Bettman letter to the fans

[LOTCB]

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}>

Don you are right, as a Sabres fan seeing them go bankrupt and whatnot, Id like to see a more smaller market friendly system. The average salary of a person in Buffalo is 26K US, compared to 42K in the NYC Area (rough estimates), just as an example. Sabres fans cannot afford these ticket prices escalating at the rate they were increasing. Changes have to be made. Buffalo is a very solid hockey town. In the 70's into the 80's, we sold out every game for almost 9+ years. Only the year when the Sabres declared bankrupcy did they have MAJOR attendence issues. Something needs to be done for places like Buffalo, Calgary, Edmonton, and others.

But there is another side of me that is so pissed off at the league for locking out and the players not compromising, because first and foremost Im a hockey fan. And lately lets be honest, Tampa Bay and Calgary recently proved you can win without a large payroll. Other teams have made runs as well. The 95 and 2000 Devils didnt have huge payrolls either when they won the Stanley Cup.

A friend of mine works for the NHL office in New York and he has been laid off. I interned with the Devils in 1996 in the PR department. I see how hard those people work in the PR, Marketing and Sales department. They arent rich, they feed their families and are good people. Now they may lose their job, because there is nothing to do. Thats who I really feel for, I could give a crap about Mike Modano's dog food money or what have you.

Another friend of mine who really isnt a big hockey fan but casually follow it once told me "I always know hockey fans are so loyal and passionate, one reason is it amazes me how many loyal hockey fans know all the names of the refs" And there are plenty of loyal fans like us on this board. These two sides better get their heads out of their a$$, because this loyal fan and others may turn its back on the league if an entire year is lost. And that is when the NHL will REALLY have problems.