nba nba fourth history national_basketball_association nba owners began work collective agreement day began july ended december delayed start regular season november december reduced regular season games previous shortened season games teams trade sign contact players players access nba team facilities trainers negotiations owners led commissioner players led director president labor union began early continued november main issues dividing sides division revenue structure salary cap luxury tax owners proposed reduce players share basketball related income players countered owners wanted implement hard salary cap luxury tax hoping increase competition teams players wanted current soft salary cap structure intact sides failed reach agreement nba canceled preseason games december november players dissolved union allowing file lawsuits league november sides reached tentative agreement end new calls revenue split flexible salary cap structure luxury tax tentative deal reached owners allowed players voluntary team sites starting december deal ratified december training camps trades free agency began day players signed contracts play countries europe asia having option return conclusion affected economy largely nba cities losing revenue generated games television networks losing ratings advertisement revenue chronology july begins september nba canceled training camp begin october week preseason games run october october nba canceled remainder preseason october weeks regular season canceled october games november canceled november labor union trade association november nba canceled games december players filed lawsuits nba california minnesota federal courts november nba owners players reached tentative agreement end december formed union december new ratified officially ending december nba season begins background previous shortened season games year deal owners led commissioner players led director president labor union reached set june sides began negotiate early issues new agreement included adding age limit existing drug testing program limiting length long term contracts negotiations went smoothly sides able reach deal june avoiding deal guaranteed players percent basketball related income lasted years june year signing deal owners signed petition requesting stern address small market large market teams wrote hard truth current economic system works larger market teams teams extraordinary success rest looking significant unacceptable annual financial losses succeeded president early negotiations new began league claimed losing million year teams losing money season proposed reduce players salary million institute hard salary cap million team opposed soft cap million currently use union disputed figures opposed changes hunter said advising players prepare filed complaint accusing league negotiating bad faith failing provide critical financial data union repeatedly threatening lock players nba quickly rejected complaint saying league fully federal labor laws union considered option allows players file lawsuit nba time winding negotiations continued june salary cap owners newest proposal system called cap limits payroll million teams teams payroll exceeds league average payroll season union argued hard cap ceiling kick eventually salary reduction players offered cut million years share reduced percent owners instead proposed cut billion years ditch effort owners players met june negotiate sides failed reach resolution key issues like salary cap splits stern hunter said sides remained far apart owners demanded larger share claiming losing money players hand willing concessions refused completely cave owners demands negotiations broke expired midnight initial months officially started owners july teams trade sign contact players players access nba team facilities trainers negotiations resumed august session fell apart hours august nba filed unfair labor practice claims federal district court new_york league accused players negotiations threatening dissolve union file lawsuits hunter statement released union called lawsuits merit union seek dismiss court august hunter said thought entire season likely canceled owners returned negotiate august sense urgency disclosed sides hoped meet soon loses don reach agreement think understood said union president apart terms agreed urgency getting deal said nba deputy commissioner union owners met september negotiation soon collapsed salary cap structure remained main source disagreement owners wanted create hard cap team payroll union wanted current structure intact referring blood issue players willing cut salary owners agree compromise salary cap owners unwilling saying system place allows teams compete sports agents represent nba players spoke union believed owners leverage negotiation viewed way players control hunter said players considered point september fisher sent email plus players asking unity email said recent meetings effective suggested failure having deal disagreement players owners disagreement owners fisher opportunity counter agents suggestion disbanding union saying making drastic leaves players union according sources disagreement owners thought players proposal taking fair willing compromise things like tying players future earnings nba future revenue growth maintaining current salary level oppose deal group favor stern denied rift owners following day saying don know basis belief september nba canceled training camp begin october week preseason games run october incident marks second time league history games lost labor owners union planned meet september new_york pledged continue weekends progress source close situation leaked espn stern plans threaten cancellation season deal union sees scare tactic threat commentators speculated stern wants pressure players prevent negotiation dragging fall meeting september tense wade reportedly stern pointed finger wade players nearly stormed remained meeting hunter asked stern backed earlier threat cancel season deal october nba canceled remainder preseason stern said league lose million preseason warned weeks season jeopardy deal reached october players proposed receive owners countered sides discussed split owners offering players incentives raise value players countered asking increase percent incentives rejected owners attempts sides meet october failed union said nba demanded revenue split prior meeting league refuted making demands talks october sides unable reach deal stern subsequently canceled weeks regular season games originally scheduled begin november remained main issue differences included luxury tax player contract length mid level exception owners proposed tax team spends tax threshold