News Article: Will there be a 2020/21 NHL season?

Will NHL start up again for 2020/21 regular season?


  • Total voters
    120

darrylsittler27

Registered User
Oct 21, 2002
6,581
1,051
I think you may be right about Bettman. He made a bad bet 4-6 months ago with CBA negotiation. Now da rumour is he was berated by Jacobs and his gang and told to fix his screw up. Personally it is time for him to go so I don't care. But he will stay if he gets this US cable deal done or he will be fired if it is not up to expectations.
 

darrylsittler27

Registered User
Oct 21, 2002
6,581
1,051
There won't be any big US tv deal. Look at the Stanley Cup numbers in the US.Factor in covid and Bettman gambled and lost. A Cdn league with Quebec and maybe a Sask team makes perfect sense now. Many of these US teams aren't viable now.
 
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robertmac43

Forever 43!
Mar 31, 2015
23,094
15,175
There won't be any big US tv deal. Look at the Stanley Cup numbers in the US.Factor in covid and Bettman gambled and lost. A Cdn league with Quebec and maybe a Sask team makes perfect sense now. Many of these US teams aren't viable now.
What teams are you going to include in the bolded? Seems like a major overstatement.
 
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JT AM da real deal

Registered User
Oct 4, 2018
12,056
7,319
There won't be any big US tv deal. Look at the Stanley Cup numbers in the US.Factor in covid and Bettman gambled and lost. A Cdn league with Quebec and maybe a Sask team makes perfect sense now. Many of these US teams aren't viable now.
Look as you may know I have always been da guy who says I am from Mizzou and show me da deal ... Bettman has been talking about this great deal since he took office ... I think you are right ... but he will get his shot ... and if it is not up to par then SEE YA
 

darrylsittler27

Registered User
Oct 21, 2002
6,581
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Here are some: Ny Islanders had abysmal attendance and NY is turning into a ghost town. Florida, Arizona and in time Carolina. Off the top of my head. The NHL was built to land the big US tv deal. After those Stanley Cup numbers, I don't see it. Quebec would sell out every night. Sask may or may not but would do better than Arz.
 
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JT AM da real deal

Registered User
Oct 4, 2018
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Here are some: Ny Islanders had abysmal attendance and NY is turning into a ghost town. Florida, Arizona and in time Carolina. Off the top of my head. The NHL was built to land the big US tv deal. After those Stanley Cup numbers, I don't see it. Quebec would sell out every night. Sask may or may not but would do better than Arz.
But to be fair to bettman you have to admit Tampa v Dallas might be worst possible matchup. Dallas people don't watch their team even. Tampa gets good local numbers. But across US 2 southern eastern and western teams means both da north and northeast goes dark. So it makes sense it would be worst ever watched Stanley Cup final. Even Canadians tuned it out. That is not his fault. It is way it goes sometimes.
 

darrylsittler27

Registered User
Oct 21, 2002
6,581
1,051
But to be fair to bettman you have to admit Tampa v Dallas might be worst possible matchup. Dallas people don't watch their team even. Tampa gets good local numbers. But across US 2 southern eastern and western teams means both da north and northeast goes dark. So it makes sense it would be worst ever watched Stanley Cup final. Even Canadians tuned it out. That is not his fault. It is way it goes sometimes.
 

darrylsittler27

Registered User
Oct 21, 2002
6,581
1,051
Needless to say it won't happen next year with not many fans in the seats. A lot of owners are going to take a bath and Nyr , Toronto and Montreal can't bail em out this time. I see contraction and a permanent Cdn league.
 
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JT AM da real deal

Registered User
Oct 4, 2018
12,056
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Needless to say it won't happen next year with not many fans in the seats. A lot of owners are going to take a bath and Nyr , Toronto and Montreal can't bail em out this time. I see contraction and a permanent Cdn league.
I don't think you will see a 2020/21 season ... I think Bettman duped da players to get them to finish off last season as he did not want to pay back with US and CDN TV deals ... now da real truth comes out ... but Bettman could be getting squeezed by Jacobs and gang too (that guy is cheapest SOB around) ... don't trust him farther than you can see him ... just ask guys who played in Bruins system ... everyone knows it
 

darrylsittler27

Registered User
Oct 21, 2002
6,581
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Owners now have legitimate grounds for concerns. They are on the hook for years with no fans in the seats and not much US tv revenue. They shouldn't be happy and under Bettmans socialist style good teams pay for unviable teams, no normal owner who somehow balances his checkbook will want to pay in. You don't get rich by giving it away.
 

darrylsittler27

Registered User
Oct 21, 2002
6,581
1,051
I don't think you will see a 2020/21 season ... I think Bettman duped da players to get them to finish off last season as he did not want to pay back with US and CDN TV deals ... now da real truth comes out ... but Bettman could be getting squeezed by Jacobs and gang too (that guy is cheapest SOB around) ... don't trust him farther than you can see him ... just ask guys who played in Bruins system ... everyone knows it
 

Golden_Jet

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
22,237
10,790
But to be fair to bettman you have to admit Tampa v Dallas might be worst possible matchup. Dallas people don't watch their team even. Tampa gets good local numbers. But across US 2 southern eastern and western teams means both da north and northeast goes dark. So it makes sense it would be worst ever watched Stanley Cup final. Even Canadians tuned it out. That is not his fault. It is way it goes sometimes.

