Earlier this week, before the Eighth Circuit provided a strong hint that Judge Nelson’s order lifting the lockout will be dropped like a proverbial hot potato, chatter remained regarding whether a decision by the Eighth Circuit to affirm Judge Nelson’s ruling would result in the league shutting down all operations. But as Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports pointed out earlier today, there’s still a chance that the players will prevail, and that the lockout will be lifted.
Thus, if the shutdown option remains on the table, the league in theory could decide to pursue that approach.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the teams will be told at ownership meetings next week that shutting down definitely isn’t an option. Presumably, the goal will be to get the teams to quit talking privately about the possibility.
Either way, shutting down is definitely something that won’t happen, for a wide variety of reasons. Despite the fact that it was under consideration, we’re told that it was never serious consideration or even moderate consideration. Frankly, we think that merely talking about the possibility made the billionaires who are very used to getting their way and who recently haven’t been feel a little bit better about a situation that they simply haven’t been able to control.