Yeah. This is happening in golf too. Anyone who golfs and has gone to buy golf shoes recently knows what I am talking about. You cannot get a decent pair of golf shoes for under $120. Some of the Tiger Woods shoes go for over $200. It is insane the price increases the last 2-3 years.
- bhawks2241

Go on budgetgolf.com
or Ebay and you will be shocked at how cheap they are both selling New golf shoes

Absolutely not.

If you're over the age of 10, you can't switch teams just because one is doing better than the other.

You're a grown man, right?

You can't make the change.
- Hank3Henshaw

if you're over 30, you can do whatever you want. The "I hate the other team narrative is for 21 year olds.

Markets, guys - supply and demand - the American way.

Ticket prices are high because 21,000 people (plus the waiting list) are willing to pay those prices to see a game.

Cable prices are high because millions of us are willing to pay those prices to watch games on our comfortable couches.

And your comment about Nike's is absolutely the truth and leads to my final point: if player salaries were cut in half - to a quarter - to 10% - of what they are now, ticket prices and cable prices - and Nike prices - would not decrease. Owners price to maximize revenues - as long as the public is willing to pay $100+ times 40+ games, Wirtz won't lower prices by a dime.
- StLBravesFan

Just out of curiosity Sage, you write elaborate and supportive posts on a good deal of economic and financial issues in sports. Economist or just informed?

Haha. I know. I was just razzing.

He can obviously do whatever he wants.

Just had to dog him a bit
- Hank3Henshaw

I'm kind of just teasing myself.

Of course I'll always be a Sox fan at heart, but i love the way this current Cubs team was built through its own farm system and i can't stand the way the Sox are constructed. Horrible management recently, and yes we won in 2005 but its been downhill since.

yep, I know....now let's put our collective noggins together and figure out how we're going to put pucks in the net this year.
- Kewl1

Vesey? Mashinter???

Go on budgetgolf.com
or Ebay and you will be shocked at how cheap they are both selling New golf shoes
- Maggie

Thanks. Stopped by GolfSmith the other day. Prices were insane.

I've been a diehard Sox fan since the late 90's.

I'm seriously considering switching over and becoming a Cubs fan.

Am i allowed to do this?
- SimpleJack

Do not do this. I was such a cub fan... then I watched b sutter, w hernandez, b madlock, lee smith, r reuschel, swept outta town. I watched G Maddox shooed away in 92. And the straw, r sandberg pushed to retire in 94. I divorced the cub and never looked back. The padres, the giants, and all the pain melted away.

After 30 years, I went all Sox. 2005 was incredible. And I never laughed so hard as I did when pee-hands Alou crapped his diaper in 2003. Of course, last year was funny, too.
Save yourself the heartache. The cub will never win.

Markets, guys - supply and demand - the American way.

Ticket prices are high because 21,000 people (plus the waiting list) are willing to pay those prices to see a game.

Cable prices are high because millions of us are willing to pay those prices to watch games on our comfortable couches.

And your comment about Nike's is absolutely the truth and leads to my final point: if player salaries were cut in half - to a quarter - to 10% - of what they are now, ticket prices and cable prices - and Nike prices - would not decrease. Owners price to maximize revenues - as long as the public is willing to pay $100+ times 40+ games, Wirtz won't lower prices by a dime.
- StLBravesFan

Truth x 1,000. And if the 9 yr old Chinese childs pay goes up 100% to 10 bucks a day the owner won't eat that increase either.

How many empty seats in AZ, FLA , Detroilet, CLB? There comes a time when a fan decides to pay the light bill instead of supporting his NHL club........ Plus, how much has the corporate dollar bought seats drive the price up? Seen a Detroilet Red Army Wings game lately and look into the stands?

Cable prices? How many have pulled the plug? Right now as a Dish customer I don't have WGN!!

But the biggest travesty to me, and you remember seeing a Sox double header for 10 bucks, is the risk of not passing the sport down to the next generation.

Agree with the supply and demand and free market theories and as far as big league sports are concerned is it has been a booooon for minor league sports. If it wasn't for Rienhorn I would have never seen the Kane County Cougars. If it wasn't for Dollar Bill I would have never seen minor pro or the USHL. Never went back to big league baseball and if Dollar Bill was still counting his money I wouldn't have gone back to the Hawks.

Proud fan who boycotted Dollar Bill for 23 years and as far as Rienhorn it's been since the cancelling of the World Series, 22 years and counting.

Just out of curiosity Sage, you write elaborate and supportive posts on a good deal of economic and financial issues in sports. Economist or just informed?
- 93Joe

CPA.

(Not Cleaning, Pressing and Alterations).

CPA.

(Not Cleaning, Pressing and Alterations).
- StLBravesFan

Good insightful posts. Keep em going.

Versteeg to Swiss league to play with Bern

To nobody's surprise

I've been a diehard Sox fan since the late 90's.

I'm seriously considering switching over and becoming a Cubs fan.

Am i allowed to do this?
- SimpleJack

No because it's called bandwaggoning.

There is a loop hole though: What side of Chicago do you live in?

Markets, guys - supply and demand - the American way.

Ticket prices are high because 21,000 people (plus the waiting list) are willing to pay those prices to see a game.

Cable prices are high because millions of us are willing to pay those prices to watch games on our comfortable couches.

