Is it finally over?

[wassupcats]

Rumors are flying that the NHL lockout is finally coming to a close in the near future. After meeting today for longer than expected, a new unscheduled meeting was announced for tomorrow. All signs are pointing to good things.. stay tuned.

[Jason Scheer]

http://www.chateau-barbet.com/images/natuur/Springspin.jpg

[wassupcats]

Ah that's ok. If you're not interested it's cool, but that's one reason why I love hockey so much, all our fans are die-hard, none of this bandwagon (cough.. NBA - Suns, Lakers, etc.) crap. We will love the sport and our teams through thick and thin.

[KrazyCatFan]

the NHL had a lockout?


hehe

[catgrad97]

I heard ESPN rejected the TV contract the NHL had on the table, saying it wasn't worth it.

[wassupcats]

You're oversimplifying CG. ESPN voided the original contract because they felt they could get a better price, and negotiations fell through the second time because the network wants to wait until the lockout is officially over.

[Itamicbomb]

I'm not going to hold my breath, but I think they realize that they are on the brink of absolute extinction as what would be the prime part of the Stanley Cup playoffs pass by without anyone noticing.

It's tough to say whether or not ESPN will pick the NHL back up, even with a reduced price - they are getting equivalent ratings for softball and college baseball, and that sport is rising in popularity. NBC took over the rights that ABC held for the playoffs and marquee weekend matchups late in the year, so some hockey will be on national television regardless. Else, it might just be your local team(s) on FSN.

[wassupcats]

I still think ESPN will swing in late to pick up the games at a very reduced rate.

[JMarkJohns]

I love playoff hockey. But the NHL needs to realize that there is always something else on. NHL tickets are very expensive for good seats, so it's easier/more cost efficient to watch. But I'll be honest, maybe it was because of the Suns playoff run, but I didn't miss playoff hockey at all.

If a basketball game wasn't on, baseball is just as good.

[ZONACAT]

What is this "hockey" sport that ya'll keep referring to? :confused:

[mines_bigger]

It was nice to have the LA Kings not on Channel 9.

[wassupcats]

It looks like June 15th is the "drop dead date" for the next season, that is the date sponsors have set to pull their money if the unthinkable happens again, but as of right now, everything is running smoothly and there should be a deal in place by then.

[bleedzgreen]

whats the NHL?

i hope its not nascar related.

[wassupcats]

Wow this is sad. The NHL gets no love.

[ImYourDoctor]

"whats the NHL?"

No kidding. and who cares?!

[TDog]

No kidding. NHL sucks.

[ImYourDoctor]

The thing about the NHL is that the players seemingly don't get what's happening. Certainly the owners need to be willing to come to an agreement as well, but by all accounts the owners started this b/c they couldn't pay the players and be profitable... they're all killing the golden goose, that's for sure.

[TDog]

Anyone think that the NHL will be back in action next year?

[TDog]

What happened to all of those guys?

[wassupcats]

The thing about the NHL is that the players seemingly don't get what's happening. Certainly the owners need to be willing to come to an agreement as well, but by all accounts the owners started this b/c they couldn't pay the players and be profitable... they're all killing the golden goose, that's for sure.

No one side is responsible for the lockout. It was a combination of many factors, and in any case, inexcusable. The sport, already on the decline, could scarcely afford it, but like I said earlier in this thread, the die-hard's will return.

Moving right along, in great news from yesterday, the major hurdle has been cleared:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=nhllabor&prov=st&type=lgns

Report: NHL, Players Association agree on salary cap

June 8, 2005
NEW YORK (Ticker) - The lengthy NHL labor dispute may be on the verge of coming to an end.

According to a report by the Globe and Mail of Canada, the league and the Players' Association have reached an agreement on a formula for a salary-cap system based on team-by-team revenue.

The sides, who are in the second day of a three-day session aimed at achieving a new collective bargaining agreement, have spent the past month discussing league and team revenues. Last week, TSN of Canada reported the league and the union agreed that a salary cap would be the main piece of the puzzle, but they had not yet agreed on the upper and lower limits of the cap.

Citing unnamed sources, the Globe and Mail is reporting the NHL and the NHLPA agreed a team-by-team salary floor and cap based on a percentage of each team's revenue will be instituted. While the actual percentage is not known, it is expected the cap will range from $34-36 million, with the floor from $22-24 million.

