Sadly:
On nearly every count, the deal favors the owners, who had sought an overhaul all along. The players made significant concessions, including a reduction of up to $300 million year in salaries, $3 billion over the life of the agreement.
Sigh:
“We thought it was in both of our interest to try to reach a resolution and save the game,” union executive director Billy Hunter said.
A big question I have, is what happened to people
negotiating and compromising?
Though the deal's expected to be approved, it may not be unanimous as there are factions of hard-liners in both camps who will be unhappy with substantive portions of the deal.
But getting what the owners wanted took a toll. Stern, after more than 27 years as the league's commissioner, hoped to close a deal much sooner but was committed for fighting for the owners' wishes even at the risk of damaging his legacy. Hunter dealt with anger from agents and even questions from his own players about his strategy, wondering why it could so long for the players to use the threat of litigation to give them leverage that had otherwise eluded them.
Oh yeah,
compromise is something that only the left does:
“For myself, it’s great to be a part of this particular moment, in terms of giving our fans what it is that they so badly wanted and want to see,” said Fisher, the erstwhile president of the players union.
He did not smile as he said it, appearing more relieved than happy. Evans, another member of what was the union’s executive board, sat stoically next to Fisher. No one on the players’ side praised the agreement.
The deal will feature a 50-50 split of revenues, but with the possibility of the players making as much as 51 percent or as little as 49, depending on whether the league exceeds or falls short of projections. The players had been earning 57 percent.