Seems to me that a protest that alienates more people than it attracts is not a very good protest. 
As for the owners' motivation, I would think the players are motivated by money, too. "We love the game" is nice, but let's face it: if the players weren't making  big bucks, they'd be back home on the couch. They ain't gonna play for free. Therefore, doing something that causes their team to lose money goes against their own interests, too. Maybe these guys need some classes on economics.