377 replies to this topic

[Fragile Bird]

The Toronto Sun seems to be convinced.   What do you think about the possibility of a lockout?

ETA:  Well, now it's happened.  What's next?

ETA2:  I assume the agreement will be ratified, but at this point I'm not going to jump the gun.

ETA3:  Players have approved the deal, only waiting for the paperwork now.

ETA4:  Deal is confirmed!

Edited by Fragile Bird, 13 January 2013 - 04:08 PM.

[Spartanstark]

This is beyond stupidity.  I don't think the NHL has recovered from the last lock out.  I remember before the last lockout all of the love Michigan had for its Redwings. They were bigger than everyone.  You couldn't drive down any street in the metro area without seeing redwing banners, gear and other signs of support.  Everyone would talk about them.  Fastforward to now, nobody cares.  Even when they made the finals a couple of years back there was only minimal interest. Hockey is supposed to be bigger here than elswhere in the U.S. which has got me worried because I love hockey.  Another lockout just might end the league.

[Howdyphillip]

A lockout could very well be an end to the Dallas Stars as well. They were regularly selling out arenas before the first one, and now they are lucky to get 10,000 per game. If they lose any more fans, they would not be able to afford arena rental.

[Fragile Bird]

I'm not looking forward to a lockout either, but these days you don't know if all the talk is the usual bluster or if one side does in facts have the cojones to go through with a lockout or a strike.

[Biter]

Howdyphillip, on 16 August 2012 - 01:14 PM, said:

A lockout could very well be an end to the Dallas Stars as well. They were regularly selling out arenas before the first one, and now they are lucky to get 10,000 per game. If they lose any more fans, they would not be able to afford arena rental.

A lockout would be terrible timing for the Stars who signed Jagr - who alongside Brodeur has to be the biggest hockey icon still playing.

I personally still don't think there will be a full lockout (like in 04-05), but I expect a partial lockout (like the shortened 94-95 season).

[blasted_saber]

A parital season lockout is almost a certainty now, and im fuming about it. Its ludicrous. What the NHL needs to do is contract a couple teams, and move a couple more to Canada. Contracting the biggest losers will save the NHL money that it otherwise usues to prop them up via revenue sharing, and moving a few more to Canada will make them more money, increasing team and league value.

On the bright side, if the entire season is lost, the Leafs stand the best chance at getting the 1st overall pick next summer in the draft. Great timing considering the kid slated to go 1st is being called the next Crosby.

Edited by blasted_saber, 16 August 2012 - 07:38 PM.

[Barristan the Boss]

Well there will be at least a partial season lockout, because according to Bettman, there is a 'great divide' between players and owners. And there's less than a month to go before he locks the players out (CBA expires Sep 15). What isn't so bad is that the two sides appear to be ready and willing to negotiate (although, yes, there is a great divide). That's a huge difference from 04-05 when there was a noticeable animosity between the two sides, and they came to a last minute agreement. I was actually beginning to wonder if the 05-06 season would end up shortened, but luckily it didn't.

Right now it seems a miracle is needed to avoid a lockout. Which sucks because I'm an Oilers fan and around here there's a ton of hype and anticipation around the young guns heading into this season.

Edited by Sully's Moustache, 16 August 2012 - 08:25 PM.

[Matrim Fox Cauthon]

Howdyphillip, on 16 August 2012 - 01:14 PM, said:

A lockout could very well be an end to the Dallas Stars as well. They were regularly selling out arenas before the first one, and now they are lucky to get 10,000 per game. If they lose any more fans, they would not be able to afford arena rental.

Likely for the Hurricanes as well, but there seems to quite a fair share of people who fume at the mere existence of a Carolina team, so they would probably welcome it.

[Inigima]

I casually root for the Avalanche, but I barely pay attention most of the time. What's the source of contention? That Sun article seems to assume you already know. Obviously it's about revenue sharing, but what suddenly became a problem that wasn't before? I see that the players' rep says owners want to return salaries to Prue-original lockout levels, but I don't know if that's true or why they're unhappy with the system put in place last time, or If it is true why they think players will accept it now.

