One Last Try For The NHL
Big wigs need not apply. That's the theme today in Chicago, the home of professional sports' worst franchise, as members of the players union and league management gather for another attempt to salvage some of the season. But while these meetings try to break ground that will offer some sort of hope for an extremely abbriviated season, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and player's union head Bob Goodenow will be sipping bottled margaritas from the mini-bar in their hotel room. They haven't been invited.
It makes perfect sense. With Bettman and Goodenow in attendance absolutely nothing has been accomplished. Neither side has budged an inch and all that has resulted is the loss of 655 of the 1,230 regularly scheduled hockey games. And counting.
But these rounds of meetings may not be any different. It's true, they seem like an olive branch, but don't plan on anyone accepting any offers today. The main issue is still a salary cap. The owners want to install one, the players reject that idea. Those stances go much deeper that Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow. And without some sort of movement on that issue by one side or the other, you can kiss the rest of the hockey season goodbye.
Personally, I miss professional hockey. The Minnesota Wild are one of the best franchises in professional sports and their run to the Stanley Cup semi-finals in 2002 converted me into a hockey fan. Because of the nature of hockey fans, this hold-out might not hurt fan support as much as it would another sport. But that's not necessarily a good thing. It's only true because hockey has a smaller, more devoted fan base. And the NHL certainly isn't recruiting any fans right now.
As a result, I don't think it really matters what happens today in Chicago, without the big wigs present. If they save the season today, the majority of their fan base will flock to the games, but they won't get any new ones. If they cancell the rest of the season--and even next season for that matter--the majority of their fan base will flock to the games when they start again in two years, but they won't get any new ones.
I wish good fortune on today's meetings, but I don't pretend to think they matter.
It makes perfect sense. With Bettman and Goodenow in attendance absolutely nothing has been accomplished. Neither side has budged an inch and all that has resulted is the loss of 655 of the 1,230 regularly scheduled hockey games. And counting.
But these rounds of meetings may not be any different. It's true, they seem like an olive branch, but don't plan on anyone accepting any offers today. The main issue is still a salary cap. The owners want to install one, the players reject that idea. Those stances go much deeper that Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow. And without some sort of movement on that issue by one side or the other, you can kiss the rest of the hockey season goodbye.
Personally, I miss professional hockey. The Minnesota Wild are one of the best franchises in professional sports and their run to the Stanley Cup semi-finals in 2002 converted me into a hockey fan. Because of the nature of hockey fans, this hold-out might not hurt fan support as much as it would another sport. But that's not necessarily a good thing. It's only true because hockey has a smaller, more devoted fan base. And the NHL certainly isn't recruiting any fans right now.
As a result, I don't think it really matters what happens today in Chicago, without the big wigs present. If they save the season today, the majority of their fan base will flock to the games, but they won't get any new ones. If they cancell the rest of the season--and even next season for that matter--the majority of their fan base will flock to the games when they start again in two years, but they won't get any new ones.
I wish good fortune on today's meetings, but I don't pretend to think they matter.
posted by Joe Siple | 7:49 AM
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