Does This Shed Any Light on the NHL's Revenue Sharing Plans?

[hockeytown9321]

It was good enough that the union collapsed within a few weeks.
Much like the NFL in 1987, the NHL would be happy to put on scab hockey to half filled arenas if it attains the ultimate goal: breaking the union.

The NHL can't survive playing to half full arenas. The NFL could becuase they make their money from TV. The TV contract wasn't affected by the strike in 87. Maybe the players folded becuase they knew the league could survive off the TV money. Hockey players know the NHL can't survive drawing half houses with replacements.

 

[CarlRacki]

The NHL can't survive playing to half full arenas. The NFL could becuase they make their money from TV. The TV contract wasn't affected by the strike in 87. Maybe the players folded becuase they knew the league could survive off the TV money. Hockey players know the NHL can't survive drawing half houses with replacements.

Not necessarily true. Let's face it, as usual the fans will get gouged when/if this happens. By that I mean season ticket holders will be required to purchase scab games as part of their season-ticket package or forfeit their seats. Smart team owners may grant a discount or other financial incentives, but one way or another a certain segment of fans will continue to pay for those games. And let's not forget that a fair portion of season-ticket holders - especially those in the priciest seats - are corporations who could care less whether it's replacement hockey or not. They will pay to hold onto the seats because eventually the regular NHL will be back and they use them to award employees and entertain clients.
That said, if people are going to be paying for the seats, I imagine a good number will figure they might as well use them.
Lastly, the NHL could survive paying to half full arenas because they'll be paying most of the replacement players a tenth of what regular players were earning.

 

[Tom_Benjamin]

It was good enough that the union collapsed within a few weeks.
Much like the NFL in 1987, the NHL would be happy to put on scab hockey to half filled arenas if it attains the ultimate goal: breaking the union.

This is true, but breaking the union requires success. The key in football was the trend. Each week more fans were coming back, the TV ratings were rising and the Vegas line had been sorted out. The football was closer to the NCAA quality than a pro league, but for the NFL that's enough. The union was broken because the handwriting was on the wall. The fans bought the new league.

It won't be enough to break the union if rinks start out half full. With every passing game more and more fans would have to turn out to see the replacements. If the NHL can show they can operate indefinitely without real NHL players, they will win and break the strike. The NFL proved that. I don't think the NHL with replacements can survive very long if NHL players don't cross.

Tom

 

[SENSible1*]

This is true, but breaking the union requires success. The key in football was the trend. Each week more fans were coming back, the TV ratings were rising and the Vegas line had been sorted out. The football was closer to the NCAA quality than a pro league, but for the NFL that's enough. The union was broken because the handwriting was on the wall. The fans bought the new league.

It won't be enough to break the union if rinks start out half full. With every passing game more and more fans would have to turn out to see the replacements. If the NHL can show they can operate indefinitely without real NHL players, they will win and break the strike. The NFL proved that. I don't think the NHL with replacements can survive very long if NHL players don't cross.
Tom

And that is why the owners winning the PR war has been so important. The fans continue to support ownership and would do so by making replacement hockey work.

 

[Sp5618]

And that is why the owners winning the PR war has been so important. The fans continue to support ownership and would do so by making replacement hockey work.

You cannot prove that the support of the owner position in general would lead to fans buying up replacement hockey tickets at the same rates and/or prices. Definitely not the latter, and I would wager that they would be lucky to have arenas at 50% capacity after the first week hoopla.

The season ticket holders may be the only ones who pay because they do not want to lose their spot.

 

[PecaFan]

You cannot prove that the support of the owner position in general would lead to fans buying up replacement hockey tickets at the same rates and/or prices.

Well, if we're lucky, we'll get the chance to prove it.

I'll go to more games than usual just to show support.

 

[MarkZackKarl]

Aren't you in vancouver? There wont be any NHL games in Vancouver if the league gets replacements.

 

[Sp5618]

Well, if we're lucky, we'll get the chance to prove it.

I'll go to more games than usual just to show support.

And I will not go to any games if replacements are used. I go to NHL games because I expect the best players in the world to be there. If THAT happens, I may reconsider.

 

[SENSible1*]

You cannot prove that the support of the owner position in general would lead to fans buying up replacement hockey tickets at the same rates and/or prices. Definitely not the latter, and I would wager that they would be lucky to have arenas at 50% capacity after the first week hoopla.

The season ticket holders may be the only ones who pay because they do not want to lose their spot.

Ticket prices for replacement hockey would be significantly lower.

The public has supported the owners throughout this process. If you want to maintain that they won't continue to do so, then that is your perogative. I see no reason for that trend to change, especially when the fans know that their financial support will force the PA to come to their senses.

 

[Sp5618]

Ticket prices for replacement hockey would be significantly lower.

The public has supported the owners throughout this process. If you want to maintain that they won't continue to do so, then that is your perogative. I see no reason for that trend to change, especially when the fans know that their financial support will force the PA to come to their senses.

No one has proven that point A leads to point B, and to what extent (e.g., 90% of fans support owners, so what is the probability that 100% of that base will BUY tickets at price level A, B, C, etc.?).

You are mixing apples and oranges. A fan may continue to support the owners' position, however what basis does anyone have to say it will result in a clear ACTION...buying a ticket...and now you assume at a lower price. It may be logical to expect that prices will be lower, but will they? And if they are, how much lower 1/3 of 'regular' prices, 50% off, 10% off?

You also are talking about fans as if they all are similar. Is the fan in Montreal identical to the fan Atlanta, Colorado, LA, or Tampa need to have come out? Most "fans" are not the hard core zealots you and I are....sitting here on weekends, nights, mornings...whatever...discussing hockey. Some will be, certainly, but if so many teams were having trouble filling the seats before this lockout, how can you assume it will be at least equal to those levels when replacements are used?

 

[PecaFan]

Aren't you in vancouver? There wont be any NHL games in Vancouver if the league gets replacements.

Depends on which lawyers you talk to. Some think the PA will have a case, some think they aren't covered by the replacement worker legislation here in BC. At a minimum, I expect there would be at least a couple of games here, before the PA could get their case proven in court.

At worst, I'll see a game in California on my vacation. And I'll be wearing my new jersey I got for Christmas. With no player number or name on it of course, just the team name and logo.

I go to NHL games because I expect the best players in the world to be there.

Do you only go to All Star Games then? When I go to a game, I expect to see my local team, and I'm not such a homer to think that they're the best players in the world. :lol

 

[Sp5618]

Depends on which lawyers you talk to. Some think the PA will have a case, some think they aren't covered by the replacement worker legislation here in BC. At a minimum, I expect there would be at least a couple of games here, before the PA could get their case proven in court.

At worst, I'll see a game in California on my vacation. And I'll be wearing my new jersey I got for Christmas. With no player number or name on it of course, just the team name and logo.



Do you only go to All Star Games then? When I go to a game, I expect to see my local team, and I'm not such a homer to think that they're the best players in the world. :lol

I think all of us could agree that up til now, the NHL overall did attract the world's best players. Is there another venue I'm missing?

It would be have been slightly more constructive if you had focused on the correlations being drawn since that was the point...