NHL lockout

[Silver_Stick]

I am sick and tired of Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow's selfishness concerning the lockout. In my opinion why are they having a lockout ? It's childish because there is no need for a lockout. A union for the players was never necessary, and it only caused problems and is now taking away the NHL season. The IIHF doesn't use a labour union and they don't get these kind of problems!

I think the NHL should just put on the NHL season without the labour union and put down their own restrictions on player salaries and other stuff like that because I don't think I could live a whole year or longer without the NHL. Please post your own opinions and give input as to what you think should be done.

[Politically Incorrect]

I think it is stupid! Let them sit there and not play.
Hockey is the only team sport that I like and they screwed it up!
It has been done before in Baseball and look what that got them, don't see the big crowds any more do you?
All of this out of greed , I don't think the players are looking to far into the future, they might never have a season again and what will that prove, go on strike for more money, and next your looking for a job! I hope they all loose thier job as a player!!!!!

Last time this happened the NHL didn't stop they brought in players from IHL and other minor league teams, from other parts of the world and what resulted was some awesome hockey and talent that we wouldn't have known about if it wasn't for the pros going on strike!

So if there is no NHL oh well, I'll enjoy my season tickets to the local minor league team and watch the guys who play the game for the love of the game and screw the ones who play for the dollars.

"Old Time Hockey!!"

[Gogi]

What is this lock out, can you explain to me.
and when is it going to end?

[Nexus]

Simply put: negotiations of a new Collective bargain agreement crashed some weeks ago. And as a result, the NHL team owners haved locked the players out from the arenas, so it is not a strike, but a LOCK OUT.

The NHL and the union - NHLPA - disagree on almost everything, but the NHL is eager to get a salary cap, similar to that in the National football league (NFL), something the NHLPA is against. A salary cap means that each team has a certain amount of money to spend on player salaries. I heard NHL suggested a cap of 30 million dollars per team. Now consider this, the New York Rangers has a team budget of over 80 million, so there are obviously things that needs to be settled before hockey will go on.

This will not end until the dispute is settled, and the forecast is not positive, the whole season might be lost, and even the next one is in jeopardy.

[Iroquois]

The problem with the owners is that Hockey players were making way more than their peers in the NBA and NFL.  They wanted to cap the saleries to bring them into line with other professional sports in North America. The problem is that the hockey players want way to much and the owners have managed the NHL's finances very poorly. Both sides are at fault.  

Of course there is no shortage of Hockey, in Canada anyway. The minor Ontario Hockey League (OHL), I've found is a lot more exciting than NHL games. Five bucks for a ticket for a night of Junior A hockey in your home town. What could be better?  

[ChuckMajik]

This will not end until the dispute is settled, and the forecast is not positive, the whole season might be lost, and even the next one is in jeopardy.

The IOC also stated that if this lockout wasn't settled by January,
they would not allow players with NHL contracts to participate in the next winter games.

[SilverFox441]

Most NHL Teams are losing money...the players are just greedy.

[Politically Incorrect]

And with total disregard to the fans! Fans don't go to games  the Teams or players don't get paid!
This is a situation where the fans will ultimately have the power, if this ever does get resolved then the fans should refuse to go to the games! If no one shows to games not only will the teams learn a lesson but also ticket prices will drop. Hit them where it hurts, as stated above Baseball is still struggling from their last money fiasco and the game has never been the same since and that is because the fans finally decided enough was enough.

Something most don't see is the fact that even though some hockey players get paid more than other Pro sports, it also doesn't get as much "air time".
Football for instance gets major TV time, all weekend, Monday night etc. Meaning more advertising dollars coming in, where as Hockey might get a game shown on "regular" TV (ABC,NBC, CBS ,FOX) once in awhile and mainly towards the end of season, so in all hockey is generally restricted to viewers at home, not everyone has cable, sattilite etc.
But no matter how you look at it professional sports is a waste of money all around, I can't see any reason for anyone to make that kind of money for playing a game, I mean look at these fools who make a few million a year and still have the balls to say they are underpaid!!! Let them go out and get a real job and see what life is really all about!

[Craig.]

Hockey has one other major disadvantage compaired to football and the NBA, international coverage, if you want to see the NHL here you would have to stay up till 1am to watch nothing more than a magazine show, maybe a game will be shown every now and again. The NFL and NBA have multiple shows a week live games and a good following in most parts of the world, yet they have to put up with a salary cap, like others have said some of the best hockey is in the local leagues and european hockey can be rather exciting.

[Gogi]

Ok, i got it now
thanks!!!!

[ChuckMajik]

Hockey has one other major disadvantage compaired to football and the NBA, international coverage, if you want to see the NHL here you would have to stay up till 1am to watch nothing more than a magazine show, maybe a game will be shown every now and again. The NFL and NBA have multiple shows a week live games and a good following in most parts of the world, yet they have to put up with a salary cap, like others have said some of the best hockey is in the local leagues and european hockey can be rather exciting.

Part of that problem is that hockey isn't really that popular in the States.
Womens bowling gets better ratings.

[Craig.]

then should they really be demanding this much money.
no

[ChuckMajik]

then should they really be demanding this much money.
no

I believe in 1995, the average player salary was $733,000.
And now it's something like $1.5 million.

[xFLAMESx]

I believe in 1995, the average player salary was $733,000.
And now it's something like $1.5 million.

:o - Most UK Teams don't even have that much as a TEAM salary :o

I agree with the owners - right now, over here we have some of the best Hockey i've seen for ages INCLUDING NHL Hockey.

As Craig has pointed out, you very rarely have a FULL game >:(, and when you do, it's only the 'big' teams (DET, DAL, TOR etc...) - I think I've only seen 1 Ducks match in 2 years

Well that's my

[xFLAMESx]

! NEWS FLASH !

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