What about this? Don't know if it has been suggested

[SedinFan*]

What about a cap on ticket prices? Wouldn't that solve the problem right there as a lot of the revenue comes from this source.

Owners cap the ticket prices, they wont be able to afford to pay the bigger bucks, salaries come down.

If somehow the NHL was to place a cap on ticket prices, I don't know if it's possible, but if they were to lower them by a fair bit, that would almost be like a cap in it's own...

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[Licentia]

What about a cap on ticket prices? Wouldn't that solve the problem right there as a lot of the revenue comes from this source.

Owners cap the ticket prices, they wont be able to afford to pay the bigger bucks, salaries come down.

If somehow the NHL was to place a cap on ticket prices, I don't know if it's possible, but if they were to lower them by a fair bit, that would almost be like a cap in it's own...

That would help a bit, but there are other streams of revenue like television. If they capped ticket prices and allowed a difference for the Canadian dollar, and shared ALL tv revenue, then yes we would have a fair playing field.

 

[SedinFan*]

That would help a bit, but there are other streams of revenue like television. If they capped ticket prices and allowed a difference for the Canadian dollar, and shared ALL tv revenue, then yes we would have a fair playing field.

Forgot to add that about the canadian dollar, but yes, that is in my plan too. I dunno, just an idea.

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

What about a cap on ticket prices?...

thats ridiculas. why shouldnt an NHL team be allowed to charge whatever they choose ? if they can get 75 per ticket, they should ask for it. if they can only get 35 for each ticket, they shouldnt be in that market anyhow.

one of the worst and least thought out suggestions ever.

dr

 

[SedinFan*]

thats ridiculas. why shouldnt an NHL team be allowed to charge whatever they choose ? if they can get 75 per ticket, they should ask for it. if they can only get 35 for each ticket, they shouldnt be in that market anyhow.

one of the worst and least thought out suggestions ever.

dr

It's another form that hasn't been brought up, so I thought I would. Personally, I think it's a damn good idea, something that hasn't been discussed before, but the Owners could use it against Bettman, basically terminating him in 2008.

 

[degroat*]

First of all, the owners need no reason to fire Bettman. They simply wouldn't renew his contract if they didn't want him as commissioner.

Secondly, the owners have absolutely no interest in getting rid of Bettman. Anyone who understands what he has done for this league would know that it's not even an option as far as the owners are concerned.

Finally, I think this is the first time I've agreed with DR. The idea is horrible. No business would ever purposely decrease their revenue stream. Just like any other business, the league's problem is costs and that's what they have to reduce.

 

[hockeytown9321]

First of all, the owners need no reason to fire Bettman. They simply wouldn't renew his contract if they didn't want him as commissioner.

Secondly, the owners have absolutely no interest in getting rid of Bettman. Anyone who understands what he has done for this league would know that it's not even an option as far as the owners are concerned.

Finally, I think this is the first time I've agreed with DR. The idea is horrible. No business would ever purposely decrease their revenue stream. Just like any other business, the league's problem is costs and that's what they have to reduce.

Please list the good things Bettman has done for the league.

As for capping ticket prices, well you really think those greedy owners would do that? They're going to charge the same ticket prices under a cap, thereby totally maximizing their revenue. They don't have the fan's or the game's interstes at heart here, people.

 

[degroat*]

Please list the good things Bettman has done for the league.

Under Bettman ticket sales have increased from ~14,000 per game leaguewide to the 16,500 league has averaged the last few years, including the highest per game attendance in league history in 2002-03.

Under Bettman leaguewide revenue has increased from $500M to $2 Billion, and even more if you ask the players. That means that the average team generated $19.25M in revenue when Bettman took over and now the average team generates $66.67M in revenue, a 345% increase.

When Bettman took office the league made only $17M from the national TV deal. Even though the guaranteed money from the TV deal dropped to $60M this year, that's still a 354% increase in 10 years.

 

[ceber]

Please list the good things Bettman has done for the league.

Fans' ideas of good things for the league and owners' are not exactly the same. I think this causes a lot of confusion. Revenue from licensing and sponsorship is waaay up under Bettman. As a fan, do I give a rat's patootie? Heck no. Do the owners? Heck yeah.

 

[degroat*]

Yep.... glad someone gets it.

