For those who do not keep up with sports. Here is my version of the NFL and NBA lockouts.
UPDATE **Author’s note– I was reminded that strike is not completely true, and I concede that fact. The owners made the choice in both instances of locking out their employees from their places of employment. ESPN on the Lockout. **
The National Football League:
Since March, the NFL’s owners (the billionaires who lose money) and the players (the millionaires who make money) have been in dispute about a couple of things. The owners are offended that a player who gets drafted, who is unproven, makes way too much money (up to over $50 mill without even having played a single down). The owners, in the drive for profit, want the players to play 18 regular season games instead of 16, and eliminate 2 of the currently 4 pre-season games (games, scrimmages that do not really count unless you do not make the team, then you are just sent home). The players have concerns with the new schedule, especially when it comes to health concerns for playing such a long season, along with worries about medical insurance benefits, and wanting an increase in the size of the rosters for each team, it seems that the talks between the two parties are going backward.
The National Basketball Association:
Story is pretty easy. Ever wonder why the Lakers are on national television the most? Well, that’s because teams negotiate individually with the networks to get air time. Of course, the teams with the most money and the most bandwagon fans loyal followers will get the most media attention. This happens because the NBA does not have revenue sharing, and this leads to 22 (supposedly) of 30 teams losing money. It is very similar to the lockout crisis for Major League baseball a few years back, when the MLB was going to get rid of the Twins and the Royals (sigh, I can dream, can’t I?). So, now there is a deadlock over how will the league share its revenue among the teams and among the players and owners.
