gerbilanium
Registered User
- Oct 17, 2003
- 274
- 0
Here is a very detailed description of the Bettman talk (thanks picard) in Calgary yesterday. Gems include revenue sharing supported by all owners. Union likes the inflation they've had and the NHL doesn't begrudge the players the money they've made. He believes they are the best athletes and deserve to be well compensated.
Began with flames video of cup run, followed by Ken King addressing around 500 people in the Avis & Young club at the dome. King acknowledged the fans, season tix holders and Harley & Bev Hotchkiss. Said Daryl is the architect of the turnaround here in Calgary and notes there is still much to do to repeat the success of 03/04. Notes #12 isn't signed and that Daryl wants to build the team right. He needs to be able to look 3 - 5 years into future. A new system will let them do this. Owners believe in Gary and want him to stay the course. It isn't about winning or losing but fixing the system. Mentioned that it was Hotchkiss and Bettman who were the architects of currency exchange programme.
Enter Bettman for a 10+ minute speech. In it he says the NHL wants to get things right for places like Calgary where hockey is clearly important. He reflected on his Feb 26th visit to Cal. and the 9 months since then. Was very gracious about our successes. In Feb he pledged to create an economic system that allowed a competetive balance regardless of market or location. In feb he hoped the Union would be on side to craft a document that would allow this. Still believes they will get there.
Said that the original mandate of the Flames ownership was that the team should make a difference to every Calgarian and not just hockey fans. To that end the team has contributed $24m to local charities and organizations. He says he misses the games and wants a new agreement to allow the NHL to begin playing again. But needs a partnership to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. Flames ownership & fans deserve to know that the new system means the team isn't continually developing players only to have to trade or lose to free agency when they can't afford them.
Said they haven't met with the Union because the negotiating process creates its own time line and that there must be an acknowledgement by both parties that there is something fundamentally wrong with the system.
Union likes the inflation they've had and the NHL doesn't begrudge the players the money they've made. He believes they are the best athletes and deserve to be well compensated. But the current model cannot be sustained and they have had $2 Billion in losses during the term of the contract. 75% going to salaries.
Says this union exec and leadership bargains through confrontation and that the NHL has been trying to engage them in negotiations since 1999. The six proposals still assured them of more than 50% revenue, all had guaranteed contracts and agents continued their role except in one where central negotiation was done. Only in one proposal was a Hard Cap suggested and they make no appologies for it. He mentioned that he had heard on the radio that morning that the Union said that any link between revenue and salaries was a Cap.
Said a Luxury Tax won't work because it has no guarantees. It allows teams to fuel the inflationary salary escalation on a league wide basis. Mentioned MLB where a 120m payroll played a 180m payroll for the right to compete in world series. They have a luxury tax. L/T won't work and future of Flames and sport is too important to risk with speculative results.
Q&A session followed:
Believes union will make it personal in next 2-3 weeks and attack Bettman personally.
Will he resign if season is cancelled admitting failure? Failure is when the NHL doesn't restructure and fix the current situation.
8 of 30 owners make decisions? Voted that themselves, in most cases a majority vote is required.
Gag Order? Owners voted that on themselves, they wanted a single voice to give a consistent message.
If there is no hockey by December 2005 will you consider replacement players? Not considering this at this time. The NHL wants a partnership with players. Ultimately they won't rule anything in or out but aren't looking at this as an option right now.
Lowering ticket prices? He hopes so but really doesn't know. This is because each team sets up its own pricing structure. What he could say is that with a new deal the inflationary pressures will be less so increases should slow.
Todd Bertuzzi suspension in light of recent NBA incident? Still suspended and will be revisiting the case once play resumes. He noted that the NBA incident was involving a fan where he didn't belong.
Fan Representation at the table? Accountability rests with the owners. No one knows this business better than themselves. Believes they are completely transparent with their info to the fans. Uses the CBA website as example. NHLPA has theirs hidden from public and an agent was fired for passing on to media.
What about Revenue Sharing? Believes this is critical to the resolution. Owners across the league are committed to it. NHL needs system where all the teams are viable and from there the league would share revenue rather than using the rich teams to prop up the poor.
Renewal of the CBA in 2000? Done in june of 1997 before the Joe Sakic offersheet. At the time it was working realatively well but in retrospect it was a mistake and they would have done it. The system is the most restrictive of all systems out there but it hasn't worked because revenues aren't tied to salaries.
What revenues are included or not that the PA believes should be? Says revenue isn't complicated like the PA always says. In 99 he sent books of all teams to the NHLPA and invited them to be audited and has done same every year since. The Union won't, they are stonewalling because they believe the Owners will cave. They've bet the farm on the cave. They've got it wrong.
NHL back in Winnepeg? Didn't like moving them or QC. but before that could be entertained they need 30 healthy franchises in their current markets.
Minimum Games or Drop dead date? Haven't got one because it is about fixing the system not a date at which the season is gone.
How are the inflationary effects be lowered by not playing? Over time contracts are elapsing. By next year there many more players not under contract. They will then sign when a new deal is in place.
Believes the union is looking for a deadline. So we have to let time pass and then the Union will focus.
