But neither side is in a concession-making mood, especially the players, who declined to counter the owners’ latest proposal and waited until today to return to the bargaining table. With training camp three months away, negotiations lack a sense of urgency, although the last NBA lockout cost the owners and players 32 games during the 1998-99 season.
The standoff comes down to this: League executives and owners want a new financial system for the NBA with a tougher salary cap, shorter contracts and a greater share of basketball-related income — everything from ticket sales to TV revenue to merchandise. Players want to protect many of the benefits they enjoy under the current deal, such as a soft salary cap, contract lengths that can extend to five or six years and more than half of basketball-related income.
The prospect of a lockout comes at a most inopportune time, with record television ratings and increased attendance building momentum for the NBA. If the NBA entered a lockout, the league would join the National Football League, which is 110 days into the longest work stoppage in its history. NFL negotiations are scheduled to continue today and tomorrow in Minneapolis.
The NBA negotiations are high-stakes for more than just the owners and players. Lockouts lead to lost revenue for the cities that host games and for businesses located near arenas.
Each Celtics home game at the TD Garden results in about $420,000 of outside-the-arena consumer spending for eating and drinking, retail, hotels, transportation and parking, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Add in tickets sales and Garden concessions, which have an economic impact on arena workers and local suppliers, and the number jumps to $1.8 million per game.
