Columbus could lose All-Star game to NHL lockout

An NHL lockout could cancel '13 All-Star Game in Columbus. (Jamie Sabau/NHL/Getty Images)

The city of Columbus and its Blue Jackets may have more to lose in the event of an NHL lockout.

Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch reports the city's much anticipated first NHL All-Star Game could fall victim to the league's latest labor dispute.

One of the first major casualties of another NHL lockout could be the All-Star Game, which the Blue Jackets and Nationwide Arena are set to play host to on Jan. 27. If the lockout extends even a month into the season, it could scuttle one of the biggest sporting events ever planned for central Ohio.

The collective-bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15. With the league and the NHL Players’ Association hardening their stances and ramping up the rhetoric, many expect training camps — set to begin Sept. 21 — and the exhibition season to be delayed amid a lockout.