[NHL] Lockout: Who is to blame?

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Okay, I know there is another thread about the lockout but we need a poll. I want to blame somebody for my lack of hockey now that the world cup is over (albeit with good results).

Should we trust the numbers from the league? Is Gary Bettman trustworthy? He claims that the league (as a whole) loses US$300 million per season and that the current economic conditions are unsustainable.

The players maintain that the league has the power to control salaries right now. Stop signing unrestricted free agents to megabucks and walk away from the odd arbitration. I think that's only happened twice and both times by Boston (yea, Harry Sindin is a cheap-ass).

What about the fans? In Toronto they'd pay just about anything. It's all corporate ownership anyway except for the nosebleeds. Platnium tickers are unavailable and how long is the waiting list for golds or reds? 15 years? More?

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Okay, my solution? Drop the fourth line. They're pluggers anyway.

Go with 9 forwards, five (or six) defenceman and two goalies. That'll save each club $4 million or so.

Players are in much better conditioning then they were 40 years ago and can handle the extra ice time. It'll add additional strategy to the game too. Once upon a time, players were visibly tired on the ice.

[Aaron Veteran]

All you have to do is look at the NFL for a good model. Revenue sharing ensures that any year a team can be competitive. Also, I think there are just too many damn teams and the season is was too fricking long. Playoffs take, what? 3 months?

[ChicoCahill]

too many teams, too many high paid players

[....]

too many teams, too many high paid players

There's your real answer. Oversaturation of a luke-warm market.

[Chad]

Bingo. Players want too much money from a league that is already struggling. Didn't the Penguins file for bankruptcy recently?

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Perhaps a mod would like to add a new poll option:

The Owners and the Players should be blamed equally

[....]

Done.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Done.

Thank you. It was a fairly significant omission on my part:blush:h:

I still think that if the league finances were as poor as Bettman would suggest than more clubs would be walking away from arbitration decisions. That just hasn't happened (with the exception of Boston).

[rvbfan]

I don't care who's to blame just get it fixed and

start the season!

DO YOU HEAR ME, GOODENOW, BETTMAN!!!!

[Pink Floyd Veteran]

players at 100%

[Fred Derf Veteran]

I don't blame the players. Sure they can ask for the big money but the clubs don't have to pay it. They can walk away from arbitration settlements and not sign anybody over 31 in March.

The owners have always had the tools to control salaries but they've never used them.

So therefore I blame the owners.

As I've said before, however, I wouldn't mind seeing the fourth line cut. I'd like to see how tired 18 forwards would get after three periods. It might add some strategy (actually it might return us to the strategies that existed 30 years ago before the players were in such phenomenal shape),

[Boffa Jones Veteran]

I blame tha players like i did in the old thread

[Soviet]

Anyone to blame the owners or the fans is just dumb. It's all about the owners wanted salary caps and the greedy players not having any of that.

If the NHL goes away... I'll still sleep at night. As far as pro-sports go, it's fairly small.

[Ayepecks]

Both.

The players are being too unrealistic about a salary cap. The owners are also being too demanding and "I-want-it-my-way"-ish.

[Kurt]

Sure - Players.. Who elses? All they need is $$$$$$$

:crazy:

[KZWings]

A lot of players WANT to play. I think about 200 NHLers are over in Europe playing right now. I could be wrong, but that has nothing to do with the money.

[Kurt]

Right... They don't make much money, they go for Europe. Who's making alot of money goes Europe? No one, right?

[rayjin]

i dont get why these players get millions of $$$ just to play a sport.. same thing with other sport.. sheesh.. i dont see us tech people get millions for what we love to do.. sit in front of a computer stare at neowin's web page. :happy:

[Death By Sexy]

i watch these loosers on the CBC every day. they argue like children. they're both to blame!!

[Ayepecks]

Right... They don't make much money, they go for Europe. Who's making alot of money goes Europe? No one, right?

Not in hokey, bud.