Much too the dismay of every hockey fan, the NHL players and owners still have not come too an agreement and it is already affecting the franchise in an economic-business standpoint. It is said that the NHL is already seeing major revenue losses and the lockout has only just begun. Since this is only the beginning, over time, the loss of revenue will only increase higher and higher.
The damage that has already plagued the organization due to the lockout is a near $100 million dollars, just because of the cancellation of the pre season schedule. Consequently, the suffering from this loss will not only be from one side of the debate, but both the players and the owners. With the NHLPA proposing calling a flip for the way that the revenue is divided (originally 43% to player), meaning that the players will now receive 47% rather than the owners acquiring there 57% (which will change to 52%). On the contrary, the owners are unwilling too cut their percentage and also want to reduce the amount of player negotiation rights. They are inching backwards rather than moving forward and are reaching no conclusions.
Moreover, almost 100 locked-out NHLer’s now have deals to play in Europe this including Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Matt Duchene, and Jamie Benn. So if these players are willing too sign with other leagues, are they in fact in much of a hurry too negotiate and create a compromise, or are they just looking for something too fill their time while NHLPA and the NHL are at a crossfire.
However, there are also players who aren’t finding alternatives as easily as these and are just fed up with the entire ordeal. Zach Parise, who just renewed a contract with the Minnesota Wild ($98 million), can’t be more upset with the NHL president’s decisions. With Gary Bettman constantly bragging about the “record revenue” the NHL supposedly makes each year, Parise is upset because “they want to take a quarter of what you’ve made away”, which is what he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
And of course stuck in the middle of this are the fans who went through this exact predicament back in the 04′-05′ season, in which the players agreed to take a cut in their wages so the next season could continue. Personally, I believe it is time for the owners too have give some leeway in their negotiation. Making 52% may be a significant difference then their 57% but at the end of the day it is not like they are living a paycheque to paycheque life style and they should remember the amount of they are making is huge. All in all the greediness really needs to stop and both sides need to remember the reason the joined the franchise in the first place, for the love of the game.