But, I'd really like to know what Bettman has done wrong from the fans perspective also.

Here's a couple things that I don't like...
1. Getting rid of the traditional division & conference games
2. Going to a 1-8 seed from the division playoffs in the first two rounds.

 

[hockeytown9321]

Yep.... glad someone gets it.

But, I'd really like to know what Bettman has done wrong from the fans perspective also.

Here's a couple things that I don't like...
1. Getting rid of the traditional division & conference games
2. Going to a 1-8 seed from the division playoffs in the first two rounds.

But the league has lost over $1.5 billion since Bettman took over. That aint good leadership. He knows a cap is the only way to save his ass, that's why he's pushing so hard for it.

He did a helluva job negotiating national TV deals. Every single one he got was for less money and less games than the last. He watered down the league through expansion, making the game less marketable. He gave into the NBA and ABC to make the schedule condensed, leading to more injuries and agian a less marketable product. He's had several marketable, superstar players under his watch, which he did nothing with. I guess the question is is the league better or worse off than it was when he took over, and how much blame does he take? I tend to give him alot.

On the fan side of things, we have the glowing puck, the two ref system, and expansion. I'm sure fans in Winnipeg and Hartford aren't real thrilled with him. He already almost made us miss a season because of a lockout where he totally caved in.

 

[ceber]

He did a helluva job negotiating national TV deals. Every single one he got was for less money and less games than the last.

I'm pretty sure this is untrue. The ABC/ESPN 600 million dollar deal was bigger than the FOX deal. And the FOX deal was the first national TV deal in decades, wasn't it?

Look, I'm no fan of Bettman, he let the North Stars skip town for questionable reasons. But the simple truth is that what the owners look for in a commissioner is not going to be the same thing the fans look for, and frankly, who cares? The commissioner doesn't implement new rules, the board of governers does. Most of the stuff that directly affects the game is implemented by other people. The commissioner is supposed to handle the boring crap.. the business/marketing side of things.

 

[oilers_guy_eddie]

if they can get 75 per ticket, they should ask for it. if they can only get 35 for each ticket, they shouldnt be in that market anyhow.

Of course. Why would teams want families or college students filling seats that could be sold to rich people and corporations?

 

[chriss_co]

As for capping ticket prices, well you really think those greedy owners would do that? They're going to charge the same ticket prices under a cap, thereby totally maximizing their revenue. They don't have the fan's or the game's interstes at heart here, people.

How do you know that?? I think you are generalizing owners.

In many markets, ticket prices are too high. Thats why fans aren't buying every ticket in the stadium. Its too expensive to go to games in the NHL.

Owners also understand that the majority of their revenue comes from ticket sales. So if they are stupid, they will overcharge ticket prices and no one will go to the games.

Right now, the ball is in the player's court. They have to agree to cost certainty. After, the ball will be in the owner's court. They will have to agree in many markets that ticket prices are too high and that they will be lowered.

I guarantee you that if a plan of cost certainty is agreed upon and the owners don't cut ticket costs, then the fans will potentially boycott buying tickets.

 

[chriss_co]

He did a helluva job negotiating national TV deals. Every single one he got was for less money and less games than the last. He watered down the league through expansion, making the game less marketable. He gave into the NBA and ABC to make the schedule condensed, leading to more injuries and agian a less marketable product. He's had several marketable, superstar players under his watch, which he did nothing with. I guess the question is is the league better or worse off than it was when he took over, and how much blame does he take? I tend to give him alot.

What would you rather have. A multimillion dollar deal TV deal in the states that advertises your product or no deal and no TV exposure????

The TV networks have good reason for the conditions they asked for. TV ratings for NHL games are the lowest of the major sports in the States.

Don't look at the results so much. Look at what drove the results and what you could possibly have done different.

 

[hockeytown9321]

What would you rather have. A multimillion dollar deal TV deal in the states that advertises your product or no deal and no TV exposure????

The TV networks have good reason for the conditions they asked for. TV ratings for NHL games are the lowest of the major sports in the States.

Don't look at the results so much. Look at what drove the results and what you could possibly have done different.

The TV deals he got were awful. If you're trying to grow the sport, tey to et more games covered. How many ABC games wre there last year? 5? If nobody sees the game, they can't become fans.