Guest Ether Report post Posted February 17, 2005 Only one small-revenue team - Tampa Bay - has won the Cup over the last ten years. A few others have made it to the Finals and lost, but none have come remotely close to making it back. The large-revenue teams - I say revenue because much of Detroit's or Colorado's success (and New York's ability to spend) can be contributed to using revenue from other businesses like Little Casesar's - have been dominating the league for the last ten years. And yes, I label New Jersey as a large-revenue team (medium would be more accurate) - their payroll is almost always amongst the top ten in the league. TIcket prices are set (or should be set) at the level where teams derive the most revenue. If they aren't, then that is part of their problem. But let's say player salaries were cut in half. Do you think owners would magnanimously slash prices and concessions? I have my doubts. Heck, the NFL, with the most stringent salary cap, also has by far the highest ticket prices. Many teams lowered prices in antipation of the lockout, and will probably lower them again once a deal is settled, mainly to encouraged disenchanted fans to come back to the arenas. As far as NFL tickets go, I don't know the current price range of most tickets, but most Penguin tickets last year went for at least $65. Remeber too that an NFL team has only 8 home games to get ticket revenue compared to 40-80 games for the other sports. Even scrapping the arbitration system doesn't work because that is not the main problem. The problem is the money rich teams setting the bar a notch above what the lower tier teams can afford. The two really go hand in hand; the bloated contract a large-revenue team offers ends up setting the bar for everyone else at that level. If anything arbitration is worse because it forces the said team to pay the player the amount awarded, whether that teams feels it is justified or affordable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0 Report post Posted February 17, 2005 Somebody mentioned this on board somewhere. The last two times the Cup has not been defended (1919, 2005), the Red Sox have won the World Series. I been thinking over and over again what can be done to save hockey. It is obvious that most of the contracts of the top players are over-inflative. So I thought about the WWE and their contracts because they have a bloated roster. Why can't salaries have downside guarantee of a million per player (or any number) and then base the remainder on performance, merchandise, and ticket sales just like in wrestling. It might encourage some players to step up their games. I know they have some of these things written into to their contracts but if you turn in it to wrestling and make them a majority performanced based. I think it should even itself out because the players will make what they deserve. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted February 17, 2005 I been thinking over and over again what can be done to save hockey. It is obvious that most of the contracts of the top players are over-inflative. So I thought about the WWE and their contracts because they have a bloated roster. Why can't salaries have downside guarantee of a million per player (or any number) and then base the remainder on performance, merchandise, and ticket sales just like in wrestling. It might encourage some players to step up their games. I know they have some of these things written into to their contracts but if you turn in it to wrestling and make them a majority performanced based. I think it should even itself out because the players will make what they deserve. I'm not a big fan of incentive-based contracts, whether they're individual or team incentives. Individual incentives tend to turn players into me-first, stats-obsessed guys, and team incentives make players just want to get traded to better teams. It's just human nature. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0 Report post Posted February 17, 2005 Well, winning the Stanley Cup could make the most money because the playoffs draw the most money. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted February 17, 2005 As for ESPN, fuck them. They never did anything to promote the NHL, and then they trumpet how much better their replacement programming does. Well, of course. I'd love to see NBC draw decent numbers with the NHL by the time the current TV contract expires, just to show Disney that a properly promoted league can actually get ratings. They won't even try. They still have XFL flashbacks and the NHL could, if put on prime-time Saturday nights, draw even worse numbers. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted February 17, 2005 As for ESPN, fuck them. They never did anything to promote the NHL, and then they trumpet how much better their replacement programming does. Well, of course. I'd love to see NBC draw decent numbers with the NHL by the time the current TV contract expires, just to show Disney that a properly promoted league can actually get ratings. They won't even try. They still have XFL flashbacks and the NHL could, if put on prime-time Saturday nights, draw even worse numbers. -=Mike Well, they already have a contract. I wouldn't think they'd intentionally tank their coverage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dogbert 0 Report post Posted February 17, 2005 They won't have to, because the NHL is gonna shut down before they play another game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
starvenger 0 Report post Posted February 17, 2005 Well, winning the Stanley Cup could make the most money because the playoffs draw the most money. Also, players earn their salaries for the regular season only. I'm sure that in practice there are bonuses associated with making/playing in the playoffs, but in theory they're playing only for the Cup. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ether Report post Posted February 17, 2005 Well, winning the Stanley Cup could make the most money because the playoffs draw the most money. Also, players earn their salaries for the regular season only. I'm sure that in practice there are bonuses associated with making/playing in the playoffs, but in theory they're playing only for the Cup. I don't know the exact numbers, but I believe players do get paid for the playoffs, but it is literally peanuts compared to what they get paid for the regular season. Where the owners do end up making tons of money is the playoffs, because they can charge higher ticket prices and hardly pay the players. Heck, management usually wants the series to last 6 or 7 games so they can get that extra home revenue as compared to a sweep. