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NBA Union Sets Up Hotline For Players To Complain About Refs

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Ted Goodman Contributor
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The National Basketball Association (NBA) has agreed to set up a union “hotline,” for players, as part of the new collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).

Starting next season, players can complain about specific officiating decisions or the referees themselves via a new telephone hotline and a monthly report that will be sent to the league, according to CBS Sports.

The players will have the opportunity to provide input in monthly reviews, and for the first time will be able to use their names in the reports. The players union reached a deal that gives the players more input by gaining a “greater voice on the league’s competition committee,” as the Sporting News first reported.

While the NBA and the player’s union first reached a tentative agreement in mid-December, details of the new arrangement remained scant. The deal virtually guaranteed labor peace through the 2023 to 2024 season, although it can be opted out of six years in. The players agreed to a 51 percent share of basketball-related income, which is roughly the same amount they receive under the current contract.  (RELATED: NBA Players Union Reached Tentative Labor Agreement With League)

The NBA signed a nine-year, 24 billion dollar deal with ESPN and TNT in 2014. Under the contract extension, ESPN pays about $1.47 billion per year and TNT pays $1.2 billion. The arrangement marked a boon for the league, which tripled its revenue by signing the deal.

While the league suffers from controversial calls like most spectator sports, it see’s itself in the midst of a golden era. League superstars like Lebron James and Kevin Durant, along with the stacked rosters of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs have increased television revenue and popularity both at home and around the globe.

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