is today. People did not tune into ABC to watch Mikey Arison during the Finals, they wanted to watch LeBron James and his teammates. Let’s face it owners, with no players the NBA is no better than a recreational league. You must realize all the money you made off the league is all due to the players. Would Jerry Buss be as rich of a man if it weren’t for Kobe Bryant? I don’t think so.

Now as for the players, you may be the fan favorite in this lockout, but in no way are you free of criticism. In case you people don’t know, NBA players are among the richest professional athletes in America, with an average players’ salary about $5 million. So, it is only right for them to sacrifice a part of that money to help resolve the NBA lockout. NFL players aren’t nearly as rich as NBA players, and maybe the guys in a lockout right now should see how their counterparts negotiated their CBA.

All in all, this lockout is pathetic and both sides should feel ashamed that they had could not agree to a new deal by the Monday deadline. The NBA is not on the same level as the NFL, and some argue that it is slightly below the MLB. After an incredible successful 2010-11 season, the parties are actually willing to lose an entire season just so they can get the better end of the stick. Embarrassing! They guys are ready to eliminate 82 games and in the process ruin the future of the National Basketball Association.

Next Page: Let’s Make a Deal

Let’s be honest, part of the reason why last season was so popular was because of the Heatles down in South Beach. With the Big 3 casual fans developed an interest in the NBA, and they tuned to games last season when in previous seasons they would rather just watch SportsCenter. People wanted to watch the NBA, and there was a growing popularity of the league around the world. It is tough to hear that all the momentum and progress the NBA made will be lost thanks to the big egos on both sides (not singling out anyone, but you know who are). The ratings for the league were out of the roof, and after the last lockout in 1998-99, the league was making a push as one of the top two institutions in the US.

So for all the owners and union members, this is a plea from a life long basketball player. I may be only be in high school and don’t have the greatest understanding of labor talks, but eliminating games just because you guys can’t sacrifice and don’t want to give the other side more money than you would like is distressing. You cannot afford to lose any more games, the league needs to continue on with its amazing run and amass more and more fans. The NBA cannot turn into the NHL; a loss of a season would be disastrous.

Being a long-time NBA fan, I will return to game no matter how long the lockout last for. The NBA has been my passion for years, and I will never abandon the league even if the entire 2011-12 season is gone. But I worry about the casual fans who will likely forget about the league if more games are cancelled. These fans were the catalysts for the NBA’s popularity last year, but I can assure you those same people will also lead to the collapse of the league.

Before you guys make your back to the negotiating table, have this in mind, are you ready to be the men who will be blamed for the downfall of the NBA?

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