People with far better business acumen have tried to start professional sports leagues and have fallen flat on their face. I wouldn't invest $1 into a player-run Canadian league. Fans don't really care about the players themselves, they care about the franchises. If a players-league team in Toronto (even one loaded with stars) had to face the return of the Toronto Maple Leafs with lesser players, fans would flock back to the NHL.I'm sure all the fans and viewers will support them whole heartedly. NHL team owners can go to hell. I don't watch much hockey btw. discuss.
I cannot agree more.Why don't all the owners say f*** *** to the players and sign up AHL players for a signing bonus of $1MM each and a salary of $1MM each. I am sure the fans and viewers would support them whole heartedly.
The current NHLPA can go to hell.
There are always two sides to every story
Personally, I think the players are extremely well compensated and the owners deserve a return on their investment for the financial risk they take on.
And you'd pay how much to watch the owners skate around?I cannot agree more.
To Hell with the NHLPA ... and then some.
Most or all the owners have real businesses where they make their money. To them, NHL hockey is just a hobby and not a business.The players are worth nothing without the League, and it's worth nothing without the players. The owners locked out the players to force them to give up money they had previously contracted to pay, now they have to live with the consequences of their strategy.
Precisely!The owners locked out the players to force them to give up money they had previously contracted to pay, now they have to live with the consequences of their strategy.
And where would they play the games ?I'm sure all the fans and viewers will support them whole heartedly. NHL team owners can go to hell. I don't watch much hockey btw. discuss.
I suppose each player can go indie (like SP's) and charge us $250 an hour to watch them skate around and shoot the puck.And you'd pay how much to watch the owners skate around?
I wouldn't pay to see him skate, but back in the day I'd pay to see Ballard checked into the boardsAnd you'd pay how much to watch the owners skate around?
.
Doesn't mean they're prepared to lose money on their hobby, although it may well mean some of them think with their little heads—so to speak—when signing deals that they can't pay for.Most or all the owners have real businesses where they make their money. To them, NHL hockey is just a hobby and not a business.
As I have heard the NHLPA's intention was to start the current year under the old CBA and keep the negotiations going until playoff time at which time they would go out on strike. I understand player's salaries paid out on regular season games only - not playoffs. Owner profits really made via playoff appearences. If what I hear is true, no wonder the owners locked them out before season even began.And you'd pay how much to watch the owners skate around?
The players are worth nothing without the League, and it's worth nothing without the players. The owners locked out the players to force them to give up money they had previously contracted to pay, now they have to live with the consequences of their strategy. It's rather obvious from recent events that what's standing in the way of settlement has more to to with macho ego than money. But unlike a hockey game, in this sort of contest, no one wins by defeating the other. Get the 'winning is the only thing' bozos onto the sidelines and the thing should settle pretty fast.
Because to the typical Canadian sports fan it must be minor league if it is not American based and controlled. Look at the CFL, a vastly more interesting game than the NFL. Hated by the American lovers here in Toronto.I agree, but why look all the way to Europe? If rich owners would start an exclusive 'Canadian' League, then NHL players locked out could play closer to home. If the money was good enough, the arenas were packed, then once the NHL resumed, many NHL players might consider such a league once their contract ended.
Even if not called the 'NHL' look at the problems faced over the last 10yrs. Plus, how nice would it be for hundreds of Canadian kids to play in their home towns by choice?
You always take the view that an owner (city or company) who signs a deal is a fool for doing so if they lose money on the contract.Doesn't mean they're prepared to lose money on their hobby, although it may well mean some of them think with their little heads—so to speak—when signing deals that they can't pay for.
Whether hobby or business—and MLSE is certainly the latter—this dustup was kicked off by owners demanding a rollback or they'd do a lockout. Now it's a hobby for all, 'cause no one's making any money.
Until the owners come up with a way to convince the boys who sell the tickets to let them break their promises, they're gonna have to wait until everyone's hurting as bad as the hobbyists who made the bad bets. Or until they can get the egos gagged so those without axes to grind can do a deal that works for all.
To paraphrase Latrell Sprewell, "But I've got a family I need to feed."They would have wasted their talent during their prime earning years and for what?
Because they wanted $5 MM a year and not $ 3.25 MM
For the next generation of players. Many of these players won't be around for the full duration of the next agreement, some won't be around for half of it, heck some may not have a job when they begin again. But they have to fight for what they have. If they surrender too much now they won't have anything to protect next CBA.They would have wasted their talent during their prime earning years and for what?
Because they wanted $5 MM a year and not $ 3.25 MM
The PA is not a union, despite this common misconception. If it were a union, then these players would have their job secured for many more years, salaries would be relatively equal and all that.Greed should be spelled U..N..I..O,,N