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— CH. 1 · ORIGINS AND NEGOTIATIONS —

2011 NBA lockout

~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
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  • The 2011 NBA lockout began on the 1st of July 2011, when the collective bargaining agreement expired. Team owners and players had been negotiating since early 2011 to replace the deal that guaranteed players 57% of basketball-related income. League commissioner David Stern led the owners while Billy Hunter directed the National Basketball Players Association. Derek Fisher served as union president during these talks. The core dispute centered on revenue splits and salary cap structures. Owners proposed reducing player share from 57% to 47%. Players countered with a demand for 53% of total revenue. Financial data became a major point of contention throughout the process.

  • On the 23rd of September 2011, the league canceled training camp scheduled to begin October 3. Preseason games running October 9 through 15 were also cancelled. By October 4, all remaining preseason games were eliminated. Stern warned that first two weeks of regular season would be in jeopardy if no deal was reached by October 10. On November 14, the NBPA dissolved its union into a trade association. This allowed players to file antitrust lawsuits against the league. Two separate class action suits were filed on November 15 in California and Minnesota federal courts. Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Kawhi Leonard, and Leon Powe joined one group. Another included Anthony Tolliver, Ben Gordon, Caron Butler, and Derrick Williams. All games through December 15 were officially canceled on that same day.

  • A tentative agreement was reached after 15 hours of talks on the 26th of November 2011. The NBPA re-formed as a union on December 1 with support from over 300 players. Signature cards were sent to approximately 440 rostered players plus 60 rookies drafted in 2011. Voting concluded on December 8 when owners approved the deal by a 25, 5 vote. More than 200 players voted, with 86% approving the new collective bargaining agreement. The lockout lasted exactly 161 days before ending. Training camps began the next day on December 9. Free agency started immediately after ratification. The revised season schedule reduced regular games from 82 to 66 per team.

  • An estimated $400 million loss affected both team owners and players during the work stoppage. CNBC reported average player losses of $220,000 following the first missed paycheck on November 15. Each player received $100,000 from the NBA to compensate for salaries below the 57% BRI level. Around 400 jobs disappeared due to layoffs and attrition by October 25. Approximately 200 positions vanished within league offices while another 200 disappeared among the thirty teams. Arena workers who relied on part-time income faced significant financial hardship. Television networks including TNT and ESPN lost substantial advertising revenue. One estimate placed total lost television ad revenue at over $1 billion. Licensed product markets worth an estimated $2.7 billion suffered major setbacks.

  • More than ninety players signed contracts with foreign teams during the lockout period. Deron Williams became the only 2011 All-Star to play overseas when he joined Beşiktaş in Turkey for one year at five million dollars. Kenyon Martin signed with Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China earning five hundred thousand dollars monthly. Tony Parker chose ASVEL Basket in France accepting just two thousand dollars per month as minimum wage. The International Basketball Federation allowed opt-out clauses enabling return once work stoppage ended. Chinese Basketball Association required full season commitments except for Chinese nationals like Yi Jianlian. Josh Childress refused to consider playing abroad citing reliability concerns about payment and coaching differences. Most overseas signings involved rookies or fringe veterans rather than established stars.

  • Teams played a revised schedule of sixty-six regular games starting the 25th of December 2011. The league built new schedules from scratch based on available arena dates. Los Angeles and Chicago arenas reassigned NBA dates for other events in October. Teams faced increased fatigue due to compressed timelines. Back-to-back-to-back game sets occurred forty-two times throughout the season. Three-game stretches happened twenty-nine occasions when teams played five games within six days. Tim Duncan rested for a March game against San Antonio Spurs after a triple-header set. Coach Gregg Popovich described his absence simply as "Old." Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah suffered injuries during playoffs while Baron Davis and Iman Shumpert sustained knee problems for New York Knicks. Chris Bosh missed most of Miami Heat's championship run due to injury complications.

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1998–99 NBA lockout

Common questions

When did the 2011 NBA lockout begin and end?

The 2011 NBA lockout began on the 1st of July 2011 when the collective bargaining agreement expired. The work stoppage lasted exactly 161 days before ending on the 8th of December 2011.

Who were the key leaders during the 2011 NBA lockout negotiations?

League commissioner David Stern led the owners while Billy Hunter directed the National Basketball Players Association. Derek Fisher served as union president during these talks.

What financial terms caused the dispute in the 2011 NBA lockout?

Owners proposed reducing player share from 57% to 47% while players demanded 53% of total revenue. An estimated $400 million loss affected both team owners and players during the work stoppage.

How many games were canceled during the 2011 NBA lockout?

All games through December 15 were officially canceled on that same day. Teams played a revised schedule of sixty-six regular games starting the 25th of December 2011 instead of the standard 82 games.

Where did more than ninety players go during the 2011 NBA lockout?

