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An Open Letter to the NHLPA from a Fan


BigE

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Dear NHL players,

As negotiations surrounding the current CBA drag on and it becomes evident that players are not interested in any agreement that sees a reduction in their current share of revenue, I feel in necessary to voice my feelings on the matter. Though my single voice may be small, I assure you it is a voice shared my many.

I've been a huge fan of the game of hockey for most of my life. For me, as with many fans, it hasn't been just a past time, but has formed a part of the very culture in which I live my life. Family rituals and gatherings that centre around the game climax in the heartbreak of defeat or the swelling pride of victory. As a fan, I live it all along with you. Not only do I invest my emotions and my time into watching my team through the roller coaster ride of each season, I follow every player transaction, injury and draft pick with a passion. Players become my personal heroes and villains, my connection to something bigger than myself. I follow your every move with the caring eyes of one who personally invests myself in “my” team. More than that, I also invest my dollars. I purchase tickets, cable subscriptions, pay per view games, jersey's, car flags and numerous other items that allows me to boast my support for my team - in other words, for you.

Now you are asking me to continue my support as you fight against the NHL owners. In my view, you are asking me to support you in a position that threatens to shatter every connection I ever felt to the players and to the game. With comments made recently by players such as Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Bryzgalov regarding a potential unwillingness to return to the NHL if salaries are reduced, the damage resulting in my disdain towards the game may already be done. Mr. Ovechkin and Mr. Bryzgalov should instead be asking if a season is lost, will I be willing to come back and support their livelihoods as a fan? Are players today really so far out of touch with reality that they can't see what they are asking me to do in supporting them in there current position with regards to these negotiations?

With all of the focus on the players and the owners, and the constant arguing over each party's view of “reality”, I'd like to check in with the reality that matters the most, but is the most ignored - that is the reality of me, the fan.

The average NHL salary is 2.4 million dollars per year. The minimum salary is 525,000 per year. Statistics Canada reports the average salary in this country to be 46,000 per year and the minimum salary to be 21,424. I personally fall somewhere in between.

Let's examine my reality as compared to the reality of an NHL player while we keep in mind it is my hard earned dollars you are asking me to contribute towards supporting your livelihood.

At minimum wage I would have to work 24.5 years to match what the lowest paid NHL player earns in one year. I would have to work 112 years to match what the average player makes in one year.

At the average Canadian wage I would have to work 11.5 years to match what the lowest paid NHL player earns in one year. I would have to work 52 years to earn what the average player makes in one year.

Don't misunderstand my intent, I don't begrudge you for making the salaries that you do. You are the best in the world at what you do in a business that generates a lot of revenue. I understand the NHL is dependent on two halves to make the league work. You are one half of the driving force behind the NHL. Without you, there would be no product, and no multi-billion dollar revenue stream to fight over. Similarly, without owners, there would be no state of the art arenas, no arena staff, no coaching staff, no medical trainers, no equipment, no road trips, and no one to pay players. It is clear to me that both sides are equally as vital to the existence of the league. It is clear to me that a 50/50 split is fair. I will support you in your bid to acquire more than 50 percent when you share in the risk and offer to give back part of your salary if the team loses money.

As negotiations continue, the hypocrisy and complete uncaring you are showing me both in your words and your actions is what has really prompted me to write this letter.

Under the last agreement players were entitled to 57% of league revenues. Instead of negotiating a 50/50 split and conceding that a seven percent reduction in salaries still leaves you with more money in a single year than I could ever hope to earn in my lifetime, you stick to this grand principle, a principle so important that you seem willing to sacrifice a season for it. The principle is that you should not have to, under any circumstances, take any less money to play hockey because you already gave up so much in the last CBA. In the meantime all I have been hearing about is players signing on to other leagues to play for less money. So your message to me is that you will take less money to play in front of other fans in other countries that haven't invested their time, money and emotions; that haven't followed you your entire career; that haven't lived every up and down right along with you. You are telling me you will take less money to play for those fans, but not me. Perhaps you would also like to spit in my face for good measure?

If players such as Mr. Ovechkin and Mr. Bryzgalov truly represent all players, and I am truly to believe that you are beneath playing for an average salary of 2.23 million dollars instead of 2.4 million because it is “unfair”, then please do me a favour and stay in Europe with Mr. Ovechkin and Mr. Bryzgalov. I for one will not buy another ticket to contribute to your salary. I will cancel my cable subscription, I will not buy another pay per view, I will give away my jerseys, I will not watch another game. If you wish my support, not only must I respect you, I must feel respected by you.