And your comment about Nike's is absolutely the truth and leads to my final point: if player salaries were cut in half - to a quarter - to 10% - of what they are now, ticket prices and cable prices - and Nike prices - would not decrease. Owners price to maximize revenues - as long as the public is willing to pay $100+ times 40+ games, Wirtz won't lower prices by a dime.
- StLBravesFan

I've been a diehard Sox fan since the late 90's.

I'm seriously considering switching over and becoming a Cubs fan.

Am i allowed to do this?
- SimpleJack

NO!!! Don't go over to the Evil Empire like Darth Vader. I am a Sox fan too. It sucks right now. It's a ruderless ship. At least Hahn said "we are mired in mediocrecy" and admitted it. That is the first step to righting the ship. That said...they are talking about trading off a few guys here at the deadline and looking for young guys....but won't be trading any of their stud pitchers. By the time our young hitters get good enough, our pitchers will all be gone.

As for the Cubs, the 109 year rebuilding program may finally be paying off for them. Look...if the Sox could get 35,000 idiots out there every year, no matter how crappy the product, they could do a full teardown too. But Sox fans won't pay for an inferior product like the yuppies on the north side used to do when the Cubs were in years 1-107 of rebuilding. Hey, if you want to throw your income away on crap teams, that's your business.

But I digress. Stick with the Sox. We stuck with the Hawks through the dark ages...and they have paid us off richly.

I'm kind of just teasing myself.

Of course I'll always be a Sox fan at heart, but i love the way this current Cubs team was built through its own farm system and i can't stand the way the Sox are constructed. Horrible management recently, and yes we won in 2005 but its been downhill since.
- SimpleJack

I'm with you, brother. The Sox are just a dumpster fire, and with the current management team in place, I can't see that changing soon. So aggravating ....

separate topic - Scuderi. LA has 8 defensemen under contract and are up against the cap. They could trade him and retain part of their portion of his salary. They could try to waive him and send him to the minors. I think in either case he would retire. Wouldn't that give the Hawks additional cap room?

separate topic - Scuderi. LA has 8 defensemen under contract and are up against the cap. They could trade him and retain part of their portion of his salary. They could try to waive him and send him to the minors. I think in either case he would retire. Wouldn't that give the Hawks additional cap room?
- -Doh-

Oh boy...don't let CmonAlready see your post. He will ream you a new one. But I will answer your question, unlike him not answering mine....yes....if he retires the Hawks will get that cap room back. Something like $1.25 million or so I believe.

I like the way you think...I just have my doubts he will retire.

Evander Kane arrested in Buffalo per WGRZ


The Buffalo News
@TheBuffaloNews
BREAKING: #Sabres forward Evander Kane arrested on misdemeanor criminal trespass charge in bar incident
- golfbard

Wow, Next up, traded to the LA Kings, fits him perfect, flash them hundreds and hang out with his playa's in Watts. Looks like the Sabres got had on that 1!

No because it's called bandwaggoning.

There is a loop hole though: What side of Chicago do you live in?


- gifman

West burbs

It's disgusting cuz a hack who punches a time clock can only afford to see a big league game once a yr with his two kids and wife.

It's disgusting cuz your cable bill is 100 bucks to see these guys play.

It's disgusting cuz it costs 250 bucks for a pair of Nike's made by a 9 yr old overseas for 7 bucks.

But I will say this I'd rather see the talent (labor) get overpaid than the robber baron.
- Mr Ricochet

If what you did for a living generating billions of dollars for your employer, would it be disgusting for you to be paid your fair and earned share of that money?

I will never understand why people think that being able to go to a professional sporting event or a buy a pair of Nike's should be some sort of birthright. And I say that as someone who could almost never afford to go sporting events growing up.

Holland has produced at .41 pts per game the last 2 years he might be a better option at 4th line Center then Moose. I think someone claims him IMO.
- kmw4631

The link below says the Leafs are using the waviers as a strategy with the arbitrator to show that he is lesser value player to their organization.

But back to his numbers...remember, guys with weak teams beat before the third period get more opportunities while the other team is relaxing, the loser getting unwarranted PPs, etc. ...so guys like holland their numbers to me aren't true.


http://theleafsnation.com...-peter-holland-on-waivers

If Im Vessey and Im playing for my next contract I sign with the Hawks knowing that I will have an opportunity to play wing next to Kane and could very well end up with rookie of the year honors while getting 60 or more points my first year

Keep the faith on Jimmy Vesey and Alex Fortin signings
- 93Joe

Aleaxander Fortin will not get a contract until the Hawks see him another look in the prospects tourney right before the September 22, 2016 deadlibe to sign him.

They want to make sure the prospects camp wasn't just a anomaly...

The link below says the Leafs are using the waviers as a strategy with the arbitrator to show that he is lesser value player to their organization.

But back to his numbers...remember, guys with weak teams beat before the third period get more opportunities while the other team is relaxing, the loser getting unwarranted PPs, etc. ...so guys like holland their numbers to me aren't true.


http://theleafsnation.com...-peter-holland-on-waivers
- wiz1901

That is right on, Wiz. I'm not too sure if there is any metric that can speak to that point, but it would speak volumes toward the worth of a player coming from a lesser team.

That is right on, Wiz. I'm not too sure if there is any metric that can speak to that point, but it would speak volumes toward the worth of a player coming from a lesser team.
- JohnScott

Aren't many of the "advanced metrics" calculated in close-game situations?