More than ninety players signed contracts with foreign teams during the lockout period. Deron Williams became the only 2011 All-Star to play overseas when he joined Beşiktaş in Turkey for one year at five million dollars.

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All sources

138 references cited across the entry

  1. 1newsPlayers, owners approve agreementESPN — December 8, 2011
  2. 2webNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement Ratified and SignedNBA — July 30, 2005
  3. 3newsN.B.A. and Union Can't Agree on Exactly What's at IssueJune 16, 2005
  4. 4newsSources: Meeting before deadline offChris Broussard — ESPN — October 7, 2011
  5. 5newsHow "small market" owners took controlBrian Windhorst — ESPN — October 25, 2011
  6. 6newsDerek Fisher, Champion Point Guard and Face of the Players UnionRichard Sandomir — October 18, 2011
  7. 7newsProgress of Negotiations Is Hidden in SemanticsHoward Beck — February 19, 2011
  8. 8newsTurning to Labor Board, N.B.A. Union Fires FirstHoward Beck — May 24, 2011
  9. 9newsNBA owners now offering players 'flex cap'Gary Washburn — June 22, 2011
  10. 10newsNBA players reject 'flex cap' proposalCBC — June 21, 2011
  11. 11newsOn eve of deadline, likelihood of compromise looks slimSteve Aschburner — NBA — June 29, 2011
  12. 12newsNBA Owners Lock Out PlayersScott Cacciola — July 1, 2011
  13. 13newsDavid Stern, Derek Fisher join talksESPN — August 2, 2011
  14. 14newsNBA files federal lawsuit against playersESPN — August 3, 2011
  15. 15newsBilly Hunter doubts entire '11-12 seasonESPN — August 4, 2011
  16. 16newsNBA owners, union meet for 6 hoursESPN — September 1, 2011
  17. 17newsNo progress made after latest labor talkESPN — September 13, 2011
  18. 18newsSources: Agents want union to decertifyChris Broussard — ESPN — September 14, 2011
  19. 19newsDerek Fisher: Rift among ownersDave McMenamin — ESPN — September 15, 2011
  20. 20newsPlayers, then owners declare unityDave McMenamin — ESPN — September 16, 2011
  21. 21inlineNBA postpones camps indefinitely. ESPN. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  22. 22newsDavid Stern: Season hangs in balanceMarc Stein — ESPN — September 28, 2011
  23. 23newsDavid Stern's scary talkHenry Abbott — ESPN — September 28, 2011
  24. 24newsNBA-union talks continuingESPN — October 1, 2011
  25. 25newsNBA to cancel games if no deal MondayHenry Abbott et al. — ESPN — October 4, 2011
  26. 26newsSources: NBA, union meeting SundayESPN — October 9, 2011
  27. 27newsNBA cancels first 2 weeks of seasonStein — ESPN — October 10, 2011
  28. 28newsNBA labor talks resume in New YorkESPN — October 10, 2011
  29. 29newsNBA postpones board meetings, talks with union, mediatorNBA — October 19, 2011
  30. 30newsNBPA stresses unity in player meetingJ.A. Adande et al. — ESPN — October 16, 2011
  31. 31newsOwners Sacrificing Games (or Season?) in Bid to Balance N.B.A.Howard Beck — October 12, 2011
  32. 32newsThe payroll and competitive balance mythTim Haberstroh — ESPN — October 26, 2011
  33. 33newsParity, Great for N.F.L., May Hurt N.B.A.Harvey Araton — November 27, 2011
  34. 34webJaVale McGee denies saying NBA players 'ready to fold' in lockoutOctober 14, 2011
  35. 35newsTime for players to step up in NBA lockoutTim Dahlberg — October 17, 2011
  36. 36newsNBA talks break off, none plannedESPN — October 21, 2011
  37. 37newsMediator in N.B.A. Talks Has Strong Sports PedigreeSteven Greenhouse — October 20, 2011
  38. 38newsNBA labor negotiations hit another snagMichael Lee — October 21, 2011
  39. 39newsWith Talks at a Halt, Silence ReignsHoward Beck — October 22, 2011
  40. 40newsN.B.A. Owners' Mutual Dependence Outweighs DivisionsHoward Beck et al. — October 25, 2011
  41. 41news82 games may be too manyHenry Abbot — ESPN — October 27, 2011
  42. 42webNBA games canceled through Nov. 30ESPN — October 28, 2011
  43. 43newsIs Fisher in Stern's back pocket?Jason Whitlock — October 29, 2011
  44. 44newsFisher Fights Back Against ReportsHoward Beck — November 2, 2011
  45. 45newsDerek Fisher defends loyalty in letterMarc Stein — ESPN — November 1, 2011
  46. 46newsFisher in denial over labor riftJason Whitlock — November 1, 2011
  47. 47news50 N.B.A. Players Considering Dissolution of UnionHoward Beck — November 4, 2011
  48. 48newsNBA fines Heat owner Micky ArisonBrian Windhorst — ESPN — November 1, 2011
  49. 49newsHard-Line Factions Threaten Latest N.B.A. NegotiationsHoward Beck — November 5, 2011
  50. 50newsMJ sells out players with hard-line stanceJason Whitlock — November 5, 2011
  51. 51newsDeal on table until WednesdayESPN — November 6, 2011
  52. 52newsN.B.A. Owners Give Players 4 Days to Accept Final OfferHoward Beck — November 6, 2011
  53. 53inlinePlayers file 2 antitrust suits vs. NBA. ESPN. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  54. 54newsUnion rejects owners' latest offerMarc Stein — ESPN — November 9, 2011
  55. 55newsA Final Proposal, With Hopes of a VoteHoward Beck — November 10, 2011
  56. 56newsNBA players reject owners' offerESPN — November 14, 2011
  57. 57newsNBA Players Look to Disband Union: Will There Be a Season At All?Tim Newcomb — November 15, 2011
  58. 58newsN.B.A. Season in Peril as Players Reject OfferHoward Beck — November 15, 2011
  59. 59webNBPA disclaimerG. William Hunter — ESPN
  60. 60newsLawyer for N.F.L. in Lockout Joins Players in N.B.A. FightKen Belson — November 14, 2011
  61. 61newsN.B.A. and Players Resume Negotiating, With Christmas Day in Their SightsHoward Beck — November 23, 2011
  62. 62newsTentative NBA deal reachedESPN — November 26, 2011
  63. 63newsNBA players authorize return of unionESPN — December 1, 2011
  64. 64newsN.B.A. Players Union Set to Resume BusinessHoward Beck — December 2, 2011
  65. 65newsPlayers begin process of re-forming their unionDavid Aldridge — NBA — November 29, 2011
  66. 66newsPlayers prepare to vote on CBAChris Broussard — ESPN — December 7, 2011
  67. 67newsMicky Arison voted against new CBAESPN — December 22, 2011
  68. 68newsBilly Hunter sends players memo on BRIMarc Stein — ESPN — November 27, 2011
  69. 69newsBreaking down changes in new CBALarry Coon — ESPN — November 28, 2011
  70. 70newsPoof! Goes a Bad Contract, if Any N.B.A. Team WishesHoward Beck — November 28, 2011
  71. 71newsDerrick Rose eager for season to startESPN — November 29, 2011
  72. 72newsNew CBA spreads gains, pains to both sidesSteve Aschburner — NBA — November 26, 2011
  73. 73newsBryant Gumbel evokes slavery in David Stern rantBen Golliver — October 19, 2011
  74. 74newsFor the Love of God, Stop Calling Pro Athletes 'Slaves'Touré — November 3, 2011
  75. 75newsDavid Stern and the plantationHenry Abbott — ESPN — November 10, 2011
  76. 76newsStern on Gumbel: 'It's an occupational hazard'Royce Young — November 8, 2011
  77. 77newsKessler: NBPA treated 'like plantation workersBen Golliver — November 8, 2011
  78. 78newsMagic Johnson defends David Stern, dismisses claims of racismBrian Mahoney — November 9, 2011
  79. 79newsJeffrey Kessler apologizes for remarkESPN — November 9, 2011
  80. 80newsN.B.A. Reaches a Tentative Deal to Save the SeasonHoward Beck — November 26, 2011
  81. 81newsFor NBA players, check's not in the mailESPN — November 15, 2011
  82. 82newsThis could be key checkpoint in NBA lockoutGary Washburn — November 6, 2011
  83. 83newsThat 2011–12 N.B.A. Schedule? Never MindHoward Beck — October 26, 2011
  84. 84newsWorkers Feeling Squeezed by the N.B.A. LockoutKen Belson — November 24, 2011
  85. 85newsPerils abound when heading to EuropeRic Bucher — July 12, 2011
  86. 86newsJosh Childress has stern words for those looking to go overseasKelly Dwyer — Yahoo! — July 13, 2011
  87. 87newsFIBA: NBA stars can play overseasESPN — July 29, 2011
  88. 88newsFIBA ruling opens global options during NBA lockoutJuly 29, 2011
  89. 89newsDavid Stern: Foreign play not 'great idea'ESPN — August 3, 2011
  90. 90newsNew rule shuts door on NBA starsSun Xiaochen — August 21, 2011
  91. 91newsNo China for players under contractESPN — August 20, 2011
  92. 92newsChina could block NBA players returnAdrian Wojnarowski — Yahoo! Sports — November 29, 2011
  93. 93newsUtah Jazz: Mehmet Okur signs with Turkish teamJody Genessy — September 7, 2011