As you continue these negotiations, I hope you will think long and hard on the meaning of the word “fair”. You probably haven't looked at the price of NHL tickets lately and what it costs a family to attend a game. There is no collective agreement that guarantees me a refund should you play poorly and I end up with a terrible product, but your salary is guaranteed. Is that fair? An even 50/50 split of revenue, that if fair. Failing the NHLPA negotiating towards that, and should a season be lost, you will lose my support and my dollars forever. After giving you a lifetime of support, I'd say that is fair.

Sincerely,

A hockey fan

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Unfortunately, the majority of people aren't in the same boat and will go back to buying merchandise and watching/going to the games once hockey is back. NHL players and the owners don't care about losing some fans, when it's all said and done, they'll have make a video thanking the, what they will describe as the "true" fans and everything will go back to normal as it once was. In fact, I'm sure everyone is still expecting the NHL to grow and increase in revenue. Band wagon fans don't both to make the effort to educate themselves about the situation so they will just say it's Bettman's fault. The rest will eventually hop back on because there's nothing else to do.

Add the fact that you singled out Ovechkin and Bryzgalov. It's both sides being selfish here. It just harder to feel for the players because we've supported them for so long and now they aren't playing because of a little pay cut despite being already paid more than they should. They really need to look at the NFL players for encouragement because the NHL is worth a hell lot more than the NFL but players, who are now are proven to lose years off their lives, make as much as NHL players. So, why are NHL players making so much to begin with? How can anyone, who has followed the situation closely still have any respect for the players after 2004 and after this? The problem is that, regardless of what happens they will continue to be respected and treated like stars. It's just how it is

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I understand your frustration, but not your letter.

First, players did NOT receive 57% of "league revenue." They got 57% of the final HRR, which is certain revenues minus allowed deductions for costs, arena upkeep, etc. Even under the limited definition of HRR, because of allowed deductions players still did not 57% of all "league revenue." Not even close.

Second, I do not understand your point if you say players are half the problem but you are only writing an angry letter to the NHLPA. Shouldn't your anger be directed at both the NHL and the NHLPA for their collective head-up-their-own-arse-itis?

Third, you seem to forget that players took a 24% reduction last time and gave the owners everything they said they needed to make the league financially successful, including the cap system. The players showed a love for the sport and a desire to keep the league healthy by giving in to every demand the owners made. And it worked. The league has record revenue (though to be fair, the rise of the loonie is a huge factor.) The owners, on the other hand, found every possible way to sneak around the rules they insisted on and are now demanding even more cuts from the players' end because they say the rules they demanded last time aren't working. So, let's review: Owners demanded. Owners got. Owners skirted the rules they created to get what they wanted. Owners mad their collective skirting of the rules is bad business. Owners demand even more from players.

Fourth, ignoring the fact that players generate the income for teams, not just with their actual work but also with their names and faces, it's unfair to imply that players face no risk unlike the owners who face so much. In reality, players have very real risks every time they take the ice for a game or practice, or even when they just workout. (Look at the 2 of our players hurt this summer while working out!) Their risk may be physical, but it is real. Owners, on the other hand, take very little financial risk. They get huge tax breaks (more than almost any other industry gets) despite research showing that sports teams do not have a significant positive impact on local economies (as most of the money ends up leaving the local area) and government funds for arenas the likes of which any other industry would do dirty things for. (Name another industry where public funds are used to construct buildings for a private corporation and then the private corporation is allowed to pay back only a small percent of the cost of said building over decades at little or not interest while keeping almost all of the profit!) Some teams even get yearly bailout money from the league that, despite them reporting losing money might actually mean owners took home a profit. Even if a team fails, the league might buy it from you or help you find another owner to buy the bum team for relocation. Name another industry with so many safety nets. The owners' risk is actually a lot lower thank you think it is, and certainly lower than they want you to think it is. Do not be fooled. If you believe (as common sense would seem to indicate) that the owners are smart enough in business to have amassed the kind of fortune to it takes to buy an NHL franchise, then realize they would not be dumb enough to stay in the NHL business unless there was money to be made. Even the teams crying poverty to the public may not have actually been in the red thanks to shuffling how they report HRR and avoiding revealing the other revenue their arenas generated (while often attributing the upkeep costs to the team alone).

