NBA Lockout To Affect Local Workers, Businesses
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The NBA lockout is hitting hundreds, if not thousands, of Southern California workers who rely on the Lakers and Clippers for their livelihoods.
NBA commissioner David Stern's decision to cancel the first two weeks of the season will soon impact workers and businesses near Staples Center.
So far, games spanning from Nov. 1 to Nov. 14 are affected. The cancellations include eight Lakers games, five of which were to be played at the Staples Center. The Clippers will lose seven games, four of which were scheduled at Staples.
Further cancelations could affect more than 80 nights of revenue for local businesses.
Health care is also a concern as the labor dispute drags on because workers may no longer qualify for insurance.
The public will learn more Friday, when union leaders are set to meet with players here in Los Angeles.
Earlier this week, Stern said both sides were "very far apart on virtually all issues. We just have a gulf that separates us. We tried awfully hard. We made, in our view, concession after concession."
However, negotiations will continue, with games being canceled in two-week increments.
"I continue to believe that we've been more than fair and reasonable in our approach," player's union president Derek Fisher said. "This is what we anticipated would happen, and here we are. This is not just about dollars and cents for players. It's about a system for our guys to operate under."
