HoopsHype.com Rumors

The nation's 29 NBA arenas and their workers are bracing for a loss of revenue and wages totaling tens of millions of dollars if the labor dispute between NBA owners and players leads to most or all of the 2011-12 season being canceled. The situation is particularly acute at Staples Center in Los Angeles, because it's home to two NBA teams, the Lakers and Clippers. While the other NBA arenas each host 41 regular-season home games a year, Staples Center has 82. "It's going to devastate these workers," said Mike Garcia, president of the SEIU-United Service Workers West union, with nearly 1,000 members working at the three NBA arenas in California: Staples Center, Oracle Arena in Oakland and Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento. "They have become very dependent on these jobs," he said. The workers include janitors, ushers and ticket-takers who earn about $11 an hour on average. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Lockout, Staples Center 

The 18,997-seat Staples Center is owned and managed by billionaire Philip Anschutz's Anschutz Entertainment Group, and Anschutz owns 30% of the Lakers. NBA owners are prohibited from speaking publicly about the labor dispute while the contract talks continue. AEG spokesman Michael Roth had no comment. During the prolonged 1998-99 labor dispute, the NBA canceled chunks of the season every few weeks until a new contract was reached and a shortened regular season began in February 1999. If the NBA cancels games this fall in dribs and drabs it will create a financial headache for many arenas. Only a limited number of entertainers, such as Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and U2, can sell out NBA-sized arenas, and those shows are booked months in advance and can't be signed by arenas on short notice. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Lockout, Staples Center