当然，金钱损失是相对的。目前的僵局伤害最大的，并非NBA的球员，而是联盟的雇工和球迷。“铁杆球迷是不会抛弃NBA的，”明尼苏达大学（University of Minnesota）的罗斯说。他补充说，但大多数球迷只是奔着比赛的观赏性去看的，如果停摆继续的话，他们就会便宜行事，把钱花在其他项目上。

    一旦百万富翁们争吵完了，球迷们通常还是会原谅他们。今年夏天，在全美橄榄球联盟（NFL）总裁罗杰•古德尔与球员协会达成协议，终止了一段几乎延续了5个月的停摆期之后，球迷们原谅了NFL。斯特恩本人也曾经在1998-99赛季解决了一场停摆事件；虽然那个赛季的赛程缩短了，但问题解决之后，各队依然有足够的时间打上50场比赛（正常的比赛场次是82场）。

    斯特恩的总裁宝座目前还没不会受到威胁，如果球队老板觉得他们在接下来的谈判进程中他能充分代表资方的利益，那就更是如此。相关各方都明白，职业体育联盟出现停摆事件是正常不过的事情，停摆总是令人不快的。尽管如此，“我还是认为，这件事绝对是职业体育史上最丑陋的一幕，”塞弗里德说。尽管斯特恩为联盟做出了杰出的贡献，但停摆事件的罪责最终还是会落到这位NBA总裁的头上。

    译者：任文科

    Financial suicide is relative, of course. And the people hurt the most by the stalemate are non-player NBA employees and fans. "Your diehard NBA fans, they won't defect," says University of Minnesota's Ross. But most fans watch sports for the drama of the game, he adds, and they will take their discretionary dollars elsewhere if the lockout continues.

    Fans tend to be forgiving after the millionaire bickering ends. They forgave the NFL after commissioner Roger Goodell sealed an agreement this summer with the NFL player's association, ending a nearly five-month-long lockout. And Stern himself navigated an NBA lockout during the 1998-99 season; it ate into the schedule, but the issues were resolved with enough time for each team to get in 50 games instead of the normal 82.

    Stern's job isn't in any immediate danger, especially if the owners feel well-represented during the rest of these talks. Everyone involved understands that lockouts happen in professional sports, and they are always a bummer. Still, Seifried says, "I would definitely elevate this as one of the uglier ones we've seen." And despite all he has done for the league, that's ultimately on the commissioner.