OT: Lebron James Advocates NBA Contraction

[puckhead103*]

too bad NHLers can't advocate contraction of canadian teams....lol..

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/news/story?id=5952952

In defending his decision to join up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat, James said the league was better when numerous teams had multiple stars. He said he hopes the league can return to that someday, because right now there isn't enough talent to support the 30 current teams.

"Hopefully the league can figure out one way where it can go back to the '80s where you had three or four All-Stars, three or four superstars, three or four Hall of Famers on the same team," James said. "The league was great. It wasn't as watered down as it is [now]."

Click to read more...

 

[Melrose Munch]

They need it. It remains to be see for the NHL.

 

[The Bob Cole]

It's funny though, he's part of the problem for the league being watered down by selfishly selling out his old team and buddy-buddy-ing it up with some boys down in Miami. The league would be much more competitive if Bosh and him stayed put. Then again, he wouldn't have his star power dream of the '80's which he desires.


And why would there be contraction of Canadian teams? Am I missing something here?

 

[Evil Doctor]

And why would there be contraction of Canadian teams? Am I missing something here?

Bigotry, racism, jingoism... take your pick....

 

[John Price]

Capital idea. With the NBA losing money and all it's time for some teams to hit the dust.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

I wonder if LeBron feels the Cavs should fold? How sad would that be if he does?

Anyways, LeBron, you are paid to play basketball and not give opinions. Focus more on trying to win your 1st NBA title, or are you afraid you won'twin one if contraction doesn't happen?

 

[berklon]

too bad NHLers can't advocate contraction of canadian teams....lol..

Yeah, let's contract teams that actually make money.

 

[LadyStanley]

If someone can show me how this directly impacts NHL business, I'll reopen.

 

[Fugu]

If someone can show me how this directly impacts NHL business, I'll reopen.

I would guess that the NHL has used a model similar to the NBA's-- expand the footprint to get a TV contract. The leagues are similar in size, ownership makeup (even sharing some owners), have or had labor issues, and.... some have said the NHL is diluted as far as talent.

Let's let it play out a bit.

I wonder if LeBron feels the Cavs should fold? How sad would that be if he does?

Anyways, LeBron, you are paid to play basketball and not give opinions. Focus more on trying to win your 1st NBA title, or are you afraid you won'twin one if contraction doesn't happen?

He can't have opinions? I think the players may be the best judges of talent levels, and how that is spread out. (I haven't read the article yet, just going by some of the quotes.)

 

[Jesus Christ Horburn]

Honestly, I just don't see contraction happening in this day and age in any major sports league.

 

[Evil Doctor]

Honestly, I just don't see contraction happening in this day and age in any major sports league.

I think it's completely plausible. It would require a series of events to occur for it to happen, and I think the NHL is the only league where that can occur, but it is plausible.

Even so, this is much like the expansion threads, it's all arguing over how many angels are dancing on the head of a pin...

 

[Dado]

It's funny though, he's part of the problem for the league being watered down by selfishly selling out his old team and buddy-buddy-ing it up with some boys down in Miami.

By creating a stronger team, he's doing the exact opposite of "watering down". I applaud his attempt - wish NHL stars would take less money so better teams could be built.

NHl would also have higher quality play from contraction - not just from concentrating the talent, but because more games would actually have emotional content to them. There are currently far too many teams that nobody cares about.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

He can't have opinions? I think the players may be the best judges of talent levels, and how that is spread out. (I haven't read the article yet, just going by some of the quotes.)

While he is entitled to his opinion, he shouldn't publicly state it when it clearly goes against what his union thinks, especially when a lockout is almost certain at this point. He just pissed off a whole bunch of his coworkers, but I guess at this point he's done that so much in the last 6 months what more can he lose.

 

[Fugu]

While he is entitled to his opinion, he shouldn't publicly state it when it clearly goes against what his union thinks, especially when a lockout is almost certain at this point. He just pissed off a whole bunch of his coworkers, but I guess at this point he's done that so much in the last 6 months what more can he lose.

