No Word After 12-Hour Meeting

A 12-hour meeting Thursday in New York involving the NHL and the NHL Players’ Assn. ended shortly before midnight Eastern time with neither side commenting on whether they made any progress toward ending the owners’ lockout.

Asked if they’re closer to an agreement, a league source said, “We’ll know more [this] morning.” A union source said Commissioner Gary Bettman and union chief Bob Goodenow would decide today when to meet again.

Thursday’s session was devoted to discussing findings from previous small-group meetings that centered on clubs’ revenue-reporting methods. Defining revenues would pave the way for an agreement that links salaries to revenues.

An air of urgency was added this week, when several sponsors and agencies that purchase TV time for advertisers said that unless they know by mid-June that there would be a 2005-06 season, they would spend their dollars on other sports. Executives of Ford, Sony and Molson told the Globe and Mail, a Canadian national newspaper, that they’re making contingency plans to sponsor other programs if the season doesn’t start in October. Also, ESPN has until June 1 to pick up a $60-million option to televise NHL games next season.

*

-- Helene Elliott and Chris Foster