And fifth, please remember that the owners are the ones who locked out the players. The players offered to keep playing under the old CBA while a new one was negotiated. And it's the owners who are demanding gross amounts of concessions (not just in pay, but also in limiting contract lengths while also increasing entry level contract lengths, and removing players' rights to arbitration to name a few) from the players while offering to give up nothing themselves. The players have already offered a reduction in their HRR percentage. It just wasn't good enough for the owners.

Again, I absolutely understand your frustration and anger. I just think it's best applied with a little knowledge. And I think the best way to express our anger over this absolutely avoidable situation is to speak with our wallets since the almighty dollar seems to be the only language the league speaks.

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I understand your frustration, but not your letter.

First, players did NOT receive 57% of "league revenue." They got 57% of the final HRR, which is certain revenues minus allowed deductions for costs, arena upkeep, etc. Even under the limited definition of HRR, because of allowed deductions players still did not 57% of all "league revenue." Not even close.

Second, I do not understand your point if you say players are half the problem but you are only writing an angry letter to the NHLPA. Shouldn't your anger be directed at both the NHL and the NHLPA for their collective head-up-their-own-arse-itis?

Third, you seem to forget that players took a 24% reduction last time and gave the owners everything they said they needed to make the league financially successful, including the cap system. The players showed a love for the sport and a desire to keep the league healthy by giving in to every demand the owners made. And it worked. The league has record revenue (though to be fair, the rise of the loonie is a huge factor.) The owners, on the other hand, found every possible way to sneak around the rules they insisted on and are now demanding even more cuts from the players' end because they say the rules they demanded last time aren't working. So, let's review: Owners demanded. Owners got. Owners skirted the rules they created to get what they wanted. Owners mad their collective skirting of the rules is bad business. Owners demand even more from players.

Fourth, ignoring the fact that players generate the income for teams, not just with their actual work but also with their names and faces, it's unfair to imply that players face no risk unlike the owners who face so much. In reality, players have very real risks every time they take the ice for a game or practice, or even when they just workout. (Look at the 2 of our players hurt this summer while working out!) Their risk may be physical, but it is real. Owners, on the other hand, take very little financial risk. They get huge tax breaks (more than almost any other industry gets) despite research showing that sports teams do not have a significant positive impact on local economies (as most of the money ends up leaving the local area) and government funds for arenas the likes of which any other industry would do dirty things for. (Name another industry where public funds are used to construct buildings for a private corporation and then the private corporation is allowed to pay back only a small percent of the cost of said building over decades at little or not interest while keeping almost all of the profit!) Some teams even get yearly bailout money from the league that, despite them reporting losing money might actually mean owners took home a profit. Even if a team fails, the league might buy it from you or help you find another owner to buy the bum team for relocation. Name another industry with so many safety nets. The owners' risk is actually a lot lower thank you think it is, and certainly lower than they want you to think it is. Do not be fooled. If you believe (as common sense would seem to indicate) that the owners are smart enough in business to have amassed the kind of fortune to it takes to buy an NHL franchise, then realize they would not be dumb enough to stay in the NHL business unless there was money to be made. Even the teams crying poverty to the public may not have actually been in the red thanks to shuffling how they report HRR and avoiding revealing the other revenue their arenas generated (while often attributing the upkeep costs to the team alone).

And fifth, please remember that the owners are the ones who locked out the players. The players offered to keep playing under the old CBA while a new one was negotiated. And it's the owners who are demanding gross amounts of concessions (not just in pay, but also in limiting contract lengths while also increasing entry level contract lengths, and removing players' rights to arbitration to name a few) from the players while offering to give up nothing themselves. The players have already offered a reduction in their HRR percentage. It just wasn't good enough for the owners.

Again, I absolutely understand your frustration and anger. I just think it's best applied with a little knowledge. And I think the best way to express our anger over this absolutely avoidable situation is to speak with our wallets since the almighty dollar seems to be the only language the league speaks.

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Totally disagree. So it's the players' fault that the NHL has teams in such hockey wastelands as Phoenix, Miami, Raleigh, Dallas, Tampa, Anaheim etc.? Is it the players' fault that the NHL still doesn't have a TV deal? Of course not! And for those of you who think the players make too much I'll ask this question again: do you think it would be fair and right to limit the amount that entertainers like, say, Nickelback or Lady Gaga or Justin Beiber make at their concerts? Would it be fair to tell an emerging new band that they can only make a maximum amount of x number of dollars in their first three years? Of course not; that would be a form of, GAD!, COMMUNISM now wouldn't it. That's what the NHL is practicing right now which is why guys like Radulov, who suffered under a communist system for years decided that hey had suffered enough under such rules and went to where they could make the most money, just like me and you. Finally remember one thing: fans don't go to games twatch the owners sit in their luxury boxes, they go to see the players who ARE the product, period. IMHO the players should be getting more like 75% of the pie since without them there is no NHL.

