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NBA lockout hurting Madison Square Garden

The biggest losers of the NBA lockout may turn out to be Madison Square Garden’s shareholders.

MSG, the publicly traded company that owns the famous arena, the New York Knicks and the MSG sports network, is facing a $70 million revenue hit if the league’s entire 82-game season is a wash, according to expert estimates.

The loss of the first two weeks of the season, which would have started Nov. 2 against the Miami Heat, will put as much as a $10 million dent in MSG’s revenues, according to estimates.

And the chances of the new season tipping off anytime soon is growing dimmer with NBA Commissioner David Stern describing league negotiations as “far apart.” …

Media analyst Rich Tullo at Albert Fried & Co. forecasts that from Nov. 2 to Nov. 14 lost ticket sales — as well as sales of beer, hot dogs and other merchandise at the 19,000-seat arena — will drain as much as $7 million from MSG’s coffers.

Another $3 million in lost advertising dollars could come from MSG Networks, where ratings have averaged about 137,000 per game, according to MSG figures.

— Reported by Mark DeCambre and Claire Atkinson of the New York Post

Amar`e Stoudemire says players should maybe someday start their own league

New York Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire said he had received calls about playing overseas, but was not considering them. But he also said that if the lockout dragged on he “may entertain it more and more.”

He then offered a more ambitious idea.

“If you don’t go to Europe, then let’s start our own league,” he said. “That’s how I see it.” He said such a league would only happen if the lockout “goes one or two years.”

“It’s very, very, very serious,” he said. “It’s just a matter of us strategically coming up with a plan and a blueprint and putting it together.

“We want to play N.B.A. basketball, but if it doesn’t happen, then what are we going to do? Sit around and not do anything. So we got to figure out ways to now play basketball at a high level against top competition and have fun doing it. So that’s the next step.”

— Reported by Jorge Castillo of the New York Times Blog

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Kevin Durant to host charity basketball game in OKC with LeBron James, Blake Griffin

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant is making good on his promise to put on a charity exhibition game featuring his fellow NBA superstars. Details of the event are expected to be announced at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

According to numerous sources with knowledge of the event, the game will pit two star-studded squads against each other, with one side being Durant’s team and the other being former Oklahoma star Blake Griffin’s team. Miami Heat star LeBron James is one of several players who have been confirmed for the event. New Orleans guard Chris Paul and Heat guard Dwyane Wade also are expected to show.

The game is tentatively scheduled to be played Thursday, Oct. 27, inside the Cox Convention Center, which holds just shy of 14,000 for basketball. Other potential stars that could make an appearance include L.A. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and New York forward Carmelo Anthony, as well as Thunder guards Russell Westbrook and James Harden…

“Playing against NBA players around this time is really going to help,” Durant told The Oklahoman last month. “So it’s just a matter of me just going out there and hooping and enjoying it. I just do it for the love of the game, really.”

— Reported by Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman

Barack Obama heartbroken over NBA lockout

At a fundraiser in Orlando last night, President Barack Obama expressed frustration that the Basketball season has been delayed.

Here’s what he had to say, according to the White House pool report:

THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. (Applause.) I do. Although I have to say that backstage I had the chance to see Dwight Howard — (applause) — and Dwight is a great friend, and I told him I’m a little heartbroken that the NBA season is getting delayed here. (Laughter.) So I’m hoping those guys are back on the court soon. In the meantime, I’m here because I need all of your help. I need your help. (Applause.)

— Reported by Zeke Miller of Business Insider

Lockout affects NBA front office access to college players

Saturday is when college practices begin, and when NBA types would have been in attendance. With the players locked out and the first two weeks of the season canceled — and more games threatened — all routines are in turmoil.

“The next big thing we’ll miss are the college practices. That is something you always do,” said one NBA general manager who speculated there would be “some sort of season, but I have no idea [in terms of] length.”

Since the lockout took effect July 1, teams have not been allowed contact with their players “so you don’t know what they’re doing,” a different GM said, noting, “Young players will be hurt by this because they won’t have the normal break-in time. Teams with veteran guys should have an advantage when — if — we get back.”

Execs and scouts obviously still can attend college games — as long as they pay their own way.

“Not going to practices hurts,” another team executive said. “Sometimes, you can get more out of a practice than a game. From solely the basketball side, I would say we’re out of 80 percent of what we would normally be doing.”

— Reported by Fred Kerber of the New York Post

Mike Beasley All-Star Classic coming to Minnesota Oct. 21

They can’t get into Target Center these days, so NBA stars John Wall, Joakim Noah and DeMarcus Cousins are among those expected to play in Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley’s “All Star Classic” at Osseo High School — of all places — next week.

Beasley’s Wolves teammates Derrick Williams, Wes Johnson, Martell Webster, Wayne Ellington and former Wolf Sebastian Telfair are scheduled to play as well in the Friday night, Oct. 21 exhibition game.

So, too, are Boston’s Jeff Green, Detroit’s Greg Monroe, L.A. Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan, Chicago’s Keith Bogans and Beasley’s longtime pal, former Dukie Nolan Smith.

— Reported by Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune

Ben Gordon expects more games to be canceled

“I think there will be more games missed,” Gordon said when reached by phone as he was driving to Chicago. “I expect it might be a year or two. I realized that when I was listening to both sides during the negotiations. I think there will be a lot of games missed and more money is going to go down the drain.

“I’m preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best.” …

Gordon was in New York for previous negotiating sessions and said until the past few days, he could tell the owners weren’t serious about making a deal and were looking forward to the eventual outcome.

“It just seemed scripted, and they were going through the motions,” said Gordon, calling it a valuable learning experience. “Sitting there in front of them you could tell they weren’t focused on getting a deal. I still don’t know the purpose of those meetings.”

— Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press

Sports media fight! Cameramen brawl outside NBA lockout meeting

While representatives of NBA owners and the players union wrestled using words and business negotiation in a posh Manhattan hotel, a pair of media members got into a fight on the street outside.

We don’t know what set these guys off, but the cameraman decided it was time to brawl. They went at it for a good minute and a half, and while it’s clear these guys have watched their share of karate movies and boxing matches, the fight was pretty tame.

Are you laughing at the idea of cameraman squaring up to brawl on the streets? I sure am.

This is exactly like Ali-Frazier, only the opposite.

Watch the video. Hat tip to a Nets fan named James who emailed it to us:

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Cavaliers to hire college assistant to coach D-League team in Canton

The Cavaliers are expected to name Alex Jensen, a St. Louis University assistant, as head coach of their new Canton D-League team, the Plain Dealer has learned.

Jensen has spent the past four seasons as a Billikins assistant under Rick Majerus for whom he played at the University of Utah in the 1990s. St. Louis is one of the Atlantic 10’s top defensive teams and it’s believed his focus on defense is one of the main attractions to the Cavaliers.

Walsh University coach Jeff Young also was believed to be among the finalists.

— Reported by Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Steve Nash criticizes owners and league over NBA lockout

Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash isn’t happy over the NBA’s announcement that the first two weeks of the regular season will be canceled.

And the star player has taken to Twitter to vent his frustrations over the stalemate between the players and the league’s owners.

“The players are negotiating to take less money & let’s be clear that’s not going to lower ticket prices, it just lines the owners pockets,” said Nash.

Nash seems to doubt the league’s validity that most NBA teams are losing money.

“You believe that? There’s a reason they won’t open their books. You know we want to play & you understand the propaganda/misinformation from the owners,” said Nash.

— Reported by ArizonaSports.com