(CNN) - The chances of seeing professional basketball in 2011 are getting smaller, but fans of the sport will have at least one opportunity to watch pro players at work in December - if they're willing to include a donation for President Barack Obama's re-election bid.
The "First Ever Obama Classic" is slated for a yet-to-be-announced venue in Washington on December 12, three days before the first possible NBA game.
A labor dispute between league owners and players has threatened to scuttle the 2011-12 season, and the earliest possible date play could begin is December 15, league officials have said.
The "Obama Classic" will feature NBA players past and present, with money from tickets going toward Obama's re-election campaign.
Some of the NBA's biggest names have already signed on, including Boston Celtics' guard Ray Allen, New York Knicks' forward Carmelo Anthony, and Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh.
Other players include Patrick Ewing, Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard, and two female players: Cheryl Miller and Tina Thompson. More players will be added before the event, according to the Obama campaign.
The campaign is making a limited number of $100 tickets available to the Obama Classic for "Gen44" donors, a classification for Obama's younger supporters. General admission tickets are $200, premium seats are $500, and courtside tickets will set fans back $5,000.
Obama is a big basketball fan. Last week, he watched a college game aboard the U.S.S. Carl Vinson, an aircraft carrier docked in San Diego. And earlier this fall, former professional players attended an Obama fundraiser in Orlando.
At that event, Obama told the crowd, "I don't miss my shots in the fourth quarter."
From CNN Politics
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Racist BB players. Why are there not a representative number whites in the NBA. Affirmative action is needed right away!!! Where is the white Jessie Jackson???
Junior Samples-Loved you on Hee-Haw, but always thought you were dumber than a stick. You have done nothing to disprove it. Keep that right wingnut crap going, it is always good for a laugh.
Haters!!!!!!! deal with it! Great Idea, Mr. President. After they talk about you they will try something similar then is will be OK. A bunch of Haters!
"At that event, Obama told the crowd, "I don't miss my shots in the fourth quarter.""
LOLLLOLLOL Did he just burn Lebron?
Yeah, because breast cancer doesn't have enough support. This is a game the president's people are putting together to raise money for his political campaign. So naturally people going are going to support his political campaign, not cancer research. If they want to give money to breast cancer research they can direct it to the millions already raising money for the disease.
Sweet!! Good idea!
it is so funny listening to white people whining its funny cause all of those comments about hate cause they cant afford a ticket.lol I love this county no one complains about the fat cat owners in there stadiums now do they freakin double standards you dont have the the brand anymore.lol
Sure can't see thru this one. Players of color, playing to raise campaign money for a POTUS of color and all are millionaires. Of course, where is the outcry about GE not paying any taxes, after having received 'stimulus' money which it proceeded to use for their Chinese operations and then their CEO, Jeff Immelt is put on a finance/jobs council. But of course, the Repubs are the ONLY ones who are rich and care nothing for the average Joe, Right????
Love the balance on CNN and MSNBC. More and more they are making Faux look like the good guys. Must be why I don't watch them much nor read them except to see what the DO NOT cover
Millionaire basketball players demanding more money aren't they part of the evil one percent. Obama loves basketball and golf a lot more then governing. Anyone who needs to raise a billion dollars to be reelected should not be.
told ou guys. the current Republicans/Tea baggers are against Obam just because they are simply racists. The Tea baggers Party would not even exist if Obama was White. lokk at @Junior Samples (Should call himself Junior Brain) comment:
I wonder if they'll pay off a token white player to make an appearance.
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i guess this says enough and anyone with a Brain (including decent Republicans) should by now know that this why the GOP is against this President and will do what it takes for him to fail. No minority is alllowed in WH. This is the fact and they can not do to him what was done to JFK (This will cause my comment to go the trash by CNN
) so what best than to make him fail.
I can not wait for the day Obama is eleccted for a second term. and all those Racists are out of any elected office.
No problem with Obama having a classic fundraiser. I wonder how the GOP is gonna spin this story as usual. They can't even find a formidible candidate to run against our current president and future president. All of their GOP candidates are weak and are not liked.
How many jobs were lost because these spoiled athletes got greedy and went on to cancel the season?
I am there to help you out Mr. President Obama. I don't care what anyone say about you being a socialist or a Community Organizer. You've always been here to help the American people that's what matters. GOP/TP official across the nation will become history because of their wicked ways. The 99%, working middle-class, and all over the world are tired of the rich greedy agenda. It's to make the world fair for all.
Obama2012
YESS!! I hope Jordan and Pipin sign on!! Go President Obama!! These Repubs are already squaking about the deficit that Bush ran into the ground for 8 years, and yet they are saying that my President Obama that I voted for ran trillons of dollars into the ground within 3 years!LMAO!! You Republicans and Conservatives, also you coward Tea Party cowards who want to protest and use all that bigoted racist posters and send all that racist comments through e-mail, but yet disappear when the 99% are protesting and refuse to show themselves to this very day!! WHAT BRAVE PATRIOTS!!RIIIGHT!!!!LMAO!!!!
Bush caused the failure of the economy. It's delusional to keep blaming Presicent Obama for the deficit caused by the spending to prevent an even worse Great Depression. Bush issued the first bailout package – after the economy had tanked. Bush had control of the entire government for six years of his tenure. You can't just keep talking and telling everybody not to blame the Republicans. Republicans caused the failure. They did it. Really. Think.
they play for a rich president??? How about raising money for the poor, people with cancer or the ones that lost a job because the NBA season got cancelled?
I wonder what people would say if a league of white players did the same for a white republican president...
END ALL THE DEFICIT: Put ALL talking heads from FOX NEWS into the octigon. you get one round with your favorite personalty. sheppard smith is excused from this. For the ladies we have Laura Imgrin Michaelle Malkin Gretta and the bonous 2 round Ann Coulter. For the finally fight of the night 3 rounds with Your choice Rush Beck Mark Levin and Hannity. It will be at Madison SQ. GDN. Take this show on the road city to city.Money made goes to close the debt.The rest goes to Re elect O BAMA. This will replace the nba season +++make all dems.feel a lot better. GO MR.PRESIDENT.
No kidding! They could be playing for charity. For the homeless. They could do something good. Instead he turns a national pastime into a political event.
obama goes to all sporting events cuz he knows he does not know how to do anything beyond shooting hoops – that & cuz he also knows his time in office is severly limited........enjoy it while you can cuz you will be cut from the team in 2013
Just another example of just how much Obama is out of touch with the common citizen.
Obama goes to all the sporting events cuz he knows he does not know how to do anything beyond shooting hoops-that & cuz he knows his time in office is really limited......enjoy it while you still can cuz you will be cut from the team n 01-20-13
Two things i couldnt give a sht less about ,barry hellboy obummer and stupid ass basketball. Pop all the basketballs and launch them into space along with hellboy
Hey, Todd breast cancer is a good cause. Why are you not saying the same things about the two brothers that donated 200 million dollars to the Republicans campaign. Just think how much research that money could be use for.
are you kidding me? I geuss athletes can express thier political views but Hank William JR cannot. Kind of a double standard dont you think? And a crass cynical move by Obama. Talk about divide and conqour. is there a more racial move then this in politics?