NBA Lockout - Time to Play.

I have quietly sat back to watch how the whole NBA labour situation is going to play out. It is not that I don't have an opinion about it, because I do...it is more that my utter disbelief that in this day and age of international financial crisis that billionaires and millionaires have something to squabble about.

The situation is this....as written in A Golden State Warrior blogger.
http://warriorsrundown.blogspot.com/2011/09/nba-lockout-issues.html

• Salary Cap - The 2010 salary cap for an NBA team was $57.7 million, however; big market teams have been allowed to exceed that amount by paying a luxury tax. The Los Angeles Lakers payroll is over $91 million, but they generate huge sums of revenue and can absorb the luxury tax associated with exceeding the cap. This type of salary cap structure is called a soft cap. Collectively, NBA owners want to reform to a hard salary cap, like in NFL and NHL, which would even the playing field for smaller market teams. The majority of the owners are small market teams and are willing to hold out until the NBA reforms to a hard cap. Naturally, the players are against this, as it puts a finite number on the potential amount of money available.
• Revenue Sharing - This again is the plight of the smaller market teams that want a bigger piece of the pie, such as revenue generated from TV. This particular struggle is amongst the owners.
• Split of Basketball Related Income (BRI) - The balance of BRI is currently tipped in the direction of players and this doesn't sit well with billionaire team owners. The owners want more, the players want status quo.
• Guaranteed Contracts - The owners want to get rid of guaranteed contracts and protect themselves from getting stuck with players who don't live up to big contracts, case and point Rashard Lewis of the Washington Wizards. Lewis is set to make over $22 million this year, second most to Kobe Bryant, and averaged a disappointing 11 points per game last season. As disgusted as I am by players like Lewis who get apathetic after cashing in on the big pay day, I feel it is still ultimately on the team owner and general manager to take responsibility for the players they sign.

I am a little upset by this NBA Lockout.
......here are my thoughts......and number crunching can be fun.

• the average salary for NBA players in 2010/2011 was $5.15 million. Think about that. Now let's not get too crazy here....
• Let's say that the average NBA player only plays 5 years. That is not a very long career, so these guys have to make as much money as possible, because the job is "short" term.
• $5.15 million x 5 years = $27,500,000 (that's right $27.5 million)
• now....lets come down to earth for one moment.....if I started working full time at 25 years old and retired at 65, a 40 year career......and was paid a total of $27.5 million total....that gives me an annual salary of (27.5 mil divided by 40 years) ...are you ready? = $643,750.00 per year. OMG!! That is insane.
• Look at it another way. Let's say I agree to pay you $80,000 per year salary - not bad, right? For you to make $27.5 million (the salary for our average NBA player) you would need to work ($27.5 million divided by $80,000) = 343.75 years. Are you hearing this?

I could play with the numbers all night, but I think you know where I stand. This is absurd.

This is how I feel.

The Owners are business owners. They make billions in companies that have been around for years. They do not need more money. (they might argue that) - A lot of the owners have bought NBA teams for different reasons, they are sports nuts, they need some tax shelters, and yes maybe even make some money. This lockout will not affect them (most of them)

The Players?? - Different story here. Come on guys...really? - You play basketball for a living, and can make $27.5 million in 5 years? - And you want more??? Please!! Don't insult me. I work hard 50 hours a week. I pay to watch you play. I help to pay your salary.

It is time to play Ball!!!