CBA not favourable to Montreal.

[hab 4ever]

I don't know what is the problem with Montreal in the Cba. Last year, we spent like 43 000 000 $ on our payroll and still were almost 30 000 000 below some big-market teams (à la Detroit). This year, we get to spend a bit less (39 M), but this figure puts up at the very top of the league, at Detroit's level. In fact, this CBA allows mid-markets and mid-to-big market teams to reach the big-markets spending level. The argument is flawed. If the salary cap goes up to 50 M (very unlikely), it will be due to a league-wide increase in revenue, thanks to a new TV deal in the USA (if that ever happens). Still if a 300 000 000 deal is reached, Montreal will get its own share (10 000 000). How is this CBA bad for us ? I'm not too scared about the high taxes rate in Montreal. The fact is that hockey players are paid in US $, but live with Canadian $. For example, 5 M $ becomes 6-6,5 $ for our guys, which is very enticing for Canadian hockey players. Furthermore, cost-living is very advantageous for Montrealers, as opposed to numerous American cities and to Toronto. For example, someone making 85 Ks (Montreal) a year would have to get 105 in Toronto to have the same quality of life. Finally, the city is both gorgeous and safe, the citizens are committed to their hockey team, and the list goes on. Seriously, I feel like this CBA is great for Montreal. I'm tired of hearing fans (in Ottawa, and now in Montreal) saying how bad this CBA is. Shouldn't we enjoy the multiple benefits of the deal ? Shouldn't we simply enjoy the return of our favourite sport ? I do.

 

[Mess]

Real Estate taxes are a local condition, just as are things like the cost of living , and personal safety and security . Montreal, and other major Canadian cities enjoy a significant advantage over most US cities in those areas. One could argue that the CBA is most unfavorable to the Rangers because a dollar doesn't go very far in NYC, and it's perceived as unsafe. Montreal should be able to sign the same player for less money than the Rangers, and that player should be able to end up with more money in his pocket at the end of the day. Every market has to deal with local conditions. It's up to the team to accentuate the positive and downplay the negative. It's up to the market to try to improve those conditions to be competitive.

One could argue sending a player to Nashville or Carolina now a days equates to enrolling them in a witness relocation program for their own safety ..

 

[RLC]

The Habs will never move from montreal.
Hockey is part of the Quebec heart, sure the Quebec government needs to make sure every business pays taxes, but let the habs go !!
This is a place that gave Richard a state funeral.

 

[not quite yoda]

When he was offered 5M, Local Press in Detroit said Management all but Laughed at him and told him to sign elseware. Your teams management cannot afford a 35-40 mil a year cap, but Saw fit to offer MArtin "3rd Liner, Watch me take a stupid penalty, look and watch, here i go, Get that Whistle Out Ref, Take that!" Lapointe a 5M a year contact?

I never said that MTL could not spend, say 37 or 38M on salaries under the current CBA (which is the present cap number).

My whole point is that as LEAGUE revenues rise, the cap number will rise (40M? 45M? 50M?) and MTL will not be able to keep up with that rising top end cap figure because revenues in MTL have already been maximized (it seems). If we could get more money from our local tv deal (RDS) we would have it already. Last negotiations were very difficult already.

 

[not quite yoda]

Why cant the Canadians petition the Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal to give them a break on the Real Estate Taxes as this is necessary to competitive both financially and on the Ice. Local Governments in the US give tax breaks all the time to business' who employ citizens and need a break to stay competitive in this market. What does the Government want the Habs to do? Move and take all the jobs and money the Habs generate and go to some American City? Im not sure how things work in Canada but I cant see the City of Montreal and the province of Quebec ever consider letting the Habs move.

Compared to American Gvts, Canadian Federal and Provincial (even Municipal) Gvts. are left wing and practicaly communist. CDN gvts. take far more money away from individual and corporations in order to finance social spending.

The gvt. of QBC let the Nordiques walk away when theteam asked them for help. The Habs have been asking the Municuipal Gvt. for a tax break (real estate) for 10 years and the bill is still at 8M$ a year.

 

[Tb0ne]

Montreal has won... what like 30% of NHL Stanley Cups?

I could care less if it the CBA screws them over, even though I don't mind their team at all.

The only thing about the CBA that pisses me off is where it screws over teams that have been in the league for decades without even one cup, and had recently built a team through great trades and good draft picks.. only to have one of their best shots at the cup ruined by a lockout which might cause them to have to move some of their core team.

