Comments on: Fehr: Owners got “enormous concessions” from players last time, didn’t fix issues

By: wallio

wallio — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:58:18 +0000

I can’t believe the owners, especially the small market ones, would allow Bettman to continue to lead them. This is his third lockout in less than 20 years!

In the aftermath of the last one, during all the resignations on the NHLPA side, I seem to recall a decent movement for Bettman to leave as well. Of course he was insulted at such an idea, but I wonder if he sees the 2013-2014 season…..

By: atwatercrushesokoye

atwatercrushesokoye — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 01:53:22 +0000

The problem with the 50/50 thought is that Bettman has shown in his history that the middle ground in his mind is exactly what he’s proposed, no need to negotiate with him, he thinks he’s offered the perfect deal.

This worked in 04-05 but the landscape has changed, I just can’t imagine the influential owners (the ones making money) being excited to miss games, especially the team biggest revenue earner who were just purchased for $1.3 BILLION dollars, no way Rogers or Bell want to miss even 1 home date from this money making machine.

By: stakex

stakex — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 01:41:07 +0000

Millionairs fighting over who gets more millions never looks good. The owners are at 43 and the players are at 57…. split it at 50/50 and call it a day. Its really not that hard.

At those numbers, everyone will still make a lot of money.

By: scionofflame

scionofflame — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:55:35 +0000

Actually teams like Florida, Tampa and Nashville stay afloat just fine. They don’t make as much money as they should, but the majority of their costs that aren’t met by hockey revenue are made up by owners.

Phoenix needs to move north, and New Jersey…well, I don’t know about them just yet. Stop blaming all the NHL’s problems on southern teams. We love hockey too, you know.

By: xaf605

xaf605 — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:44:55 +0000

And what have 6or 7 teams in the entire league

By: acieu

acieu — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:31:00 +0000

Close down the money losing franchises and set up a couple New or transfers to Canada. This will allow teams that can make money survive and stop the drain on NHL solvency by paces like Phoenix, New Jersey, Nashville, Columbus, Florida, Tampa Bay etc.

By: atwatercrushesokoye

atwatercrushesokoye — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 23:54:04 +0000

You could also say that about Bettman, this will be his third lockout since 1994…

By: polegojim

polegojim — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 23:27:40 +0000

Actually, that IS kind of the point, isn’t it…

By: xaf605

xaf605 — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:30:35 +0000

Why cant players say to hell with nhl and start there own league !?just sayin

By: crosberries

crosberries — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:27:54 +0000

you have no idea what your talking about

By: onbucky96

onbucky96 — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:14:47 +0000

Donald Fehr, shutting down pro sports since 1994.

By: sjsharks66

sjsharks66 — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:09:23 +0000

Why should the players take a hit and have to take less money?
Why don’t the owners and Bettman learn how to run a business better?

By: elemeno89

elemeno89 — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:05:19 +0000

You’re totally right. But given the PR fact (that you would think they know), shouldn’t that drive a proposal that is favorable towards the players? Their first proposal stated what was on their mind: we will not pay you, you will not take the HRR that we think we are entitled too, and you will not play for another team until you put in your time with us. That is not favorable if you are a player, and further destroyed any shred of hope that they will win a PR battle.

So Bettman’s tactic now is to turn the press against the players by berating their negotiations. The player’s want to play, they are willing to make some concessions, and the press knows that. The press also knows that Bettman stated the owners will not proceed another season under the current CBA which puts a label on when the regular season starts with no new deal put in place. Guess who will win that battle when it comes to that point….

By: trbowman

trbowman — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 21:45:36 +0000

Unlike last time, public opinion is largely against the owners. Next to no one is sympathetic to them.

They’ve gotten murdered in the PR battle, and there’s no reason to think that will not continue.

By: 1943mrmojorisin1971

1943mrmojorisin1971 — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 21:09:42 +0000

Sportsnet is a joke, but a slightly funnier one than Gary Bettman.

It’s been said enough on this site but I’ll say it anyway: owners have no right to complain about how expensive it is to pay their players when they’re willing to shell out astronomically valuable, career-encompassing contracts to every above-average player that hits free agency.

Nobody is on the owners side and they stand to lose a ton of fan support and thereby a ton of revenue if a single day of the season is missed. I know I won’t be coming back to line their pockets if any time is missed.

By: elemeno89

elemeno89 — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 21:07:28 +0000

The main reason why i support the players is because of Gary Bettman’s comments during his press conferences. He repeatedly throws out any questions asked and fails to recognize that the players made concessions the last time he and the owners played hardball. He is trying to put the onus on the player’s as to why a deal hasn’t been struck when he himself after the regular season said there was time to make a deal. Now that the clock is about to strike threat level midnight, he is blaming the players for their lack of negotiating skills, when they really have no right to be making concessions in the first place after 04-05.

Fehr offers in depth explanations as to why he and the players came forward with their terms, and that it was the owners who are at fault for the current CBA, not the players. The “wide gulf” in philosophies and how they see the world come from buyers remorse on the owners end, and I would not fault the players at all if they decide to not play. If I see an owner offer another player an exuberant amount of cash before this deal is done I’m going to scream.