Fake-Fat Sunny Posted February 12, 2005 Share Posted February 12, 2005 The thing which strikes me as most odd about all of this is the sense I get from some posts that because the players are at fault then the owners are right. Alternately some seem to absolve the players or any blame because the owners are such idiots. Both sides seem wrong to me and though one may think one side or the other is more at fault, this doesn't matter because it takes two idiots to fight in this case and both sides deserve blame for this idiocy. I think folks can reasonably differ as to who will suffer the most from this idiocy, but even with this issue, it is gonna vary a lot as its hard to imagine a player who has taken in millions in insane contracts agreed to by the owners sufferimg at all even if the players never have a game to play at the NHL level again. Likewise the owners of the Rangers will be OK, but a few overexteneded owners will lose out from the loss of the season. I thin folks can also differ reasonably as to who they think will "win" in the ned (though I think I like most fans will pay something to see the best hockey players in the world whatever the forum and as far owners go any source of capital to provide this forum is fine by me. However, in the big picture it is hard for me to see one side being wrong as making the other side right no matter how stupid they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Formerly Allan in MD Posted February 12, 2005 Share Posted February 12, 2005 The bottom line is that the owners have every right to cap salaries. Where else but in certain pro sports do owners of businesses not say "this is how much we pay for your services; this is our salary range." Businessmen do not say "if you do your job well, you can expect to be paid whatever you think you are worth." 99.9% of businesses would fail if they did not have and maintain salary schedules/limits. The players are correct about being in a unique industry. But hockey is still a business and ownership has every right to set guidelines and limits for employment. Most owners of NHL franchises are saving money during this fiasco, as operating costs, for most owners, have far exceeded revenues. Pushing this, by far, have been the ridiculous salaries teams have to pay to stay competitive. Fans should understand that it is to their benefit to have a cap in place, to have salaries come down, and have ticket prices come down as well. If the latter doesn't happen once fiscal responsibility has been hammered into place, they should all be damned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snorom Posted February 12, 2005 Share Posted February 12, 2005 Bettman should have insisted on the cap during the last bargaining agreement. the players need to realize that the ONLY viable solution is a cap which guarentees cost control. The only people being hurt are the fans. Hockey is way to expensive to go and see for most families. Its hard to create a new generation of passionate hockey fans when most parents just don't view it as worthy of the expense. My Dad use to take me to many games, but back then tickets we're 10 - 12 for the cheap seats. Souveniers were a few bucks, and a Coke was .50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted February 12, 2005 Share Posted February 12, 2005 The players are idiots for thinking they can continue to demand high salaries. The nhlpa leadership are a bunch of brainwashers. The owners are idiots for handing out the large salaries starting 10 years ago or so. Gary Bettman is an ASSCLOWN who was ruined the league by expanding to a ridiculous number of teams. Go back to the NBA Bettman. Bettman=Assclown=RJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kegtapr Posted February 12, 2005 Share Posted February 12, 2005 Carrot Top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede316 Posted February 12, 2005 Share Posted February 12, 2005 I gotta agree that that the players are to blame.....The NHL just dosen't generate the revenue for the salaries they dream of. A salary cap is the only fair way to go. Look at the NFL....You go out and earn that huge salary...You want the big $$$ ....Earn it....Manning, Farve, Harrison, Law etc.....They all earned their top 5 salaries. NHL'ers should do the same. NFL teams manage why can't NHL teams do it? Yes...Some owners are to blame for inflating salaries but a salary cap would reign them in. Revenue Sharing and a Luxury Tax?...All's you'd end up with is MLB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_franchise Posted February 12, 2005 Share Posted February 12, 2005 Bettman should have insisted on the cap during the last bargaining agreement. the players need to realize that the ONLY viable solution is a cap which guarentees cost control. He did, but the large market team owners cut his legs out from under him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 Another business destroyed by a greedy union.......shocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevestojan Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 I blame Bledsoe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 As stupid as the owners are...I have to put the lion's share of blame on the players, if only because of the incomprehensible hubris involved in their assumption that they have any leverage whatsoever over NHL ownership and management. The Capitals down here are financially better off not having played the season, having substantially pared down their losses this year as compared to the last five simply by being an NHL club in name only. While the owners aren't completely unmotivated to play the season (NHL clubs are non-performing assets rignt now, and there is, after all, something to be said for