SportsLine wire reports
Jan. 7, 1999

NEW YORK -- The NBA wasted no time Thursday trying to put an ugly lockout behind it, pledging to lure back fans with cheaper seats and preparing for a shortened season.

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The NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the settlement 29-0, and commissioner David Stern said the league hopes to start the season Feb. 5 and play about 50 games.

Each team will play two exhibition games -- one home and one away -- and admission will be free. Preseason scrimmages also will be open to the public. Next season, at least 500 tickets for every regular-season game will be priced at $10 to lure families to arenas. Seats in large-market arenas like Los Angeles and New York sell anywhere from $25 to $1,250.

"We have some winning back of fans to do, and we're going to do it," Stern said at a news conference where he was joined by union director Billy Hunter and deputy commissioner Russ Granik. "Most important to us is that basketball games will be upon us again, and as a basketball fan and particularly a fan of the NBA, I am elated."

The six-month lockout ended early Wednesday following an all-night bargaining session between Stern and Hunter. An agreement was reached just one day before the Board of Governors would have voted to cancel what was left of the 1998-99 season.

The league, meantime, lifted its gag order on coaches, general managers and owners, all of whom were eager to get back to the business of playing ball.

"It's just the beginning stages of being able to start to do the work that all of us enjoy," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Obviously, we're happy about the lockout being over. Happy is an understatement."

STERN AND GRANIK ALSO SAID PLAYERS could use team facilities beginning Monday, although coaches will be prohibited from working with them.

The lockout will not be officially lifted until the agreement is put into writing and signed by both sides -- a process that should take a week to 10 days.

"I'm

The season is indeed saved. Now the real work begins. (AP)

shocked they think they can get it done in 10 days," said Atlanta Hawks president Stan Kasten, noting that lawyers have a tendency to bring the process to a halt once they start fighting over contract language.

On this day, however, even the opposing attorneys mingled and joked with each other, joining in on the collective sense of relief at having a settlement at last.

While owners spoke of repairing relations with fans, Stern cleverly ducked a question about whether he was bluffing when he set Thursday as the deadline for scrapping the season.

The commissioner simply grinned and said: "You didn't pay to find out."

HUNTER TALKED ABOUT REPAIRING THE partnership between the opposing sides.

"We're glad this is over," he said. ``Our players are anxious to play, and we're anxious to join hands with David, Russ and the owners of the 29 teams to really create a strong and familial relationship -- one that will take the NBA to another level and to bring back the fans.

"The only regret I have is that it took us so long to get where we are," Hunter said. "We're glad to be back, and we'll do whatever we have to do in order to demonstrate that."

The unanimous vote by the Board of Governors was taken by a show of hands, rather than secret ballot, during a two-hour meeting.

The players approved the seven-year collective bargaining agreement by a 179-5 vote on Wednesday.

Stern and Granik opened the meeting by addressing representatives from each of the 29 teams, and league attorney Joel Litvin explained the details of the new pact.

HUNTER THEN WAS BROUGHT INTO the room and given a chance to speak to the owners, just as Stern was permitted to speak to the players a day earlier.

"No applause was asked for or offered," New Jersey Nets president Michael Rowe said.

Granik said the agreement should be in written form by Jan. 18, after which training camps will open and teams will be permitted to sign free agents and make trades.

The regular season will last through the end of April, and the playoff format will remain unchanged. The NBA Finals should conclude by June 29 or 30.

"We're all happy to be back in the basketball business," Granik said.

Players will be faced with an exhausting schedule until the playoffs start. Teams will be asked, on occasion, to play three games in three nights, something that hasn't happened in more than 10 years.

TEAMS ALSO WILL PLAY A LIMITED number of non-conference games, with many of the best matchups televised by NBC.