Hockey is my sport.
This seems odd, given that I am a Georgian, that I live in a state infatuated if not religiously devoted to college football and that I also live in a state who has given up not one but two hockey franchises to...Canada. It certainly creates a fish out of water feeling, just...in my own water.
Consequently the NHL and my love of a sport that few seem to take in for its brilliance has been subject to anguish. By being an Atlanta Thrashers fan by itself I saw my team endure losing, hopeless seasons as it turned away fans because of the apathy and ineptitude if not outright malice of the front office, where Atlanta Spirit never made an effort to cultivate a fan base (like Carolina, Dallas, other Sun Belt cities), never built any defensive depth for long term (playoff) goals, and never fired Don Waddell. Then when the Atlanta Thrashers were pursued by True North to be moved to Winnipeg, the fans, not the front office, took the brunt of the media's scolding.
This isn't about the Thrashers, though.
I certainly could articulate my frustration about the Thrashers' move further, but I am a year too late and I have moved on, with unwavering love for this sport.
Yet, my love wavers now, for the NHL is threatening a lockout...again. This is unacceptable.
I understand the owner's interest, and their demand for a revenue share that is closer to an equal share is fair enough.
Demanding that the players' share of the revenue be 43%, with a $450 million loss, is asinine.
The NHL Players' Union even showed their iniative and interest in negotiation but putting forth a Collective Bargaining Agreement that not only dwindles the revenue the players earn (losing them money) but also puts in a provision, one which makes it worthwhile to me, that the NHL would set up a revenue sharing system similar to the NFL to help boost and keep afloat smaller market teams, like Florida, Columbus, and-if this were 2010-Atlanta.
What was Bettman's response? No deal. Not even close. We will lockout if no deal by September 15th.
Gary Bettman: You need to go.
You represent the Owner's interest and the Owner's interest alone. You do not represent the fan's interest. Bettman, you may counter that by saying the Player's Union only acts in their interest and that their reluctance to accept the NHL's deal is indicative of apathy towards fans and selfishness, but they presented a deal to you in which they would LOSE money in the long term, while asking for a revenue sharing system that would benefit teams that are in smaller markets and have a dedicated fan base that isn't as broad as, say, the New York Rangers.
This is not just business, but politics. This is about the NHL having a deal that Bettman came up with, or one that the owners came up with, and not one the Players' Union came up with. This is just like the Democrats putting in a provision in a bill that Republicans favor and conceived and then the Republicans voting against said bill (or vice versa, the Democrats not voting for a Republican bill, etc). If the NHL Players' Union gave Bettman a CBA that he wanted, he'd still reject it. It's not about the fans, not about hockey, not about the players. It's Bettman; he knows that NHL fans will take in their product because there is no competition for professional hockey. He is acting like the cinema owners from my post about giving a shit.
Bettman needs to be fired by the board of directors, trustees, owners, whatever. If his hubris is so large that he can automatically put the lockout on the table as a first option, then he's far too dangerous for the sport. It is representative of short term thinking, not realizing that all of this will begin to turn away fans, especially young fans or new fans. It is within the self-interest of the league in the long run to be able to continue creating new markets for sport, which Bettman might point out it has done with the 'Winter Classic.' Yet, the NHL rose because of players like Ovechkin and Crosby, and because dedicated fans went back. It will be hard to foster new markets when there's a strike or lockout every six years that sets the NHL back.
Bettman is not good for the long term growth of hockey, and, really, he's not too wonderful for the short term.
When you watch the Super Bowl, no one completely boos Roger Goodell. Yet, take a look at this clip from the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iHJuBECBkU.
You may think, this was in Vancouver, where Vancouver just lost a hard fought final to Boston, but take a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQqkjxNSWZ0. He's not just booed at Stanley Cup Finals, but drafts. DRAFTS!
The NHL should do the following:
1) Make the CBA good for 8-12 years. We've had 2 lockouts already in the past 20 years.
2) Create a revenue sharing system, so small market franchises can survive and develop depth in their roster. If you want a good fan base, you have to have good teams and success. No shit.
3) Fire Gary Bettman.
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