Could this labor dispute mean the end of David Stern as commisioner?

[nickagneta]

Clearly, David Stern is the best commissioner in NBA history and maybe one of the best and most influential commissioners in professional sports history. But he is 69 years old and he will now be the second sports commissioner ever to have games cancelled in two different years due to labor disputes, Pete Rozelle being the first.

But this labor dispute is far from over and occurs during an upswing in NBA popularity. Could this be David Stern's swan song, the end of his era as NBA commissioner? I think he clearly mishandled these negotiations giving deadline after deadline and constantly going public with the owners hardline negotiating demands. The average NBA fan does not want to hear about how much billionaires aren't making, especially when most can't or won't believe the numbers the owners are putting out there.

He also clearly botched the last national television contracts and had his butt handed to him from Billy Hunter in the last CBA negotiations(probably and mostly to appease his sugar daddy, Michael Jordan and get him back in the league). His handling of the Tim Donaghy scandal and perception of biased officiating has been, to be blunt, almost amateurish.

Now he has his league cancelling games over a one year amount of $120 million, if certain news articles are to be believed. Personally I wouldn't believe them. I think the one year number is insignificant as compared to the number the owners would get in the later years of a much extended and desired CBA once the television contracts come up for renewal in 2016. He's driving for a harder cap and longer CBA knowing the windfall payment coming when the NBA gets to sell their national television rights once again in 5 years.

But the players know this also. And most of the players in the decision making process in the NBA Players Association know this as well. The thing is, to sell his point to the players he is creating a situation where the middle class of the NBAPA, players making between $3 million and $8 million a year will be all but eradicated. Problem for Stern, most of the players in the decision making process for the NBAPA are in that middle class.

That's right. Yes the Kobes and the KGs and the Pierces and the Wades and the LeBrons are showing up and lending their support and are making their voices heard, but they are not the ones with the major voice in the NBAPA. The player reps include Derek Fisher, Maurice Evans, Jason Kapono, Anthony Parker, Zaza Pachulia, Aaron Afflalo, Matt Carroll, James Jones, Jared Dudley and Matt Bonner and many others that are included in that NBA middle class.

Stern has made a huge error regarding what he thinks he can pull over on the players. This is only going to get more ugly before it gets better for fans of the NBA. Think NHL labor dispute only with a sport that actually matters(sorry hockey fans).

And when the dust settles and fans, players and, more importantly, owners are looking for someone to blame for the apathy towards the game, the lost revenues, the lost credibility within the sporting world, they are going to turn to look at the guy running it all. The guy that messed up a lot just before the strike. The guy that did so much for the league and just, maybe, overstayed his welcome and let the times pass him by.

[Lucky17]

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/7090312/nba-labor-commissioner-david-stern-stuck-one-season-too-long

You know, I've never seen Ian O'Connor and nickagneta in the same room at the same time. Just sayin'.

[Who]

Not sure Stern has done anything wrong in these negotiations.

It sounds like the owners, especially the new owners, are steering the negotiations and that Stern can't get control of them and put them on the path he desires. It sounds to me that he is only representing their wishes. Not his own.

[nickagneta]

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/7090312/nba-labor-commissioner-david-stern-stuck-one-season-too-long

You know, I've never seen Ian O'Connor and nickagneta in the same room at the same time. Just sayin'.

[dang], that dude is smart.   

I did read this article and it inspired me but honestly he just scratched the surface. There is a lot more than what he is discussing.

Stern gotten taken to task in the last CBA negotiations and the last television contract. He was horrible in handling the Donaghy allegations and the allegations of officials, at one point appointing a general of the US military as czar in charge of officiating only to make this man and position completely disappear.

He has vastly underestimated the resolve of the NBAPA and the people who will be doing the voting on the CBA in the NBAPA. he seems to be catering his concessions for the owners towards the stars of the NBAPA instead of to the players that really care, the NBA middle class of players.

I probably should have acknowledged O'Connor's article though. Good call.

But he is missing so much more of the real story that maybe got edited out.

I think if this lockout goes long, Stern is toast.

[nickagneta]

Not sure Stern has done anything wrong in these negotiations.

It sounds like the owners, especially the new owners, are steering the negotiations and that Stern can't get control of them and put them on the path he desires. It sounds to me that he is only representing their wishes. Not his own.

But lets say for a moment you are right, and I am not conceding that. If this goes long term and these new owners start seeing major problems because of this lockout and whatever new CBA is in place and the lost revenues because of the lockout, who are they going to blame?

Certainly not themselves. And they can't very well ditch the players that get them the millions they would be making even in a less than favorable CBA. So who do they blame and make a scapegoat out of, in your scenario?

In my scenario, people recognize that Stern has to go. If in your scenario the players stay solidified and cause major headaches for these new owners, who do they blame? Clearly I think it is the older commissioner that they don't feel comfortable with and who favors the older owners.

[Who]

Not sure Stern has done anything wrong in these negotiations.

It sounds like the owners, especially the new owners, are steering the negotiations and that Stern can't get control of them and put them on the path he desires. It sounds to me that he is only representing their wishes. Not his own.

But lets say for a moment you are right, and I am not conceding that. If this goes long term and these new owners start seeing major problems because of this lockout and whatever new CBA is in place and the lost revenues because of the lockout, who are they going to blame?

Certainly not themselves. And they can't very well ditch the players that get them the millions they would be making even in a less than favorable CBA. So who do they blame and make a scapegoat out of, in your scenario?

In my scenario, people recognize that Stern has to go. If in your scenario the players stay solidified and cause major headaches for these new owners, who do they blame? Clearly I think it is the older commissioner that they don't feel comfortable with and who favors the older owners.

I think Stern has enough support amongst the older owners to avoid being scapegoated.

In terms of being blamed and made a scapegoat for the situation, I think two sets of people are most vulnerable (1) Billy Hunter (2) A small number of the new owners who are hard-liners and may possibly wear out support amongst the owners as a whole as time goes by and as they [owners] lose out on valuable revenue.

[Celtics4ever]

He is the Teflon Don as I see it.  He has survived gambling scandals and numerous labor stops.   Anyone else in those circumstances would have been fired but not a major league sports commisioner.

I eagerly await the day when he resigns.  He was a great commish in terms of marketing.   But the referring scandals should have done him in as I see it.

[Chris]

Well, he has already said this will be his last labor negotiation...but I will be absolutely shocked if he does not see this through.

While I think he could have done some things better, he is not the reason there is no deal. 

As for him leaving, it will almost certainly be in the next few years...but I am not sure much will change.  People forget that he is not some all-powerful leader.  He is the tip of the spear, but the majority of his significant work (particularly the stuff he has been killed for, such as the refs, etc.) is driven by committees made up of owners.