Devils30 Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 September 15, 2004 Dear Hockey Fans: The National Hockey League enjoys and appreciates the support of the greatest fans in the world. We acknowledge that by not starting the 2004-05 season as scheduled due to the lack of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, we are disappointing this loyal and passionate group Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 I know we're all uspet at a lock-out but can you really fault anything he said in the letter? He wants to add cost certainty for the owners and provide a more balanced playing field on the economic side. -Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek21 Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 He says affordable prices. Yeah, right!!!!!! Bettman can shove it!!!!!! He sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOTCB Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 How about an addition: P.S. My administrative assistant wrote this letter, so dont get pi$$ed at me, Im all for the owners, screw you fans!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Odd. I would have thought a Sabres fan would be FOR the lockout. I guess you'd prefer having no hockey at all ever again? I've said it before and I'll say it again: Even if this lockout lasts two years and it produces a more level playing field between the small and large markets, I'm 100% for it. I'm with Gary on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheeps Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Odd. I would have thought a Sabres fan would be FOR the lockout. I guess you'd prefer having no hockey at all ever again? I've said it before and I'll say it again: Even if this lockout lasts two years and it produces a more level playing field between the small and large markets, I'm 100% for it. I'm with Gary on this one. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Moi aussi... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langsgirl Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 im pretty much with u on this one Don... do i wanna see hockey this season... yes.. but i think the players are being too greedy.. if other sports didnt have caps.. then i maybe wouldnt be agreeing with hte owners.. but its worked elsewhere, and its not like its the only sport being asked to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Sports Bureau Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 He ain't really losing the hockey fans though, us dedicated slobs will be back in one year, five years, whatever. It's the passive hockey attendee that they all have to be concerned about. And I don't think this letter will do much for them... not that that they'll even read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 (edited) That's the thing - just how many casual fans ARE there? Yeah, when Bettman took over there were hoards of casual fans that couldn't figure out what that blue line on the ice was for. Not so anymore. Ticket prices eliminated some and the media (and 7) constantly harping about the boring (Devils) style of play have eliminated the rest. CBC did a survey of Canadians that showed that almost 90% of Canadian that buy ticket said they would buy the same or more tickets after the lockout. The people that are left in the buildings ARE the hardcore. As for ticket prices, I don't think they will drop one red cent. And here is why: A business has 20,000 widgets. The widgets go bad in two weeks time, so you can't really sell some now and then some later. They could sell all their widgets at $2 each and have $40,000. Or they can sell the widgets at $20 but only sell 5,000 widgets. They throw away 15,000 widgets, but they make $60,000 more in revenue. It doesn't matter that 15,000 people want those widgets and the company has the widgets to sell. It really doesn't matter how much it cost to make a widget. The company will even go to the union and say that they need to cut costs so they can afford to lower the price of widgets so everyone can afford one. But only the shortsighted would see through that lie. I'm not for the lockout on grounds that I expect to see a drop in ticket prices. I'm for the lockout because I'm tired of seeing so many teams on the verge of bankruptcy. I'm tired of the small market teams (ie Edmonton) always losing their star players. Edited September 15, 2004 by Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek21 Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Most of the NHL is in the states and already, fans are expressing their disdain. The game is kidding itself if they think this approach will keep fans around. Go read what some of the posters at the Cafe had to say. A couple have already bid goodbye. I am sure there are others who feel the exact same way. They (both sides) don't give a rat's ass about us. All they care about is getting a unanimous victory. They can go to hell. I won't miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 All the more for us. Can we have Pheonix and Colorado back? And Hamilton would like to lay claim to Carolina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djstubbs Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 i guess if i have to look at positives now i can get a new video card because there's no tickets to pay for... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vadvlfan Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I think Bettman is sincere. I'm on his side all the way. Who cares how it got this way any more, lets fix it and move on. I'm looking forward to the "NEW" NHL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langsgirl Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Don, I would like to know where i can get one of the widgets? If everyone else wants one.. i might! hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njdevils_info Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Gotta agree with Don and ESB. And as far as ticket prices are concerned, I know they won't go down, but I will appreciate them not going up. Think about it, Stanley Cup Champs and playoff contenders for how long, plus a new arena on the horizon, plus they have lost money the past couple of years. Thats a mix for prices to go up, and they are at $90 already! Bettman, although an idiot when it comes to the rules of the game (lets stop goaltenders from going behind the red line! yay! ), has the right idea when it comes to money. I don't see how the NHLPA justifies their position. If they sit on there butts and don't do anything, teams will go bankrupt and then, if two teams go, you got 40 players who are out of a job. If more go, you loose at least 20 a team. So you reduce some of their salaries a year, big deal. None of them get fired. I just feel bad for the guys who work in the team offices and the league offices that are loosing their jobs. I know a guy who works for the NHL (my brother-in-law's friend) and he will most likely get canned because without games being played, he's got nothing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHEDEVIL30 Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 All the more for us. Can we have Pheonix and Colorado back? And Hamilton would like to lay claim to Carolina. