THE OTHER SPORTS

A look at when other sports could face a labor crisis:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

* Strikes or lockouts: Eight.

* When next one could occur: On March 14, 1997, players and owners reached agreement on a contract through the 2000 season with a union option to extend it through 2001. If nothing changes, the next possible lockout could be in spring training in February 2002.

* Hot points: Revenue sharing, the widening salary gap between big-market and small-market teams, salary cap.

NFL

* Strikes or lockouts: Four.

* When next one could occur: Current labor deal expires after the 2003 season.

* Hot points: Free agency, revenue sharing.

NHL

* Strikes or lockouts: Two.

* When next one could occur: Current labor deal expires Sept. 15, 2004.

* Hot points: Revenue sharing, slowing salary growth.

NBA LOCKOUT CHRONOLOGY

Significant dates in the NBA lockout:

* Oct. 27, 1994: Owners and players agree to play the 1994-95 season under a no-strike, no-lockout agreement.

* June 21, 1995: Owners and the players’ union reach agreement on a six-year deal, including a luxury tax of up to 100% on certain large contracts if the percentage of basketball-related income devoted to player salaries exceeds 63%.

* July 1, 1995: Owners impose a lockout after players refuse to vote on ratification of the new deal.

* Aug. 8, 1995: Owners and players reach a new agreement, deleting the luxury tax in exchange for a reopener clause giving the owners the right to toss out the agreement after three years if the percentage of basketball-related income devoted to player salaries exceeds 51.8%.

* Sept. 12, 1995: Players vote, 226-134, to accept the new six-year agreement rather than decertify their union, and the lockout ends.

* July 1, 1996: A moratorium on player signings is imposed as the sides work to finalize details of the six-year pact.

* July 11, 1996: A lockout is imposed as the sides argue over $50 million in television revenue. The lockout is lifted after a couple of hours, and the agreement is completed.

* March 23, 1998: Owners vote, 27-2, to reopen the collective bargaining agreement at the conclusion of the season.

* June 22, 1998: The last of nine in-season negotiating sessions ends after only 30 minutes, with the players saying they won’t listen to any proposal that includes a “hard” salary cap.

* June 30, 1998: League announces a lockout will begin the next day. Union files grievance with arbitrator John Feerick, asking that players with guaranteed contracts be paid during the lockout.

* July 1, 1998: Owners impose the third lockout in league history.

* Aug. 6, 1998: Collective bargaining talks resume, and owners walk out upon hearing the union’s new proposal.

* Aug. 26-Sept. 9, 1998: Guaranteed contracts hearing held before Feerick.

* Sept. 24, 1998: League cancels 24 exhibition games and announces the indefinite postponement of training camps.

* Oct. 5, 1998: League cancels remainder of exhibition season.

* Oct. 8, 1998: Sides meet for about 4 1/2 hours, making little progress, and the first two weeks of the season are canceled.

* Oct. 13, 1998: Sides meet for several hours, making no progress.

* Oct. 20, 1998: Feerick rules in favor of owners, saying they do not have to pay off guaranteed contracts during the lockout.

* Oct. 28, 1998: After a meeting of the full union membership at which the owners were invited to speak, the sides meet past midnight but fail to reach an agreement.

* Nov. 6, 1998: At a 1 1/2-hour meeting, the union fails to give the owners a new proposal as promised.

* Nov. 20, 1998: The sides meet for 13 hours and acknowledge for the first time that they’ve made substantial progress.

* Nov. 25, 1998: Union says it misunderstood a key aspect of owners’ Nov. 20 proposal.

* Dec. 4, 1998: Sides meet for 11 hours, after which Commissioner David Stern says it is more likely than not that there won’t be a season.

* Dec. 23, 1998: Stern and union head Billy Hunter meet for five hours in Los Angeles at the office of agent Leonard Armato.

* Dec. 27, 1998: Sides meet for five hours in Denver, with the league making its “final” proposal.

* Jan. 4, 1999: Union presents its “final” offer to owners, and Stern says league might use replacement players in the 1999-2000 season.

* Jan. 5, 1999: NBA players begin arriving in New York on the eve of a scheduled vote by the union membership on whether to support the negotiating committee’s rejection of the league’s last proposal.

* Jan. 6, 1999: After a secret, all-night negotiating session, Stern and Hunter reach agreement to end the lockout the day before the league’s “drop-dead” date to cancel the season.