cash flow), it's not like they have that vested an interest in taking even bigger losses by continuing operations, either. Ultimately, the owners can afford to wait far more than the NHLPA can...and the NHLPA's stubborn and/or ignorant refusal to realize that they're trying to negotiate from a position of distinct weakness is probably the single biggest contribution to the current mess and cancellation of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 Players and their agents are to blame. Owners aren't driving up salaries in a vacuum. They're merely trying to put the best product out there for their fans, and players and agents are continually looking for more and more money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted February 13, 2005 Author Share Posted February 13, 2005 Most owners of NHL franchises are saving money during this fiasco, as operating costs, for most owners, have far exceeded revenues. Pushing this, by far, have been the ridiculous salaries teams have to pay to stay competitive. 236982[/snapback] Don't mistake the fact that owners lose more money when they play than when they don't play for the owners saving money during this fiasco. The owners are losing money (many of them are losing big time like the NY Rangers in the work stoppage). This attitude is like folks who feel like they are saving money by buying a useless item because the price is marked down an amazing 50% or more. Useless items are still useless even when they are cheap. Likewise when the NHL isn't playing the business is not a going concern and we will begin to see the implications of this now that the season is dead, but the banks that loaned money for the arenas, the coaches and other administrative people still under contract and being paid and the players with pro contracts like Vanek but playing in the minors are still drawing cash and their is less cost because most player contracts are gone, but there is zero income as well. Mke no mistake it would be worse for the owners if they ran their businesses under the existing NHL CBA, but though it is not at its worst the current situation is bad for the owners and will only get worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 Too bad for the Rangers......this is what happens when you give a schlub like Bobby Holik a 9 million dollar a year contract. If the players don't want to negotiate in good faith and offer counter-proposals, who is stop them from pissing away millions of dollars? Don't mistake the fact that owners lose more money when they play than when they don't play for the owners saving money during this fiasco. The owners are losing money (many of them are losing big time like the NY Rangers in the work stoppage). This attitude is like folks who feel like they are saving money by buying a useless item because the price is marked down an amazing 50% or more. Useless items are still useless even when they are cheap. Likewise when the NHL isn't playing the business is not a going concern and we will begin to see the implications of this now that the season is dead, but the banks that loaned money for the arenas, the coaches and other administrative people still under contract and being paid and the players with pro contracts like Vanek but playing in the minors are still drawing cash and their is less cost because most player contracts are gone, but there is zero income as well. Mke no mistake it would be worse for the owners if they ran their businesses under the existing NHL CBA, but though it is not at its worst the current situation is bad for the owners and will only get worse. 237253[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bflojohn Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 Oh, this is very simple! When your league starts falling behind such illustrious events as Tractor Pulls and the Dog Show Curcuit, you've bastardized the very industry you should be nurturing! They're BOTH to blame, and they are in for a RUDE awakening when they pull their collective heads out of their @sses! NO revenue from sponsors will likely kill any so called "Major" package on ESPN or other outlets. Then, the gate revenue will suffer due to the prolonged period they extracted at the expense of the very fans they need! Hockey, to me, is on life support and somebody better yank the NHLPA and the Owners out of their Ivory Towers before it is too late!!! At this juncture, cost certainty is a moral imperative! It can NOT survive without it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 Players. You want 10 mill a season when you can't sell out your arena and the league is losing 8 figures per year???? Grow up and join the rest of the real sports who have caps and run their leagues like legit businesses. The reason NHL ticket sales are down is because it has become like MLB. There are 6-8 teams competing for the cup every year and the rest of the league sucks hind tit. I'm with Stojan....go to Eastern Europe, get some sick @ss AAA level hockey players and start the league over again at lower price. Better than sitting on the loss for a whole year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyMark Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 The biggest question though, seriously, who cares? I would love for the NBA and MLB to follow suit. One can dream can't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBob2232 Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 There are 6-8 teams competing for the cup every year and the rest of the league sucks hind tit. Umm...Carolina, Calgary, Tampa Bay, Anaheim. That list includes 4 of the 6 stanly cup finals teams in the last 3 years (Detroit and New Jersey being the other 2). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts