Lockout

[Guinness]

I didn't expect this to linger on this long...

But I'm even more surprised that I am starting to just not care. It's not that I don't miss it. It's just that I don't miss it as much as I would have expected.

I consider myself a big fan... wouldn't say "die-hard", but certainly one who follows the league, watches every game I can, knows the "going-ons", gets excited for the playoffs, etc...

If I am at all representative of the fan base, both sides better get their stuff together, quickly.

[yubb]

I'm in the same category. I love hockey; love playing, watching, talking about it. But I can't rattle off how many PIMs or goals a player has most days.

What makes my blood boil is when the NHLPA says "We continue to be available for negotiations at any time." That's like saying they continue to be available to sit in a room in silence with the NHL. If the NHL wants the silent treament they can go home to their wives.

Fehr is like any other Union leader. He has to make negotiations last a while. The more the players "need" him or think they need him, the more valuable he becomes. He's in there, telling the players "You don't have to give the owners all that money. They're trying to screw you! Stick with me and I'll get you the deal you deserve."

The better a deal he gets for these players just increases his asking price for the next Players Association for which he negotiates.

I'd pay $15 a week to be able to watch a live, mic'd stream of the negotiations between the two sides. I think it'd be very interesting. It would probably also take a lot of the mystery out of the question as to how the "negotiations" can stall like this.

[yubb]

I also think Bettman's latest tactic of telling the NHLPA that they should take a two week moratorium on negotiations sends the message that the owners can tolerate a few more lost weeks or possibly even a season more than the players can.

[darkstar57]

Time is on the owners side, they can make it through a long lockout, they lose money but owning a sports franchise outside the top 7-8 teams in each league is less about making money and more about status symbol. They'll slash operational payrolls and go with a bare bones staff. Even if a team goes into bankruptcy, they'll still be fine or the NHL contracts 2 teams, not such a bad idea.

The NHL is primed to become the laughing stock of all professional sports, if you have to cancel two season in basically a joke and should never happen.

[no name]

Contraction or relocating the bleeding money teams would help out the revenue sharing process. If you can move a team to a city where it can lose alot less money or even break even it helps everyone. These cities the league is keeping alive and let them lose 20 million a season doesn't help. Contracting 2 teams would probly be the best idea yet. I am sure the NHLPA would not like that. But can they do anything about it.

The league should threaten contraction and see how the NHLPA responds to losing thoes jobs.

[mikey287]

Both sides know that contraction is unrealistic - an empty threat. It would do nothing but create more hostility and possibly turn owners against each other. In order to threaten contraction, you'd have to name names. Expansion is far more likely than contraction at this point.

[columbia]

I'm giving this to December 1 and giving up any hope at that point.

[JS©]

http://www.anaheimcalling.com/2012/11/1 ... re-lockout

Teemu to retire if season is lost.

[Gaucho]

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun
Absolutely ridiculous that this lockout is still going on. Destroying all the gains made past 7 years. There will be no winners from this.

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun
The game will rebound as it always does but I think the road back will be more arduous this time. Fans aren't ATM machines with no feelings

[shmenguin]

There will be several winners to this lockout, Pierre. That's kinda the point.

[llipgh2]

I didn't expect this to linger on this long...

But I'm even more surprised that I am starting to just not care. It's not that I don't miss it. It's just that I don't miss it as much as I would have expected.

I consider myself a big fan... wouldn't say "die-hard", but certainly one who follows the league, watches every game I can, knows the "going-ons", gets excited for the playoffs, etc...

If I am at all representative of the fan base, both sides better get their stuff together, quickly.

This.

I love hockey. Which means I can watch any kind of hockey. NHL, minor league, college. I can still enjoy the game even with the lockout. And while saving money.

[champeen]

I'm on the ice 3 or 4 times a week coaching and playing. Haven't really missed it much. I do feel really bad for my kids, though. They keep asking when the penguins are going to be on tv. (they're 6 and 4). What's a childhood without heroes?

