The NBA is eliminating about 80 jobs in the United States, the first major American sports league to announce layoffs because of the worldwide economic turmoil.
Commissioner David Stern told The Associated Press last month the league would cut staff in anticipation of the downturn. He said Sunday the figure would be about 9 percent of the league's work force in America, and the league confirmed the number of jobs yesterday.
“We made the decision some months ago that the economy was going to be a bit wobbly so we began a belt-tightening,” Stern said in London, where the New Jersey Nets beat the Miami Heat in a preseason game.
The NBA continues to hire in other countries, he said, as it seeks to grow internationally.
Stern emphasized that the league is still hitting its business targets.
“My guess is that by the time we tip off in a week or so, we will be down modestly in season tickets. .
. . We think we'll be up in revenue, but I just can't say for sure whether we'll be up or down in attendance because it's just so touch-and-go, because sports tickets are very much disposable income,” he said.
MORE NBA
The Philadelphia 76ers picked up the third-year options on the contracts of Jason Smith and forward Thaddeus Young.
HORSE RACING
Unbeaten filly Zarkava has been retired eight days after winning the prestigious Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe in Paris for her seventh consecutive victory. The 3-year-old Zarkava became the first filly since Urban Sea in 1993 to win the Arc on Oct. 5.
Remarkable Remy rallied from 10th to win the $121,000 Pebbles Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by one length over Senior Rita Lady at Belmont Park.
Hurry Up Austin rallied from last to win the $68,300 Kangaroo Court Stakes by three-quarters of a length at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting.
NHL
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jack Johnson will miss up to three months because of a shoulder injury from Sunday's 1-0 loss to San Jose. There were expectations that Johnson, 21, would emerge as the Kings' top defenseman this season.
TENNIS
Two-time Grand Slam winner Amelie Mauresmo was upset by Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 6-1 in the first round of the Zurich (Switzerland) Open.
Gilles Simon saved four match points and beat Igor Andreev 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7) in the first round of the Madrid (Spain) Masters.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Brandon Heath, a guard at San Diego State from 2003-07, has been selected to the Mountain West Conference's 10th Anniversary Team. The squad was selected by a combined panel of media, institutional and conference personnel and an online fan poll. Candidates must have been an all-Mountain West first-team selection at least once in their careers. There were 10 players chosen.
㼠Tickets are on sale for the 15th annual John Wooden Classic, Dec. 13 at the Honda Center in Anaheim. For the second straight year, the San Diego State men are part of the four-team slate. The Aztecs will play Saint Mary's at 1:30 p.m., followed by UCLA against DePaul. SDSU lost to Saint Mary's 69-64 last year. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.
ESPN and the University of Hawaii have announced a new eight-team, holiday men's college basketball tournament starting in 2009.
ARENA FOOTBALL
The New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League plan to cease operations despite being near the top of the league in attendance the past two seasons.
SPORTS AND DRUGS
The head of France's anti-doping agency says Austrian cyclist Bernhard Kohl tested positive for the banned blood booster, CERA, at the Tour de France, where he finished third.
SPORTS AND COURTS
A judge allowed Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Matt Jones to enter a drug treatment program after the player was arrested on a cocaine charge earlier this year. The decision by Washington County Circuit Judge Mary Ann Gunn means the former Arkansas quarterback could have the charge dismissed if he completes the treatment.
Two more people involved in the killing of former Villanova basketball star Howard Porter were sentenced. Fredquinzo King was sentenced to 45 years in district court in Minneapolis. He had pleaded guilty earlier. Tonya Washington, who pleaded guilty in February to aggravated robbery, was sentenced to 10 years.
RUNNING
American Molly Huddle beat Ethiopian Aziza Ailyu by 0.3 seconds to win the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women in Boston. Huddle, of Providence, R.I., finished with a time of 32:52. For the 14th straight year, the race was selected as the USA National 10K Championship race for women.
SOCCER
English soccer authorities vetoed Madrid as a venue for a proposed exhibition game against Spain because of the racist abuse the team faced the last time it played in the city.
Midfielder Pablo Mastroeni and forward Robbie Rogers, both suffering from injuries, were dropped from the U.S. roster for tomorrow's World Cup qualifier at Trinidad and Tobago. They were replaced by Chicago forward Chris Rolfe and Columbus midfielder Brian Carroll.
CYCLING
Lance Armstrong has entered the Giro D'Italia for the first time. Race organizers say Armstrong has agreed to ride in the prestigious three-week stage race next May as part of his cycling comeback.
MEDIA
Hall of Fame player Magic Johnson joined ESPN as a studio analyst for NBA coverage, while Jeff Van Gundy signed an extension to stay as a member of the network's top broadcast team.
– FROM NEWS SERVICES
