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 It’s a classic tale, really. Enemies become friends. Protagonists find the grass isn’t really greener on the other side. In the case of the NBA referee lockout, protagonists who are the stars of the league are about to have some first-hand experience with lessons from Aesop’s Fables. The happy ending is, at least according to the NBA: things will be better this time. Better than the 1995 referee lockout, that is.
Perhaps the most famous line from the 1995 referee lockout was by Washington Bullets center Chris Webber who summed up the fiasco in five words: “The real refs are back? Hallelujah.” Webber echoed the sentiments of many NBA players who were angry over the quality of refereeing. We take a look at why the ’95 lockout caused uproar and why the NBA says it will be different.
-What was so bad about ’95?
It wasn’t exactly anarchy, but according to some players, it was close. Instead of three-man crews, the NBA used two-man, meaning each referee had much more ground to cover. The two-man crew mixed with inexperience made it more difficult to control the game. In 26 games with replacements, players racked up over $200,000 in fines and 29 games suspended. Webber missed a month with an injury after a fight with Bulls center Luc Longley and Shaquille O’Neal needed surgery on his thumb after Matt Geiger was too rough in the paint.
Some of the avoidable angst was caused by the pool of referees which the NBA chose from. They threw together 41 referees from the Continental Basketball Association and pro-am leagues.
-Will it be better this time?
NBA says yes. The NBA will have a full staff of 60 referees, meaning three-man crews instead of two. The replacements won’t be coming from beer leagues this time, they will be from the NBA Development League and the WNBA. President of league and basketball operations Joel Litvin said the replacements have been trained by the NBA for years, learning NBA mechanics and play-calling expectations. Players, at this point, are taking both sides. Paul Piece said he was angry the NBA could not come to terms with the referees, while New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul said he’s just focusing on his game.
-What’s causing the lockout?
The NBA wants to cut back referee benefits, by how much we don’t know, but apparently it was too much. Under the prior agreement, refs were awarded enhanced retirement bonuses of up to $575,000, on top of pension benefits that could exceed $2 million. Referee’s salaries, which range from around $150,000 to $550,000 were, in the NBA’s offer, to remain the same.
-How long could this go on?
The last lockout lasted 26 games. At this point, no one is budging. Representatives for the referees said they would work diligently to find middle ground as quickly as possible, but if the replacement refs are holding their own, the NBA will have little reason to give in.
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Matthew Coller is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network, and is a freelance writer. He can be followed on Twitter
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