DESPITE WHAT COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN WOULD LIKE YOU TO BELIEVE...
THE NHL IS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE...
OVER THE WEEKEND THE NATIONAL POST OBTAINED A CONFIDENTIAL LEAGUE DOCUMENT THAT CONFIRMED WHAT MOST HOCKEY PEOPLE ALREADY KNEW...
DESPITE THAT FACT 26 OF THE 30 TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE INCREASED TICKET PRICES THIS SEASON...GATE RECEIPTS ARE DOWN IN 9 OF THE 24 AMERICAN MARKETS...
ADD TO THAT...
ALL THE HYPE ABOUT RECORD LEAGUE ATTENDANCE FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY WAS JUST THAT HYPE...
THE NUMBERS INCLUDED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF GIVEWAYS THAT WERE ALL COUNTED WHETHER THE TICKETS WERE USED OR NOT...
THE REPORT ONCE AGAIN CONFIRMS THAT THE REAL STRENGTH OF THE LEAGUE IS FOUND IN CANADA WHERE ALL 6 OF THE TEAMS FELL INTO THE TOP 12 LEADERS IN GATE RECEIPTS...
THE LEAFS...THE CANDIANS...THE RANGERS AND THE CANUCKS MADE UP THE TOP 4...
THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET ALOT WORSE FOR THOSE STRUGGLING AMERICAN TEAMS...
ON THURSDAY THE HEAD OF THE NHL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION TED SASKIN MET WITH THE AGENTS IN TORONTO...
SASKIN NOW PROJECTS REVENUES FOR THIS SEASON OF 2.3 BILLION...
IF THAT'S TRUE THE PLAYERS WILL SEE THEIR PIECE OF THE ACTION INCREASE FROM 54 PERCENT OF GROSS REVENUE TO 55.5 PERCENT...
IT MEANS A SIGNIFICANT BONUS TO EVERY PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE AND NEXT SEASON WILL SEE THE SALARY CAP RISE FROM 44 MILLION TO 50 MILLION...
IN THE SHORT TERM THAT MEANS TEAMS LIKE THE CANUCKS WILL HAVE MUCH MORE CAP SPACE TO AQUIRE PLAYERS BEFORE THE TRADING DEADLINE...
IN THE LONG TERM IT WILL ALSO MEAN RE-SIGNING SAMI SALO IS NOW SUDDENLY A REAL POSSIBILITY...
THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE DEAD AMERICAN MARKETS...
LONG TERM REVENUE SHARING IS NOT THE ANSWER...
OWNERS IN VANCOUVER...TORONTO AND DETROIT ARE ALREADY GROWING TIRED OF WASTING MILLIONS OF THEIR DOLLARS ON WHAT AMOUNTS TO LITTLE MORE THAN A WELFARE STATE...
SOONER OR LATER SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE...
BUT DON'T WORRY...BECAUSE BETTMAN HAS ALL THE ANSWERS AND A BRAND NEW 5 YEAR CONTRACT...
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2 comments:
You can take the "CAPS LOCK" off anytime...Thanks..
why do you people always whine about caps? It's not like he's yelling in your ear. If the goal of the text is to communicate an idea, what the hell does it matter whether he uses all caps.
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