Alan Bass: Fact-Checking the NHL Lockout

The NHLPA is out to lunch, but not as much as the people buying all their crap.

I'm over it. I'm 37yrs old and have been a hockey fan my entire life. So sick of the work stoppages, I don't care for any other sport and I don't have any minor leagues or colleges that play hockey in the area I live in right now. I am absolutely screwed! Hockey is my life and right now I don't have one. To be honest, at this point, I welcome replacement players. That's right, I said it! All this crap about watching the best players blah blah blah. I bet those 150+ unemployed European players wouldn't mind coming over and playing. New superstars will be born and current union players can take their overblown egos & contracts and shove them up their a$$. Give me Hockey or give me Death.

Fact-checking

Reality: While that may be true, he failed to mention that their average salary during that time was $2.5 million annually. It must be tough to feed your family on that. Ask Terrell Owens.

The number of fans lost to a lockout is minimal, as was apparent in the last lockout. Every fan will come back enthusiastically

Here is where I think there is a disconnect between both sides and the fans. I think there will be some losses this time. I know lots of fans that feel like we have been taken for granted because both sides feel like we will come flocking back. I've told my ticket rep that I'm giving it until Thanksgiving and them I'm out. I'll still go to a few games and watch on TV, but my days as a STH will be over.

Statement: NHLPA head Don Fehr said the players lost $3.3 billion collectively over the term of the last CBA.
Reality: While that may be true, he failed to mention that their average salary during that time was $2.5 million annually. It must be tough to feed your family on that. Ask Terrell Owens.

Uh, I do not believe this is true (as questioned by Yost).

The average salary in the most recent year was 2.45 or something. That was not the average over the life of the CBA though.

Along the lines of the players whining about how much they gave up, you might want to note that they recovered the 24% within 2 years and that they gained an addition 43-44% over the next 5 years.

They did pretty damn well for a group that keeps moaning about what they gave up.

Reality: While that may be true, he failed to mention that their average salary during that time was $2.5 million annually.

Um, so?

I find it funny when people complain about what pro athletes make. You chose your profession, they chose their's.

Along the lines of the players whining about how much they gave up, you might want to note that they recovered the 24% within 2 years and that they gained an addition 43-44% over the next 5 years.

They did pretty damn well for a group that keeps moaning about what they gave up.
- Aetherial

You're missing the point. They could've made a lot more were it not for the lowered starting point. Yes, they agreed to that lower starting point, so complaining about it is pointless. But it's still lost money.

Now they're trying to avoid that mistake again.

Now they're trying to avoid that mistake again.
- Scoob

Mistake? Really? Seems to me like the players made out pretty well in the last CBA. Average salary almost doubled over it's term.

If your salary was doubled in 8 short years, what would you think?

The players are so delusional at this point, it's not even funny.

They have so completely lost touch with reality.

Mistake? Really? Seems to me like the players made out pretty well in the last CBA. Average salary almost doubled over it's term.

If your salary was doubled in 8 short years, what would you think?

The players are so delusional at this point, it's not even funny.

They have so completely lost touch with reality.
- Charliebox

Comparing pro athletes salaries to those of the common man is pointless and flawed thinking.

Imho, the owners are their own worst enemy and they are hypocrites.

During negotiations they want to run things like a business (as they should) and are very conscious of the bottom line.

On the other hand, over the term of the agreement they let their egos get in the way and spend like drunken sailors, bottom line be damned.

Which is it, boys? Are you trying to run a business or are you just feeding your egos?

Comparing pro athletes salaries to those of the common man is pointless and flawed thinking.
- Scoob

Hey Scoob...

Tell that to the players who make comments relating what they are giving up to the guy making 50k...

Imho, the owners are their own worst enemy and they are hypocrites.

During negotiations they want to run things like a business (as they should) and are very conscious of the bottom line.

On the other hand, over the term of the agreement they let their egos get in the way and spend like drunken sailors, bottom line be damned.

