Expert: NBA should share gate receipts

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- NBA gate receipts should be shared among the league's teams so all teams could be competitive and profitable, a sports marketing expert says.

NBA players' decision to reject the league's latest offer, disband their union and go to court makes sense, particularly for smaller-market teams, said Larry DeGaris, director of the sports marketing program at the University of Indianapolis School of Business.

DeGaris said in a university news release sharing gate receipts would benefit small-market teams such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Indiana, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Portland and Washington

"At a minimum, gate receipts should be shared," DeGaris said.

He said giving every NBA team a chance to be profitable and competitive will require players to make some concessions and large-market teams like Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York to bear more of the league's financial burden.

DeGaris also called for a system to make television deals more equitable.

"The Lakers' deal is huge, for example, and it really puts the entire league's finances out of balance," he said.

NBA players this week rejected the league's offer of a 50-50 split of basketball-related income, disbanded the union and filed federal antitrust suits against the league.

Charles Grantham, who worked for the players union 1978-95, the last seven as executive director, said he believes the players should have accepted the offer, USA Today reported.

"My philosophy was to keep the guys working, because they lose income that's not recoverable," Grantham said. "They're employees. They're not partners. … Let's not get this twisted. (Players) don't sit in the boardroom."