Start of NBA season in jeopardy

A proposed NBA negotiating session for Monday was called off Friday, creating the likelihood that regular-season games will soon be canceled. No talks between team owners and locked out players have been held since negotiations broke off Tuesday, chiefly due to a disagreement over how to split the league's basketball-related income (BRI). Commissioner David Stern has said for the regular-season to begin as scheduled Nov. 1, an agreement would have to be reached by Monday. Representatives of the players' union asked the owners for a meeting Monday, but league officials said Friday a meeting could be held only if the players agreed to a 50-50 split of the BRI. The players, who have demanded 53 percent of the BRI, rejected that proposal. No regular-season games have been lost in the NBA since the 1998-99 season, which was reduced to 50 games due to a labor dispute.