With the NBA season in no hurry to start, Amar'e Stoudemire came out this week with his believe that the NBA players would be able to start their own league. "If we don't go to Europe, we're going to start our own league, thats how I see it," he said. "It's very serious. It's a matter of us strategically coming up with a plan, a blueprint and putting it together. So we'll see how this lockout goes...". Unfortunately for Amar'e, this is nothing more than a pipe dream. The player's seem under the impression that they ARE the NBA. While it is true that the NBA would not exist without them, the players (and the dreamers like Amar'e) need to realize that the teams, fans, and their multi-million dollar contracts would not exist without the NBA.
It is imperative to remember how long it took the NBA to gain the size and recognition that it has today. Even during the 1970's, some of the NBA finals we're not shown on live television. Now there are DirecTV packages and shows on ESPN and other major networks discussing the league daily. All of the success that the NBA has enjoyed in recent years is not from player's like Amar'e, but from the greats before him that attracted the fans and the businesspeople who we're able to put all these deals together and give the fans something to cheer for. Amar'e and the players do not have access to the money needed to even conceive getting a league running, nor access for places to play. And in the end, they will not be able to negotiate with the networks that could afford to show the games because these networks are all already locked up in long term contracts with the NBA and other sports leagues.
By Kevin Rice
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