The first two weeks of the NBA season have been canceled after owners and players were unable to reach a new labor deal and end the lockout, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced.
Top negotiators for both sides met for more than seven hours Monday, returning to bargaining about 14 hours after ending talks Sunday night.
Stern said both sides are "very far apart on virtually all issues...We just have a gulf that separates us.''
The cancelation is a major economic blow to the country's 29 NBA arenas and its workers are bracing for a huge loss of revenue.
Between 400 and 600 ticket-takers, ushers and custodians, and 700 food service workers would be impacted.
The impact at Staples Center will be felt twice as hard because it's home to 2 NBA teams: the Lakers and the Clippers. While other arenas host 41 home games, Staples Center hosts 82 during a regular season.
"The financial impact is going to be big, because a lot of people work at Staples Center, and all of the people working at the restaurants," said basketball fan Danny Gonzales. "So, as a fan, if there's no basketball, there's nothing to do, there's nothing to watch."
According to several reports, the NBA lockout talks held on Sunday were mostly about system issues and not about the revenue split between players and teams.
Basketball fans point out that all the money they're spending on games is going somewhere else to someone else.
"Its'a big financial support for this city," said Lakers fan Marnee Mecija. "I mean, you're dropping money on tickets, parking, the food. So, it's unfortunate for all the people who are kind of on standby, waiting for their jobs, all of the people that are part of the organization, all of the little guys."
Restaurant workers at L.A. Live are particularly concerned about the possibility of cancelled games.
"Without a season, it takes down everything, all of our business around here," said sous-chef Josiah Simpkin. "This area is event-driven. Basketball season is what drives Staples Center from October to February. So, if we don't have it, that takes away almost all of our business."
Many of the restaurants at L.A. Live, right next to the Staples Center would ordinarily be staffing up right now.
"I have absolutely no jobs for anybody because it's so slow. We're just not hiring anybody," said Simpkin.
Stern, Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, owners Peter Holt of San Antonio, Glen Taylor of Minnesota and James Dolan of New York, and senior vice president and deputy general counsel Dan Rube met with union executive director Billy Hunter, president Derek Fisher of the Lakers and vice president Maurice Evans of the Wizards, and attorneys Jeffrey Kessler and Ron Klempner.
Owners locked out the players July 1 when they couldn't reach a deal before the expiration of the old collective bargaining agreement. Opening night was scheduled for Nov. 1.
Follow USA LOCAL NEWS for the latest LA news, events and entertainment: Twitter: @USA LOCAL NEWS // Facebook: USA LOCAL NEWS
No comments:
Post a Comment