Pro Sports Unions: Do They Help Or Hurt? Professional sports has
always been big business. And just as in many other industries
throughout history, athletes' labor unions came about as a quest
for fair treatment from owners who wanted to retain as much
control as possible.  But five decades after the first players'
associations formed, pro sports have changed a great deal and
are not like other industries at all. The explosion of media
exposure, the emergence of luxury boxes and lucrative contracts
for stadium parking and concessions have helped create
astronomical revenue for teams. Likewise, player salaries have
grown exponentially and athletes are considered rock stars in
team uniforms. Indeed, the stakes are very different than in the
past. (For more on unions, check out Unions: Do They Help Or
Hurt Workers?)  TUTORIAL: Economic Indicator  Who wins and who
loses when it comes to sports labor disputes? And what happens
to the fans in the scrum? Here's a quick look at the background
and current status of sp