[Schneed10]

While these things often go down to the last minute, this one is a lot more likely to go to a lockout because the players are asking for a deal worth more money than they're currently getting. Owners are opting out of the current deal, and asking for a better one. One side is going to have to accept a deal yielding less $ for them than the status quo.

In previous years, impasses have been resolved as they've found a way to ensure both sides get a slight increase. That can't happen this time. Someone's going to lose money, so they're a lot more willing to sit the 2011 season in an effort to avoid that.