NHL Season in Jeopardy

[Jarrod32]

It doesn't look good...

http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3011656

They'd better have this solved before the end of football season.

[Rolly22]

There is no chance this season will start as scheduled.

[slick814]

Welcome to a lot of College & minor league games. Season ain't gonna happen. Neither side is giving an inch, and I don't see how it's going to get solved in time to make it worth playing a season.
I hope I'm wrong, but things don't look good...

[BIG ISLAND DUDE]

The wild are kind of exciting. But profesional hockey as a whole is a joke. College is a much better game.

I say good riddens.

Now what are we gonna do with that big stadium smack dab in the middle of DT St. Paul?? I suppose its good for a prince concert or two.

I just feel bad for all these toothless millionairs who will be out of jobs.
All in All I say who gives a rats ---.

[Chris-Neises]

well said BID. I feel sorry for the folks in St. Paul though.

[Mister Twister]

Nothing beats the game a big sheet of ice anyhow. Don't think I'v watched a full game of all-star-wresteling/hockey for years. It's a shame the way all that talent gets washed out on the little rinks when clutch-and-grab becomes a way of life.

[Jackpine Rob]

Geez guys, I for one am sad that the season is in jeopardy. When the Wild played their first home playoff game season before last, I swear that was perhaps the most fun I have had a sporting event in years. The pregame itself was worth the price of admission.

My son plays PeeWee, and a few weeks ago he attended a hockey school sponsored in part by the Wild. He had an absolute blast, and had a chance to meet/skate with Willy Mitchell. His opinion of Mitchell was that he couldn't believe such a nice and well-spoken man could get in so many fights. My son enjoys following the Wild, and marvels at the sheer talent some of those guys possess. Taken on that level, pro hockey is not a bad thing.

I think the professional level has cleaned up quite a bit since the movie Slapshot came out - that was the era where I turned my back on professional hockey, returning only 2 years ago. Hopefully some sanity can be injected into the business end of the NHL, so we don't end up with the mess that baseball has become.

[JP Z]

I don't foresee hockey coming back for a couple years at least. By then I think most fans will have given up on it. The union has just screwed itself out of a job. They want toooooo much money, when the owners are operating in the red. It's hard to pay a check without money in the bank.

------------------
Tight Lines,
JP Z
My Sponsors

[Rolly22]

Don't believe everything you see about the owners losing money. Sure, some teams are losing and those are the franchises that are looking to be moved to different markets. The truth is, is that the owners created this monster by signing these players to the huge overvalued contracts. What should the players do when offered these contracts?? What would you do? The owners are now trying to correct their mistakes. As for the players? I was a player during the last lockout, and believe me the younger guys making well below the league average would just as soon loose a leg than sit through a lockout. Its the veterans who have the big contracts who side with Goodenow and would rather sit than give into a cap. Back in '94 each team met and voted with a show of hands as to whether we would give into the owners or sit through a lockout. When you're a rookie like I was at the time, what are you going to do when you see the older players voting "yes" to a lockout. Each side has people to blame for this and unfortunately this is going to bring down the sport of hockey even more than it already was.

[MNice]

Perfect example why pro sports suck. It's not about the sport, it's about the money on BOTH side.

[Ole #1]

So is there any chance of having any season this year?

I miss the wild so much.

Ole

[jegerjack]

I doubt we will see it next season... Both sides are so far a part an neither seem to be willing to budge... The only way I see anything happening is if both sides wake up and realize than nobody cares that they are not playing, which is happening and if they do not get together and work something out soon the NHL should just board up the shop... I thought I was going to be bummed but with the Vikes playing good, a good storyline in baseball and most importantly the Gophers hockey season on the way, I have put any attention that I would have had for the NHL, else ware... So I say, stay locked out and "Go Gophers"!!!

[BackHerUp]

Rest assured that baseball, football and especially basketball owners (and players unions) are watching and taking notice. Frankly, I would like to see all the owners shut-down operations, just based on the fact athletes are demanding way too much money. The owners need to make a profit. They are in business. No one goes into business to lose money. The athletes are employees. They shouldn't demand (in my opinion) that they make most of the money, as opposed to the owner. The owner (not the athelete) has to pay the leases/mortgages on the stadiums, insurance on the properties as well as the thousands of employees under him, licensing fees to the leagues, salaries to the players, supplies (i.e; food for concessions, uniforms, equipment, salaries for security, team staff, lawyers, etc)...and who knows what I else! These are millions of dollars of just up-front, operational costs...before a season even begins!

I can't just go up to my boss and demand that I/we (as employees) make at least half of what the company makes...the company would probably just fire me. Somehow, behind the guise of the players unions, it has become acceptable for the athlete to demand millions of dollars for services not detrimental to anyone's life...but their own. The President of the United States gets a salary of around $200,000 a year (if I recall). That's less than all league minimums! If anyone should get a raise, it should be the President. A seriously underpaid job. (I realize they make millions from speaking engagements and endorsements once retired, but still...look at their age).

