Carolina, Columbus, Atlanta, Phoenix, Florida, raise your hand if you know what these teams have in common They all have more than one thing in common so those of you with your hands raised you may have at least one right answer. If you guessed places where you wouldn't expect hockey bingo. If you thought places that are bleeding money and fans right again. Finally if you guessed Bettman's failed expansion teams good for you.
How have these teams failed? Well one isn't there anymore. One has had ownership problems for the latter part of five years. One has made the playoffs once. And two have made the playoffs went on deep runs and still have minuscule fan numbers.
Now what does this have to do with the lockout and my anger? Simple this whole deal is based on the fact the NHL feels they pay the players too much. But why do they feel that way? Mainly cause of teams such as the ones I've mentioned and a certain Stanley Cup loser are all hemorrhaging money. The owners have to protect each other and their investments. So even in the face of record revenues the owners feel that as a whole money is being lost.
Well lets look at what we know is lost right now two months of a season. One AllStar game. One Winter Classic, which happens to be the NHLs biggest money and ratings grabber. A staggering amount of money, and most hockey fans minds. We know for a one hundred percent fact these things have been lost However its what could be lost is what scares me the most.
Do we remember where the NHL was after the last lockout? It was a league with no home. It was in relative obscurity. You couldn't find highlights on sports center, and if you actually wanted to watch a game well hopefully you had the outdoor life network. Yup the damn OUTDOOR LIFE NETWORK!! Hey watch NHL superstars followed by deer hunting. That's what our sport was reduced to. It took so long for the league to get respect. NBC sports put their faith in the NHL and for the most part it worked.Yet, we're right back to where we were after the last lockout. Sure they NHL when it comes back will have its spot on NBC.
But if this season is lost who wants to touch it? What average fan is going to invest their hard worked money to this product? What sponsor is going to feel this is where they want their product to be advertised? What lifelong fan is going to say this is the third lockout in under twenty years how can i come back? Those are questions we can't answer. And when the dust settles are we going to like what we find?
I'm not going to get into Fehr vs Bettman. Or Jacobs and the old owners club. Because face it the NHL is coming back; sooner or later, and the Bruins Leafs Canadiens etc will be ok. But honestly after this public debacle we just saw.
NOW WHAT?