  94. 94newsKenyon Martin signs deal in ChinaESPN — September 21, 2011
  95. 95webAndrei Kirilenko to play in EuropeESPN — October 4, 2011
  96. 96newsA Lot of Talk, but Few Stars Have Left the Country to PlayHoward Bech — October 13, 2011
  97. 97newsDeron Williams inks deal with BesiktasMike Mazzeo — ESPN — July 15, 2011
  98. 98newsNuggets' Kenyon Martin to sign largest contract in Chinese league's historyBenjamin Hochman — September 22, 2011
  99. 99newsKenyon Martin to ink Chinese league's biggest deal everAOL Sporting News — September 26, 2011
  100. 100newsSpurs' star to play in France "nearly for free"October 5, 2011
  101. 101newsTony Parker uses NBA lockout to prepare for his post-NBA future in FranceOctober 6, 2011
  102. 102newsPlayer movement: Who's going abroad?ESPN — October 6, 2011
  103. 103newsKevin Durant scores 66 at Rucker ParkAdry Torres — ESPN — August 2, 2011
  104. 104newsLockout added water to grass rootsESPN — October 10, 2011
  105. 105newsKevin Durant, Washington win city battleESPN — August 21, 2011
  106. 106newsDrew-Goodman game lives up to hypeESPN — August 21, 2011
  107. 107newsNBA players stay sharp in games around the USAJ. Michael Falgoust — September 20, 2011
  108. 108newsFall league set for Las VegasIan Begley — ESPN — September 6, 2011
  109. 109news'Lockout League' Is Set to Tip Off in Las VegasHoward Bech — September 4, 2011
  110. 110newsGolden State Warriors ready for some serious funMarcus Thompson II — November 4, 2011
  111. 111newsJose Juan Barea, Carlos Arroyo to playESPN — October 5, 2011
  112. 112newsBarea, Arroyo, and Balkman want to play in Pan-Am tournamentTerra — September 16, 2011
  113. 113newsUbiles' agent: pro career next for Pan Am winnerTim Wilkin — October 31, 2011
  114. 114webLondon Olympics facing lockoutChris Sheridan — ESPN — July 14, 2011
  115. 115newsFrance, Russia overcome lockout insurance jamFIBA.com — July 22, 2011
  116. 116newsArgentina reach insurance deal for NBA starsFIBA.com — July 29, 2011
  117. 117newsEurope's NBA stars strike out for championshipElad Zeevi — August 30, 2011
  118. 118newsNHL could have sporting spotlight as NBA lockout dragsSteve Keating — Tanana Valley Television — October 7, 2011
  119. 119newsWill NBA's Loss Be NHL's Gain?Rick Horrow et al. — October 14, 2011
  120. 120newsKings, Ducks don't want to profit at NBA's expenseHelene Elliott — November 3, 2011
  121. 121newsMarketing business as usual for NHL?David Shoalts — November 4, 2011
  122. 122newsUTSA Roadrunners have benefited from NBA lockoutW. Scott Baily — October 7, 2011
  123. 123newsColleges hope to fill voidDan Duggan — October 12, 2011
  124. 124newsNBA lockout will not help college hoopsMike DeCourcy — AOL Sporting News — October 21, 2011
  125. 125newsThe NBA Lockout and the Economy: An Overstated ImpactSean Gregory — November 7, 2011
  126. 126newsNBA Lockout Would Put $1B in TV Ad Revenue at StakeRich Thomaselli — January 17, 2011
  127. 127newsTwo Exhibition Games for N.B.A. TeamsHoward Beck — November 28, 2011
  128. 128newsFacilities, player negotiations to openESPN — November 30, 2011
  129. 129newsFree agents, teams can talk MondayMarc Stein — ESPN — December 3, 2011
  130. 130newsMagic-Thunder, Clippers-Warriors set for ChristmasBrian Mahoney — December 2, 2011
  131. 131newsNBA's 66-game schedule is definitely hecticLacy J. Banks — November 27, 2011
  132. 132newsNo Rest (but Four Wins) for the Weary BullsPat Borzi — January 13, 2012
  133. 133newsNBA announces shortened 66-game scheduleDecember 6, 2011
  134. 134newsN.B.A. Schedule a Cram Course for TeamsHoward Beck — December 7, 2011
  135. 135newsBoston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, LA Clippers star Blake Griffin discuss impact of shortened NBA seasonJake Haper — Fox Sports Australia — April 28, 2012
  136. 136newsTim Duncan missed Sunday night's Spurs game because he's 'old,' officiallyKelly Dwyer — Yahoo Sports — March 26, 2012
  137. 137newsNBA deals with postseason trauma as stars go downJeff Zillgitt — May 15, 2012
  138. 138newsStern suggests shortened training camp may be reason for injury trendSportingNews.com — May 9, 2012