Los Angeles Lakers win, even in the CBA battle

When the NBA and its players reached a new collective-bargaining agreement and ended the labor lockout that shortened the 2011-12 season to 66 games, it was hailed as a victory for the league's small-market teams.

The market size

"It's not about the market size. It's not about the money. It's about the management," NBA Commissioner David Stern said in an interview with CBS Sports right earlier the NBA Finals tipped off.

Anyway, the new deal shortened the length of some player contracts and created a more-punitive luxury tax with an eye toward preventing the formation of so-called "superteams" in the league's larger markets.

The nickname that

That's the nickname that was bestowed upon Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill years ago. It's nearly time to change that to Billion Dollar Bill.

By the way, none of our other major professional franchises made the Forbes top 50, which is led by Manchester United at an estimated value of $2.23 billion.