I don't like that players' unions are called unions. That word carries a lot of assumed meaning/connotation. Back when we had a discussion about Fehr and whether or not he'd be good for the NHLPA, I hazarded a comment that player associations may be more about protecting players' options/rights than protecting individual jobs.

Maybe the NBA is too big and protecting all those jobs for their own sake may not be the best for that league. Heck, we see examples of that very thing in the "real" world (and how unions become obsolete).

Looking back the the NHL's lockout, did the players look out for all the other players-- or what was best for a group of stars who broke with Goodenow?

My point is that LeBron isn't atypical in looking out for #1.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Sorta Ironic that Lebron is talking contraction when outside of the Heat's championship season there fanbase has been weak and most of last year they were playing in front of a half empty stadium

Miami is one of the weakest markets in NBA historically and if Lebron feels so strongly then I guess he will support there elimination from NBA

 

[Fugu]

Sorta Ironic that Lebron is talking contraction when outside of the Heat's championship season there fanbase has been weak and most of last year they were playing in front of a half empty stadium

Miami is one of the weakest markets in NBA historically and if Lebron feels so strongly then I guess he will support there elimination from NBA

Lebron will always have a job though. If his current team was folded somehow, and he was an UFA, do you think he'd have anything to worry about?

 

[OthmarAmmann]

LJ isn't exactly an intellectual giant.

 

[The Bob Cole]

By creating a stronger team, he's doing the exact opposite of "watering down". I applaud his attempt - wish NHL stars would take less money so better teams could be built.

NHl would also have higher quality play from contraction - not just from concentrating the talent, but because more games would actually have emotional content to them. There are currently far too many teams that nobody cares about.

Except he is watering down the league by building a single stronger team. The league would be more competitive had he stayed in Cleveland. Unless there is a contraction (which, how likely is that really at this point - and/or how likely is it to be a significant amount of teams that would be needed to adequately spread the talent?) he's making it worse by pounding the poor teams into the ground and letting a select elite enjoy the fruits. Look at parity in the league. There are several tiers of team-talents - and about 14-18 of the rest of the teams are a joke. If you're going to have contraction to stock-pile talent as he wishes, you'll have to can a good 6+ teams at once to get any sort of balance. I don't foresee that day happening any time soon nor in quick succession if it ever does happen.

Comparatively, the NHL has achieved some semblance of parity (although the worst still suck and the best are the best) with their cap system following the lockout. Additionally, in the NHL playoffs, anything can happen as it is a team game, not a one-man show that occurs in the NBA. The NBA is consistently stuck in this black-hole of top-tier teams (4-6 legitimate threats yearly) and won't likely be heading away from those successful teams any time soon. Case in point of NHL players taking less money to play together -> Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne in Colorado. It didn't work out now did it? That's the beauty of the NHL playoffs, it's a whole new season.

 

[Froggystyle]

Contraction is very possible in the NBA as there is no parity, (at least in the East there are hardly ever any first round upsets) winning teams can't even draw fans ie. the Hornets... well, football is still in season so its yet to be seen if that is certain. and many teams are not making profits.
He does make a good point though... can you imagine Kevin Love, Blake Griffin or Gerald Wallace on a contender? I would definitely catch more games rather than wait until Christmas for quality matches.
A salary cap will be good for the NBA it would probably create the parity it has created for the NHL. but the players wouldn't want a salary cap, hello lockout.

 

[MS]

Honestly, I just don't see contraction happening in this day and age in any major sports league.

Absolutely.

There's no way, ever, that an entity worth hundreds of millions of dollars will be allowed to cease to exist.

Since no owner would allow his club to be contracted, the only way it would happen is with a league-owned franchise like Phoenix ... but even then, when the NHL can get $200 million or whatever from selling it, why on earth would they contract it and get nothing?

On top of that the player unions would fight to the death to prevent jobs from being eliminated.

