Thread: Stoudemire Says Players Might Start New League- Thoughts

Amare Stoudemire says players have talked about starting own league - ESPN New York

Amare Stoudemire says that if the lockout isn't resolved soon that the players are seriously considering starting a league of their own. He says that the players want to play basketball, and while playing overseas is an option, many think starting a competitive league here in the united states is a viable option. He stated that if even one season is cancelled that this could become a reality.

Obviously there would be a lot of hurdles to jump if this were to actually happen. What venues would be available? How many players would be interested/ how many teams would form? Where would the capital come from for player/coach/management salaries? What would happen when the NBA resolved the labor disagreement? What about broadcast rights? Insurance? And many more.

I honestly like the fact that this is being talked about. I doubt it would actually happen but i think not only is it a really cool idea, but also it has got to pressure on the NBA to get this shit worked out and have a 2011-2012 season. If it were to happen i would like to see there be quite a few less teams, therefore the teams would be much better/ more competitive. This could also create a lot of jobs for people that are about to be out of jobs, not only the players. It would be really interesting to see the teams that would form, where they would end up, what they would be called, who would be on them. It would be crazy if this actually happened, i don't know of anything like this ever happening before in major sports though i could easily be wrong.

What do you guys think about this? I never expected for something like this to be brought up but i like it a lot more than just all the good players going overseas to play and letting this lockout drag on for god knows how long. All i know is i want a season! Id much rather an NBA season but PBA(Professional Ballers Association ) would be pretty damn good too.

the players can hardly agree amongst themselves for collective bargaining, i highly doubt they would be able to agree on how to run a league.

the more i learn about the art of negotiation, the more i realize the players need to keep their mouths shut when ideas like this pop into their heads. tossing ideas around is great, but figure out the logistics of it before announcing it to the world. this way, they can at least gain some credibility.

Originally Posted by Pinin

What do you guys think about this?

I think this is a poorly executed, extremely transparant negotiation bluff.



BTW, the "PBA" already exists: "Professional Bowlers Association".

I definitely think it is somewhat of a negotiation bluff, but i also think that there may be some truth behind it.

Basketball definitely has a pretty good chance of making it happen because really if you get 15 or so of the top 25 players then there will definitely be a fan base therefore it shouldn't be too hard to find funds. I highly doubt it will happen but its an interesting concept and very fun to envision.

Originally Posted by Pinin

I definitely think it is somewhat of a negotiation bluff, but i also think that there may be some truth behind it.

Basketball definitely has a pretty good chance of making it happen because really if you get 15 or so of the top 25 players then there will definitely be a fan base therefore it shouldn't be too hard to find funds. I highly doubt it will happen but its an interesting concept and very fun to envision.

i think the only way this could happen is if a billionaire organized it. the players (not the superstars, the mid-level talents and below) lack the patience and negotiating power to put something together on a grand scale.

the problem with some rich guy getting behind this is he risks alienation from the nba altogether when the lockout ends. i could see an international billionaire sponsoring it, like carlos slim, but i don't think he has the pull to get arena/tv/sponsorship deals together quickly.

i think the best the players can do, without going overseas, is exhibitions like the globetrotters.

and who will own it? and who will pay for it? where do you play?

for every $1 they make in the NBA, they might make $.10 in their own league. that would get pretty old after, say, the first week.


and, if they did, the NBA would just hire other players - the kind who maybe appreciate the money they're making and put in that extra effort that is often missing from a me-first NBA "team."

it's already a player's league - they need to accept the offer and just play. where else in the world can you make $1MM minimum for just sitting on a fucking bench? that little Twitter stunt earlier this week showed just how clueless these guys are - and you expect them to run a profitable league?

- chuck

Chances of this happening in the 2011-2012 timeframe are slim to none, and slim just left the building. I say this as a lifelong basketball fan (participant and spectator) who just recently upgraded his Golden State Warriors season tickets to the 2nd row directly behind the visitor's bench at Oracle Arena. I did this before the lockout knowing full well it was unlikely that a full season was going to happen.

Compared to the last lockout, the players are better prepared to sit out than last time. The Players' Association has been preaching for some time now that players needed to stockpile funds for the likelihood of a long lockout. Last time, the players were ill-prepared and capitulated on most everything the owners demanded (although they made out with the 57% share of revenue provision).

If it does happen, it would be pretty cool; but strongly doubt it