In November, people normally watch the NBA preseason games and get excited for the real season to kick-off. However, this is not the case this year as the NBA lockout has led to many canceled NBA games.
The lockout is happening because NBA owners and players cannot agree on how to split the revenue. There are many opinions on whose fault the lockout is and what should be done to solve the problem.
Senior Jilli Schulz, a senior from Bethesda, Md., majoring in business management, believes David Stern, the NBA commissioner, is to blame for the lockout and should agree with the players.
“I think it is Stern’s fault,” Schulz said. “They need to give the players the split because they are the ones doing the work.”
Schulz said the players are also at fault because she believes they are showing they only play for the money.
“The players also need to be less greedy,” Schulz said. “They are not doing too good of a job of being role models because they’re basically admitting they only play for money.”
Tyson Ferguson, a senior from South Jordan, majoring in civil engineering, agrees the lockout is the players’ fault because they want too much money.
“I think it is the players’ fault,” Ferguson said. “The economy is going down and they won’t give up three percent of their salaries.”
Many NBA fans are upset because a lot of NBA games have been canceled so far. Lauren Bytheway, a senior from Glenwood, majoring in psychology, is one of these fans. Bytheway is a diehard Utah Jazz fan and thinks the fans are the most affected by the lockout.
“The fans are getting hurt the most,” Bytheway said. “I want to give the NBA money, but I can’t. I hate the lockout.”
[/media-credit]- NBA guard Deron Williams, right, in action as his Turkish team, Besiktas, plays Bandirma Kirmizi in the Turkish Basketball League in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. Williams scored 11 points and dished five assists in his Turkish Basketball League debut to help Besiktas win its opener 107-69 against Bandirma Kirmizi. Williams has joined Besiktas until the end of the NBA lockout. NBA Commissioner David Stern announced last week that the first two weeks of the NBA season is canceled.
The NBA players have been doing different things to help them earn money during the lockout. Many players have gone to Europe to play, including Deron Williams of the New York Nets. Several other players have been participating in All-Star games, such as the Jimmer All-Star game that was held in September in Provo.
Kara North, a resident of Provo, believes the players participating in these games shows they want to play basketball and do not care about the money to gain public support.
“By the players scheduling these all-star games, they are trying to persuade the public they care about playing and not the money,” North said. “The players are much more proactive about trying to generate public support for their position.”
Many people believe they have the solution for the lockout and think the NBA should have already agreed on a solution.
Federico Rodriquez, a senior from San Juan, Puerto Rico, majoring in political science, said the 50/50 split proposed a few weeks ago is the best option.
“A couple of weeks ago the owners proposed a 50/50 revenue split,” Rodriquez said. “I believe that split is a viable option.”
Ferguson also thinks the solution will come when the players realize how much money they are losing because of the lockout.
“Players will start losing their salaries and cave,” Ferguson said. “Then we will be out of this mess.”