player salaries tax rise high limit teams repeat offenders previous comparison called tax limit players refused accept hard salary cap felt luxury taxes effectively create stern said owners felt luxury tax league competitive wade countered small market team like won multiple championships economist said statistical payroll win percentage practically nba concluded team draft efficiency accounted winning percentage past decade payroll showed new_york_times noted system needed small market teams league popularity historically relied successful teams multiple superstars leaders met players october stressed unity player left meeting early told reporters players saying ready fold majority united later denied mentioning players ready fold comment recorded reporters fisher said ability statement based limited time spent meeting owners players met october hours talks days met federal director tried unsuccessfully resolve nfl conclusion meetings sides remained split revenue split structure salary cap league proposed split players proposed range allow low maximum depending league revenues gilbert told players trust salary cap issues resolved accepted proposal hunter responded trust gut got trust gut silver owner told reporters players refused negotiate proposal fisher told press guys lied owners hunter said owners told leave decided useful purpose continue tentative agreements reached smaller issues allowing time exemption teams players counting salary cap granting teams annual exemption players impact salary cap multiple years mid level exception million hunter characterized small market owners negotiation new_york_times wrote views individual owners easily categorized market size revenue personal wealth championship aspirations dallas owner team fifth largest market highest owner 23rd wealthiest person america interested small market owners changing economy nba effort increase competition owners profitable teams like willing accept modest changes remain united small market teams based concerns league long term health despite earlier cancellation announcement players league hoped game schedule salvaged deal reached time october stern announced cancellation games november negotiations division revenue ended agreement said hunter unwilling penny hunter said lot concessions unfortunately time stern indicated game season longer possible added tentative agreement reached maximum contract lengths years players staying teams years signing team reports division players owners surfaced wrote fisher privately working stern split hunter confronted fisher issue fisher stern denied private meeting took place letter players fisher called reports absurd demanded stories attorneys hunter said relationship good confrontation fisher union president empowered decisions union fisher believed deal considered hunter maintained owners players owner owners willing settle players responded fan complaining owners players twitter saying wrong owner fined stern times larger previous owner publicly commenting labor situation owner owner fined public comments commented owners desire hard salary cap jordan told australian newspaper league business model broken citing owners desire revenue sharing group owners led jordan wanted cap players share low labor dispute player jordan told owner profit sell team called jordan wanting current players pay incompetence cited jordan executive decisions draft disappointing players early november players renewed talks union union went lower agreed additional restrictions contracts salary cap exceptions free agency require union players sign petition allowing election auspices members simple majority traditionally consider petition charge pending unfair labor practice charges filed august owners players union met november joined federal players proposed receive portion taken retired players owners offered band pay players depending revenue growth union attorney said league proposal called possibility reaching illusion league proposed restrictions teams pay luxury tax banning sign trade deals limiting use mid level exception proposed tax teams exceed tax threshold year span stern issued ultimatum giving players november accept deal lowered salary cap november nba canceled games december union union rejected offer november asked session sides met deadline passed days negotiation owners forth revised final offer said accepted players stern hoped start game season mid december november union rejected offer dissolved union converted trade association enabling players individual employees participate class action lawsuit league calling illegal group boycott attorney represented nfl owners agreed represent players join represented players nfl november group nba players including filed lawsuit nba california federal court including filed suit nba minnesota federal court november day players receive season played november california lawsuit dropped order merge minnesota lawsuit hoped speed process courts likely merge suits similar complaints seeking outcome league december respond court settlement november league players agreed resume negotiating november november hours talks tentative deal reached formed union december receiving support players exceeding requirement signatures signature cards sent roughly players end previous season drafted players signed day contracts formation enabled negotiations league secondary issues age limit nba draft rules players sent recalled nba league players owners concluded voting deal december deal ratified ended days owners approved deal vote players voted approved deal dallas owners publicly disclosed voted new players receive band subsequent years teams allowed time amnesty exemption player remove team salary cap player claimed highest team responsible remaining salary counting cap rule dubbed rose rule nba valuable player award winner player finishing rookie contract signed team salary cap increase previous time star starter twice voted won mvp award maximum salary player remain unchanged salary cap depending player years service racial comments october likened stern role modern plantation treating nba men boys keeping hired hands place nba owners predominantly white players black espn noted book million slaves earlier dealt topic players slaves spite earning millions dollars stern dismissed comments hazard nba commissioner early november attorney criticized owners leave approach instead treating players like partners treating like plantation workers hall magic johnson called comments ridiculous defended stern record promoting blacks said statements intentionally avoided getting involved earlier remarks later apologized comments impact revised season schedule fewer regular