The NHL Lockout...does anyone REALLY CARE?

[ALinChainz]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
Plus, you think about all the players that we'll never get to see again...how many players will retire now because of the strike?

Will guys like Lemieux be back...etc.?

Who knows how this game will change...

Exactly.

Brett Hull, Stevie Yzerman, Oates, Hasek (who should have stayed retired) are some others.

[ALinChainz]

Originally posted by Chris
POJO, from what I'm hearing up here, the owners feel they can declare an impasse next fall. Even the worst pessimist is saying the longest it can go is to some kind of shortened season next year, so that would be January or so.

I honestly think the players are likely to make a deal in January and accept a cap. Maybe to save face everyone will try to come up with a different term other than cap......but it will be like a cap. And if the players refuse to accept something like that, I think most of the owners are prepared to happily discard the season.. They just have way too much to gain by waiting.

I agree. The owners are all set to sit.

Don't most of them have the arenas also? Some of these guys make money of the arena with concerts, etc.

Would be interesting to know who and how much.

[Chris]

Those players will be gone regardless though. Even if they were playing right now, everyone would be speculating that Yzerman would most likely be in his last season. Ditto for the others except for maybe Hull.

The sad part is that we might not get to see them play out their career.

[POJO_Risin]

Those players wouldn't be gone regardless with a season this year...

NHL needs a hard cap...

the NBA soft cap is a joke...

the luxory tax isn't a joke...but when you make as much money as the owners of the teams paying it...it is...

both the NBA...and MLB will have to answer...

as Va says over and over...when you have one team sitting at 240...and only 1 or 2 teams within' 140 million dollars of it...

it's ridiculous...just ridiculous...

The problem with a lot of this...an the NFL actually got it right...was that big market teams control most sports...and it continues...

It seems like the owners are unified...we'll see how long it takes collusion to come into play...deal or not...

[Chris]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
I agree. The owners are all set to sit.

Don't most of them have the arenas also? Some of these guys make money of the arena with concerts, etc.

Would be interesting to know who and how much.

Many do own the arenas. A bunch claim they are making more money not playing and just renting out their joints, instead of running money losing NHL teams. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle I would suspect.

Imagine if the players only get 50% of whatever is left come January of next year? If that's a 1 billion dollar pie versus the 2.1 billion dollar one or whatever the hell it supposed to be now. That would mean they would go from 1.5 billion in player's salaries down to 500 million which would be a lot more than a 24% cut in pay, it'll be about a 66% pay cut.

And that's worth holding out for? I can't see it.

[Chris]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
Those players wouldn't be gone regardless with a season this year...

NHL needs a hard cap...

the NBA soft cap is a joke...

the luxory tax isn't a joke...but when you make as much money as the owners of the teams paying it...it is...

both the NBA...and MLB will have to answer...

as Va says over and over...when you have one team sitting at 240...and only 1 or 2 teams within' 140 million dollars of it...

it's ridiculous...just ridiculous...

The problem with a lot of this...an the NFL actually got it right...was that big market teams control most sports...and it continues...

It seems like the owners are unified...we'll see how long it takes collusion to come into play...deal or not...

To have a competitive league, you need to have a system that leaves teams battling on the rink and not competing against each other from a financial perspective. Once a league dissolves into teams competeing financially, typically the result is most leagues are left with 3 or 4 huge money teams that can compete in that enviornment. And with only 3 or 4 teams being competitive, the rest of the leagues fans, without their team having a reasonable chance at winning, typically just start to lose interest.

Sorta like MLB. The Blue Jays are a perfect example of MLB's broken system. If they don't fix MLB, I would say the Jays are in serious danger of folding or moving. And they're not the only ones in danger.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
as Va says over and over...when you have one team sitting at 240...and only 1 or 2 teams within' 140 million dollars of it...

it's ridiculous...just ridiculous...

I don't know about the over and over part, well, maybe I do....

Lemme just say this...

Do I lose sleep over it ?? No.... My dog waking me up to take a leak does that for me....

I miss it most on weekday nights, with no football and baseball obviously over..... I'm also not very big on college basketball until Tourney time....

