NHL lockout inches closer after meeting
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
NHL lockout inches closer after meeting
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
NEW YORK _ Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, painted a bleak picture following a meeting between representatives of the owners and players Wednesday as the two sides inched closer to a lockout.
After a nearly three-hour meeting at the NHL’s headquarters in New York City, Bettman said the NHLPA’s proposal was “not much different” than their last one and labeled it “unacceptable.” He said the owners made a counter offer “in hopes of moving these negotiations along.”
“I don’t know yet if this is going to lead to anything,” said Donald Fehr, head of the players’ union.
Bettman said if the players don’t accept the owners’ latest proposal by Saturday night “that deal is off the table” because of damage that will be done if time is missed.
The collective-bargaining agreement expires late Saturday night. If no agreement is in place by that time, the NHL will have its second lockout since 2004-05.
The owners want a six-year CBA, while the players are hoping for a four-year pact. Bettman said the latest plan would give the players between $250 million and $300 million more than the owners’ previous proposal.
Fehr didn’t seem impressed.
Bettman said cutbacks on players’ salaries would be about 9.7 percent by the NHL’s estimation. The NHL’s initial proposal reportedly wanted the players to take a 24 percent cut.
Other issues, such as length of contracts and revenue sharing, are on hold until the hockey-related revenue (HRR) debate is solved, Bettman said.
The owners made a concession by deciding not to attempt to redefine what constitutes hockey-related revenue. But the league still wants a reduction in players’ salaries through escrow.
In the last collective-bargaining agreement, players received 57 percent of the HRR. Before Wednesday, the NHL wanted to reduce the players’ share to 46 percent. Bettman said the league has raised that figure but would not give specifics.
While the players believe revenue sharing will help the small-market teams stay afloat, Bettman doesn’t feel that way.
“We don’t view revenue sharing as an issue,” Bettman said. “There’s going to be more than enough money to satisfy any revenue-sharing concerns.”
As a show of solidarity, close to 300 players _ Including several Flyers_ met at a downtown Manhattan hotel for a union meeting Wednesday evening.
Got my season tickets in the mail today. As I opened the envelope, the ticket packs slid out into the garbage can. As I picked them out, I thought to myself: "Should I bother?" They might not be worth the cardboard stock they're printed on.
I don't care who concedes what. Just get it done.— thebit- Fehr and Bettman are 2 ego driven Idiots who could care less about Hockey! It's all about their image as tough negotiators. Someone should teach them the meaning of the word COMPROMISE! I'll miss watching and talking Hockey with my Son!— cooperhawk
- This is so pathetic. Honestly, how many lockouts can this league have and hope to "survive'? The bickering over $ is great - except if they continue to cancel seasons every 7 years or so. How can one not look to Commissioner Gary Bettman and wonder aloud if he truly is the best man to oversee this major professional sports league. Perhaps it's meaningless in markets like Phoenix, Tampa Bay, and Florida. However, in real hockey towns like Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, New York, etc - this simply crushes the fans who love the sport and are eager to support the teams. The Winter Classic was a brilliant display of how much love there is for this sport. To squash a season (again) maybe the final straw that turns even the die hard fans off. College hockey is great - the Beanpot tourney is a blast - there are other ways to watch and enjoy hockey. It's such a shame that the greatest players in the game won't have a stage to perform on for those who love to watch and for themselves - as they clearly love the game (you'd have to - ever had a 6'2, 225 lbs man try to separate your head from your body - while going 30 mph on skates? not fun - for either party). Get this settled!— mebphila
- The only reason Nashville matched the Weber offer is because their ownership knows it can hold out and try to get a cap on salaries like the other owners want (though less want than Nashville's owners) and get long contracts like Weber's voided. If there was no impending lockout there's no way they would have matched that.— poger67
- that would not be correct. That contract was signed under the current CBA. Its valid and legal under the current CBA and the lockout is why the Flyers put the "poison pill" into the offer. I believe Weber gets paid regardless of lockout. You may also notice all the recent signings for 6 years. The general assumption is that contract lengths in new CBA will be capped at 5 years. No way they will void legal deals — Mottz
All around the mulberry bush
The monkey chased the weasel.
The monkey thought 'twas all in fun.
Pop! goes the weasel.
(All around the negotiating table
The owners chased the revenue.
The fans thought 'twas all in fun.
Pop! goes the season.)
A penney for a spool of thread,
A penney for a needle.
That's the way the money goes.
Pop! goes the weasel.
(A billion for the owners' thread,
A million for a player.
That's the way the money goes.
Pop! goes the season.)
Up and down the City Road,
In and out of the Eagle,
That's the way the money goes.
Pop! goes the weasel.
( Gary goes up, Don goes down,
In and out of the deal,
That's the way the money goes.
Pop! goes the season.)
Half a pound of tuppenney rice,
Half a pound of treacle,
Mix it up and make it nice,
Pop! goes the weasel.
(Half a hockey related revenue,
Half another proposal,
Mix it up and make it nice,
Pop! goes the season.)
Comment removed.- Why does it seem that Bettman is behind the owners, yet is the COMMISSIONER of the NHL? Does he not have the players best interests in mind also?
And one more thing- eventually, the labor strife will be settled, so why not settle it- NOW?!?!?!?— mrjarn - Brilliant, FlyerFan, brilliant! Bettman and the owners are disgusting, filthy, slime billionaires and I am absolutely certain that they could care less that I feel this way!— Nihilist
- It was easy to predict that this would happen when Donald Fehr became the union leader. We saw how he held baseball hostage for 20 years. Hockey players are making a fortune compared to several years ago. Add to the fact that Bettman is a stubborn jerk and here we are. No fun.— Ballgame
- First they have to reduce the number of games in the hockey season from what seems to be 102,000 to a more meaningful number.— Ouwachon
- I look at it another way if there is a lock-out for awhile....Flyers d-men like Lilja and Mezaros may have time to heal and be ready to play, say by Dec/Jan2013.— Romus
