In the simplest of terms, the NBA lockout has been a public relations nightmare—especially on Twitter.
While the league has already been forced to cancel games scheduled through November, players continue to air grievances and leverage support across social media platforms, led by NBA Players Assn. President Derek Fisher and the hashtag, #standunited.
NBA owners, meanwhile, have largely had their hands tied. Late last month, Miami Heat owner Micky Arison was fined $500,000 by the NBA for tweeting critical comments on the lockout.
The social media disparity between the two opposing sides could not have been more apparent over the weekend, following the conclusion of labor negations on Friday and the owner’s final Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) proposal.
Details of the deal, which would allow for a 72-game season, were heavily tainted online by rumor and speculation, since the official proposal was released by neither the league nor the union.
“This deal is so bad that it amazes me that the league would bring this to the table after all the concessions we have already made.” tweeted Nazr Mohammed, a veteran center for the Oklahoma City Thunder, on Saturday.
“One more person tweet me and say that us players are selfish ima bite my fingernails off! Stop saying that when we givin up TOO much,” added his teammate (and flag football star) Kevin Durant.
To help clear the air, the NBA posted an explanatory slideshow video to YouTube. And, on Sunday, Commissioner David Stern and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver took over the official NBA Twitter account, which boasts roughly 3 million followers, for a “Twitterview.” There, they personally addressed users’ questions and concerns.
That’s an unprecedented social media push by the NBA. In the lockout, where public approval is paramount, it might be enough to final force the players’ collective hands.
Here are some of the highlights.
Photo by Glenn~
