NBA 2011 lockout over, season to start on Christmas

http://www.nma.tv/nba-2011-lockout-season-start-christmas/ NBA players and owners have reached a tentative deal to end the 2011 lockout. The owners got pretty much what they wanted while the players saw their share of revenue slashed from 57% to between 49% and 51%. The owners and NBA Commissioner David Stern say the new deal is necessary because the league was losing money — $300 million last year alone — and that small-market teams were struggling to stay afloat. Rather than address the problems that got the league into this situation — namely the absence of real revenue sharing between large- and small-market teams — the owners essentially extorted the players. They locked the players out, which led to the loss of 16 regular season games and cost both the players and owners $400 million in lost revenue. Ironically, a former player, Michael Jordan, now owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, was one of the most hardline owners. According to the New York Times, Jordan was the leader of a faction of "between 10 and 14 owners" who "wanted the players' share capped at 47 percent." The deal still needs to be ratified by a majority of teams and players. Before that happens the players need to dismiss their anti-trust lawsuit to reform their union. As of now, the 2011-2012 NBA season could start on Christmas Day. Training camp starts Dec. 9.