NBA LABOR MEETINGS: In an exclusive to THE DAILY, the
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Josh Gotthelf reports that
representatives for NBA owners and players met for three
hours in New York yesterday and made "no significant
progress" toward a CBA agreement, according to a source
close to the talks. The source added that the meeting
focused on "economic issues" and that the two sides will
probably get together again next week (THE DAILY).
MLB: In Seattle, Larry Stone reported that despite his
"steadfast claim" that he has no desire to become full-time
MLB commissioner, "those close" to Acting Commissioner Bud
Selig believe he can "be compelled to change his mind by
appealing to his sense of duty." MLB COO Paul Beeston:
"I've seen more names describing his title -- acting
commissioner, interim commissioner, chairman of the
executive council. But he's commissioner. Let's call him
that and get on with it" (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/9)....The sale of
the Rangers to Tom Hicks "is expected to come easily when
owners vote on the deal" Thursday during owners meetings in
Seattle (Ken Daley, DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/10).
NOTES: In Vancouver, Harry Neale saluted outgoing NHL
Senior VP/Dir of Hockey Operations Brian Burke for a "fine
job," and wrote that Burke's successor "should be a
Canadian" (VANCOUVER SUN, 6/9)....The $50M lawsuit filed in
N.Y. by Lamar Hunt against Nationwide Mutual Insurance and
the NHL over ownership rights to the Blue Jackets has been
placed on hold to await the outcome of Hunt's expected
appeal of a case in Columbus, OH (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 6/10).
...In the fourth part of his five-part series on the state
of the NBA, Chris Tomasson examines the league post-Michael
Jordan (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 6/10)....Panthers QB Kerry
Collins said he would "never, ever" join the proposed
NBC/Turner football league: "I'd rather stick a fork in my
eye than do something like that. ... To me, that would be
taking a step down in a big way" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/10).