I'm glad the owners rejected the 24%.... It was obvious that in a few years, the salaries would slowly but surely creep back up to pre-strike levels.....

Irregardless of the fact that salary caps work, and the NHLPA knows that, they know that a cap also means MUCH less money for their players in the long run....

Who knows, maybe enough of them will whine because of their "measly" 10 grand per month allowance from the union.....

[POJO_Risin]

I concur with you Chris...

but it's deeper than just having a winner...it's the ABILITY to have a winner...

10 years ago...the Yankees payroll was generally...25 million or so above the next teams...

now...no shit...75 million or so...

and reality is...over 100 million for 80% of the teams...

in Hockey it may be even worse...because of the markets and what markets can support. Most of hockey's market's in the US are relatively new to NHL teams...whereas baseball has a bit of leniency...ie the Pirates...Brewers...teams that have been there 30 years+ (Pirates obviously over 100 years)...

They also get a bit more support from the league...as you saw with the Expos...who were bought by MLB...

Let's bottom line it here...baseball will survive...it's America's Pasttime...for as many die hards that left and never came back in 1994...there are twice as many who did...

I had to with my Indians finally becoming winners...

but people in the states care about baseball...

a small...much smaller percentage care about hockey...

baseball and football strikes are front pagers for the duration...

hockey isn't...

precarious...if they miss a year...what will happen...I guarantee it...is that some regions won't go back...ever...

I know it will happen here...probably places like Nashville, Atlanta, Columbus...even LA...

Christ...Tampa...the defending Champs...will probably be scraping...

my point?

the NHL will look vastly different.

All of you that are glad they are dumping the 24%...what do you give a fuck for anyways? They need to get this product back...and now...in whatever shape they can...then do what the NFL does now...and work through the next year to get a plan together...

What they need to do is take the 24% pay cut as temporary...start the season...put the deadline the DAY AFTER the Stanley Cup...and just get a deal done...

I personally could give a fuck less if it's 24%...if it's a soft cap...hard cap...night cap...

I like watching NHL games...and will be pissed if they leave...

lmfao...10 grand per month...unreal...just unreal...

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
but it's deeper than just having a winner...it's the ABILITY to have a winner...

10 years ago...the Yankees payroll was generally...25 million or so above the next teams...

now...no shit...75 million or so...

and reality is...over 100 million for 80% of the teams...

in Hockey it may be even worse...because of the markets and what markets can support. Most of hockey's market's in the US are relatively new to NHL teams...whereas baseball has a bit of leniency...ie the Pirates...Brewers...teams that have been there 30 years+ (Pirates obviously over 100 years)...

Be careful Poj, you're sounding like me....

[POJO_Risin]

LMFAO...jesus h. christ...thanks for saving me...

you know me Va...I'll use anything to prove a point...

Does this make sense to anyone...it's been rollin' in my head...

Hockey may survive simply because they don't have as many fans in the US that are passionate about their teams...so...not as many to leave...

I don't know...just rambling I guess...

[ALinChainz]

I agree with the fact that they need to get the game back on the ice before damage that can't be undone happens.

Like POJO mentioned before about the minors, they do seem to be enjoying bigger crowds and support, obvious I know, but at least there is some hockey being played.

Like we've all said, this sport is much different than the others in terms of TV and exposure, marketing.

They better get something done.

[POJO_Risin]

That lack of exposure though...may save it in the long run...

I don't think people care much either way...and that non-commitment may make it not that big of deal...

I don't know...we'll have to see...

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Bettman has said recently that once the new CBA is signed, there are going to be other changes as well, on and off ice....

NBC will have the new NHL contract.... Not sure how that affects the ESPN games or the FSN games....

Ticket prices will be going down (I'll believe that one when I see it)....

On ice, the game will be "strictly" enforced to promote offensive hockey....

Like I said, we'll see about that....

[POJO_Risin]

I won't be holding my breath on any of that...

[aesop]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Exactly.

Brett Hull, Stevie Yzerman, Oates, Hasek (who should have stayed retired) are some others.

I really need to see Lemieux one more year...Especially after the Pens went out and signed the Wrecking Ball to be his RW...