Which is it, boys? Are you trying to run a business or are you just feeding your egos?
- Scoob

It's all business. They spend as much as they feel is necessary to make their business successful under the rules of the CBA and cap. Minnesota signed Parise and Suter to those deals because it makes their team better, and the price was dictated by the market and the cap. Now, with the CBA expired they want to rework the cap so this costs that they feel are necessary to be successful aren't going to cost them 7.5mil+ every year. Makes sense from a business standpoint the whole way.

And as for saying "we chose our profession, and the players chose theirs" you cannot honestly think one morning any of us just woke up and said "meh... playing pro sports isn't for me. I'll just stick with my meager paying job." They have a natural ability for hockey, which is why they are professionals and we aren't. Just like the owners have a natural ability for business, which the player DO NOT, as much as they might like to think they do. Once they learn they can't dictate to their bosses how to run their business everything will start moving again.

It's all business. They spend as much as they feel is necessary to make their business successful under the rules of the CBA and cap. Minnesota signed Parise and Suter to those deals because it makes their team better, and the price was dictated by the market and the cap. Now, with the CBA expired they want to rework the cap so this costs that they feel are necessary to be successful aren't going to cost them 7.5mil+ every year. Makes sense from a business standpoint the whole way.

And as for saying "we chose our profession, and the players chose theirs" you cannot honestly think one morning any of us just woke up and said "meh... playing pro sports isn't for me. I'll just stick with my meager paying job." They have a natural ability for hockey, which is why they are professionals and we aren't. Just like the owners have a natural ability for business, which the player DO NOT, as much as they might like to think they do. Once they learn they can't dictate to their bosses how to run their business everything will start moving again.
- PancakesPenner

Players aren't trying to dictate how the owners run their business. The players are negotiating a Collective Bargaining Agreement.

I think you may be misreading Proteau's message.

It could be that he was talking about the owners who signed all those big long-term contracts just before the lockout rather than the CBA.

I hope the owners stay strong and get everything they want in this CBA negotiation....time is on their side. Cancel the season if they have to....it's their business, their call.

Uh, I do not believe this is true (as questioned by Yost).

The average salary in the most recent year was 2.45 or something. That was not the average over the life of the CBA though.

Along the lines of the players whining about how much they gave up, you might want to note that they recovered the 24% within 2 years and that they gained an addition 43-44% over the next 5 years.

They did pretty damn well for a group that keeps moaning about what they gave up.
- Aetherial

MY issue with the "24%" is it is somewhat misleading. All contracts that expired since the last CBA, and new ones signed, did not take a 24% pay cut. Really, only long-0term contracts took a hit, and given most NHL contracts were (until recently, with the entry contract fiasco) 3 years or less.

Yes, players got hosed, but they did not get hosed for the whole last 7 years, and in fact, gained much more than they lost.

Perhaps an example for why players might not want to sign 10-12-15 year deals, as who knows how the CBA will change down the road.

Comparing pro athletes salaries to those of the common man is pointless and flawed thinking.
- Scoob

This is where the players have messed up as well as the owners. They are disrespecting the average working man by dragging all of the lockout issues through the street. They made it public and yes we have a right to compare a policeman or firefighters salary to a stupid hockey player's. These spoiled people on both sides believe that their billion dollar problems really matter to us. Frank em.

You're missing the point. They could've made a lot more were it not for the lowered starting point. Yes, they agreed to that lower starting point, so complaining about it is pointless. But it's still lost money.

Now they're trying to avoid that mistake again.
- Scoob

If if if. They lost their 2004 salary, that's it that's all. Then they proceeded to agree to a new CBA that was very profitable to them, so much so they extended it once and would love to keep it.

Comparing pro athletes salaries to those of the common man is pointless and flawed thinking.
- Scoob

Calling agreeing to a CBA that their salary skyrocketed under a "mistake" is flawed thinking.