|
History and Common Sense Shows Players Win Money On Ice. Not CBAs. |
|
|
|
|
|
It really isn't news as it is completely expected, but the NHL is announcing the cancellation of games through December 14th (day before the next paycheck would be lost) and also canceling the Columbus all-Star game... Another blow to the fans and the game and another sign of how ridiculous this all has become...
It has been the elephant in the room for the entire lockout. Decertification, or rather the threat of the union decertifying, has been a weapon used effectively to end labour disputes in the NFL and NBA. It is the most powerful chip the players have, but it is also the riskiest with potential of destroying many more careers of players currently in the game than even the last lockout did.
The players with the money already and the stars in the game would survive decertification, but the majority of current NHLers would not. To actually decertify is a hell of a process and would kill this year and next year as well. It would also void all contracts, eliminate the draft, arbitration, make every NHL player a UFA (which would be boom for the rumor trade!), but probably kill off 3-6 NHL teams in the process...meaning less NHL jobs and less growth into new markets. Missing one or two full seasons would send the NHL's popularity back to pre-2000 numbers.
All this happening to an NHL which has experienced record growth and for the first time ever was on the cusp of competing with the other major sports leagues. All of that would be thrown away. and for what really? The $180 million the sides are apart. The players wanting the owners to guarantee money for this shortened season?
Here is my fear. It's a very real fear: The players are definitely good intentioned right now. They want to make the game better for future generations and are even showing they are willing to sacrifice their own careers to do so, but if they decertify it won't matter if they get 70% of revenues, the actual money won't come close to 1.88 Billion again.
Why do I say this? It's really simple. In my opinion, no matter how stubborn the Owners are, history has shown us the players don't get more money from negotiating new CBA's. They get more money from their talents. The amazing abilities these athletes have ALWAYS gets them paid, and the last lockout shows this brilliantly.
By all accounts the players got killed in the last lockout. DESTROYED. They gave up salary, they took on a salary cap, and still at the end of the day the Players made more money than ever before. Why? Because their play on the ice made them more popular and the revenues grew and they benefited from a CBA which at the time was FAR worse of a hit than where we are right now. FAR WORSE...
Last year they took in 1.88 Billion and the only way they could have made more would have been if they had accepted the '04-05 offer and played that season...Then you can be sure revenues would have grown even more.
I understand the frustration over being asked to give again, but why don't the players understand they were the actual winners in the last CBA with every contract signed?
Were I the players I would go to 50/50 but make it a 10-15 year agreement. The amount of money getting paid to the players in year one will suck, but after that the NHL has agreed to make whole until 50% exceeds 1.88 (which could be in year 3) and then the next 7-12 years would see NHL players making a killing at 50/50 as well as the NHL teams becoming stronger. Even the lesser market teams would be on solid ground and be able to pay more...AND THAT IS WHERE THE PLAYERS WIN. ALWAYS.
However, if this season is wiped we are going backwards. If the Union is decertified it could be a decade until 1.88B is the pot again...and there may be only 25 teams around...
I am not taking the side of the owners here, rather showing the players that winning in the CBA world vs. winning on the ice is perhaps the wrong way to be looking at this, especially with the sides this close, and a deal which may be unfair this one season, but set up for huge gains from here on out is such a better way to go. Not even close.
Join the Discussion:
»