Mark Cuban wants 'own World Cup'

[SlyPokerDog]

In the wake of Paul George's gruesome leg fracture suffered Friday while on Team USA duty, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has renewed his call for the NBA and its players to organize their own quadrennial competition separate from the sport's international governing body.

Long known as the NBA's most outspoken critic of international basketball, Cuban has again questioned when NBA teams allow their players to play for their national teams while taking on the bulk of the financial risk in the event of injury.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...-renews-call-separate-quadrennial-competition

 

[SlyPokerDog]

"The greatest trick ever played was the IOC convincing the world that the Olympics were about patriotism and national pride instead of money. The players and owners should get together and create our own World Cup of Basketball."
-- Mark Cuban on risk NBA teams take by allowing players to play for their national teams while taking on the bulk of the financial risk in the event of injury.​

 

[e_blazer]

In other words, if his players are going to compete and risk injury, Cuban wants to make a buck on it. Nobody ever said he wasn't a good businessman.

 

[riverman]

I disagree with Cuban on this one. Athletes make choices and they are insured. This could have been any basketball game anywhere. Didn't happen in Europe and rarely ever happens in basketball. If he's worried about his players health because he's invested in them, he should lobby for a shorter season with a longer break in the middle.Actually the Pacers could have asked him to bow out before they train. Bird has handled this very, very well. I think Cuban is a great owner, but he does sensationalize these things at times

 

[jlprk]

Cuban then reiterated his longstanding criticism of the NBA's agreement with FIBA, which stipulates that only players themselves can refuse their country's invite to play for the national team except in the event of a "reasonable medical concern." The San Antonio Spurs invoked that clause this week to prevent Manu Ginobili from representing Argentina at FIBA's upcoming Basketball World Cup thanks to the lingering effects of a stress fracture.

Manu decided he was healthy enough to play for Argentina, but Cuban forced him not to.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Manu decided he was healthy enough to play for Argentina, but Cuban forced him not to.

How did Cuban force him not to?

 

[NewsSource]

In other words, if his players are going to compete and risk injury, Cuban wants to make a buck on it. Nobody ever said he wasn't a good businessman.

Boom, there it is. Repped. If the players are at risk, owners are going to want to make money off of the competition.

This entire basket stand thing about George's injury is an absolute joke, though. Miami's court in the NBA Finals had the exact same model, at the exact same distance from the baseline, as the Vegas court.

 

[riverman]

Manu decided he was healthy enough to play for Argentina, but Cuban forced him not to.

Well all the American franchises could tip the scale by making the best International players sit out the competition.. hmm. Cuban bought the Spurs? Didn't know that.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I agree with Cuban.

 

[Draco]

I can see where Cuban is coming from. Now the Pacers have to pay Paul George 90 million with zero help on the court for possibly two seasons and likely diminished productivity thereafter. They have almost no chance at competing anytime soon. If the IOC is making hundreds of millions of profit they should owe the pacers some of the profit for their loss.

The pacers obviously can't make any comment of this sort in public it would be terrible PR, but its good Cuban is able to bring it up.

 

[riverman]

So then I guess they should take a serious look at letting them bowl, swim in shark infested waters, ride bicycles or drive cars

 

[crandc]

As e_blazer and others said, players are just as likely to be injured in a World Cup style competition as in Olympics. In fact the football World Cup results were most likely influenced by injuries.

No one forces anyone to play for the Olympics. Athletes worldwide in all sports usually consider it an honor to represent their country. USA Basketball players are grown men and women; they made the decision knowing their is always a risk of injury. Of course, they could stay home and get hit by a car. There is no such thing as life without risk.

I think that it was really classless of Cuban to raise the issue in this context. He wants to campaign for a basketball World Cup in some other venue? Fine. But tacking it onto concern for Paul George is tacky. He should just express best wishes for recovery and then shut up. This is not about him.

 

[NewsSource]

I think that it was really classless of Cuban to raise the issue in this context. He wants to campaign for a basketball World Cup in some other venue? Fine. But tacking it onto concern for Paul George is tacky. He should just express best wishes for recovery and then shut up. This is not about him.

That's a very good point. Cuban is looking at this for selfish financial reasons. Repped.

