Hockey, an essential to the Vancouver lifestyle, is the biggest professional sport in Canada and the only sport in which Vancouver currently has a team excelling. Unfortunately for the us–the average fan, aspiring athletes, puck bunnies, playoff bandwagoners, or the hardcore hockey insiders like myself–we will be without the 2012-2013 season. The NHL lockout is due to the unsuccessfulness of a CBA agreement between the NHL and NHLPA; the Owners vs. Players. Unlike the NBA and NFL lockouts in 2011, the NHL experiences a different one. This difference is because of the fact that “FEW industries have worse labour relations than American professional sports,” but in particular, the NHL. The NHL has experienced 4 strikes or lockouts since 1992.
One significant outlook is the significant dichotomy between the two sides. The owners are attempting to decrease player salaries 10% from the last CBA agreement among other methods to increase revenue. One big issue is the loss of viewers who are unsatisfied with the situation, according to a poll from hockeybuzz, 56% of viewers who voted would stop caring about the players during the lockout. Similarly, this response from fans brings huge economic repercussions to not only the 30 owners who have fixed costs in contracts and maintenance, but also lose one of their strongest sources of income. The players believe that their proposals provide the grounds to a resolution that fairly views hockey as both a sport and business, however the owners and Gary Bettman are adamant on their proposal that views hockey as an entertainment industry for profit. What is professional hockey now, is it still a sport or a business? Is there a middle ground?
External Sources:
http://www.economist.com/node/21563293
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Do-YOU-Care-About-NHL-Players-in-Europe-During-Lockout/1/46692
Hey Mark, I think you did a great job explaining the dire situation the NHL is involved in as it enters its 4th lockout in recent memory. To be frankly honest, I just want to see hockey be played, but I know that won’t happen anytime soon as the business aspect is getting in the way. Hockey is both equally a sport and a business. It cannot function as a business if there is no playing of the game involved, and it cannot be played at a professional level without the investment of fans and owners.
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