This summer, fans had to sit idly by as two of America’s big three pastimes, the NBA and NFL (sorry, hockey fans), were waylaid by labor strife.
For the fans of more than 60 pro sports teams, the early part of the summer dragged by until recently, when the NFL owners and players resolved their dispute. Remarkably, it didn’t cost fans anything more than the annual preseason Hall of Fame game. There were no free agent signings or trades, and even their respective drafts where unusually muted affairs.
Unfortunately, it appears likely that the NBA’s lockout is going to go on for much longer. While the NBA Players Association and the league’s owners negotiate behind the scenes, players aren’t providing the united front needed in a labor dispute (like their NFL counterparts did). By not joining together, NBA players risk losing the fan base they fought so hard to win after a fantastic 2011 season and playoffs.
A prolonged, high-profile contest between any form of management and organized labor affects all of an organization's key stakeholders, and it is important for those parties involved to openly and honestly communicate with the impacted stakeholders. This is particularly true for professional sports leagues because they are under an incredible microscope due to their millions of fans and billions of revenue dollars.
During the lockout, the NFL players hired Phil Singer, a veteran political consultant who worked with Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. They also launched a website called
www.nfllockout.com, which detailed the players’ position on the lockout and provided links to stories about NFL revenue and players’ allegation that owners wouldn’t open the league’s books. The players also bolstered the effort by posting online videos and direct chats with star players participating in the labor negotiations.
NBA players, on the other hand, have seemingly done none of these things. They have appeared standoffish and adversarial in their communications with the league’s owners and the public, and they have been very quiet about the prospects of an NBA season in 2011-2012. Even worse, the players are not presenting a united front to the owners or fans. In fact, many players, including stars such as Deron Williams, began pursuing and accepting offers to play for teams overseas in the event the lockout does not end before the start of the NBA season. It’s rumored that Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki are also weighing offers.
No one can deny the NBA players’ right to bargain for what they feel is due to them. However, their silence, compounded with the decisions of players like Williams, certainly doesn’t help the negotiation situation. And it isn’t going to win them the support of the fans.
So here’s a suggestion to the NBA: Pay attention to history, even just recent history, or risk getting stuck in back with hockey.