The owners, meanwhile, could get on their hind legs about the RSN uncertainty. If any issue is going to be a driver next go-around, the TV landscape seems the early favorite. And it might be the owners who try to position themselves as the aggrieved party this time, after the players did so last time.
“Because there isn’t socialism, there’s always going to be problems. You’re always going to have the small-market, big-market divide,” the agent said. “I don’t know that Rob has enough (owner) votes right now to pass a status-quo new bargaining agreement. I think there are some small- to mid-market teams that are looking for, you know, substantial change. … But we’re still a bit away from that.”
Ultimately, another offseason lockout could be a possibility, despite the current calm. Lockouts are common in the major men’s sports leagues, a favored tactic by management. An optimist could hope that the chances are lower because of how this CBA is unfolding, but too many questions just can’t be answered right now: What does the league ultimately want to do? What are the sides’ positions in three years?
The more interesting question could well be whether there’s a lockout that actually costs the sport games. No games were missed as a result of the 2021-22 lockout, when the issues were as contentious and substantive as they’ve been at any point this century.
What is safe to say, for now, is simple: Things are going better this time. There’s been no free-agent camp, and there’s no talk of opening up the current CBA in the middle. No one dares disturb the sound of silence, but all involved can clearly hear it.
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