NBA Rumors Suggest Season May Be in Peril: How Big of a Deal Is This?

The latest from the NBA rumor mill is suggesting that after talks stalled on Tuesday, today's talks were cancelled and no future talks were scheduled, the 2011-2012 NBA season may be in peril. 

As a huge NBA fan this possibility upsets me from both an entertainment and business standpoint. 

In terms of sheer sports entertainment value, there is simply nothing available from the months of April through June that approximates the day-to-day excitement and drama of the final stages of the NBA season and then the NBA playoffs. 

Unless you despise the NBA, or the sport of basketball,  there is no way you can tell me that you would rather watch the first three months of a seemingly endless baseball season, a sport where the principle object (the puck in hockey) is barely visible and the names are almost impossible to pronounce. 

I admit it is not a huge deal from the entertainment perspective for the NBA to miss the first month, or even the first few months of the season. 

Football is in full swing by the start of October, baseball is in the midst of its postseason and the NBA generally flies under the radar until after the Super Bowl in the second week of February.  Simply put, the public will not miss it the first few months. 

The league cannot take the same indifferent and patient approach however, when you begin discussing what this whole lockout is all about; business and money.

From a business standpoint, the NBA not starting the season on time would do as much damage to its brand, popularity and advertising power as a Mack truck would do to an unsuspecting deer.  In other words it would completely destroy it. And by the way, that does not even account for the loss of revenue at the gate for all those games or any other residual income that would come from those live fans. 

The NBA is not the NFL.  It simply does not have the unlimited goodwill collateral built up in the bank, nor the overwhelming popularity, social and economical influence to do what it wants at its own pace and know without question the fans will be back once it is all said and done. 

Many NBA fans would not be back. Of course, fans not returning would mean advertisers not returning, lower levels of television money and ultimately less business stability. 

People build their weekends and their expendable income around the NFL; they buy wings, beer, big TV's, sound systems and tons more all to simply enjoy the game.  When was the last time you heard someone say "Hey dude, want to come over to my place for my weekly NBA bash?" 

I'll answer for you: Never. 

That monumental loss of business would obviously adversely affect owners and players alike, therefore it stands to reason that it would serve as sufficient motivation for both sides to put aside their differences and get something done in time for the start of the season. 

The gauntlet has been thrown down.  Now it's time to see if the NBA can quit entertaining its ego and get down to business.