Billionaires & millionaires agree

Yippee, the NBA & National Basketball Players Association have reached an agreement in principal - thus avoiding the necessity of the billionaires putting locks on the millionaires workplace.

We can now sleep better knowing the the union members will be able to "feed their families".

That isn't me getting excited and patting your back a little too low . . . that is the billionaires and millionaires grabbing your wallet.

As a season ticket holder of the local team (Sacramento Kings), I received an email from the local billionaires' public relations department at 4:26 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) because "we wanted you to be one of the first to know!"

All cynicism aside, Rambus could take a lesson or two from the Maloof's in the public relations department.

The players will get a guaranteed 57% of the league's basketball related revenue. This percentage increases as the revenue increases. The owners take a smaller percentage as the pot gets bigger. No mention of including the paying customer in the mix - like holding tickets prices steady for year or two if revenues increase.

The salary cap increases from 48% to 51%. The billionaires are being generous with whose money?

The effect of the existing luxury tax levels will be reduced. The tax level will be set at 61% of league revenues. That should help the billionaires that love spending at reckless abandon to "stay competitive"and then raising ticket prices through the roof. (A $14.50 seat in 1985 now is $89.50 in the local gym.) The local billionaires are smiling.

The league will guarantee on average that all teams will have 14-player rosters. Why not? There are lots of guys that have families to feed. The more the merrier. Please reach for your wallet.

Also, there will be an increase in the minimum salary and benefits. Pension benefits will be increased subject to IRS approval. The millionaires "need" more.

The billionaires saved themselves from themselves . . . maximun contract is shortened by a year with maximun salary increases reduced from the previous levels by 2.5%.

The fans aren't totally left out . . . players will be subjected to 4 random drug tests per season - I am guessing that those will only occur during the actual season - with increased penalties and teams can send players to the development league in their first two seasons.

Hockey anyone?