NBA lockout: Oklahoma goes mainstream
I’d say the NBA has reached mainstream status in Oklahoma. Here’s my latest example.
An excellent primer on the economics of the NBA labor strife can be found here on Bill Simmons’ new website, grantland.com.
This was written by a couple of economists, Tyler Cowen of George Mason University and Kevin Grier of the University of Oklahoma. It’s a small world. Grier lives across the street from me.
I knew Grier was an NBA fan — we’ve talked about Russell Westbrook and how his critics are buffoons — but I had no idea he was so up on NBA economics that Bill Simmons’ machine thought him worthy. Simmons is ga-ga over the NBA.
Anyway, I was fascinated to hear that Grier had penned a piece on the lockout, and I was pleasantly surprised when I read it. Most economic papers are a little deep for the sporting crowd. This isn’t. This isn’t a dissertation. This is an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand explanation of what the heck’s going on with the NBA labor negotiations.
And you get a sense of how it’s all going to come out. With a victory for the owners. The players are basically holding out now on pride. There’s something to be said for that, but it looks like a lost cause.
The most interesting I learned? Whatever the players might could gain by holding onto that 52.5 percent stance on basketball-related income is lost by the canceled games. In other words, if you’re going to miss, let’s say, two months of the season to get 52.5 percent, you might as well cave in on 50 percent and play the whole danged year. Comes out to the same, based on a six-year labor agreement.
Oh well, I’ve probably confused you enough. Read Grier’s (and Cowen’s) presentation. It’s in question-and-answer format and is very informative. I’ve got to go. I’ve got to go talk some hoops with a neighbor.
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