14 NBA Owners In Forbes' 'Richest 400 Americans'

[Donnyxc]

If that is the way you think, then the price of games would continue to rise with inflated player salaries being owners are barely making a profit as is. If you think playing in front of half empty arenas are fun now, then imagine what would happen with no salary cap.

FYI. NBA players make more than enough money and have guaranteed contracts in which the NFL does not have with much better parity. I have absolutely no sympathy for NBA athletes. If they want no salary cap, then they deserve no guaranteed contracts. They can most likely have one or the other. But, not both. The owners put their money on the line and own the NBA, not the other way around.

I cannot force my boss to pay me more than him even if I do most of the work and decision making. It is his company and he has the right to pay what he wants regardless how talented I am. If NBA players don't want to work for the NBA at NBA salaries, they are free to go elsewhere. Players work for the NBA, not the other way around. This is a JOB, not a right.

Not necessarily. The prices of games area not directly correlated to inflated player salaries. I could name at several variables that you are missing.
Like any investment, you need to make intelligent choices that are based on sound future expectations. Marketing, player acquisitions, team roster adjustments should be your direct focus.
If you're worried about this investment, let someone else buy the club, and move it to a location where basketball tickets will sell. There is no excuse to remove a fan's experience, which is directly correlated with a lockout. They should have made more informed decisions on this outcome, as they were losing money in the process of games not being played. End result: Don't cut player's salaries.

Comparing NFL and NBA is apples to oranges. But if you're going to do that, how is MLB working with no limit? They're doing just fine.
I have no sympathy for selfish owners who don't appreciate fan or player sentiment. This is game for the fans. This is not a $$$ project for you. Take accountability.

I have no sympathy for greedy and selfish players who get paid Millions to play a game. They have tons of free time off. This is a job and the owners don't have to pay them squat if they don't want to.

If you or any NBA player don't like their contract to do your job for millions of dollars, then go home. You are not needed. The game will still go on without any of you who don't like it. This is a job, not entitlement. You are paid via paycheck, not as an owner. If you want to be an owner, buy a team and run it your way. As long as NBA players are employees, they will get paid what they sign that contract for. Until otherwise, move along here. Nothing to see. NBA players are entitled to nothing more than what they signed on the dotted line for. Sorry, seeya, bye bye if you don't like it. As if they don't have enough as is. I think too many players are paid too much in the first place.

We can agree to disagree on this.

It honestly just AMAZES me that you think like this. "This is a job and the owners don't have to pay them squat".

If any owner thinks like this, he or she does not deserve their job and position of power.

Basketball is played with PLAYERS. Not owners. The NBA is a professional profit association that is foremost designed to provide the public entertainment. If they do no provide the public entertainment, they are failing. This occurs in a lockout. The NBA has built a reputation as hosting the best PLAYERS in the world. It DOES owe its players the salary/BRI that they deserve. The players are the ESSENCE of your ball club, and represent you, your team, and your fan base.

and what? Owners are entitled because they own the asset? Absolutely not. It's an investment on a decision that affects almost a billion viewers. Players could all play somewhere else in a new league, that would gain the reputation of having the best basketball players in the world. People would watch that. The problem, is they are tied down, because they can make the most money in the NBA. It's a lose-lose situation, and the owners have a grip-hold on them, because of this incentive.

[BadMofoPimp]

Basketball is played with PLAYERS. Not owners. The NBA is a professional profit association that is foremost designed to provide the public entertainment. If they do no provide the public entertainment, they are failing. This occurs in a lockout. The NBA has built a reputation as hosting the best PLAYERS in the world. It DOES owe its players the salary/BRI that they deserve. The players are the ESSENCE of your ball club, and represent you, your team, and your fan base.

and what? Owners are entitled because they own the asset? Absolutely not. It's an investment on a decision that affects almost a billion viewers. Players could all play somewhere else in a new league, that would gain the reputation of having the best basketball players in the world. People would watch that. The problem, is they are tied down, because they can make the most money in the NBA. It's a lose-lose situation, and the owners have a grip-hold on them, because of this incentive.

My business is run by the employees. I handle much of the business decisions. Does that mean I should make more than the owner who has 2 houses, six cars, two boats and rents a mansion in the Bahama's for 30 family members for vacation? I am very talented, but that gives me no right to make more than what the market calls for. Hence, if the owners, who are all in agreement decide what the market is for playing a game, then damn straight that is the contract price. If they don't like it, they can try to find gainful employment elsewhere. In the end, this is a job, not entitlement. A good portion of the players make more than what they are worth.

[Donnyxc]

Basketball is played with PLAYERS. Not owners. The NBA is a professional profit association that is foremost designed to provide the public entertainment. If they do no provide the public entertainment, they are failing. This occurs in a lockout. The NBA has built a reputation as hosting the best PLAYERS in the world. It DOES owe its players the salary/BRI that they deserve. The players are the ESSENCE of your ball club, and represent you, your team, and your fan base.

and what? Owners are entitled because they own the asset? Absolutely not. It's an investment on a decision that affects almost a billion viewers. Players could all play somewhere else in a new league, that would gain the reputation of having the best basketball players in the world. People would watch that. The problem, is they are tied down, because they can make the most money in the NBA. It's a lose-lose situation, and the owners have a grip-hold on them, because of this incentive.

