Truth & Rumors > NHL
NHL hiding real reason for CBA salary cut demands?
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08:33 AM ET 08.12 | The NHL does not have a player cost problem. The NHL has a small-market revenue problem, one its initial parody of a collective bargaining proposal to the NHLPA doesn't begin to address. Everyone -- and that includes commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy commissioner Bill Daly, chief of staff Bob Batterman and the Board of Governors -- knows the disparity of revenue between the powerhouse markets and the ne'er-do-wells is the critical issue confronting the NHL, but the powers that be either don't have the imagination or foresight or the stomach or political capital to attend to it. Thus, it is left to the players themselves, left to the union led by Don Fehr to propose meaningful changes to the landscape that truly will benefit franchises like the Islanders, Panthers and Blues, even if at some expense to Jeremy Jacobs' Bruins and Ed Snider's Flyers and Rogers' and Bell Canada???s Maple Leafs.
Gary Bettman, Icon SMI
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Comments (17) Add A Comment
He doesn't give a **** about you!
Canuck eh?
Total Comments (18430)
Told ya.
Canuck eh?
Total Comments (18430)
Why can't they use the NFL's model? Its not perfect, but it seems to be working pretty well.
This article makes me lose all hope that there will be season next year.
Burgh-Fan
Total Comments (5058)
Phoenix and Columbus for sure, should be contracted and that would be a good start. This reminds me of MLB when they last expanded and the talent pool was severely watered down. Of course they had steroids to fall back on to boost ticket sales.
captaincruzan
St. Croix, VI
Total Comments (451)
Because revenue sharing is the devil, especially when up to ten of the league's teams are in dangerous financial waters with almost no chance of reversal. The NFL's revenue sharing is based many factors, mostly TV revenue, that the NHL cannot compete with. It's a gate-driven league, and if your team can't keep attendance up, it's on you to figure a way out. Toronto Edmonton and Calgary have continued selling out despite sucking for half a decade+. Phoenix, Nashville, Florida and New Jersey all made the playoffs and were in the bottom third attendance-wise.
dannylimes
Toronto, ON
Total Comments (8033)
Before the massive TV revenue came to the NFL, didn't they have 60-40 split to share revenue . The visting team got 40% of the home team gate. If the NHL stubbornly wants to remain a 30 team league and finacially suppot the lower ones a 60-40 split could make sense.
whale2
Total Comments (2484)
I still wouldn't agree with it but I can't say it would be the worst possible outcome
dannylimes
Toronto, ON
Total Comments (8033)
Good points. The league is going to have to contract in order to have a more competitive product. Neither side will agree to that. In the mean time Whale 2's suggestion of going the old 60 - 40 split sounds good. The teams that can't draw will not have to pay out much in revenue, but will be getting more in when they are on the road.
Burgh-Fan
Total Comments (5058)
In any revenue sharing plan the worst outcome is still being stuck with 30 teams. The owners of the teams that do well simply add more dollars to the aleady high ticket prices to cover the cost of the subsidy cheques they write. Once again it is the fans that get screwed.
whale2
Total Comments (2484)
Wishful thinking on the contraction thng Burgh. For some reason the owners think more teams in the league adds value to thier team. Like you though I wish it would happen.
whale2
Total Comments (2484)
The NHL never should have expanded into markets that could not support a team.
RWhite
Troy , VA
Total Comments (121)
It's kinda funny how the big market owners support Bettman and his plans for the league including expansion, but aren't willing to engage in realistic revenue sharing to make sure it works. Owners like Snider should pull Bettman aside and tell him if he wants to keep the league at 30 teams, then put teams where they will succeed so revenue sharing won't be needed. But, instead, they rubber stamp his lame ideas. Because, you know, owners are smart and never do dumb things.
Nobody expects…
Total Comments (13159)
True. At least put them in places where the fans will actually support a team, like Phantomphan said.
Burgh-Fan
Total Comments (5058)
they will expand not contract just saying the other owners are not going to up 20 million each so they can contract 4 teams. They will however accept said amount to add 2 teams in Canada
Swamp Dragon
Total Comments (13816)
Seattle looks like they will have a team problem is it wouldn't be for at least 2-3 years but tell me where else and you'll be projecting just like these idiots did putting teams in Raleigh Phoenix Miami and T Bay. The only one that worked out seems to be Nashville
Swamp Dragon
Total Comments (13816)
Agreed................like Cancun.
Slapshot
Total Comments (8992)
I have been saying this for years that all sports (especially the NHL and NBA) have too many teams. The labor fights of the 1980's and 1990's in pro sports were all about players getting the right to free agency, now we have lockouts cause these leagues try and figure out how to keep the league balanced from big to small market.
The NHL was fine with 21 teams and they could have gotten away with expanding to 24 teams in 1991 and 1992 to SanJose, Ottawa, and Tampa, but then they got greedy and went to 6 markets and dilluded the league.
The league is divided by half of the markets play to sellout buildings every night and have solid fanbases and a big enough market to keep up with the salaries. Then you have the other half who can only play to full buildings if they are competitive teams, and are just meeting the salary floor every year simply because its the law of the land.
I know it will never happen but contract this league to 20 teams (4 divisions of 5 teams) and then you will have 3/4 of the league make the playoffs every year guaranteeing them extra revenue instead of half of the league not making them playoffs now in this 30 team league.
Flyers1986-87
Total Comments (229)
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