Think back about 20 days ago when Netflix announced it will be dividing the online streaming movie service from the mail in rental service. There was an enormous backlash from a substantial amount of their customers. People canceled memberships, news stories were written about the decline of Netflix. Stock value plummeted. After less than a month, Netflix has canceled this transition. Who knows of course when the next change will come, but for now, a vastly united effort by all the fans of Netflix did facilitate the retraction of this transition for Netflix. I am proposing the drafting of a formal letter to the NBA and the NBPA. This letter will reside online and obtain the virtual signatures of NBA fans and Basketball fans across the country and around the world (no email or registration required...). It will become a public measure of displeasure from the true source of the success of the NBA (the fans) with how this lockout has been handled. The purpose of this letter will be to show the NBA and the NBPA the unity and the scale of the fan base of the NBA. It would be created to put real world pressure on both owners and players to put aside ego-driven negotiation stonewalls and come to fair balanced terms with each other. The Fans of this game are the 3rd element in this lockout. We have all talked about how this lockout has and will impact the fan base, but we (or sports columnists as far as I've seen) have not talked about the real world impact we could have on the lockout in the present if we got involved. If anyone is interested in this idea lets see where we can go with it. This is just an attempt at a proactive way to adress this lockout from one sincere fans perspective.
I'm ready to protest , we should start at the montrose area. I'll bee giving free Popsicles to the little boys..hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Im not a web designer and don't have access to any of the tools for that, but I would gladly draft the letter. I think we would post it on all the NBA Fan Forum sites that anyone knows is active (lakers, spurs etc...). I think that we would email it and post it to any sports blogs / sports writers that support the common sports fan. I think in this day and age something like this has the potential to get real big in just a few days. You advertise it on Facebook and Twitter and whatever other social networks are out there.. I would be happy to draw something up and post it here for a quick critique from clutchfans, then turn it into a PDF, get someone with the knowhow to put up a website (maybe on word press or something) then start sending it out in the next few days. Imagine a push from 500,000 NBA fans or a million or more. If millions of people tuned into Rebecca black in just a few days, why can't we do it for the NBA?
They don’t care about our displeasure. They know all the fans are pissed, and arena workers who really need the money are now being laid off. The only thing they care about is their GREED. Lebron thinks this is a joke and he can just go play in the NFL HA! AlexKennedyNBA Alex Kennedy LeBron James just tweeted ESPN's NFL analyst John Clayton, "When is the deadline for a team to sign a free agent?" Here we go.
They don't care because no one has ever presented them with the reality they they will not be welcomed back with open arms. They will be the black sheep of the sports world. The team revenues will diminish year after year, the players fame and marketability will devalue to companies that have more likable sports figures to promote. They don't care because the mass - the fan base - has been totally silent.
I see what you mean about the fans having their voices heard in one place. Shows unity and strength in numbers from the people who are actually buying the product. We could start a Facebook page and Twitter hashtag too. I'll definitely help promote something like this and write an angry comment for the petition. It would be cool if a viral movement like this started on Clutchfans.
I will type a first draft tonight and post it on this thread. I hope people will offer comments on what they would like to see on it.
Thats exactly what I'm thinking we need. Think of all the access the clutchfans community members have to public media outlets. We really could start something here.
While we're at it, can we protest the Bank of America $5 a month charge that people with under 6 figures in their account will have to start paying?
This isn't the occupy movement, check your local independent news outlet for a way to demonstrate your displeasure about that.
Completely different situations. The only way to facilitate any change in this situation is for fans and players to support a different league. No other leagues are really on par with the NBA in terms of how much players are paid and how they're treated, so I can't see players drawing fans to support another league. In short, I think its hopeless.
People are going to stop caring about the NBA the longer this lasts. And it has already begun. They don't have to go to another basketball league to show their disapproval of this lockout. They have already begun shifting focus to professional leagues in other sports.
Draft 1 Dear NBA and NBPA, This letter has been written to show the strength and unity of your roots. We are your custodians, and your ball boys, your cheerleaders, and your season ticket holders. We sell your jerseys, we drive your cabs, and fly your planes. We book your hotel rooms, serve you your meals and wear your shoes. We have watched this lockout with patience and faith for months. We are your fans, and we number in the millions. We understand the need to come to terms with a difficult economy, for we do it in our own personal lives on a daily basis. It is a challenge none of us ever wanted to face, and it is in our human nature to resist these changes and sacrifices that we have had to make. We do not see these same concessions from you during this lockout’s negotiations. The ego driven negotiation tactics that have been employed by both parties in this lockout have produced no results. Only bruised egos and lost games. Your games do not only represent paychecks for your players. They represent a culture that was stronger than it has ever been. This culture is being bloodied and blackened by your lack of fair ethical negotiations. If you think we will turn the other cheek when this is all said and done, you are wrong. We will neglect you as you have neglected us. We are going to attend fewer and fewer games. We will not spend our hard earned money on your merchandise. We will stop buying into your publicity and your celebrity status’. You are running us away, and we – a generation tired of money-grubbing egos – will leave you alone. To the owners: You did not purchase your franchise to make money. You purchased it because one time you were a fan yourself. Understand that owning sports franchises is not a money making endeavor. To the players: You remember being in our shoes. You have to understand that you have played in an era of massive wealth. We are not there anymore. Understand that you too will have to sacrifice for this situation. You have to stop the stonewalling of these negotiations for better tactical leverage. You have to come to terms with the reality and the gravity of this situation before it is to late. Sincerely, 4,582,983 fans Any thoughts / comments / critiques are welcomed.
I disagree with what you and Gladwell say about how owners should be content with the psychic benefits of owning a team even if they’re losing money. I think owners have a right to at least break even in their business. I think we should all just start the hash tag #FtheNBA. Oh, and every time these dumbass players tweet LET US PLAY, tweet back #youcanplayifyouwantassholes.
