That said, it is simply too bad that the powers controlling the NHL (on both sides of this issue) don’t seem able to identify the proper context with which to build their business model. A lockout can only hurt their ability to make money. It took awhile for fans to come back to every sport that has had a lockout and the NHL will be no different. In fact, it could be said that many fans (those the hardcore like to call bandwagoners, but who help fill arenas) will never come back.

Technically speaking, taxation is a form of socialism. Social security is a form of socialism. Medicare is a form of socialism. Facebook is certainly socialist, as it brings folks together to socialize. Hell, that town-sponsored dance from last week lets people socialize, so it must be somehow anti-capitalist.

There are few, if any, obvious demarcations in the world. Everything is a blend, and in many cases there is nothing at all wrong with blending capitalism and socialism. The trick is to take the best of both and not toss the baby out with the bathwater. Have there been bad governments that labeled themselves socialist? Of course, but just like bad governments that labeled themselves capitalist (or progressive or conservative or any other label you’d like to identify) they merely took advantage of what most people desired in order to gain power. Hell, the Nazis called themselves the National Socialist Party even though they were obviously on the other end of the political spectrum.

@Shilo221

Not to preach to the choir, but as many people have put on these post, the NHL will have grave losses in fan base if there is lockout. I’ll give a good example though. I have a group of friends and out of them I’m the only true hockey fan. However, I’ve since gotten them involved and they enjoy going to games now even though they’re not die hard fans. If a lock out happens, without me re-introducing them to the sport they will likely not remember how much fun they’ve had. The NHL knows a portion of it’s fan base will always be intact. But have they really considered the what I’d call “tertiary” fans that get brought in and will disperse if a lock out occurs? What would the financial outcome of that be now considered what happened back in 2004?

I don’t claim to know it all, or state the obvious, nor would I jump out on a limb and tell them what they need to do…but I think the owners need to really start having the attitude of the players and recognize that a deal needs done and it needs done without a lock out for the sake of everyone involved…the owners, the players, and most importantly the fans.