Thunderstruck said:
When all teams have an equal shot under a salary cap, the game IS improved. Fans of the big market teams gleefully ignore the negative effect of having the majority of the markets in the league at a disadvantage to start every season and act like any move that diminishes their silver spoon postition is an attack on the game itself.
The simple fact is as follows. Having an unequal playing field hurts the game.
This isn't about getting a "pound of hide", but simply asking all teams to compete on a more equal basis.
People losing a priviledged status always whine till they are blue in the face. Simply because things will be a little tougher on the Wings, Avs, Leafs etc, does not mean that things will be worse off for the league as a whole.
Get over yourself and examine the benefits of being able to sell hope in 30 markets instead of just 7-10.
Sorry dude. But business involves risk. That's capitalism.
Or maybe you think Billionaires should be able to invest $100 Million and expect AUTOMATIC profits.
Tell that to anyone mom and pop business who put their livlihood on the line every day.
Illitch doesn't enjoy a better market than Boston, or Chicago.
How did Colorado become a hockey mecca all of the sudden when 20 years ago it was the joke of the league??
This comes down to management.
Illitch has been managing is empire beautifully.
He's turned the Dead Things into HockeyTown in 20 years. In the process, he's made a ton of money, become a major civic leader, bought the Tigers, built a downtown stadium, bought a casino, etc, etc. etc.
He's the model for good business practice.
He did all this without a salary cap. Without a guarantee.
But in your whacked reality, you think a guy like Bill Wirtz DESERVES a profit despite running the franchise into the ground.
That's fair??