The Conspiracy Theory

The NBA: Conspiracy or Not? You Decide

Welcome one, welcome all. Back to the blog that actually survived the Rapture without breaking a sweat. That's right, it's time to make it rain with Tha Weatha Report. Today's blog will touch on a subject and theory that I developed a couple of years ago. I have spoken about this theory to friends before, but I think that it is time to share it with the world. Maybe you will agree with me, or maybe you'll think I'm way off base. In any event, I'm sure that it will cause some discussions. Before diving right into the meat and potatoes, let's hit some quick points shall we?

Quick Hail Storm

 

This portion of The Weatha Report is devoted to a few items which I want to touch on without actually devoting an entire space to. Just my thoughts and opinions.....

1. Great fight put on by Jean Pascal and more specifically Bernard Hopkins. The old man of boxing is still going and he looked stronger and better than ever. What separates Hopkins from other boxers is that he is not just a boxer, but an entertainer. Good luck to his next opponent, Chad Dawson. I have a feeling he'll need it. 

2. Not really impressed by the hiring of Mike Brown in Lakerland. I know they wanted a defensive specialist, and by all accounts Mike Brown fits that need. I expected more of a splash from Dr. Buss. Now, all eyes turn to Kobe Bryant's reaction to the news. 

3. The OKC Thunder look to be done. That was a crippling and heartbreaking loss in game 4. Not sure how a team as young as the Thunder will or can respond to something like that. 

4. Chicago finds itself in the same boat as the Thunder. Facing elimination after a hard fought and tough loss. This is clearly a different Miami team than the one Chicago swept in the regular season. 

5. Ok NFL. We all get it now. The joke is over. Go ahead and put this lockout to an end. You fooled us all and it is time for this cat and mouse game to end.

6. Looks like the demise of the Boston Red Sox was greatly exaggerated. They are currently only 1/2 games out of first in the A.L. East. 

Now, on to Today's Weatha....

Today's Weatha

What do the following cities have in common: Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Detroit, Miami, and Boston. Time's up. One answer is that all of these cities are what are considered major markets. They are well-sized and are well covered as far as the media goes. San Antonio might be the only one out of that list that could be considered not as major as the others, but it is still a big city with a healthy population and plenty of media coverage area. So, what is the other connection that these cities share? Well, since 1991 these are the seven cities that have hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy. That's 20 years, and only seven teams have won the NBA title. This year Chicago, albeit down 3-1, and Miami are the only two of these teams still in contention for the 2011 NBA title. So, by now you may be wondering where I'm going with all of this. Well, follow me for a minute. 

It is no secret that the NBA is a BILLION dollar corporation. People tend to forget that the players are just a small portion of the NBA. Also, let's not kid ourselves. The owners, players, referees, and even the secretaries are all about one thing: making money. There isn't a single NBA owner who bought their team and said to themselves "I don't care if we lose millions of dollars every season, as long as we win NBA titles consistently". If you find one that says that, I'll call him a liar. Now, don't get me wrong. There are owners out there like Mark Cuban and Dr. Jerry Buss who are obviously focused on winning, but they are also still businessmen. Smart business doesn't equal losing money. So, how does all of this tie into the NBA? I'm glad you asked....

If you are David Stern and the NBA and you are all about putting out a product that is entertaining and profitable, which cities would you want to be deep in the playoffs on a yearly basis? Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami....or would you prefer Milwaukee, Memphis, or Oakland (Golden State Warriors)? Exactly. Big cities equal big markets which equals big money. Equation listed below:

Big City + Big Market = $$$

Now I know what some people might say. "Well, what about OKC? They had a great chance to go and win the NBA Finals this year." To that, I ask one simple question.....did they really? You have Dallas, OKC, Chicago, and Miami as the final four teams standing. Which one of those cities is likely to make the NBA the least amount of money? What a coincidence, it just so happens to be the city that is on the short end of a 3-1 deficit. The NBA is not run by dummies. Now, they may make dumb decisions, but they are very savvy business people behind the scenes. Memphis had a great run in the playoffs, but in my opinion it is just another example of the NBA throwing a city and it's team a bone to keep them quiet for the next 10-15 years. Because we all know that there won't be a title coming through Memphis, TN anytime soon unless it has something to do with Beale St and B.B. King.

Yes, the NBA does have stars in small markets. Presently players like Kevin Durant, Brandon Jennings, and Kevin Love represent their markets of Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. However, the likelihood of these players winning titles in those cities are slim. Sure, Durant and OKC might break through here in the next year or two, but is anyone really willing to bet on that? There is a reason why the prevailing talk around the NBA trade deadline was how the NBA needed New York to trade for Carmelo Anthony because the NBA is "always more entertaining" when New York is in the thick of things. I'm sorry, I've found the NBA quite entertaining over the last few years as Spike Lee and his minions have been suffering through losing season after losing season. The fans don't need New York to be good to have entertaining basketball. The NBA needs New York to be good to have another cash cow. Lebron James realized that and moved to a major market. Now he's five wins away from a NBA Title. I'm not saying....but I'm saying. 

The Forecast

In the end, I can't say that I blame the NBA. They are about making money, and we all know that the smart money is with big cities. Plus, they allow the small market Davids to compete with the Goliaths every once in a while (See: Grizzlies, Memphis 2011 vs Spurs, San Antonio). It keeps us coming back for more. I love the NBA, but I'm not naive. So we'll keep watching, and big cities will continue to thrive. We'll keep cheering, and the NBA will keep stuffing their pockets with a smile.