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NEW YORK—NBA labor talks turned nasty and broke off Thursday when three days of meetings failed to yield a deal to end a 112-day lockout, raising the likelihood that even more games will be canceled.
After 30 hours of negotiations before a federal mediator, the sides remained divided over two main issues—division of revenues and structure of the salary cap system.
“We were unable to bridge the gap that separates the two parties,” NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver said. “We understand the ramifications of where we are.”
Without a deal, NBA Commissioner David Stern, who missed Thursday’s session due to illness, almost certainly will decide more games must be dropped.
The season was supposed to begin Nov. 1, but all games through Nov. 14—100 in total—already have been scrapped, costing players about $170 million in salaries.
Previously, each side had proposed receiving 53 percent of basketball-related income after players were guaranteed 57 percent under the previous collective bargaining agreement.
Silver said the league formally proposed a 50-50 revenue split Wednesday, and the union moved from 53 percent to 52.5 percent Thursday.