The summer of 2011 will be remembered for one thing and one thing only among NBA fans. That infamous off-season saw the players and owners in a standstill that cost fans around the world to miss NBA games. Terms like Collective Bargaining, Basketball Related Income and market size took over the headlines in all of the media outlets and there was no escaping them.
Instead of the usual trade rumors and marquee signings, basketball fans had to deal with complicated legal jargon all summer long. One of the main reasons for the battle was a result of the lack of success for NBA teams. The franchises in the large markets had no problem building title teams and making profits, but teams in smaller market had trouble breaking even.
The league wanted to help alleviate the burden for the franchises losing money and also put them on an even playing field with teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. Commissioner David Stern loved the fact that a small market franchise like the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl and he wanted the same thing to happen in his league.
Stern had this magical fantasy made up in his mind, but at the end of the day, everyone knew that some teams just have all the luck. No matter how hard Stern pushes for reform, the NBA will be a large market driven league. Stern and the league did whatever they could to fix the issue, but the Lakers’ 2012 off-season just proves that the rich get richer.
Next Page: Large vs. Small
