CFN – The 2012 NHL Lock Out is still on and it looks like this season is in mortal peril. If you take a big step back you can see who has the leverage; the owners.
They can lose the entire season; not take in a penny of revenue and they really don’t care. You can carry over losses. What that means is the future profits they make can be buffered by the loss of a season.
The players? Nope. They lose a years salary. Many of them will lose their careers as happened in the last lock out. The players can bring in a hot mess like Donald Fehr, but at the end of the day the play is the play and the owners have no real reason to settle.
After the last lock out business boomed. There’s no real reason to think fans won’t come back for their fix of hockey. As a matter of fact hockey still is gaining traction in the US and the upside is huge thus lame teams in Phoenix.
In the last lock out the owners cracked the whip and the players had a huge roll back and the cap was instituted. This time around it’s more greed than anything. The owners want the split more even and a few other tinkerings. They’ll get pretty much all they want and why you may ask?
Because the players don’t get it. The biggest jumps in salary NHL’ers ever got was when the WHA and KHL started to impact salaries. As long as there’s no viable option for players it’s a factory town with only one factory.
Some Russian players have been making noise about staying in the KHL if there’s a roll back and that’s their option. Some make make a bit less; some a bit more; and of course there’s Airline Roulette playing in the KHL, but there also is no real income tax and they get to play at home. Not a bad incentive, no.
Our Canadian boys don’t have that option.
No, the NHLPA or many of the players have to come to terms that they are wealthy pieces of meat or they have to take the bull by the horn and start their own league. It’s that simple.
So far they’ve done pretty well as hired pieces of meat. They need to look at their own big pictures and decide what they want. If it’s to play hockey get back to the table and negotiate until it’s done and enough with the rhetoric.
And as repugnant as Gary Bettman is he’s beat Fehr not only on the deal, but in the public relations game. His going public with the NHL’s last offer really has done Fehr in.
Personally I’d love to see a Canadian Hockey league with eight teams and a great Online/TV package. I can take or leave the foreign players. I want good Canadian hockey; not diluted NHL hockey. I know that’s a dream, but maybe if this lockout lasts a year some people with deep pockets will get an inkling to make some magic happen?
In the meanwhile it’s time to dig out Goon and watch it again 🙂
Jamie Gilcig – Editor – The Cornwall Free News
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It must be hurting or affecting some retailers already, (selling shirts/hats) pubs near the arenas and cetainly sports media. The little people who may have needed that extra 30 – 40 dollars a game dispensing hot dogs, providing transportation or parking, cleaners, security, ushers and servers in restaurants with pay per view. George Stromwhatshisname will not be helping the CBC bottom line either….
Maybe hockey watchers can start viewing the other blood sport, politics!
Ah yes, the old income tax write off’s…
Jaime wrote, “What that means is the future profits they make can be buffered by the loss of a season.” Didn’t think of it that way till i saw it here.” True, very true. Good one Jaime.
HUGE hockey fan. After all, what else is there to do with a 50 inch T.V. and weather that is too cold to wanna be outside in it?
I miss watching and was looking forward to this season. Would have liked to see Alphie and the new younger Sens play. My heart started thumping a little when i heard the offer was coming from the league but then, deflation.
I was thinking of a way that the fans would have some “punch” in this whole deal. What i came up with (assuming they do start the season) is a Facebook page to “rally the troupes.” The message to the masses is: — If and when the season starts, we ALL stay home and watch the games on t.v. We leave the stadiums EMPTY and DO NOT go to watch live games. No beer revenue, no hot dog revenue, no parking revenue etc. We continue this for the exact amount of games that were cancelled. Whaddya think ?
At least we send a message of some kind :- )
There is no shortage of hockey in Cornwall..
This year we have a new team to support The Cornwall River Kings
And our junior team the Cornwall Colts.
Both teams have many local players..
Time to support our own.
Support is a two way street – if the hockey teams don’t support or work with local media there are always other groups and things to support.
Clique crap should have no place in community activities or events.
Ok Jamie ..So now there is clique crap going on in our local hockey?
@2 sides, look at all the great coverage Truffles and other deserving organizations get by being smart enough to talk to (we) readers of CFN.
Individuals or groups who don’t recognize our buying power, they’re shooting themselves in the gut.
See, they think they’re putting the squeeze on Jamie, when in effect, they’re insulting customers.
Sad, or just stupid?