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Totally disagree. So it's the players' fault that the NHL has teams in such hockey wastelands as Phoenix, Miami, Raleigh, Dallas, Tampa, Anaheim etc.? Is it the players' fault that the NHL still doesn't have a TV deal? Of course not! And for those of you who think the players make too much I'll ask this question again: do you think it would be fair and right to limit the amount that entertainers like, say, Nickelback or Lady Gaga or Justin Beiber make at their concerts? Would it be fair to tell an emerging new band that they can only make a maximum amount of x number of dollars in their first three years? Of course not; that would be a form of, GAD!, COMMUNISM now wouldn't it. That's what the NHL is practicing right now which is why guys like Radulov, who suffered under a communist system for years decided that hey had suffered enough under such rules and went to where they could make the most money, just like me and you. Finally remember one thing: fans don't go to games twatch the owners sit in their luxury boxes, they go to see the players who ARE the product, period. IMHO the players should be getting more like 75% of the pie since without them there is no NHL.

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Totally disagree. So it's the players' fault that the NHL has teams in such hockey wastelands as Phoenix, Miami, Raleigh, Dallas, Tampa, Anaheim etc.? Is it the players' fault that the NHL still doesn't have a TV deal? Of course not! And for those of you who think the players make too much I'll ask this question again: do you think it would be fair and right to limit the amount that entertainers like, say, Nickelback or Lady Gaga or Justin Beiber make at their concerts? Would it be fair to tell an emerging new band that they can only make a maximum amount of x number of dollars in their first three years? Of course not; that would be a form of, GAD!, COMMUNISM now wouldn't it. That's what the NHL is practicing right now which is why guys like Radulov, who suffered under a communist system for years decided that hey had suffered enough under such rules and went to where they could make the most money, just like me and you. Finally remember one thing: fans don't go to games twatch the owners sit in their luxury boxes, they go to see the players who ARE the product, period. IMHO the players should be getting more like 75% of the pie since without them there is no NHL.

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Entertainers that are signed to record labels are given a % of how much they make from the combined concerts, merchandise, etc. They don't get all of it. In fact, I'm sure it's unfair. Musicians have spoken about this, but it's not up to them. The owners/record labels get a hell lot more money than the musicians/entertainers themselves. Only a few have superstar status that make enough to be considered millionaires and live in mansions. Millions of artist are having difficulties supporting themselves. Several have to pay to tour and find places to be able to play in. Most play in bars. It isn't a coincidence that many stars have been found on the streets or playing in bars. It's the record label that finds them venues to play in, promote them, and basically support them. There's a reason why we don't hear from a lot of independent musicians. It's business.

The owners provide everything. The player's play. If only the players mattered, when why would there be owners?

At the end of the day, owners will always get they want.

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Your vision of the music business is about 15 years out of date. As a professional musician I can tell you that I get 100% of whatever I earn at the door after expenses (usually the sound man and the door person). As bands get bigger they get hit with rip offs such as venues demanding up to 20% of their merch sales but the bands can always tell the venues to pound sand and either sell their merch out of the parking lot or on their website. Record sales now account for probably less than 1% of a typical musician's income and if you own your own label (as more and more artists are doing) you get 100% of the money after your manufacturing and distribution costs. Only recently are artists signing what are known as "360 deals" where the record company has claims on not only the record sales but on the concert gross and the merch sales as well but these deals are only for truly mega bands (who also get large advances for signing such deals) and your average rock band doesn't have to deal with this nonsense. Bands can ask for however much money they want for their services; promoters can either take it or leave it but there is no artificial financial constraints on the fee; the market determines the value, as it should. You say we don't hear a lot from independant musicians; you are dead wrong. Independant musicians have taken the music business over to the extent that the big labels are all but stone dead. If you have $1 (and are prepared to take on their massive debt) you could go and buy EMI right now, Beatles catalogue and all. I dare you to.

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Great post by the OP. As many of you know, I have been writing this since the whole thing obviously was not going to happen.

I was in total denial at first. My common sense told me neither the players or the owners had anything to gain this time. There would be no lock out.

Then I find out the players do not want to even go down to 50 / 50 ? Not even help by capping it at 5 years max contract?

