NBA, referees agree on 2-year deal

[Mo Z. Dizzle]

NBA, referees agree to deal, ending lockout

NEW YORK (AP)—The real referees will work the real games.

The NBA and its referees union agreed on a two-year contract Friday, ending a lockout of more than a month and saving the league from using replacements when the regular season starts.

The officials ratified the deal that was reached earlier this week in a vote Friday night. No details of the vote were provided, nor were terms of the agreement.

“We are pleased to reach this agreement,” NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement. “The negotiations extended further than either side had hoped, but when our regular season tips off on Tuesday we’ll have the best referees in the world officiating our games.”

The referees union did not comment.

The referees will begin a three-day training camp Saturday and be ready when the regular season starts Tuesday. The league had been using replacement officials during exhibition play.