PecaFan said:
The key for the NHL is getting a deal without loopholes. That's why they're fighting against revenue sharing so much. Otherwise, a season was wasted for nothing.
To me, the key for the NHL is getting a deal that will
reasonably satisfy their economic concerns, with as
minimal hardship and casualties as possible...
As a fan who will not gain $-wise in this dispute, it is my view that both sides should end up agreeing to and accepting a deal that
both consider fair (i.e. 'livable')... As a fan, I don't care if one side wins a
total victory (i.e. a deal that contains no 'loopholes' - where one side's 'loophole' is another side's accepted idea/point)... For a deal to happen, IMO, there has to be 'loopholes' (i.e. negotiation of 'give and take')... The ass**** in me (not the fan) thinks it would be nice to see Goodenow have his face rubbed in his own piss - by not giving him
anything he wants (i.e. no 'loopholes')... IMO, Goodenow is smug and arrogant... The ass**** in me would devilishly smile if he got his ass handed to him... I can afford to be an ass**** (I'm just a fan)... The NHL can't... It is going to be
extremely costly (in terms of money, time, risk) to get a deal with
'no loopholes'... Not only is it going to be extremely costly, but it is also
not necessary for a
fair (livable) deal to happen... There does
not need to be a clear 'winner' and a clear 'loser' for the NHL to reasonably satisfy their economic concerns... Reportedly, the NHL has gotten the NHLPA to accept a hard cap framework thanks to the NHL's pressure to date - there is no good reason, IMO, that a deal cannot be forthcoming in the coming weeks/months - with some give and take as to the specifics...
There comes a point when the time and effort needed to get
everything you want costs more than the benefits of eventually getting everything you want... I don't know when this point is (I don't know with the in's and out's of the business of hockey), but I think that this point is sooner rather than later... IMO, the longer this labour dispute drags out, the worse it is for
everybody... I'm all for the NHL still exerting pressure now to get more of what they want - who cares at this point, IMO, it's the off-season... Squeeze all you can get for the time being... but be prepared to accept 'loopholes'...
For a deal to get done 'soon' (i.e. preferably before next season, perhaps the middle of next season), IMO, will mean a
negotiated deal that will also involve elements that the players want ('loopholes') - i.e. revenue sharing that may be used to help pay for salaries - not just for marketing... What the numbers look like (what is available for salary), IMO, is up to the NHL and the NHLPA to negotiate and decide... IMO,
some of the revenue-sharing $ should be used for salary (it'll help eventually get this deal done)... If the NHL goes for a home run at this point (Revenue Nazis - no soup for you, NHLPA!), they are just showing off - at the games expense...