To even discuss contraction (in any of the 4 major sports) is a complete waste of time. Has about as much foundation in reality as proposing NHL players go back to earning $100 000/season.

 

[MAROONSRoad]

too bad NHLers can't advocate contraction of canadian teams....lol..

What a dumb, trolling, comment, but I'll bite just for fun. I'm sure the players -- most of which are Canadian btw (>50%) -- are going to want to contract a) 6 of the top revenue producing clubs in the league and b) no longer obtain a share of Canadian TV monies from the CBC, TSN and RDS (the Canadian national deals in aggregate being worth far more than the USA national deals). Of course, I would not think you were being serious, except that you have suggested in the past that the Oilers and Flames are the most likely teams to relocate next. Give it up puckhead. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

GHOST

 

[OthmarAmmann]

How Superstars’ Pay Stifles Everyone Else

I read an article today I thought was somewhat relevant

IN 1990, the Kansas City Royals had the heftiest payroll in Major League Baseball: almost $24 million. A typical player for the New York Yankees, which had some of the most expensive players in the game at the time, earned less than $450,000.

Last season, the Yankees spent $206 million on players, more than five times the payroll of the Royals 20 years ago, even after accounting for inflation. The Yankees’ median salary was $5.5 million, seven times the 1990 figure, inflation-adjusted.

What is most striking is how the Yankees have outstripped the rest of the league. Two decades ago. the Royals’ payroll was about three times as big as that of the Chicago White Sox, the cheapest major-league team at the time. Last season, the Yankees spent about six times as much as the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had the most inexpensive roster.

Baseball aficionados might conclude that all of this points to some pernicious new trend in the market for top players. But this is not specific to baseball, or even to sport. Consider the market for pop music. In 1982, the top 1 percent of pop stars, in terms of pay, raked in 26 percent of concert ticket revenue. In 2003, that top percentage of stars — names like Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera or 50 Cent — was taking 56 percent of the concert pie.

and so on...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/business/26excerpt.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=superstar&st=cse

 

[Dado]

Look at parity in the league.

Parity is just another word for watered-down. Without elite teams - and there are currently NO elite teams in the NHL - we simply don't have the high quality of play we used to have - but we're still stuck with lots of teams that just plain suck.

While it may indeed be unlikely to happen soon, both the NBA and NHL would produce a higher quality and more entertaining product if they reverted back to 24-ish teams.

 

[Steve Passless*]

there are currently NO elite teams in the NHL

The Red Wings are elite. They don't occupy the same salary cap reality as the rest of the league, it appears.

 

[81ragnaH]

Absolutely.

There's no way, ever, that an entity worth hundreds of millions of dollars will be allowed to cease to exist.

Since no owner would allow his club to be contracted, the only way it would happen is with a league-owned franchise like Phoenix ... but even then, when the NHL can get $200 million or whatever from selling it, why on earth would they contract it and get nothing?

On top of that the player unions would fight to the death to prevent jobs from being eliminated.

To even discuss contraction (in any of the 4 major sports) is a complete waste of time. Has about as much foundation in reality as proposing NHL players go back to earning $100 000/season.

what the NBA owned New Orleans Hornets?

i don't think discussing it is a complete waste of time...i do think it is unlikely, but it could still happen. especially in the NBA. in the NHL it won't anytime soon because, well, say it were to come to the point where a team were NHL owned and there were potentially no local owners, a group from a currently untapped market would put in a relocation bid, and the NHL would allow relocation far before contraction (i seem to remember this happening recently, although potential local ownership has been found).

but unlike the NHL, the NBA doesn't necessarily have that large, untapped, basketball starved market like the NHL does with a few in canada, where fans will travel in flocks to neutral arenas to show support of a team they don't yet have. sure, there are former markets they could try to return to (seattle, vancouver), but it's no slam dunk by any stretch. i'll admit, i'm not as up to date with the NBA as i am for the NHL, but has any ownership group, from any market, stepped up and shown interest in the Hornets? i don't think contraction is completely out of the question in the NBA.