To be fair,
NFL, MLB, NBA all had bad numbers, and the Masters the worst in history. So I’m not expecting much increase, unless it’s a bridge deal until numbers improve again.
With a 3-4 year flat cap, times are not great.
Also this year, sponsorship paybacks, naming rights etc, everyone will want pro-rated at minimum.
 

Advanced stats

Registered User
May 26, 2010
11,641
7,526
NHL cannot afford to play. Specially when other leagues are playing with fans in the stands.
Why can't the NHL play with fans in the stands? Limited capacity and select arenas of course.... I think at least 40-50% of arenas could have 30% attendance or something...
 

Clark4Ever

What we do in hockey echoes in eternity...
Oct 10, 2010
11,529
8,071
T.O.
Let's keep things in perspective...it's not as if payment deferrals will cause any of these guys to lose their homes.

Besides, it will be even more detrimental to the players and the league in the long run if the 2020/2021 season is not played at all.
 

Menzinger

Kessel4LadyByng
Apr 24, 2014
40,973
32,364
St. Paul, MN
Needless to say it won't happen next year with not many fans in the seats. A lot of owners are going to take a bath and Nyr , Toronto and Montreal can't bail em out this time. I see contraction and a permanent Cdn league.

If the North American financial situstion becomes so dire that US billionair owners have trouble operating i can't see how Canadian counterparts in small markets like Saskatoon or Quebec City would be immune from that.

If anything I could see the number of Canadian teams shrinking given Ottawa's shakey ownership.
 

Menzinger

Kessel4LadyByng
Apr 24, 2014
40,973
32,364
St. Paul, MN
To be fair,
NFL, MLB, NBA all had bad numbers, and the Masters the worst in history. So I’m not expecting much increase, unless it’s a bridge deal until numbers improve again.
With a 3-4 year flat cap, times are not great.
Also this year, sponsorship paybacks, naming rights etc, everyone will want pro-rated at minimum.

Very true. If anything I think this hammers home the "communal" aspect of sports to its marketing. Even if fans aren't attending in person, they want to see fans in the stands or else it feels off/wrong.
 

Golden_Jet

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
22,237
10,790
Let's keep things in perspective...it's not as if payment deferrals will cause any of these guys to lose their homes.

Besides, it will be even more detrimental to the players and the league in the long run if the 2020/2021 season is not played at all.

and the big 4 have already been paid their 95%, it’s just the lowered salary guys that haven’t.
 

Golden_Jet

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
22,237
10,790
If the North American financial situstion becomes so dire that US billionair owners have trouble operating i can't see how Canadian counterparts in small markets like Saskatoon or Quebec City would be immune from that.

If anything I could see the number of Canadian tea
Melnyk in his radio interview that he’s alright, did say there was a handful of teams that are concerned, but Gary is working hard with them.
Senators probably have about 50 million in TV money on. 82 game schedule.

Saw an article (couple of years old) Ottawa was 4th in TV deals. behind Montreal, NYR and Toronto. I think Montreal was first because of their French and English deals.
ms shrinking given Ottawa's shakey ownership.
 
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PromisedLand

I need more FOOD
Dec 3, 2016
41,839
52,030
Hogwarts
But to be fair to bettman you have to admit Tampa v Dallas might be worst possible matchup. Dallas people don't watch their team even. Tampa gets good local numbers. But across US 2 southern eastern and western teams means both da north and northeast goes dark. So it makes sense it would be worst ever watched Stanley Cup final. Even Canadians tuned it out. That is not his fault. It is way it goes sometimes.

then they should stop screwing the canadian teams. especially toronto and the BS reffing in the series against boston. I will never forgive them for it
 

PromisedLand

I need more FOOD
Dec 3, 2016
41,839
52,030
Hogwarts
Owners now have legitimate grounds for concerns. They are on the hook for years with no fans in the seats and not much US tv revenue. They shouldn't be happy and under Bettmans socialist style good teams pay for unviable teams, no normal owner who somehow balances his checkbook will want to pay in. You don't get rich by giving it away.

IMHO they should make all the contracts in NHL performance related

- if players dont perform then the contract is terminated (at team owner's discretion)
If players outperform their contract then there is an automatic bump up

BUT team success factors into it more than individual success.

Just need some rules for injuries etc.....

- No more retirement packages and entitlement contracts. I am just getting sick of them.
 

Big Muddy

Registered User
Dec 15, 2019
8,583
4,085
Yes, there will be a season. I think there will be between 48 and 62 games. Maybe the first half the games are played with no fans and/or limited fans in some cities (e.g., 25%). Attendance may be able to increase later into the season. A lot of details to work out though.
 

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