DMD Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 In case you have not been near any sports pages in the last week (and I wouldn't really blame you), the NHL has cancelled their season due to an impasse between the NHL owners and the NHL Players Association. Basically as I understand it, the NHL wanted a salary cap and the NHLPA wanted none but later recanted to allow one much higher than what the owners wanted. I'm sure it all boils down to who you ask and what their vested interest is. The Question - Is it acceptable to fans to have a major sports league shut down for the season? Does that impact your opinion or enjoyment of the league? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfden1 Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 18 of the 30 NHL teams would've been under the proposed ($42M) cap anyway. If the NFL can make a cap work...hockey should be able to as well. These greedy players can now, instead of splitting a %(53-54%) of roughly 2.5 Billion in revenue, split a % of nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 While I can appreciate the players wanting their share, it is just hard to fathom that they were being asked to give up so much that forgoing the season was the best option. In any sports, players have a limited span of time to play and giving up a year could be huge to them. Evidently another aspect is that the players cannot vote on anything unless the player's association gives it to them, so there's some amount of power and discretion of the PA over what the players individually want. It is hard to imagine how this serves anyone's best interests, most of all the fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 It does affect my opinion. I think the players in this case are being unrealistic. Hockey is hugh here in Detroit. The stars are getting paid like stars from other sports in what is pretty much a niche sport. The owners are to blame for letting it get to this point because they can't control their own spending, but significant change must take place for the league to survive. The business model doesn't support these salaries because the television contract is a sliver of the other sports. I believe a grave mistake has been made by both sides. Hard core fans will come back but the casual fan (which the NHL was trying to market to) will find other things to do with their time and money. I can't envision 30 teams being able to sustain an existence long-term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Jack Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 To any strike in pro sports- don't let the door hit you in the arse... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSab Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 I wouldn't be suprised to see that , players go to European Leagues. This will definately have some effect on the NHL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 The thing is that the NHL was already considered to be in trouble with declining fans and revenue. The owners are saying now that there will be a 2006 season but have stopped short of saying there would be replacement players. The Players Association has said they are willing to sit out next year too if terms are not more favorable. Too early to say that would ever happen, but imagine hockey selling tickets to games with replacement players. That'd get ugly fast... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 1. I don't know the specifics of the situation. 2. I couldn't care less about hockey. If this were the NFL, however, I think I would be irrate that the players were demanding no salary cap. It's a difficult analogy since we're already in the salary cap era of the NFL, but I can't imagine siding with the players on something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 I wouldn't be suprised to see that , players go to European Leagues. This will definately have some effect on the NHL. 700597[/snapback] I just read that some 300 or so of the leagues 700+ players played in the European league season this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSab Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 (edited) The thing is that the NHL was already considered to be in trouble with declining fans and revenue. The owners are saying now that there will be a 2006 season but have stopped short of saying there would be replacement players. The Players Association has said they are willing to sit out next year too if terms are not more favorable. Too early to say that would ever happen, but imagine hockey selling tickets to games with replacement players. That'd get ugly fast... 700604[/snapback] There will be replacement player, European leageus are paying big $$ , They may lose players permanently. They need to prune the league down to say 21 teams again. Sorry i type with 2 fingers and not that good either. Edited February 16, 2005 by NSab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donutrun Jellies Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Hockey players'greed and arrogance has killed their own sport on the professional level in the US ... Cost certainty is a must for the long term survival of a niche sport. So, we'll see pro hockey back next year with a hard salary cap -- hopefully one tied to revenue levels. Till then, enjoy your 0% of $0, hockey players -- that math should be simple enough even for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAUgrad Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Apparently the NFL could have some labor disputes of their own coming up in the next 3 years. I believe the current agreement includes the elimination of the salary cap in 2007. I thought I read it in PFW, but am still looking for the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Score 1 Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 (edited) I can remember the NFL players strike back in the 80's. The owners brought in some semi pro replacement players and the games went on. The players quickly came back to work and some of the scabs were even signed on as NFL players. Erik Krammer readily comes to mind as one NFL player who got signed because of his performance in those replacement games. Edited February 16, 2005 by Big Score 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Score 1 Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 (edited) I believe the current agreement includes the elimination of the salary cap in 2007. 700675[/snapback] Not quite accurate. What it is, is that the entire current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in 2007. Edited February 16, 2005 by Big Score 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REZ Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 I would hate it if a pro sports league other then hockey shut it down for a season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Not quite accurate. What it is, is that the entire current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in 2007. 700680[/snapback] And it will be extended well before it expires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAUgrad Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 And it will be extended well before it expires. 700689[/snapback] Man I hope so. Don't jack with what works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Score 1 Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 And it will be extended well before it expires. 700689[/snapback] I agree with you. We'll probably see a minor tweak here or there, but more than likely, it'll be very similar to the one that's currently on the books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 Not quite accurate. What it is, is that the entire current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in 2007. 700680[/snapback] Right - and they are already starting to work on it too. No strikes or lockouts in the NFL PLEASE! :bawling: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 I'm numb to the whole thing. I'm not really a hockey fan, but I must admit, the allure of the Stanley Cup playoffs is pretty enticing, and I would catch myself watching the games at a bar or at a buddy's place if it was on. Not that I'd follow the scores or care all that much... it's definitely exciting, nonetheless. Do I care if they canceled the season? Not really. Good call, DMD... definitely a "sign of the times"; hopefully the NFL, NBA and MLB don't follow the same - or similar - path anytime soon. Let this be a lesson to them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilthorp Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 1. I will be watching Slap Shot tonight. 2. Baseball and Hockey need to constrict--both leagues are watered down. 3. Football is still the best sport around because the union will always be run by people that used to play the game. Football has the best drug policy in place, it has the best revenue sharing program in place, and they could expand it by another 10-12 teams and still would not be watered down with the amount of talent this country produces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAUgrad Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Okay, here is the link to the current NFL bargaining agreement set to expire the last day of the 2007 season. http://www.nflpa.org/Media/main.asp?subPage=CBA+Complete If you go to the "final year" segment, it says there is to be no salary cap the last year of this agreement. So let's hope it doesn't get that far!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Does that impact your opinion or enjoyment of the league? 700562[/snapback] you're asking if a league not playing hampers my enjoyment of the league? uhh, yeah. the same way not having beer impacts my enjoyment of beer, i guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 The players are being unrealistic. You can't slice a pie the way they want to. They need a bigger pie, not a better share of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 (edited) Unfortunately there will be more strikes in the future, and they will probably involve all the sports we enjoy watching, including the NFL. :eek: :bawling: Get used to it. It's the American way! Edited February 16, 2005 by Chargerz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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