 

[Rhal]

I don't agree with Cuban, I think this is a move to attempt to capture greater revenue from his Players but I don't have any problem with why he is doing it. The teams are paying these players regardless if they get hurt or not and a lot of times its not that they get a massive injury like PG, which insurance doesn't fully cover, but the wear and tear and minor injuries always seem a problem especially when the players are older. I personally like the Fiba Cup games and the Olympics and really enjoy watching Team USA compete. These players know what they are risking when they sign up but its no bigger risk then playing in the Drew League or playing in the off season.
I think what really Irks Cuban is that another company is making tons of money off of his investments and they don't have to give him a dime for it and assume none of the risk for doing it. Which when I put it like that would piss me off as well.
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/writer...vites-questions-about-nba-involvement-in-fiba

The Pacers are protected from the standpoint of disability insurance, which another team executive said kicks in after 41 games at 80 percent of George's salary. But George's full $15.94 million salary counts on the Pacers' books next season against the salary cap and luxury tax -- as will any money spent on an injury exception that Indiana will be granted by the NBA.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Cuban can kiss my ass unless he invests in my business idea via shark tank.

 

[BBert]

I think what really Irks Cuban is that another company is making tons of money off of his investments and they don't have to give him a dime for it and assume none of the risk for doing it. Which when I put it like that would piss me off as well.

Exactly the point, I think. The IOC is a trillion dollar mafia. They assume none of the risk of paying players who are injured during their spectacles. FIBA is the same on a small scale. They use the players for their own benefit and they risk nothing. I don't want the Blazers risking their careers enriching those organizations.

 

[Sinobas]

What if you owned an expensive race car, and someone wanted to come along and borrow it for a race in which you'd make no money. If it were to crash, all you get is a "golly jee willigers, sorry".

 

[crandc]

What if you owned an expensive race car, and someone wanted to come along and borrow it for a race in which you'd make no money. If it were to crash, all you get is a "golly jee willigers, sorry".

I don't see it as analogous. Cars can't make choices. People can. The players chose to participate in Team USA trials. Also, a player is an employee, not a possession. And employees have leeway as to what they do in their personal time.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Cuban is in general endeared by his own players and players around the league. It is when he takes bold positions like this and willing to speak the hard truth that I think makes him so popular among the players.

I doubt Cuban is looking to make tons of money on this. If put into play, he would likely share it with the players who give up their summers to do this.

Players probably wish their were more "Mark Cubans" in the league.

 

[illmatic99]

What if you owned an expensive race car, and someone wanted to come along and borrow it for a race in which you'd make no money. If it were to crash, all you get is a "golly jee willigers, sorry".

Cuban doesn't OWN his players. He employs them. There is a distinction. You're inching too close to Sterling territory with this attempted analogy.

 

[Sinobas]

I don't see it as analogous. Cars can't make choices. People can. The players chose to participate in Team USA trials. Also, a player is an employee, not a possession. And employees have leeway as to what they do in their personal time.

Many players have things in their contracts against doing certain dangerous things, like riding motorcycles and playing pickup games. And players that sign endorsement deals with a certain shoe company violate their contract if they wear another type of shoe.

Also, most employees don't get their salary guaranteed for multiple years, regardless of whether or not they work, so the person paying has some right to protect their investment.

 

[Sinobas]

Cuban doesn't OWN his players. He employs them. There is a distinction. You're inching too close to Sterling territory with this attempted analogy.

Doesn't matter, an employer owns the labor of the employee. If a player's team misses the playoffs, they are not allowed to sign with a playoff team, or to go play in Europe for the summer. Neither can European players come play in the NBA while under contract. So playing for the Olympics could be seen as analogous to that...that's the argument Mark Cuban is making.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

What if you owned an expensive race car, and someone wanted to come along and borrow it for a race in which you'd make no money. If it were to crash, all you get is a "golly jee willigers, sorry".

Youre right. Basketball players should be garaged until game day.

 

[NewsSource]

Doesn't matter, an employer owns the labor of the employee. If a player's team misses the playoffs, they are not allowed to sign with a playoff team, or to go play in Europe for the summer. Neither can European players come play in the NBA while under contract. So playing for the Olympics could be seen as analogous to that...that's the argument Mark Cuban is making.

Good post. The owners do own the labor of the player, with the difference between a player and a car being that there are many more variables (such as free will) that can lead to the player's labor being compromised. I agree with what Cuban is saying, but as is typical of him, the timing of it means his larger point won't make a lasting impact.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

I wax my basketball players before game day. When the game is over I rotate their tires and load them on the truck, where they are to remain with no food and in the dark until im ready to start them again. After all. He's mine, I paid for him.

 

[PDXFonz]

The Cuban championships: the trophy is a golden statue of Marc Cuban