NBA Refs to be locked out

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The NBA will begin using replacement referees after it could not reach a deal with its game officials. The NBA has released the following statement:

“The proposals we have made to the NBRA are extraordinarily fair and reasonable, given the current economic circumstances,” the NBA’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel Rick Buchanan said in a league memo. “Since late 2008, the league and our teams have made far deeper cuts in non-referee headcount and expenses than we are asking for here.”

“It is extremely disappointing that the NBRA has ignored the economic realities, rejected our offer, and left us with no choice but to begin using replacement referees.”

{Source: Yahoo! Sports}