My business is run by the employees. I handle much of the business decisions. Does that mean I should make more than the owner who has 2 houses, six cars, two boats and rents a mansion in the Bahama's for 30 family members for vacation? I am very talented, but that gives me no right to make more than what the market calls for. Hence, if the owners, who are all in agreement decide what the market is for playing a game, then damn straight that is the contract price. If they don't like it, they can try to find gainful employment elsewhere. In the end, this is a job, not entitlement. A good portion of the players make more than what they are worth.

You keep using your business as an analogy. You are failing to see that your business is not based on a sport, and is not basketball.

I work for a business and make top-down decisions. NEITHER of our businesses are the NBA. The NBA is based on Basketball, which has to be played by PLAYERS. The NBA has almost a billion viewers, and is a PRODUCT of the PLAYERS and VIEWERS. The association itself can be replicated, and is useless without its PLAYERS and VIEWERS. Whereas, the others are not useless without the NBA. They can play anywhere else, as basketball will always provide entertainment somewhere. The owners are not entitled to squat. This isn't just some business. This is basketball.

[BadMofoPimp]

You keep using your business as an analogy. You are failing to see that your business is not based on a sport, and is not basketball.

I work for a business and make top-down decisions. NEITHER of our businesses are the NBA. The NBA is based on Basketball, which has to be played by PLAYERS. The NBA has almost a billion viewers, and is a PRODUCT of the PLAYERS and VIEWERS. The association itself can be replicated, and is useless without its PLAYERS and VIEWERS. Whereas, the others are not useless without the NBA. They can play anywhere else, as basketball will always provide entertainment somewhere. The owners are not entitled to squat. This isn't just some business. This is basketball.

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You fail to see that these owners purchased these teams to run them as a business, not playing a game. Not one owner plays a game. They are in a business of making money, not dishing it out to players who think that $10 million per year is not enough to feed their families. They each get a paycheck after every game they play regardless if they put in the effort or make mistakes or ride the bench. That defines an employee. If that is not enough for them, they can go find work elsewhere. It is that simple. These owners OWN a Business which happens to be a Sports team. That team is in the business of making money, not losing it. Each team is run like a Business, not to make players happy, but fans.

There is nothing you can say that will ever get these players any more than what they have right now. Maybe, if they are lucky, just a little more, but I bet you it will be less next time around. If you get more fans and revenue, that is the only way these players will make more money. The cap will be much harder the next time around because of the lack of parity we currently have. I guarantee that.

[Donnyxc]

You keep using your business as an analogy. You are failing to see that your business is not based on a sport, and is not basketball.

I work for a business and make top-down decisions. NEITHER of our businesses are the NBA. The NBA is based on Basketball, which has to be played by PLAYERS. The NBA has almost a billion viewers, and is a PRODUCT of the PLAYERS and VIEWERS. The association itself can be replicated, and is useless without its PLAYERS and VIEWERS. Whereas, the others are not useless without the NBA. They can play anywhere else, as basketball will always provide entertainment somewhere. The owners are not entitled to squat. This isn't just some business. This is basketball.

You fail to see that these owners purchased these teams to run them as a business, not playing a game. Not one owner plays a game. They are in a business of making money, not dishing it out to players who think that $10 million per year is not enough to feed their families. They each get a paycheck after every game they play regardless if they put in the effort or make mistakes or ride the bench. That defines an employee. If that is not enough for them, they can go find work elsewhere. It is that simple. These owners OWN a Business which happens to be a Sports team. That team is in the business of making money, not losing it. Each team is run like a Business, not to make players happy, but fans.

There is nothing you can say that will ever get these players any more than what they have right now. Maybe, if they are lucky, just a little more, but I bet you it will be less next time around. If you get more fans and revenue, that is the only way these players will make more money. The cap will be much harder the next time around because of the lack of parity we currently have. I guarantee that.

Honestly, I read and understand what you're saying. It's just wrong.

Like I said before, If every owner is as close-minded to think that owning an NBA team is just to "run a business" they don't deserve that ownership.

Owning an NBA team is not like owning a house. You can do whatever you want with your house. Owning something that is shared with billions of people's experiences is a total different level. It's much bigger than you.

[BadMofoPimp]

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Honestly, I read and understand what you're saying. It's just wrong.

Like I said before, If every owner is as close-minded to think that owning an NBA team is just to "run a business" they don't deserve that ownership.

Owning an NBA team is not like owning a house. You can do whatever you want with your house. Owning something that is shared with billions of people's experiences is a total different level. It's much bigger than you.

I understand what you are saying also. But, look at it this way. It is human nature. If people were fair, then the six billionaire Waltons, the richest people on the planet would actually hire full time people and not keep most of them part time at minimum wage just so they can make an extra billion each. Do you really think just because this is a sport and team game, that the owners should be forced to spend more than what they feel a return on their investment should be? When it comes to running a business or sports franchise, the rule is always to make the most money.

Regardless of who gets the greater share, the players or owners, someone is always dissatisfied. It is a lose lose situation until people just accept the contract, not worry about it and work together to make the best of the situation and concentrate on winning.

That is what Lebron, Wade and Bosh did. They will make their money in the long run and end up being in a happy situation the whole time. I am sure by sacrificing financial incentives, they are being taken care of by the organization as far as how the team business conducts their off court sitatuations.