This may be dumb and probably already said, but why don't they each take the other's proposal and play?
Example. If PA's offer was the Owners to take 45, and the Owners's offer was for the PA to take 45, why not each get 45, put the rest of 10% money into escrow, and divide up the money when the CBA is complete so they can at least play and still make money? To add onto this example, if they come out 50/50 split, split the rest of the 10 depending on what they agree upon?
Let me know if I don't make any sense and I'll clarify.
i like the idea, but i imagine there's more to their differences than just the HRR figure. good idea, though.
The NHL runs a serious risk of losing true, die-hard fans. If this can break my resolve and patience, it can break anyones.
I actually think that both sides have greatly overestimated the fans returning like sheep this time around. I think that a lost season means that the NHL takes a permanent hit and has to compete with soccer for headlines. I also think that Bettman is overestimating the sponsors coming back. No season, and no I do not see the NHL recovering like it did the last time.
Your entire post is a wild contradiction to me. You try to portray yourself as a true die-hard hockey fan, but you're willing to stop watching if theres a half a season? Thats strange. Hockey fans are a loyal bunch - they may ***** and whine about these proceedings, but the vast majority will be there to watch the games once they start up again, whenever that is.
Thousands of projects and plans get delayed every single day because of labor disputes. I've accepted these things as a part of life so, while disappointed, Im not going to erupt because its happening to hockey again.
Ill watch it again as soon as its on. But the key word is watch. If you really want to make a statement stop going to games, buying merchandise, etc. Hit them in the pocketbook so they have less money to argue about and you'll see things change.
My opinion differs from yours, it does not mean I am any more or less of a fan than you.
I don't believe in partial seasons, or any ******** such as that. I want 82 games + playoffs. If we were to win the cup in a 25 game season, do you think that would feel good?, or would make you feel proud? It wouldn't mean **** to me.
That being said, this is not some 'project' or 'plan' that is being delayed because of a simple labor dispute. This comes down to people on BOTH sides, owners, and players all being greedy and *****ing over lots and lots of money. There is a lot more at stake here, and in a business this large with so much money on the line. Its in the best interest of all parties to get something done as soon as possible. There seems to be zero drive to do that.
Its sad that two sides can't come to a simple compromise for the greater good of the sport. There is PLENTY to go around for everyone. Ego's are getting in the way here.
Its testing my patience as a fan. I play hockey a few times a week, and as much as the NY Rangers mean everything to me, the longer this goes on just angers me about BOTH sides. I care about the players, but when I realize they are being just as hard headed as the NHL is about everything, it makes it hard to want to root for them. Therefore, makes it easier to not care as much about the sport in general.
If they don't care about me, its hard to reciprocate the same.
I am just as angry as you are dude. But remember, the players hired Fehr to go to bat FOR them. Be just as angry at them as you are toward Fehr.
That is true and I def am, sick of tired of the tweets I've seen from them.. but I think Fehr's ego is at play here too.
Its just so frustrating because the players can't win this... the owners have all the leverage, its just a matter of time and it seems like they aren't gunna let it be quick.
In this day and age, with social media, there has to be some effect we as the fans can have to stop this.
Theres too many people who can make their voices heard, this shouldn't happen now.
When I honestly think about Donald Fehr dropping dead as a good thing, (a hope, not a threat.. to be clear) I really think things have come too far.
Get it done
I like the enthusiasm, but I really don't think we could do much. The worst thing that we could do is blow up social media destroying the league's credibility, but they are doing that wonderfully without our help.
Darren Dreger @DarrenDreger
PA says its willing to talk about key econ issues, but, not if salary reductions included. Says the NHL's view now is a political move.
That is true and I def am, sick of tired of the tweets I've seen from them.. but I think Fehr's ego is at play here too.
Its just so frustrating because the players can't win this... the owners have all the leverage, its just a matter of time and it seems like they aren't gunna let it be quick.
Yup, and the players should realize they play a ****ing game for a living and the league minimum is 17 times more than an average person making $50,000 a year, working everyday, most likely doing something not as fun, or amazing as playing professional hockey.
Don't even get me started on the guys with the big contracts.
Yup, and the players should realize they play a ****ing game for a living and the league minimum is 17 times more than an average person making $50,000 a year, working everyday, most likely doing something not as fun, or amazing as playing professional hockey.
Don't even get me started on the guys with the big contracts.
Ahhh, so this is what you were getting at in your posts above. Yet another standard of living complaint.
You do realize that these players make so much money because we all fund it right?
Its just so frustrating because the players can't win this... the owners have all the leverage, its just a matter of time and it seems like they aren't gunna let it be quick.
The players may not win, but they can really hurt the owners and force the owners into a draconian choice of cutting off their nose to spite their face. The players will go and play in other continents.
Where is Tampa getting the money to pay for the largest electronic toy in North America? How are the Kings capitalizing on winning the Cup?
According to you, there is not even a need for the players to have a union. They should just roll over and let the owners do what they want. Including being held accoutable as players for some horrific management choices that the ownership has made.
Yup, and the players should realize they play a ****ing game for a living and the league minimum is 17 times more than an average person making $50,000 a year, working everyday, most likely doing something not as fun, or amazing as playing professional hockey.
