The NBA will cut about 80 jobs, Commissioner David Stern told Reuters on Sunday.

Stern told the media outlet that the NBA will lay off about 9 percent of its workforce because of worries about the U.S. economy.

The commissioner told Reuters that there has been a decline in season-ticket renewals, and he expected that once the regular season starts at the end of the month, there will also be a drop in single-game ticket sales.

"We made a decision some months ago that the economy was going to be a bit wobbly, so we began a belt-tightening that will result in a work-force reduction of about 9 percent domestically," Stern told Reuters before a preseason game in London.

While in London, Stern told The Associated Press that the NBA will likely play regular-season games in the British capital during the lead up to the 2012 Olympics.

Stern also said the NBA will use the London Games as a tool to increase its marketability in Europe.