[Priormuir Fergus]

I only vaugly follow the NHL, fromScotland, so I didn't fully realise how badly the leage was run.

My first thought was that they would not be stupid enough to have an other lockout then I read more articles about 10-15 year contracts being given out so clearly they are that stupid.  It's hard to believe that some-one can make enough money to own a profesional sports team yet run it with such poor bussiness sense.

[Fragile Bird]

An update on the talks, with details of a new offergiven to the players.

[Lord of Oop North]

Gary Bettman is a douche. The players are the product that is selling, not his douchiness, so they should certainly feel an entitlement to a large share of revenues.

That said, they do make a lot of money, and I don't have much sympathy. On the other hand, I live in Toronto, home to the evilest, greediest, worst sports ownership group in the history of sports ownership groups, so I don't have much sympathy for them, either.

Edited by Lord of Oop North, 29 August 2012 - 05:38 PM.

[Demonblade]

I'm on Bettman's side on this one.  The salary cap as it currently stands is a joke, and so are those bullshit long-term contracts.  I think it would be better for the league, and by extension the game, if the players accepted a cap more reasonable than 57%.  The players reaped the benefits for accepting a cap the last time around, what with them getting the larger share of revenue.  Now it's time that they get back to an even 50/50 split, which is likely where they are going to be headed.

I rather like how this negotiation has turned out thus far.  Both sides gave their cases to back up their initial proposals, and now the NHL has come up with a counter-proposal, which seems to show some signs of giving in to some of their demands.  It shows us so far that both sides have stated their case, and both sides are taking everything seriously, unlike the last time when you had Goodenow stubbornly refusing to even discuss a cap.  There's some dialogue happening here, which makes me optimistic that a deal is going to get done.  And soon.  I mean, it makes perfect sense to enter into a negotiation asking for absolutely everything that you could possibly want in a deal.  If the other party accepts outright, well then score for you.  Both sides have done this.  And now Bettman is showing that he is willing to negotiate.  I bet you that the player's offer will show some signs of negotiating, too.  After all, nobody wants a lockout.  If it means that the players would have to lose some money, at least they could say that by accepting some key parts to this deal, they could help the owners from themselves.  With the ridiculous contracts being signed lately, somebody's got to.

[Bronson]

I think they might want to avoid another lockout because the fan base may decide not to come back.

[blasted_saber]

Bronson, on 03 September 2012 - 10:48 AM, said:

I think they might want to avoid another lockout because the fan base may decide not to come back.

The teams that matter and generate revenue (Toronto, Montreal, New York Rangers etc) , fans will be back no doubt about it. The teams that dont matter (Columbus, Phoenix etc) dont have any fans anyways and are already artifically propped up via revenue sharing.

[Angalin]

If there's a lockout, all the tightfisted Winnipeg ticketholders who bought multi-year season ticket packages are going to be very, very cross.

[Lord O' Bones]

Oh well. At least we have the San Francisco Bulls now. Not even kidding.

[Fragile Bird]

Angalin, on 06 September 2012 - 10:16 PM, said:

If there's a lockout, all the tightfisted Winnipeg ticketholders who bought multi-year season ticket packages are going to be very, very cross.

If there is a lockout and I was a Winnipeg fan who had waited for so very long for hockey to come back, and would be royally, royally pissed.

Lord O, on 06 September 2012 - 10:29 PM, said:

Oh well. At least we have the San Francisco Bulls now. Not even kidding.

The who????

[Fragile Bird]

The latest lockout news.

[Royce Bolton]

blasted_saber, on 16 August 2012 - 07:38 PM, said:

A parital season lockout is almost a certainty now, and im fuming about it. Its ludicrous. What the NHL needs to do is contract a couple teams, and move a couple more to Canada. Contracting the biggest losers will save the NHL money that it otherwise usues to prop them up via revenue sharing, and moving a few more to Canada will make them more money, increasing team and league value.

On the bright side, if the entire season is lost, the Leafs stand the best chance at getting the 1st overall pick next summer in the draft. Great timing considering the kid slated to go 1st is being called the next Crosby.

???