 

[salty justice]

If smaller market teams want to assure the cap stays low so that they can compete, they will need to lower ticket and concession prices to assure they only cover their expenses rather than turning a profit.

The thing that worries me is that teams like Toronto could sell out if the average ticket price was $100, which would drive up revenues and raise the cap level. They can then go back to outspending everyone and we'll get right back to where we were

 

[blitzkriegs]

Care to back that claim up with some sort of rational argument?

"zero chance" suggests it is impossible. It is not impossible. The CBA provides that as League revenues rise, the % of revenues given to players rises above 54% as well.

What if Crosby does get drafted by the NYR and sets the laegue on fire? And obstruction is called and we go back to a more offensive free-wheeling 80s style league? And NBC decides to sign a major TV contract with the NHL? That could greatly raise league revenues. It is not impossible.

(1) look at post #18 for your answer. I would consider the revenue streams required to get to a 50 mil cap w/n 5 years at zero chance.

(2) What if Crosby? Sure. What if Crosby is Daigle? What if Crosby is Yzerman/Modano/Sakic - look at THOSE revenues that they generated... Again, another Crosby saves the NHL moron.

(3) Do you what the offensive 80's where even like?

(4) Yes, the NHL will be getting a guaranteed TV contract with up front money from a major US network anytime soon. NBC has a revenue stream deal. ESPN will only take back the NHL with one. You know what that means? The NHL does not make ONE DIME until all of NBC's & ESPN's costs are paid. THe NHL gets the spillover. Which will not be much. Again, only magic can make it happen, I guess you know some...Somehow everyone wants a linked cable deal, but you think some network is going to drop 300 mil to televise it. Right...

Realize the timeframe. It will take the NHL 3 seasons to maybe, maybe, get back the 2.1 billion in revenues. In case you haven't read anything, but a LOT, a LOT, of people are skeptical on how the NHL will pull out of a lost season. The world is different in MON vs. a large portion of the NHL, which happens to be in the US AND where the money is. Good luck my friend...

 

[syc]

If smaller market teams want to assure the cap stays low so that they can compete, they will need to lower ticket and concession prices to assure they only cover their expenses rather than turning a profit.

The thing that worries me is that teams like Toronto could sell out if the average ticket price was $100, which would drive up revenues and raise the cap level. They can then go back to outspending everyone and we'll get right back to where we were

Yeah it was Toronto who put the NHL in the situation it is today.

You do understand that NHL teams exist to MAKE money.

Toronto has been selling out every game for years with an higher average ticket price then that and out of the big spenders Toronto was one of the better ones.

 

[Captain Ron]

(1) look at post #18 for your answer. I would consider the revenue streams required to get to a 50 mil cap w/n 5 years at zero chance.

(2) What if Crosby? Sure. What if Crosby is Daigle? What if Crosby is Yzerman/Modano/Sakic - look at THOSE revenues that they generated... Again, another Crosby saves the NHL moron.

(3) Do you what the offensive 80's where even like?

(4) Yes, the NHL will be getting a guaranteed TV contract with up front money from a major US network anytime soon. NBC has a revenue stream deal. ESPN will only take back the NHL with one. You know what that means? The NHL does not make ONE DIME until all of NBC's & ESPN's costs are paid. THe NHL gets the spillover. Which will not be much. Again, only magic can make it happen, I guess you know some...Somehow everyone wants a linked cable deal, but you think some network is going to drop 300 mil to televise it. Right...

Realize the timeframe. It will take the NHL 3 seasons to maybe, maybe, get back the 2.1 billion in revenues. In case you haven't read anything, but a LOT, a LOT, of people are skeptical on how the NHL will pull out of a lost season. The world is different in MON vs. a large portion of the NHL, which happens to be in the US AND where the money is. Good luck my friend...

It is nice to know that there are other posters on these boards who can love NHL hockey but also have a realistic view on its current and future challanges. Great post.

 

[salty justice]

Yeah it was Toronto who put the NHL in the situation it is today.

You do understand that NHL teams exist to MAKE money.

Toronto has been selling out every game for years with an higher average ticket price then that and out of the big spenders Toronto was one of the better ones.

I was actually complimenting Toronto.

The point is that teams like Toronto have such large fan bases that they could make enough profits to have a big affect on league wide revenues which would then raise the cap level.

Get over your persecution complex

 

[Montrealer]

If this cap is good enough for the Edmontons and Calgarys of the league, it's good enough for Montreal.

The idea that the Habs have maxxed out their revenue streams, by the way, is absolutely ludicrous.