The $36 million cap, however, is not solely meant for players' salaries. Also included would be benefits as well as signing and performance bonuses.

A source did tell the Globe and Mail the sides "still have a ways to go" on reaching a new CBA, with negotiations on salary arbitration, free agency and qualifying contract offers now taking place.

A dollar-for-dollar luxury tax also will kick in at the midway point, allowing richer teams to spend more but preventing large gaps in payrolls among all clubs. It also is believed the players' offer of a 34 percent salary rollback would be part of the new deal.

NHL executive vice president Bill Daly declined to comment on the salary cap issue.

On February 16, commissioner Gary Bettman announced the cancellation of the 2004-05 season, making the NHL the first major North American sports league to have an entire season wiped out due to a labor dispute.

After convening with the NHL's Board of Governors in April, Bettman announced the league would not resume play until a CBA was in place, erasing the belief replacement players would be used for the 2005-06 campaign.

In March, the league officially canceled the 2005 draft, which was slated to take place in Ottawa in June.

It is important to note that there are conflicting reports though..

[bleedzgreen]

lol...I'm just playing...I like the hockey video games, i like going the see the ice cats pound that womens college up north every year, but to watch it on TV....BOOOORRRRING.

sorry...it shouldnt be on tv and thats why no one on this coast could care.

I see the NHL and owners finnaly agreed on the cap issue. From what I know that was the main issue. hopefully, the nhl will come on with a quality product and have some success.

[wassupcats]

I don't think the problem with the NHL is the TV issue, I think it's America's short attention spans. Think about it: Football goes 7 seconds a play (on average), then takes a break. It's instant action for quick spurts of time, there's no need for a long attention span there. Then let's move to baseball: A play there doesn't average more than 15 seconds, and that's if the ball's in play. Again, instant action. Then there's basketball, with scores in the upper-90s to 100s, a team takes the ball down the court and scores 20 seconds later, instant gratification. And then there's hockey. It takes a knowlegable fan to enjoy the game with it's obscure rules and fast pace, and scoring is at a premium. That is why fans (such as yourself, bleedzgreen) find the game "boring".

[KrazyCatFan]

I don't think the problem with the NHL is the TV issue, I think it's America's short attention spans. Think about it: Football goes 7 seconds a play (on average), then takes a break. It's instant action for quick spurts of time, there's no need for a long attention span there. Then let's move to baseball: A play there doesn't average more than 15 seconds, and that's if the ball's in play. Again, instant action. Then there's basketball, with scores in the upper-90s to 100s, a team takes the ball down the court and scores 20 seconds later, instant gratification. And then there's hockey. It takes a knowlegable fan to enjoy the game with it's obscure rules and fast pace, and scoring is at a premium. That is why fans (such as yourself, bleedzgreen) find the game "boring".

i wouldnt entirely agree with this. i love watching soccer. and if you ask any fan that isnt a die hard baseball fan then baseball is boring also. i love to watch baseball in person or on tv. i can watch golf on tv. what america craves is constant action in which my option hockey has more then football. there is just something about hockey that doesnt capture americas heart like almost every other sport does. now not every other sport for an entire season like football and college basketball, but when its play off time everyones watching the NBA, the world series, the Masters. These sports offer something for people to talk about at the water cooler at work. i just dont see this happening with hockey except maybe in the frozen states.

[wassupcats]

KCF, if you want to touch on playoffs in sports, nothing can touch the Stanley Cup Playoffs IMO :cool:

[TopCat]

I'd like to see the NHL adopt more of the Olympic rules, which produces a much better brand of hockey to watch.

The NHL is just a scrum on ice skates. You dump the puck into the area and then scrap for position. I hate NHL hockey.

Olympic hockey is awesome to watch. No center line, larger rinks, no fighting...

Instead of checking and fighting, Olympic hockey is all about passing and skating, and without the center line you can setup counter attacks much more efficiently. I love how Olympic hockey actually has a legitimate transition game.

[wassupcats]

While I agree with nearly everything you said TC, the NHL will never get rid of fighting. The main reason for this is because (sadly) a lot of fans wouldn't go to the game anymore, as that's all they like to see (and assume what hockey's about - I know, it's pathetic). Olympic hockey is the pure form of hockey, it's all about skills, and players like Peter Forsberg, Ilya Kovalchuk and Rick Nash would dominate the game for years, as they would no longer have to deal with neutral zone traps, the left wing lock, obstruction or anything of that sort.