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted February 17, 2005 They won't have to, because the NHL is gonna shut down before they play another game. Do you really believe it would get to that point? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreatWhiteNope 0 Report post Posted February 18, 2005 http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1993944 Yzerman: "It's Not Too Late To Uncancel It" The Hockey News It's not just the fans who think it was crazy the way the 2004-05 NHL season was canceled. According to two separate sources, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux have re-entered the picture in an attempt to get the season back on track. "I was told Gretzky and Lemieux got involved, to try to talk some sense into the (union) executive committee," the source said. "A lot of people who care about the game say they're too close not to at least talk some more." Veteran players are believed to be involved in a movement to resurrect the season. One source said many veteran players called NHL commissioner Gary Bettman directly since the cancellation announcement Wednesday afternoon. Detroit captain Steve Yzerman told The Hockey News he thinks there is still time to save the season. "I don't know if it's necessarily tonight, tomorrow morning, Friday night or Saturday ... I know the season has been cancelled, but it's not too late to uncancel it," Yzerman said. According to multiple sources, NHL chief legal officer Bill Daly has told the group not to contact him until they have a deal. When Bettman canceled the season yesterday, the league and the players' union were just $6.5 million apart on a salary cap. Colorado's Joe Sakic said he had not heard the buzz, but if there are talks going on, that can only be a good thing. "Hopefully it will be behind the scenes because every time it goes public, it gets ruined," Sakic said. "I think this year is finished, but it would be best for everybody if we keep negotiating. There's upset people on both sides. We did a lot of damage in the last couple of days. We've got to find a way to get it done so we can start next year." The Hockey News has learned an NHL general manager contacted a player agent to see if any of his clients would be willing to form a group to try to save the season. Asked if the NHL would be open to meetings that could lead to the cancellation of the season being reversed, Daly responded: "I would love to have that problem." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dogbert 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 NHL, NHLPA to meet this weekend to salvage season? 18/02/2005 7:39:00 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (CP) - The NHL season may be brought back to life after all. Word began to filter out Friday that the NHL and NHL Players' Association were on the verge of re-opening talks in an attempt to "uncancel" the season although neither side would confirm the rumours. "From what I was just told they're going to talk, perhaps as early as tonight," an agent said Friday on the condition of anonymity. Reports indicated both Wayne Gretzky, the managing partner of the Phoenix Coyotes, and Pittsburgh Penguins player/owner Mario Lemieux would be involved as well the normal crew of negotiators, including NHL executive vice-president Bill Daly and NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin. The silence was deafening at the head offices from both sides after reports surfaced of possible new talks, with neither the NHL or NHLPA immediately returning phone calls. One league official said earlier in the day that he was going "underground" for the weekend. "If they're talking right now, that's great," Lightning star Brad Richards said Friday from Tampa. "It's been such a roller-coaster ride, I don't even know what to say. You just never know, anything is possible. "I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't talk for another nine months but I also wouldn't be surprised if there was something done tonight at midnight. That's just how it is right now." There have been rumblings of reviving talks ever since league commissioner Gary Bettman cancelled the season Wednesday with players, owners and GMs burning up the phone lines and wondering how it had happened. "I think both sides took a step back the next day and realized 'we were that close,"' Calgary Flames superstar Jarome Iginla said Friday night from Edmonton. "And I think both sides realized that for the big hit hockey would take, maybe we needed to take another crack at it - if that is the case, I don't know." Talks ended Tuesday night after the NHLPA rejected the league's final offer of a $42.5-million US salary cap. The NHLPA's last offer featured a salary cap of $49 million, leaving the two sides $6.5 apart in their salary cap offers. Privately, some players, GMs and owners all agreed $45 million was the magic number to get a deal done. "I was really upset with the way it ended," said Iginla. "It's hard to believe that after all the back and forth, linkage, no linkage, all that stuff, that only a few million kept both sides apart. "And I understand that a few million is a lot of money but in the grand scheme of things, in a $2.1-billion business and getting everyone past their principles, I would love for this to get done." Plans have been in place for teams to play a 28-game regular season starting March 1 and there's still time for that to happen if both sides can reach a deal this weekend. But there's no guarantee of a deal getting done. "To get it started again and still not do it, that would be a travesty," Iginla said, adding with a laugh, "I'm a young man but this is taking its toll." Hmm. I'd rather they get a deal done for next year, rather than pick up the scraps of this one and haphazardly glue them together. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iggymcfly 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 Scraps would be tight. I'd actually be more interested in the NHL if they had a 30-game season every year. Although at this point, excitement about the prospect of a season is long gone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 Not for me. Let's do the dang thing. Of course...I live in a town that only has 2 sports... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lightning Flik 0 Report post Posted February 19, 2005 Actually, if there WAS less games, they would actually mean more in the long run. I'm really hoping something gets done here soon concerning the league and the PA, because I want my freaking hockey. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
