NBA Impasse Could Hurt Oklahoma City Workers

Ed Murray, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The NBA has now canceled the entire preseason schedule and the NBA commissioner warns the first two weeks of the regular season will be called off if there isn't a new labor deal by Monday.

While the Oklahoma City Thunder's management has declined to comment on how these developments might impact their employees, another employer said the earning potential of its seasonal workers declines with each canceled game.

Tim Linville is director of sales and marketing for SMG which manages both the Cox Convention Center and the Chesapeake Arena. He says the company was up front with potential employees for these seasonal jobs.

"So far, it hasn't impacted us at all," he said. "The main thing going forward is if we lose regular season games, our part time people will have fewer hours to go around."

He said the workers understand the situation.

"We just told them there are no guarantees for our part-time, hourly people who come in and work events. The only time we've got work for them is when there are events going on."

The good news for the ticket takers, ushers, and concession personnel is that there are plenty of other events scheduled including 40 Barons hockey games, concerts, Larry the Cable Guy and, of course, the Thunder season is not dead yet.

"We've got to be ready for the season, no matter what. It could start for us at any time. So we've got to have them ready to go and we're getting everything in place, ready to go for the season, to start for the first game, regularly scheduled, and if it's not, they know we'll be calling them as soon as we have a game for them to come work," Linville said.

He also said that should the entire NBA season be canceled, his company will act fast to fill as many of those dates as possible with other events. And with two arenas to book, he hopes to keep those part time employees as busy as possible.