Post by Pitbull on Feb 12, 2005 21:09:43 GMT -5
What will the future of the NHL hold?
That's a huge question. TSN is saying that if there is a shortened season, this could hurt the fan base that likes to see the entire season play through then award the playoffs to the best overall 8 teams per conference for the right to challange for the Stanley Cup. I see their point as a 28 game season doesn't speak about trials and tribulations, about the hard work and injuries over the season has made each team grow or decline. It doesn't show that the 2 teams in the finals have played close to 100 games and are tired and hungry yet the heartbreak that can happen if they quit now. A 28 game season is like having a training camp, exhibition games, then just as you start your second wind, there's the playoffs. Not like it should be when your second wind happened about 6 winds ago. (Whatever that means, LOL).
However, I would still watch and support hockey if the season were somehow salvaged. Big problem. The NHLPA will not send the NHL owners proposal to the players for a vote and will not change their stance on a salary cap. A point the owners said they must agree to.
THe players don't or won't understand that a salary cap can keep some of the lower teams alive and actually worth seeing. There are hardly any fans in some markets because their team is terrible and they don't want to spend that much money on watching something that they can't be proud of. At the same time, some cities just don't deserve a team because fans simply don't care about their team.
In the same aspect, the Owners have to realize that they must also do things to support the smaller market teams with big fan bases like Calgary, Edmonton, and a few US teams. Ticket prices need to be lowered and in the long run, a ticket average of 40 bucks with 14,000 fans attending is much better than 6,000 paying 80 dollars on average. Things can and must be done.
1: Salary Cap, it might not even be the most important thing, but in order to stabalize the league, this could really help.
2: Revenue sharing, the owners don't see this as a good thing??? What??? If the Redwings and Rangers shared their profits with the rest of the league, then the other teams could survuve and everyone could get along. That's what the NFL does. Every team is equal. It's just that some teams are smarter. But let's face it. If you own an NHL franchise, you better not be expecting huge profits, you own a team, that's prestige, that's something to brag about. The entire league should take all the profits from their revenue, put it in a big bucket and fairly distribute it to the teams across the league. Once again, the NFL does it.
3: Luxury tax, it's pointless unless there is a stiff fine of at least 100% for violators combined with a soft and hard cap. How many teams will break the 32 million soft cap? Lets pick a number of let's say 10. so you take 10 teams combined to spend 8 million more than they should. 80 million. Now, divide that among the 20 teams that were good boys. 4 million a pop. That is not shabby. Combine that with revenue sharing which could be huge. Just ask the stores carrying Winnipeg Jets merchandise. TV Deals. Which the NHL and others should go to the table and hammer something out that works for both sides. Ok, I'm getting off track here.
4: Contraction and Expansiion, Teams have to leave the NHL. For starters it would be Anaheim, Florida, Carolina, Nashville and Pheonix. I don't say Canadian teams not because I'm Canadian, but because those cities with teams sell. As for expansion or relocation, Winnipeg, Seattle, Portland, Kansas and Wisconsin could get a team. Winnipeg of course because we have been pining for our Jets for 9 years. Of course there has to be less teams than there are now so a lot of relocation could be a wise idea. Many of the southern states don't care less about hockey, never have, never will. Of course, I don't want to be lectured on any cities I've named because I was just looking at a map of the USA and seen some places where it could be cold enough.
Well, I want the NHL back. But, I also want to see the NHL again. I like watching the Stanley Cup playoffs where the teams with the most goons find their way out all too quickly and the real quality seems to burst through into the final four. Now that's hockey. Also, Don Cherry on coaches corner is hockey.
It seems my sig will soon say, World War 2 couldn't stop the NHL playoffs, but the Ego's in 2005 DID.
That's a huge question. TSN is saying that if there is a shortened season, this could hurt the fan base that likes to see the entire season play through then award the playoffs to the best overall 8 teams per conference for the right to challange for the Stanley Cup. I see their point as a 28 game season doesn't speak about trials and tribulations, about the hard work and injuries over the season has made each team grow or decline. It doesn't show that the 2 teams in the finals have played close to 100 games and are tired and hungry yet the heartbreak that can happen if they quit now. A 28 game season is like having a training camp, exhibition games, then just as you start your second wind, there's the playoffs. Not like it should be when your second wind happened about 6 winds ago. (Whatever that means, LOL).
However, I would still watch and support hockey if the season were somehow salvaged. Big problem. The NHLPA will not send the NHL owners proposal to the players for a vote and will not change their stance on a salary cap. A point the owners said they must agree to.
THe players don't or won't understand that a salary cap can keep some of the lower teams alive and actually worth seeing. There are hardly any fans in some markets because their team is terrible and they don't want to spend that much money on watching something that they can't be proud of. At the same time, some cities just don't deserve a team because fans simply don't care about their team.
In the same aspect, the Owners have to realize that they must also do things to support the smaller market teams with big fan bases like Calgary, Edmonton, and a few US teams. Ticket prices need to be lowered and in the long run, a ticket average of 40 bucks with 14,000 fans attending is much better than 6,000 paying 80 dollars on average. Things can and must be done.
1: Salary Cap, it might not even be the most important thing, but in order to stabalize the league, this could really help.
2: Revenue sharing, the owners don't see this as a good thing??? What??? If the Redwings and Rangers shared their profits with the rest of the league, then the other teams could survuve and everyone could get along. That's what the NFL does. Every team is equal. It's just that some teams are smarter. But let's face it. If you own an NHL franchise, you better not be expecting huge profits, you own a team, that's prestige, that's something to brag about. The entire league should take all the profits from their revenue, put it in a big bucket and fairly distribute it to the teams across the league. Once again, the NFL does it.
3: Luxury tax, it's pointless unless there is a stiff fine of at least 100% for violators combined with a soft and hard cap. How many teams will break the 32 million soft cap? Lets pick a number of let's say 10. so you take 10 teams combined to spend 8 million more than they should. 80 million. Now, divide that among the 20 teams that were good boys. 4 million a pop. That is not shabby. Combine that with revenue sharing which could be huge. Just ask the stores carrying Winnipeg Jets merchandise. TV Deals. Which the NHL and others should go to the table and hammer something out that works for both sides. Ok, I'm getting off track here.
4: Contraction and Expansiion, Teams have to leave the NHL. For starters it would be Anaheim, Florida, Carolina, Nashville and Pheonix. I don't say Canadian teams not because I'm Canadian, but because those cities with teams sell. As for expansion or relocation, Winnipeg, Seattle, Portland, Kansas and Wisconsin could get a team. Winnipeg of course because we have been pining for our Jets for 9 years. Of course there has to be less teams than there are now so a lot of relocation could be a wise idea. Many of the southern states don't care less about hockey, never have, never will. Of course, I don't want to be lectured on any cities I've named because I was just looking at a map of the USA and seen some places where it could be cold enough.
Well, I want the NHL back. But, I also want to see the NHL again. I like watching the Stanley Cup playoffs where the teams with the most goons find their way out all too quickly and the real quality seems to burst through into the final four. Now that's hockey. Also, Don Cherry on coaches corner is hockey.
It seems my sig will soon say, World War 2 couldn't stop the NHL playoffs, but the Ego's in 2005 DID.