Is there anything involving the NBA nowadays that doesn’t involve a crazy mess?
The six-game world-wide mega-star barnstorming tour is apparently in jeopardy.
As NBA stars such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant prepare for a lucrative, six-game global tour set to begin later this week, time is running out on finalizing an agreement with Puerto Rico promoters for the opening game in San Juan, sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Tour organizer Cal Darden Sr., of Atlanta, has until Monday to provide several requirements – including 18 signed player agreements – for a game this Saturday night at San Juan Arena.
Without this stuff, they can’t start selling tickets. If they can’t start selling tickets, then there won’t be enough money to pay for everything, including the players, some of whom have been promised up to a million dollars.
Let me just say this: all of the players involved in this tour are quite rich. The lockout doesn’t affect them the way it affects others. And unless they’ve been on Antoine Walker-ish spending binges, they’ll be just fine. So this had better not be derailed by players holding out for cash. Like I’ve said, these guys had better use more than “some” money for charity.
Back to the action: As of now, only 8 of the 18 players are signed. and the broadcast rights haven’t been squared away. And the broadcast rights are key to this thing happening at all.
Maybe the moral of the story is, whenever big stars get involved, the business of basketball tends to get a little ugly.
