NFL cancels rookie symposium

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — The NFL said Tuesday it has cancelled June's rookie symposium, the first league event to be officially scuppered because of the ongoing labor dispute with players.With players currently locked out by the league in the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987, league spokesman Greg Aiello said the decision was made because of "the uncertainty of the labor issues we are facing and the logistical challenges of conducting the symposium.""The symposium is a large, complex event involving many professionals and others," he added. "In fairness, we could not continue to keep their commitment on hold."The symposium was scheduled to start in Canton, Ohio, on June 26. It offers rookie players instruction in money management and life skills and gives them a chance to meet current and former players.Teams and the players they drafted this year haven't been allowed to communicate since the NFL gained a stay in court upholding the lockout.However, the court battle over the legality of the lockout is not over with a hearing in US District Court scheduled for June 3.Last Tuesday the NFL and players concluded a sixth day of court-ordered negotiations with no plans to resume talks until after the court hearing.Billionaire club owners and millionaire players have been unable to agree on how to divide $9.1 billion in annual revenues, creating the first shutdown in America's most popular spectator sport since 1987.Gridiron fans are worried the dispute, forced into the courts when players decertified their union and filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL, will wipe out or shorten the upcoming NFL season set to begin in September.The start of NFL training camps is only two months away and clubs have yet to start signing free agents, consider possible trades and talk with new draft choices.Labor strategy is sure to be a key topic at this week's meetings of the 32 team owners, who usually use their spring conclave to discuss such issues as Super Bowl sites and rules changes.While owners have addressed rule

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