BLOG: The NBA And Their Players Latest To Lose Perspective
Written by: John Maroon- President Maroon PR
The NBA is canceling more games and the rhetoric between the owners and players is negative to say the least…sound familiar?
Yes the league will recover, eventually, just like all of the leagues do. What it really is, is a constant chipping away of brands. In this case the brands are the professional athletes and leagues.
It is a cumulative effect after many work stoppages and public feuds across all major sports that has led to the fans citing salary and money at every turn. The focus of our games has very much shifted from the field to the wallet and the divide between the fans and the players is as wide as ever.
On Saturday I was at the statue dedication of Orioles great Brooks Robinson and those in attendance (including me) were choked up and emotional because Brooks was one of us. He was a guy who played before we knew terms like "free agency", "lockout" and "collective bargaining". In our hearts and minds, those days were somehow more pure.
Now don't get me wrong, I believe in capitalism and I believe in athletes receiving full market value. I just wish they would keep it to themselves a little more, but that horse is out of the barn.
Sports are in many ways a distraction from our reality. These work stoppages take those distractions away from us. It seems to happen every year or two and turns our attention to courtrooms and boardrooms rather than basketball courts and ball fields.
Eventually they will settle their differences and fans across the country will tune in again and attend games and have fun…but the chipping away continues, the brands get worn down and our fascination with our sports and athletes isn't what it once was.
That stinks.