season games reduced pre season caused estimated loss million team owners players according average player lost missed november player receive nba compensate salaries falling level october estimated nba jobs lost attrition league office teams dragged holiday season nba arenas workers felt effect worked time order supplement income simply pay bills unable recover lost wages resulted cancelled games players alternatives going overseas players union encouraged players find work overseas hoping owners offer better deals saw players having options played greek team returning nba said consider playing overseas cited concerns reliability getting paid differences coaching styles lower standards business travel compared nba announced july allow players nba contracts play overseas provided contracts signed opt clauses allowed players return work ended stern said league allow players play overseas warned divide union possibly players contracts seriously injured leagues permitted signing locked nba players option opting allowed clubs sign foreign free agents play entire season chinese nationals exempt rule allowed return nba end players decided sign foreign teams new_york_times called migration players overseas stories majority signing veterans fringe players star going overseas signing year contract million play overall draft pick free agent signed year contract highest paid player league history month unlike players signed lucrative contracts overseas time nba champion opted play minimum wage month french team partly owns parker joined foreign players opted play home countries ended nba player playing europe earn little month average nba annual salary million minimum large contracts signed williams martin extreme exceptions october cancellation regular season games anticipated additional nba players signed overseas leagues started playing new players disrupt teams alternatives players opted stay united_states instead new_york_times speculated americans found hard leave change lifestyle played local pick games ranging stars like players like played organized exhibition tournaments los_angeles located baltimore washington exhibition game leagues played august defeating drew commissioner said pro games nba season new taken games new level tournament nba players held september las_vegas nevada featuring teams seven players named impact basketball competitive training series league dubbed new_york_times training camp expected long ended season players organized teams build team chemistry announced setting centers las_vegas los_angeles houston possibly miami players work union expense continuing october canceled preseason allowed play puerto_rico month puerto_rico won gold medal outside impact olympics olympic men basketball tournament year away qualifying tournaments continental zones held summer traditional basketball offseason world resulted suspension agreement nba nba costs value players contracts event injured international competition result national wish nba players squads provide coverage instead supplemental insurance costs surprisingly high agent represents unnamed nba player set earn million season said player received quote contract national team said nba players national team doubles european olympic cost million announced available oceania championship agent indicated final deal breaker stated remaining million nba salary pre existing elbow wrist injuries excluded policy french russian argentine able nba players expected able nba players participated opted insurance concerns sports couple weeks nba season originally scheduled start speculated prospect increased interest nba fans experienced steady growth season opened season early october record crowds wrote maybe nba situation having positive effect teams nearly half nba team market plans market directly nba fans san_antonio inaugural college football season drew fans games september speculated opportunities grow fan base canceled nba games san_antonio speculated ncaa college basketball higher television ratings attendance noted obvious boost popularity college game previous college basketball attendance increased average people game nba cities nba cities wrote open letter nba commissioner chief requesting end based perspective city residents negative impact canceled season cities local economies time noted arena workers affected cancellation games separate studies found historic significant effect economies cities sports franchises affected work explanations included consumer shifting spending sporting events forms entertainment reduced local government spending crowd traffic control higher productivity general workforce distraction games businesses estimated complete cost upwards billion lost television advertisement revenue dealt sizable blow current licensed product market estimated billion created big loss television ratings networks cover nba games regional sports networks tnt espn rescheduled season nba revised schedule play preseason games game regular season schedule team standard seven preseason games game regular season schedule teams allowed contact players agents november players begin working voluntarily team facilities trainers december coaches general managers allowed observe drills conducted nba teams began talking free agents december est training camps free agency started december regular season beginning christmas day games original schedule espn abc analyst said nba opening christmas day different opening day happened past christmas day games big day nba unique situation combined unveiling championship banner finals rematch debut head coach things going compelling league built new schedule scratch based available arena dates october league allowed arenas los_angeles chicago nba dates events number games conferences affected case team played games game schedule normally team plays teams conference twice teams played conference games non conference games game schedule compared conference games non conference games normal game season teams played average games month played consecutive games season total league sets games teams playing sets game set triple occurred shortened season featured triples play tired players occurrence decades earlier season occasions teams played games days fewer days season level play lower fatigue older players rested avoid injuries rested game march end coach submitted description duncan absence old nonetheless players sustained injuries playoffs eliminated losing injuries lost losing baron davis knee injuries heat immune losing playoffs route nba championship stern initially said connection injuries game schedule compressed days backed comments week later saying research needed
2011 NBA lockout