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You might get Carolina and maybe even Phoenix, but I don't think Denver is giving up the Avs. It is almost impossibe to get tickets to a game there. When we were in Denver a few years back we had called to get some tickets, and we were told sold out. They did have seats, just not together. We did finally get good ice seats, it was just they were across the rink from one another. I could see my ex. I just couldn't talk to him. (Hmm... thinking back now that was not such a bad thing ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 (edited) Well, we don't need the Colorado franchise per say.... we're not choosy. I'm sure Quebec City would love to have the Penguins, Ducks or Sabres. My point was that if Americans are turning their backs on the game, the people of Winnipeg, Hamilton and Quebec City would give almost anything to get a team back and they would show up in droves. The true hockey fans - the ones that can't live without it - will be back. Edited September 16, 2004 by Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyFan42 Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Gary B. Bettman Does the B stand for (1) bullsh!t, (2) bastard, or (3) bumbling moron? i guess if i have to look at positives now i can get a new video card because there's no tickets to pay for... You mean your parents can get you a new video card because there's no tickets to pay for, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHEDEVIL30 Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 My point was that if Americans are turning their backs on the game, the people of Winnipeg, Hamilton and Quebec City would give almost anything to get a team back and they would show up in droves. The true hockey fans - the ones that can't live without it - will be back. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey, I agree with you there. I mourned when the Nordiques moved, (at first) and I hated seeing the Jets & Stars go also. I use to live in North Dakota and those teams were the nearest to support (except for the Nords, of course) It is sad that in some hockey crazy cities fans have to travel hundreds of miles to see an NHL game, while some live in a city that maybe fill half the arena. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Sports Bureau Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 That's the thing - just how many casual fans ARE there? Yeah, when Bettman took over there were hoards of casual fans that couldn't figure out what that blue line on the ice was for. Not so anymore. Ticket prices eliminated some and the media (and 7) constantly harping about the boring (Devils) style of play have eliminated the rest. CBC did a survey of Canadians that showed that almost 90% of Canadian that buy ticket said they would buy the same or more tickets after the lockout. The people that are left in the buildings ARE the hardcore. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well in Canada you do have the hard-core fans. But here we have people very willing to go to NBA games if they can't go to NHL. Again, I'm not talking about us. I'm talking about the casual fans. The ones who can talk through games. Who can leave with a playoff game tied... you know that sort of thing. And there's a LOT of that in the U.S... you even see it on the... gasp... Hockeytown broadcasts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteyNice Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I have lost a lot of interest in the NFL since that league got its salary cap. It is hard to follow a team when the roster turns over so much. If the NHL employs a simillar system I won't come back. The owners should not be guaranteed a profit. They should have to earn it like any other business. I will still have baseball and college football/basketball which is enough sport for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 [A] I wouldn't want a system where the roster turns over every year either. I like being able to have Elias stay with the team for a decade. That doesn't HAVE to change. Someone said to make EVERYONE a free agent, and under that scenario you wouldn't see the same roster from one week to the next. As for the owners being guaranteed a profit - under the current system 2/3rds of the league is guaranteed a loss. And under a cap with a floor such as the one Burke proposed, there is no guarantee of profit. If you HAVE to pay $35M, some of the smaller market teams will have trouble even coming up with that amount. [C] Yes. You have baseball. Your beloved Yankees. Whereas my small market Blue Jays and small market Expos have made the playoffs every year for the last decade, eh? It's no wonder yer for free market economic sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squishyx Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 well atleast he apoligized... i mean he might have ruined hockey by being a stubborn [insert censored smiley here] but he apologized... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteyNice Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 (edited) Don, you know the Expos are a special case that has no comparison in any other pro league. The Blue Jays could have been competitive this year but Delgado has sucked and Halladay got hurt. If they take the $15M they will save on Delgado and put it back into the team they should be good next year. I don't see how "2/3 of the league are guaranteed a loss" under the current CBA. Teams are free to spend whatever they want on their teams. If a team struggles to come up with $35M in payroll now they will struggle under any systam that does not include massive revenue sharing, cap or no cap. Also, I don't really believe any team would struggle to put a $35M team out there. If the average ticket price is $50 and you draw 13,000 fans a game (a low estimate) you take in $26M and that is before food, merchandise, parking, local media rights, etc etc etc is taken into account. The owners want guaranteed profits like the NFL has and that really bothers me. The real problem with the current system isn't the system, it's the owners. They can keep players for reletively cheap guaranteed until they hit arbitration. Many of them just choose not to. I don't know if it is because they don't understand the rules or what, but we know noone signs RFAs in the NHL and if they hold out, so what? Where are they going to go? One of the reasons I have no problem paying for Yankee tickets is because I know the owner wants to win more than I do and will take the money I spend on tickets and invest it back into the team. When there is a cap my money does not go back into the team, it goes staright into the owner's checking account. All a salary cap does is give owners an excuse when the team is terrible. Edited September 16, 2004 by PeteyNice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Well, you see, if the owners play hardball with the RFA they tend to sit out whole seasons (Burke), or partial seasons (Niedermayer, Guerin). Are you saying that Lou was a stupid man giving Elias $4.5M/season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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