Thread: The Official CBA Negotiations/Lockout Super Thread

Originally Posted by EB924

It's not just a matter of who's at fault. The fact is that many teams are struggling. Most of the increase in revenue has been from a handful of teams in hockey mad markets. Can you honestly say that just because the league got the salary cap it wanted means that there aren't things that can be improved upon in the new CBA?

I'm not pro player or pro owners. I'm just trying to point out that this isn't a simply black or white issue, it's a whole lot of grey. These are NEGOTIATIONS. Both sides will have to give to get.

Unsurprisingly, Bob McKenzie has written a great article on the situation. Fear, loathing and 'I can't believe we're doing this again'

I agree 100%. The CBA needs to be improved.

Originally Posted by pg1067

Fixed.

In terms of percentage of home capacity, 21 (significant number) of the 30 teams were above 96%. The other 9 were well below 90%:

So with 18 teams losing money that means 9 teams were over 96% capacity and STILL lost money. That shouldn't happen.

Originally Posted by D0wntime

Do you think the players would accept the nhl's proposal if they did not immediately rollback salaries and instead phased in the percentages? I mean, is it really that large of a step to go from the NHLPA's 1.8 billion number (or whatever it is) and then incrementally decrease the percentage that they get each year until you get to 50. Say 1.8 billion this year, then say 54 % in year two, 52% in year three, and then 50% in year four and five. I would think that this would be an acceptable middle ground between the nhl and nhlpa. What I don't understand is why neither side has proposed this. Perhaps they think if they concede to the concept of, in the case of the nhl, a 1.8billion cap, or in the case of the nhlpa, a cap based on revenues, that they will have conceded too much.

I believed that this is what the NHLPAs proposal was ultimately aimed at. As things go on, I'm not so sure.

I don't know. In theory a gradual rollback in percent of HHR makes sense and that very well may be where both sides end up. Asking for all of the giveback at once isn't something that I can see the PA agreeing to again. I still think the most interesting thing I've read in the whole thing is Fehr's comments that once the CBA expired over the weekend the NHLPA could reconsider their position on a Cap altogether.

"What I have said before and the only thing I am prepared to say now is that if we get past that point, then the players are as free to reconsider their positions as the owners. That's all I can say," Fehr said.

Owners should fear Fehr's trump card - Cross Checks Blog - ESPN

Part of me thinks that deep down that's Fehr's plan. Heck, even threaten to decertify as a union unless the league removes the cap. Decertification would open the league up to anti-trust lawsuits and challenges to the legality of the draft.

Originally Posted by santiclaws

Columbus doesn't really belong in that group. Hockey is played in and around Ohio and Ohio State's hockey team was 14th in attendance among Division I schools last season. The problem in Columbus is the horrible management.

The first point is well-taken, but why is "horrible management" resulting in barely over 80% of home capacity (aside from the fact that the team has only qualified for the playoffs once in 11 seasons)?

In this great time of sorrow, I think we should give a little thought and sympathy to the wives of all these great players. Noone seems to be thinking of how hard these poor wives must be taking this. Afterall, these gals are used to having time to themselves, shopping alone,spending days on themselves and children and just doing as they please.
Now, they're going to have these guys around and under foot 24-7. Alas ladies, it can't last forever.

Originally Posted by taz42

In this great time of sorrow, I think we should give a little thought and sympathy to the wives of all these great players. Noone seems to be thinking of how hard these poor wives must be taking this. Afterall, these gals are used to having time to themselves, shopping alone,spending days on themselves and children and just doing as they please.
Now, they're going to have these guys around and under foot 24-7. Alas ladies, it can't last forever.

It's ok, Richards and Carter will be there to comfort them.

Originally Posted by Thud

It's ok, Richards and Carter will be there to comfort them.

At the same time.

Originally Posted by Bogey

At the same time.

Fehr is nuts if he thinks the owners will ever give up the salary cap.