They even hire a loaded gun from the baseball lockout . Thats not a sign you want to compromise. I obviously wasnt paying attention at the time but when I found that out, I knew we were in for a long battle, as other had said before me.

I cant even imagine taking all the risk in a business, but only getting 43% of the revenue? 43% of my own money? I bet everyone here would be royally pissed off about it too.

the players get 57% guaranteed profit .

the owners get 43% , and then have to start deducting for losing teams, and then transfer payments blah blah marketing building new stadiums or buying enough politicians to get it done blah blah............dont forget about minor league payrolls rising taxes etc........

That 43% starts to look like 25% and even less in the end.

The players blew it by hiring a guy who is known for STONE WALLING and hard bargaining. There is no way the NHL ownership group is going to let Fehr push them around. The league and the Stanley Cup belong to the Owners, not the players union.

And since they got Fehr, there is little chance he is going to cramp his EGO to get a deal done either. So there will be no hockey.

i say FIRE the NHLPA and hire new players and invite them to start a new union willing to accept 50% and 5 year max contracts.

In fact I would argue do it now so we can start playing games. They will be bush league at first yes, but at least there will be hockey and we can just move on.

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While they're in the firing mode, they should maybe fire all those dumba** GM's that signed those UFA's this past July. You know the ones I'm talking about too, the same two that Craig Leopold signed to signing bonuses, as well. The same Craig Leopold that's on the NHL owners negotiating team.

Fire the players, yeah right! I had a hell of a time trying to watch an AHL game this afternoon, with a small spattering of NHL talent, if you think that's going to sell fans, forget it.

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[Message edited for brevity.]

I cant even imagine taking all the risk in a business, but only getting 43% of the revenue? 43% of my own money? I bet everyone here would be royally pissed off about it too.

the players get 57% guaranteed profit .

the owners get 43% , and then have to start deducting for losing teams, and then transfer payments blah blah marketing building new stadiums or buying enough politicians to get it done blah blah............dont forget about minor league payrolls rising taxes etc........

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Thanks for the thoughtful response poetica.

I understand your frustration, but not your letter.

First, players did NOT receive 57% of "league revenue." They got 57% of the final HRR, which is certain revenues minus allowed deductions for costs, arena upkeep, etc. Even under the limited definition of HRR, because of allowed deductions players still did not 57% of all "league revenue." Not even close.

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I wonder if the players whom signed their mega contracts this summer, namely in Minnesota or in previous years were forced to raise the compensatory bar by competing teams vying for their services ?

I mean in the end both sides are really screwing up here, but as a GM trying to obtain top end talent, you get into a bidding war for certain players. The teams don't have to pay it, but then again the players don't need to keep working teams in negotiation to squeeze pennies from GM either right ?

So I don't buy the owners/gms have made mistakes by signing big contracts. They obviously would sign a player cheaper if they could. Poor players lol

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I wonder if the players whom signed their mega contracts this summer, namely in Minnesota or in previous years were forced to raise the compensatory bar by competing teams vying for their services ?

I mean in the end both sides are really screwing up here, but as a GM trying to obtain top end talent, you get into a bidding war for certain players. The teams don't have to pay it, but then again the players don't need to keep working teams in negotiation to squeeze pennies from GM either right ?

So I don't buy the owners/gms have made mistakes by signing big contracts. They obviously would sign a player cheaper if they could. Poor players lol

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All i had to see was your first line to come to the conclusion that your post is garbage . The owners are locking out the players not the players striking meaning the issue hear is the owners.The players have said they are more then willing to play and negotiate at the same time and they have a right to fight for what they feel they deserve just like anyone else that pays union dues so stop being so selfish as hockey for us fans is entertainment and for players its a job were they earn there income .

There is many ways to entertain your self outside of NHL hockey and for the NHL sake they better learn to become more reasonable before people get too used to not having NHL hockey and move on to other forms of entertainment be it local hockey or something else and lose any further interest in there poorly managed league.

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All i had to see was your first line to come to the conclusion that your post is garbage . The owners are locking out the players not the players striking meaning the issue hear is the owners.The players have said they are more then willing to play and negotiate at the same time and they have a right to fight for what they feel they deserve just like anyone else that pays union dues so stop being so selfish as hockey for us fans is entertainment and for players its a job were they earn there income .

There is many ways to entertain your self outside of NHL hockey and for the NHL sake they better learn to become more reasonable before people get too used to not having NHL hockey and move on to other forms of entertainment be it local hockey or something else and lose any further interest in there poorly managed league.

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