[Pitt87]

There will be several winners to this lockout, Pierre. That's kinda the point.

Interested in hearing you think there will be a winner; League loses revenue, Players lose a year of salary, and owners have to spend money to win back fans. I guess I would agree with the KHL being a winner...

[Sarcastic]

It's becoming sort of amusing. No plans to meet. No communication. Nothing. Both sides are angrily sitting around and fuming.

[Gaucho]

Well, you can get away with it when you have the best fans in the world.

[jwnorsk]

Not felling optimistic today talked to the coach of our team in Lorenskog Norway Webber from the Sabers arrives tomorrow and he says more players maybe headed to Norway and at minimum they will be here a month.

[columbia]

Crosby should go to that Korean league and get his scoring touch going.

[pens_srq]

Did anyone post this yet? http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2012/11/16/nhl-lockout-why-do-billionaires-keep-buying-teams-that-lose-money/

According to this it appears that "losing money" at least in one particular case is just creative accounting. It makes one wonder how much of the accounting is accurate and how much is done to not pay taxes.

[BigMcK]

For the players that say they are doing this for the upcoming generation of players, how stupid can you be? You are giving up your limited window to earn (solidify, if you financially plan right) a living in sports and you are giving that up to whom? If you are naive enough to think in 10 years from now some player is going to seek you out to shake your hand for standing up to ownership by forcing them to pay a minimum 50% of every dollar made, you are nuts. Get back to the table and get this done.

I am in the same boat as Guinness on this: Care enough to hold interest in what's going on, losing that interest as time goes by.

[shmenguin]

There will be several winners to this lockout, Pierre. That's kinda the point.

Interested in hearing you think there will be a winner; League loses revenue, Players lose a year of salary, and owners have to spend money to win back fans. I guess I would agree with the KHL being a winner...

despite the doomsday vibe going on, many of the teams that were losing money before the lockout will be making money after the lockout - particularly in the long run. most of the owners will be in a better situation once the dust settles.

[tfrizz]

For the players that say they are doing this for the upcoming generation of players, how stupid can you be? You are giving up your limited window to earn (solidify, if you financially plan right) a living in sports and you are giving that up to whom? If you are naive enough to think in 10 years from now some player is going to seek you out to shake your hand for standing up to ownership by forcing them to pay a minimum 50% of every dollar made, you are nuts. Get back to the table and get this done.

I am in the same boat as Guinness on this: Care enough to hold interest in what's going on, losing that interest as time goes by.

A large number of current NHL players will still be around in 5-6 years when the next CBA will likely expire. Speculation says they have already begun fighting that fight in the current CBA talks, trying to protect themselves for what is most likely going to be another lockout.

[BigMcK]

If the NHL plays games this season, will you be less likely to attend fewer games as you can; attend as many as you can; attend none?

(don't know how to do a poll post)

My vote for this season is that I am not rushing back to see any game, but would go if the Pens played local to me.

[no name]

Honestly i think Bettman knows he won't beat Fehr in negotiations, and he is willing to wait it out until the players force Fehr to make a deal or until the players throw Fehr out.

[Sarcastic]

If the NHL plays games this season, will you be less likely to attend fewer games as you can; attend as many as you can; attend none?

(don't know how to do a poll post)

My vote for this season is that I am not rushing back to see any game, but would go if the Pens played local to me.

Click on New Topic, then at the bottom you'll see a tab for Poll Creation. Then just go line by line and it automatically formats it.

1. blah
2. bleh
3. blooh

Click Preview to see how it will look.

[Steve]

I was wondering about the poll too - how others felt?

For me, it depends on how long this goes. If they play this season, i'm sure I'll come back. I'm protesting in a small way, by not purchasing any NHL merchandise etc for a while.

If we lose the entire season, I will seriously consider not coming back. Most likely though, I will come back - but I think I'll be a different fan. I'll become more of a casual fan. Why should I invest time & money in a league that has so many labor disputes - especially when the games are so expensive to attend in person?