The argument athletes like to throw out there is "well, movie actors get paid millions for a movie, what's the difference?"

Movie actors tend to stick around a lot longer than...say an athlete. Movie actors generally are more recognizeable and marketable across the demographic lines than athletes. Athletes may only appeal to certain regions or genders and/or age groups.

Besides all that, an actor may sign a contract for a movie that pays itself off immediately in box office sales/revenues. Sometimes the movie fails and the owner of the production company takes the hit. Guess what. They fold-up tent a lot of times. The similarities aren't even there...so I don't buy it.

So...in closing your Honor, I'd like to say..."to heck with all professional sports" until they realize what it's like to work 14 hour days (at considerably less wages), barely make the ends meet financially, struggle with your medical costs, and not be able to do things with your family that you'd like to, because of money (or lack thereof)!!!

No sympathies from this soldier...

[sledhead]

Him let's see, you have talent let's see you play hockey. your good we'll start ya off at 1/2 mil for 2 years. Play proceeds to do ok but doesn't perform to the hieght. offered new contract for 3/4 mil a year for 2 years. Oh no that's not enough. I can't live off of $750,000.00 Come on. Some of these athletes are the most over paid cry babies I've ever seen. Heh I've got talent to. You don't see me bit@$#%##$@#@ all the time about my wage. Far as I'm concerned me buying a ticket is paying your wage, get to working baby!

In the words of SPREE: I got kids to feed.

Like 14.6 million won't feed them.

[RJ]

Actually a pretty good Winter without Hockey. I seem to be surviving real well. And I'm from "Hockeytown." I see the league having to pretty much start fresh. Hockey just does not have the money or the following to be like baseball or football. Even the NBA has far more fans than Hockey. Hockey is too local. I side with the owners. The union got too strong for it's own good, and should be "busted."

[Rolly22]

RJ,you're from Grand Rapids too? It needs to be a compromise, both sides have good points and both need to give a little. From the players standpoint, why give back salary that the owners agreed to pay. Its the owners fault for giving these contracts in the first place. From the owners standpoint, don't the players want to play? They need to give something back. They have started in the right direction, but is it going to be enough to save the season? Many people don't care one way or the other. Hopefully, they can save the sport.

[RJ]

I've been having a hard time with the concept of the players complaining about the salary cap. I've heard comments about why should the owners have protection from their own ignorance (paying too much). I'm old enough to remember Jack Morris and the baseball conflict of a few short years ago. Remember "collusion?" If the NHL owners banded together to hold down salaries, how long would it be before they were in court fighting a collusion rap? Players in Hockey have no right to expect money like the other pro sports. I don't think it's there to start with. ESPN are more into NBA basketball then they ever were into Hockey. Where is the money to come from? None of the major networks want it, except for the all star game and some (very few) playoff games. Networks don't even want all the Stanley Cup games.

I see the HHL starting over with a very small local audience. Maybe not quite an "original six" but certainly not thirty teams, and none in the Southern US.

It will be interesting to see it pan out. I do love to watch the game. Glad my Spartans are still playing, although they are struggling more than expected this year.

Rick

[Jarrod32]

The following article, titled "Players Agree to Accept Cap", was posted about 1:30 this afternoon. If this is an 'unauthorized' link, an admin will have to remove it...and I apologize.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/3398252

[buzzsaw]

The season is over! Bettman just announced it.

[otto_man]

good, the wisconsin team isn't much to talk about anyway...

[Guest]

Does anyone else think that contraction is a good idea for the NHL? Hockey is such a geographic sport. No wonder why teams are losing money when they are not in hockey markets. Just an idea, what ya think?

[hangbellyrules]

I do and don't. Some (only some) of the teams that are in the worst financial situation are the great hockey towns. It would be a crime to take hockey out of say Edmonton.

[RJ]

I wouldn't be surprised to see additional teams in Canada. Some of the Southern US teams should move to Canada. Toronto could support two teams. Quebec should have a team. Florida, Texas, Arizona, Atlanta should not. They will never survive. Tampa Bay made money last year, but only after the long playoff run. First year in their existance they made a dime.

To be sucessful, Hockey need passion in their fans. Will not happen down South.

[bucketmouth64]

NHL will have a hard time recovering the fan base-- especially in warm climate markets. They will have to have a big marketing campaign whenvever they resume play to get the interest back. I think that the NHL did an awful thing of expanding the number of teams. NHL has the smallest fan base of all the major sports and smallest revenue too. I don't think their national tv ratings are very good either. Wouldn't be surprised that they start contracting teams in markets where hockey is not a known commodity. All those warm climate cities that don't know what snow is or what it is like to have frozen water shouldn't have hockey. Keep it in the North country, reduce the number of teams so the talent pool isn't so dispersed. Reduce the number of games too. Their season should be done when winter is practically over.