R.I.P. 2004-2005 NHL Season
We all knew it was coming. Commissioner Bettman had warned that if a CBA deal wasn't struck by the end of the weekend, the NHL season would be cancelled. However, in a very bold move, the NHLPA actually made the first move and stepped down from its no-salary cap position. They came up with a decent offer of $49 million for the cap. The owners countered with a $42.5 million cap. A whole $6.5 million dollar difference. Considering the players were willing to make a compromise, I'm more than upset at the owners for not attempted to close that small gap.
Then again, the owners have annoyed me throughout this whole thing. I understand their desire to have some kind of financial safeguard in place, but they are the reason why salaries have literally tripled since the last CBA was signed 10 years ago. It's the teams like the Detroit Red Wings, the Colorado Avalanche, and the NY Rangers who are willing to play players gross amounts of money that they honestly don't deserve. I mean...come on...Bobby Holik worth $9 million? Gimme a freakin' break. And because people are getting the $9 million a year, in arbitration other players are winning big contracts as well, which boosts up the average salaries even more. The league average salary went from a bit over $500,000 to $1.8 million because of these policies. That is where the owners should hold some responsibility. The small market teams are crying poverty but instead of blaming the players and the CBA, they should be blaming the big market teams like the NY Rangers.
OK so the damage was done. How do you fix it? They want a salary cap, which is fine. I will admit the players were too stubborn on this issue, but then again, they were willing to offer a 24% rollback in salaries instead. Hell, that's a huge move on the players part that the owners should've taken into account. That would knock the average salaries to $1.35 million. That's a big chunk. I know...that many millions, what would a whole $450,000 help? It's a start. It shows that the players cared enough to limit their salaries to help keep teams alive.
But that's all water under the bridge now. Who I really think should be crucified is Bettman. This guy must have promised the owners some sort of cost certainty and was willing to forego an entire season to do it. Does this guy understand the economic ramifications of this? Think of the hundreds of thousands of people who will now be out of work. Already, InGlasCo, the company that makes the pucks used in the NHL, has laid off half of its staff because of the lockout. Think of all the people who work at the stadiums selling hot dogs and merchandise. Think of all the people who work for the teams themselves. Bettman doesn't care. He's the idiot that expanded the league into the small markets to begin with and those are the teams crying poverty. Come on...like Nashville or Miami are going to draw huge crowds to ice hockey games? Be reasonable.
Well, it looks like I'll be taking a few road trips to go see some minor league hockey games over the next few months.
Then again, the owners have annoyed me throughout this whole thing. I understand their desire to have some kind of financial safeguard in place, but they are the reason why salaries have literally tripled since the last CBA was signed 10 years ago. It's the teams like the Detroit Red Wings, the Colorado Avalanche, and the NY Rangers who are willing to play players gross amounts of money that they honestly don't deserve. I mean...come on...Bobby Holik worth $9 million? Gimme a freakin' break. And because people are getting the $9 million a year, in arbitration other players are winning big contracts as well, which boosts up the average salaries even more. The league average salary went from a bit over $500,000 to $1.8 million because of these policies. That is where the owners should hold some responsibility. The small market teams are crying poverty but instead of blaming the players and the CBA, they should be blaming the big market teams like the NY Rangers.
OK so the damage was done. How do you fix it? They want a salary cap, which is fine. I will admit the players were too stubborn on this issue, but then again, they were willing to offer a 24% rollback in salaries instead. Hell, that's a huge move on the players part that the owners should've taken into account. That would knock the average salaries to $1.35 million. That's a big chunk. I know...that many millions, what would a whole $450,000 help? It's a start. It shows that the players cared enough to limit their salaries to help keep teams alive.
But that's all water under the bridge now. Who I really think should be crucified is Bettman. This guy must have promised the owners some sort of cost certainty and was willing to forego an entire season to do it. Does this guy understand the economic ramifications of this? Think of the hundreds of thousands of people who will now be out of work. Already, InGlasCo, the company that makes the pucks used in the NHL, has laid off half of its staff because of the lockout. Think of all the people who work at the stadiums selling hot dogs and merchandise. Think of all the people who work for the teams themselves. Bettman doesn't care. He's the idiot that expanded the league into the small markets to begin with and those are the teams crying poverty. Come on...like Nashville or Miami are going to draw huge crowds to ice hockey games? Be reasonable.
Well, it looks like I'll be taking a few road trips to go see some minor league hockey games over the next few months.
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