Good-bye, NHL season?
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Good-bye, NHL season?
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The NHL season seems on the verge of being canceled after talks with federal mediators broke off on Thursday without any progress.
The mediators were dismissed for the time being, meaning they had two whole days to intervene.
Two.
"We are disappointed the mediation process was not successful," said Bill Daly, the NHL's deputy commissioner, on the 75th day of the lockout.
On Twitter, fans roasted the owners and players.
Tweeted Flyer_Bully: "....flyer fan for over 35 years now, and I'm done, they can all shove it."
ESPN reported that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman proposed to Donald Fehr, the NHLPA boss, a meeting between owners and players _ without league or players' association officials.
Fehr and the players are apparently considering it.
Fehr did not address the issue when he released a statement, saying the mediators "informed the parties they did not think it was productive to continue the discussions further today." He added that the mediators would "stay in contact" and "call the parties back together when they thought the time was right."
This would be the second NHL season canceled in the last nine years.
There are numerous issues on the table, including how to divide hockey-related revenue _ it reached a record $3.3 billion last season _ free agency, arbitration, and length of contracts.
The NHL's latest offer was a 50/50 split of hockey revenue and $211million toward the "make whole" provision, which goes toward players' salaries. The players would agree to a 50/50 divide if it included $393 million.
But even if that issue is resolved, Daly said in an email, there are many other areas in which the sides are far apart.
There is a Board of Governors meeting Wednesday, during which more games could be canceled. As it stands, games have been canceled through Dec. 14.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
Dear Mr. Snider, I will NEVER attend another Flyers game, I will NEVER buy another Flyers jersey, I will NEVER spend another dime on your organization as long as I'm alive, and maybe even after I die!!
-Frustrated fan— CoettaGarner25- Everyone follow the links posted by backhand and send the Flyers and the NHL a message that we're fed up with this situation. Squeaky wheel . . .— CoettaGarner25
- We can send all the emails we want, post tons of comments, bombard the owners/players with hate mail and negative commentary. But quite honestly, they don't give a rats behind about the fans. Either side. The fans are so secondary it almost renders us irrelevant. Sure they may lose some of the fringe fans but the hardcore fans always come back. I know because I'm one of them. Even if the season was 30 games, I'd watch every one. I'd love to boycott the Flyers but deep in my heart I don't think I can do it. I just love the sport too much. I also wonder how much of the blame Snider should really get. I'm sure him and a few other of the successful, money making franchises are tired of paying charity for the less successful teams to stay afloat. If you can't make it succeed, you don't get a franchise. Easy as that. That is where Bettman made a huge mistake. Expanding too fast into weak markets then making others help keep them afloat is a recipe for disaster. Snider grew hockey in this city from nothing-hell he had to beg for a loan and finally found someone who actually knew what hockey was and they took a risk on him. He built up his franchise from nothing and didn't get any handouts. If he did it, why can't others do that? I guess they'd rather take charity (or revenue sharing as the league calls it). There are disputes between owners and players, but I think there are disputes between the owners too.— ena1977
- I disagree that communicating our displeasure is futile. I have been in the business world for over 45 years and can state emphatically that customer feedback *does* get management's attention.
But do NOT take the tact that @CoettaGarner25 suggests in his comment to Ed Snider above. While I understand the anger and frustration it expresses, and share it, it is not the way to get a favorable response from management. Don't tell them you are already done with them. Tell them you *will* be done with them if they don't resolve this dispute, and resolve it quickly.
Mention how much money you have *already* spent on tickets, merchandise, NHL Center Ice, parking, and concessions. Put a dollar amount on it. Avoid abusive language, Remain businesslike but be clear that as a fan, and more importantly, as one of their sources of revenue, you are not amused.— backhand - As like all of you, I am disgusted with this lockout. I don't blame the players because they have signed contracts, an agreement to perform for a said amount of money per season. I would not be happy if my company said I'm reducing your bonus and cutting your salary because I'm to greedy. Some union would step in and sue for me. (I am not a union member). The greedy owners are the bottom feeders on the Forbes list. If I own a franchise in the real world, my competitor doesn't support me with "sharing" their profits. Nashville offers a player $28m signing bonus before the lockout and cries poor! Sure the Ed Sniders of the league are sending "support" to Nashville to pay for the signing bonus blocking the Flyers from signing the same player. Why doesn't bettman step in and void stupid deals by stupid owners. And for you Snider bashers, the Flyers always try to put a winning team on the ice, using the rules and creating a spending plan to get what they want. Ed Snider does a lot of "sharing" in the surrounding area which in the long run benefits both local hockey and the Flyers by attracting new fans.
How about the fans strike by sending season tickets back, meeting in front of NHL arenas as a protest and if the season ever returns let them play in empty arenas, no money from concession stands, no cheering or booing the opposition...Crosby sucks. And then start a new cheer..Bettman sucks! But none of that will ever happen because, as fans, we're to greedy for hockey and would run back as soon as the doors open. Glad I gave up my partial plan! Now a 3 hour drive to watch my son's college team play.— little aj - "How about the fans strike by sending season tickets back, ...", etc.
A laudable goal, but while not impossible, highly improbable to achieve. The main reason the owners are able to ride out a lock-out is that they already have in their accounts the money from season ticket holders. Maybe not a full house worth, but enough to weather the storm since they aren't paying salaries.
For your plan to work, current season ticket holders would have to ask for a refund, and you would have to hope that no one on the waiting list stepped up to purchase the seats. Both are, unfortunately, high unlikely to occur. Current season ticket holders are going to be very reluctant to surrender seats they may have had for years (decades?), and folks on the waiting list will be hard pressed to NOT jump at the chance to get in the game.
Season ticket holders (individuals and corporations) are unwittingly helping to finance the lockout. And the NHL counts on it.— backhand - Also if this ever ends, fire bettman and hire Ed Rendell as commissioner.— little aj
Who will get what percentage of ZERO of my dollars?
