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03-21-2009, 10:32 AM #1
NBA Lockout and the Hobby
With the speculation of the new contract outcome ramping up (see today's article on ESPN.com), just wondering what your opinions are regarding the hobby. You have to wonder if the possibility of a lockout factored into Topps and UD bowing out to Panini. If an agreement is reached instead of a lockout, I think Panini will come out ahead. Time will tell.
Also
I personally think the owners have a valid point. With attendance down in most of the arenas and merchandise sales down over 50% for some teams, the players don't have a lot of negotiating room here. I also think the league needs to downsize teams and number of games instead of expanding to even out the talent pool. Some teams just don't draw crowds that are expected in the NBA.
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03-22-2009, 07:08 AM #2
NBA and all major American sports are facing scary times. I think UD and Topps wanted to keep the NBA rights but the NBA made more money from Panini, guaranteed.
In the long run, the NBA will make way more money with Panini because they plan to push international card sales way up. The American dollar is way down and therefore "the hobby" is too.
At this point the player's association has to know that the economy is on hard times, and they have to except what they get.
All we can do is put money into our hobby / passion and hope it sustains itself for awhile longer.
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03-22-2009, 08:52 AM #3
Yeah, I'm starting to see more international sales of some of the older high value cards - 86 Fleer, key RC's, etc that are really cornerstones of the hobby. I'm trying to get my hands on the rest of my wish list before the export of these cards overseas drives prices up. Not sure how likely the scenario is, but "what if".
even if the hobby tanks today, I have plenty of vintage and sets I'm working on to keep me interested for years.
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03-22-2009, 11:05 AM #4
How about cutting player's salaries? That would save a ton - noone needs to be making $20 million per season...that's crazy! The average police officer doesn't even make 6 figures. Doctors, depending on what their specialty is, top out around $500,000. Even dreaded lawyers (lol) make under a million. We want to avoid a lockout? Cut costs by lowering player's salaries, which in turn would lower ticket prices, which in turn (again) would bring more people to games. Just my .02.
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03-22-2009, 11:23 AM #5
Or maybe the players would start coming to Europe, playing in Russian teams who are owned by oil/mafia billionaires that can afford those figures.
Just look at Chelsea and Abramovich...
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03-23-2009, 07:47 AM #6
They need to cut salaries. Baseball had its own version of a salary kill this offseason(well outside of the Yankees of course). A lot of decent mid level players that would be getting redonkulous contracts two years ago are getting vet level minimums or not be signed at all. the NBA needs to undergo the same process. They would never eliminate games but cutting salary would help big time.
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Originally Posted by garnett_21 