Why Not #99 or #66? W & M might get involved if they can be of benefit but at the present time there isn't any point. And he doesn't want legends of the game to be treated poorly or get mixed up in something that isn't becomming of their stature in the game.
Reporting for CP - Picard
Began with flames video of cup run, followed by Ken King addressing around 500 people in the Avis & Young club at the dome. King acknowledged the fans, season tix holders and Harley & Bev Hotchkiss. Said Daryl is the architect of the turnaround here in Calgary and notes there is still much to do to repeat the success of 03/04. Notes #12 isn't signed and that Daryl wants to build the team right. He needs to be able to look 3 - 5 years into future. A new system will let them do this. Owners believe in Gary and want him to stay the course. It isn't about winning or losing but fixing the system. Mentioned that it was Hotchkiss and Bettman who were the architects of currency exchange programme.
Enter Bettman for a 10+ minute speech. In it he says the NHL wants to get things right for places like Calgary where hockey is clearly important. He reflected on his Feb 26th visit to Cal. and the 9 months since then. Was very gracious about our successes. In Feb he pledged to create an economic system that allowed a competetive balance regardless of market or location. In feb he hoped the Union would be on side to craft a document that would allow this. Still believes they will get there.
Said that the original mandate of the Flames ownership was that the team should make a difference to every Calgarian and not just hockey fans. To that end the team has contributed $24m to local charities and organizations. He says he misses the games and wants a new agreement to allow the NHL to begin playing again. But needs a partnership to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. Flames ownership & fans deserve to know that the new system means the team isn't continually developing players only to have to trade or lose to free agency when they can't afford them.
Said they haven't met with the Union because the negotiating process creates its own time line and that there must be an acknowledgement by both parties that there is something fundamentally wrong with the system.
Union likes the inflation they've had and the NHL doesn't begrudge the players the money they've made. He believes they are the best athletes and deserve to be well compensated. But the current model cannot be sustained and they have had $2 Billion in losses during the term of the contract. 75% going to salaries.
Says this union exec and leadership bargains through confrontation and that the NHL has been trying to engage them in negotiations since 1999. The six proposals still assured them of more than 50% revenue, all had guaranteed contracts and agents continued their role except in one where central negotiation was done. Only in one proposal was a Hard Cap suggested and they make no appologies for it. He mentioned that he had heard on the radio that morning that the Union said that any link between revenue and salaries was a Cap.
Said a Luxury Tax won't work because it has no guarantees. It allows teams to fuel the inflationary salary escalation on a league wide basis. Mentioned MLB where a 120m payroll played a 180m payroll for the right to compete in world series. They have a luxury tax. L/T won't work and future of Flames and sport is too important to risk with speculative results.
Q&A session followed:
Believes union will make it personal in next 2-3 weeks and attack Bettman personally.
Will he resign if season is cancelled admitting failure? Failure is when the NHL doesn't restructure and fix the current situation.
8 of 30 owners make decisions? Voted that themselves, in most cases a majority vote is required.
Gag Order? Owners voted that on themselves, they wanted a single voice to give a consistent message.
If there is no hockey by December 2005 will you consider replacement players? Not considering this at this time. The NHL wants a partnership with players. Ultimately they won't rule anything in or out but aren't looking at this as an option right now.
Lowering ticket prices? He hopes so but really doesn't know. This is because each team sets up its own pricing structure. What he could say is that with a new deal the inflationary pressures will be less so increases should slow.
Todd Bertuzzi suspension in light of recent NBA incident? Still suspended and will be revisiting the case once play resumes. He noted that the NBA incident was involving a fan where he didn't belong.
Fan Representation at the table? Accountability rests with the owners. No one knows this business better than themselves. Believes they are completely transparent with their info to the fans. Uses the CBA website as example. NHLPA has theirs hidden from public and an agent was fired for passing on to media.
What about Revenue Sharing? Believes this is critical to the resolution. Owners across the league are committed to it. NHL needs system where all the teams are viable and from there the league would share revenue rather than using the rich teams to prop up the poor.
Renewal of the CBA in 2000? Done in june of 1997 before the Joe Sakic offersheet. At the time it was working realatively well but in retrospect it was a mistake and they would have done it. The system is the most restrictive of all systems out there but it hasn't worked because revenues aren't tied to salaries.
What revenues are included or not that the PA believes should be? Says revenue isn't complicated like the PA always says. In 99 he sent books of all teams to the NHLPA and invited them to be audited and has done same every year since. The Union won't, they are stonewalling because they believe the Owners will cave. They've bet the farm on the cave. They've got it wrong.
NHL back in Winnepeg? Didn't like moving them or QC. but before that could be entertained they need 30 healthy franchises in their current markets.
Minimum Games or Drop dead date? Haven't got one because it is about fixing the system not a date at which the season is gone.
How are the inflationary effects be lowered by not playing? Over time contracts are elapsing. By next year there many more players not under contract. They will then sign when a new deal is in place.
Believes the union is looking for a deadline. So we have to let time pass and then the Union will focus.
Why Not #99 or #66? W & M might get involved if they can be of benefit but at the present time there isn't any point. And he doesn't want legends of the game to be treated poorly or get mixed up in something that isn't becomming of their stature in the game.
Reporting for CP - Picard
