NBA Owners, Players Approve New Labor Deal

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By BRIAN MAHONEY

NEW YORK (AP) - NBA basketball is back.

Calling it a "new beginning in a way," Commissioner David Stern announced that owners and players ratified a new collective bargaining agreement Thursday, the final step to ending the five-month lockout and paving the way for training camps and free agency to open Friday.

The 10-year deal promises owners savings of perhaps a quarter billion dollars a year but largely leaves intact the soft salary cap system that the players fought hard to maintain.

Stern and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver announced the deal during a press conference, putting an end to nearly two years of difficult negotiations that resulted in the second shortened season in NBA history. A 66-game schedule will begin on Christmas and run through April 26, forcing every team to play on three straight nights at least once.


Read more: http://sports.excite.com/news/12082011/v1612.html

[RandySF]

1. I'm sorry, but...

I refuse to call an agreement between millionaires and billionaires a "labor deal"

[plumbob]

2. Anybody actually watch basketball?

Just curious.

[Prometheus Bound]

3. Why, yes.

I'm not saying I've missed it so far, but I look forward to watching it again at the end of the month.

[former9thward]

4. 28.2 million watched Game 7 of the finals last year.

That probably 10 times the number who are actively engaged in politics.

[plumbob]

7. Thanks, I was just curious. I don't know anybody who does.

But that's just anecdotal.

[alp227]

5. I do and speculated the cancelation of the entire season a la the NHL in 2004.

[davidthegnome]

6. Huh

Oh thank God. Disaster averted. Now we can still watch millionaires play basketball for billionaires on television - or if we have some money, maybe we can actually go to a game that few people will be able to afford to attend.

Labor deal indeed. The whole damn thing was a joke, from the beginning to now.