Don't even get me started on the guys with the big contracts.
They players playing a game is them putting on a suit and going to an office. Business is business.
The players may not win, but they can really hurt the owners and force the owners into a draconian choice of cutting off their nose to spite their face. The players will go and play in other continents.
Where is Tampa getting the money to pay for the largest electronic toy in North America? How are the Kings capitalizing on winning the Cup?
According to you, there is not even a need for the players to have a union. They should just roll over and let the owners do what they want. Including being held accoutable as players for some horrific management choices that the ownership has made.
lol, the players can go and play elsewhere if they want.. and for the most part it will be for less wages.
I'm sure the north american players' families will want to relocate around the world..
For most players, this is the only league they can earn these wages in.
For most owners, they have other ventures to make their money in.
Helene Elliott @helenenothelen
This is about Bettman going for the kill. And this time, with Fehr on board, he's not automatically the smartest guy in the room.
I'm sure the north american players' families will want to relocate around the world.
And I am sure that the Russian players and the other Euro players will be more than comfortable playing in their homelands. So now, you have diluted the NHL.
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For most players, this is the only league they can earn these wages in.
Sure, but most did not really mind playing in other countries.
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For most owners, they have other ventures to make their money in.
The most ludicrous argument of all. Where do you have the information to back this up? And even if true that they have other ventures, when a, and let's pick a nice middle number here, $200 million dollar investment does not make back a red cent, it HURTS. Plus, there are expenses that continue, even if there is no season. The owners WILL loose money. It is impossible not to. And then again, you are completely ignoring what this means to the futures of certain franchises.
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So again, we'll see who caves first.
That is not what it is about. The point is, are the owners willing to cut off their nose to spite their face? Make no mistake, there is a reason as to why Fehr has been brought in. The players are prepared to loose a season this time. But, this is not 2004. There are more than enough owners that are NOT prepared to loose a season. And if they do, then NHL takes a permanent him. Will the sponsors of the Winter Classic come back? Good bet that the 24/7 is gone for good. And those have been one of the only home runs that Bettman's NHL has made.
And again, do not underestimate Fehr. Once the season is canceled, he will be in no hurry to start the next one. And the players will not suddenly oust him like they did Goodenow. This time out, the players are drinking the kool aid. But not all the owners are drinking Bettman's.
Helene Elliott @helenenothelen
This is about Bettman going for the kill. And this time, with Fehr on board, he's not automatically the smartest guy in the room.
I woudl say that this is right. Fehr does not have a history of being bent over and broken. Bettman was not the smartest last time either. But the players broke and Goodenow was usurped. They did not hire Fehr, just to roll over to the owners.
Wouldn't it be nice if once things are settled, the league opened up to completely empty arenas as the fans boycotted the first games of the season? One can dream..
The owners get their 50-50 split, but only by phasing into it so players don’t get overwhelmingly hammered by escrow in the first two years of the deal. Hopefully from the players’ perspective, by the time they get down to 50 percent in Year 4, the HRR pot will have grown enough that, in actual dollars, it wouldn’t be that much of a hit on salaries.
Right now, neither side would embrace this solution. The players likely would see this as giving in. Meanwhile, bloodthirsty owners like Jeremy Jacobs want their pound of flesh right off the top from the players, so 53 percent (down from the current 57 percent) would not be even close to what his group would agree to in Year 1.
For once, wouldn’t it be refreshing to see some of those moderate owners who don’t see the world the same way a hawk like Jacobs does stand up and espouse compromise? Where is their voice in all this?
But while the owners are hoping the union collapses, many of these same players (and their agents) believe most teams do not want a work stoppage. After talking to several people who attended the NHL's September board of governors meeting, my sense is that while most want to play eventually, Bettman has more than enough support right now.
There are some owners who are dead set against him (hint: one of them has a name that rhymes with James Dolan), but the majority are willing to see where this goes over the next couple of months.
Obviously, the high-revenue teams, especially those in Canada, are aching to start. But if Phoenix is ever going to have a chance, I can't imagine how it's good for the Coyotes, coming off their most successful season ever, to ruin that momentum. Same with the Florida Panthers, who ended a decade-long playoff drought and won the Southeast Division. The Los Angeles Kings should probably ask the Tampa Bay Lightning what happens if you don't get that "Stanley Cup bounce."
That said, there are a few things you have to understand about how things work atop the NHL. Dolan may be supremely annoyed, but the NHL constitution makes it very clear that if Bettman doesn't support a deal, 75 per cent of owners must vote against him.
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If this does go into December, many of them won't be happy with either the commissioner or Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, who is another huge obstacle. There are some in the NHLPA who are hoping for this scenario. Being hopeful is one thing, having it actually work is something else.
Jeremy Jacobs. The Bruins changed plans and re-signed their players like Seguin,Marchand and Lucic knowing Jacobs was pushing for immediate cuts. Piece of garbage.
Wouldn't it be nice if once things are settled, the league opened up to completely empty arenas as the fans boycotted the first games of the season? One can dream..
If there was some way in the world to accomplish this, sign me up.
__________________ "Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!"~H. Rose
