And with a new collective bargaining agreement in place that should influence high-spending teams to think twice before incurring massive luxury tax bills, Mr. Stern presided over a final round of labor negotiations that may yield a greater degree of competitive balance to the sport that was previously lacking in historical comparison with other North American leagues.

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They lack the paid-time-off-from-work entitlements that in comparison countries make it easier for single parents to balance caregiving and jobholding.

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