NBA Commissioner David Stern cancels the first two weeks of the season after owners and players were unable to reach a new labour deal and end the lockout.
All attempts to avoid this scenario were made with top negotiators involved Monday in a tense and long seven hour meeting between the players and owners, leading still to no official resolution.
The
gap is so significant that we just can't bridge it at this time," said Stern,
who added it's doubtful a full 82-game season can be played.
Opening
night was scheduled for November 1, and the cancellation includes all games
scheduled to be played through November 14. Obviously affecting the arenas who have been authorised
to release new dates.
On Monday, 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.
Though both sides have said they believe bargaining is the only route to a
deal, the process could end up in the courts. Each brought an unfair labor
practice charge against the other with the National Labor Relations Board, and
the league also filed a federal lawsuit against the union attempting to block it
from decertifying.
Players
say they have prepared for a shortened season for a couple of years, knowing it
could be the inevitable outcome of a difficult negotiation. The owners' initial
proposal in early 2010 for a new CBA, calling for salary reductions and
rollbacks, shorter contracts and a hard cap of $US45 million, got the process
off to a tense start.
The NBA as a sport has taken a huge blow this season, as the loyal fans wait while the business of the NBA sorts its self out.