In July 1995, the NBA locked out its players and suspended all operations until a collective-bargaining agreement could be reached between players, their agents, the union and league officials. Unlike most labor disputes, which pit owners against the players, the 1995 lockout was more like “a civil war within the union,” as the New York Times described it. At issue were salary caps, free agency and revenue sharing. The lockout lasted until September 1995 and no games were affected because the league was between seasons. As Houston Rockets’ representative Kenny Smith said at the time, “Everyone’s in the Bahamas, Acapulco, whatever, playing golf.”
Top 10 U.S. Sports Strikes and Lockouts
With an NFL lockout looking more and more likely, TIME takes a look at strikes, lockouts and other work stoppages in sporting history