Back in 1998, during the last NBA lockout that cost regular season games, Michael Jordan the player stood up to then Wizards owner Abe Polin and said “If you can’t make a profit, you should sell your team.”
Now, 13 years later and on the other side of the table, Jordan can’t make a profit as an owner so he is leading the hardline owners pushing he players for more, reports Howard Beck at the New York Times.
Jordan owns the small-market Charlotte Bobcats and is in front of a hardline faction of owners that may not be a majority but is large enough to sway the process. Those owners are meeting with David Stern a several hours before the NBA labor talks resume at 4 p.m. Eastern Saturday in New York.The owners’ faction includes between 10 and 14 owners and is being led by Charlotte’s Michael Jordan, according to a person who has spoken with the owners. That group wanted the players’ share set no higher than 47 percent, and it was upset when league negotiators proposed a 50-50 split last month.
According to the person who spoke with the owners, Jordan’s faction intends to vote against the 50-50 deal, if negotiations get that far. Saturday’s owners meeting was arranged in part to address that concern.
Those same sources say no owner wans to more than a 50/50 split of basketball related income (BRI). That they will not go higher.
That is the counter to the players group that has threatened to start a decertification process if the union tries to offer anything below 52 percent BRI.
Yes, logic would say strike a 51/49 deal and get on with the season, but logic has never really been part of these labor negotiations. And it turns out, Jordan may be leading the biggest band of illogical fools.