With the National Football League lockout coming to an end, it seems as though some sports betting fans from the NBA world have been talking with an increased sense of optimism that their league can get a deal done and avoid missing time in the same fashion that the NFL has. That optimism is misguided however, as the two lockouts are much different than one another, and for that matter have to be regarded in that way as well. Those closest to league felt confident from the very beginning that there would be no games missed for the NFL betting services season because of the labor stoppage, while in the NBA it seems as though more than a few players are getting their bags packed to head overseas for what should be a long lockout process.
The biggest difference between the NFL and NBA lockouts is simple, yet it is also the most complicating: money. Unlike the billions of dollars in revenues that the NFL brings in on an annual basis, the NBA complained after last season that 22 of the 30 teams actually lost money, something that couldn’t be fixed via revenue sharing like it would be in football. With so much money being lost, it actually makes sense for the greater percentage of owners to make sure that there isn’t a season so that they don’t continue to lose money. Both the owners and the players in the NFL were pushed to get a deal done for the fact that for each week that went by without games there would be millions of dollars lost for both sides, and that was something that they simply could not let happen. For the NBA perspective, owners don’t care about opening their doors again until they can be guaranteed that they won’t continue to lose tons of money, while players would be just as comfortable playing in other leagues as long as they get their sports betting services money.
The other big factor that plays into the different lockouts is the fans, which have been so loyal to the NFL over the years while varying with the NBA. The NFL knew and understood why the fans would come back to watch their sport regardless of when the lockout ended, but it isn’t the same in the NBA where college basketball could take a major step forward without Lebron James and Kobe Bryant to follow.
The biggest disappointment for the NBA has to be that it is coming off of one of its most popular seasons as a league, and that they cannot run with the momentum and storylines that fans left off last pay per head season with. The NBA will lose money regardless this coming year, but it is about establishing a platform for them to move forward successfully. There is still so many things that have to be sorted out, but the one thing that is certain is that the NBA is not to be confused with the NFL, as they are far from the same.
The biggest difference between the NFL and NBA lockouts is simple, yet it is also the most complicating: money. Unlike the billions of dollars in revenues that the NFL brings in on an annual basis, the NBA complained after last season that 22 of the 30 teams actually lost money, something that couldn’t be fixed via revenue sharing like it would be in football. With so much money being lost, it actually makes sense for the greater percentage of owners to make sure that there isn’t a season so that they don’t continue to lose money. Both the owners and the players in the NFL were pushed to get a deal done for the fact that for each week that went by without games there would be millions of dollars lost for both sides, and that was something that they simply could not let happen. For the NBA perspective, owners don’t care about opening their doors again until they can be guaranteed that they won’t continue to lose tons of money, while players would be just as comfortable playing in other leagues as long as they get their sports betting services money.
The other big factor that plays into the different lockouts is the fans, which have been so loyal to the NFL over the years while varying with the NBA. The NFL knew and understood why the fans would come back to watch their sport regardless of when the lockout ended, but it isn’t the same in the NBA where college basketball could take a major step forward without Lebron James and Kobe Bryant to follow.
The biggest disappointment for the NBA has to be that it is coming off of one of its most popular seasons as a league, and that they cannot run with the momentum and storylines that fans left off last pay per head season with. The NBA will lose money regardless this coming year, but it is about establishing a platform for them to move forward successfully. There is still so many things that have to be sorted out, but the one thing that is certain is that the NBA is not to be confused with the NFL, as they are far from the same.
