This is Day 29 of the NHL lockout, 2012 edition. Every day, we'll serve up some CBA talk and help you get your hockey fix. Let's begin, shall we?
CBA roundup
• The lockout has eaten up a total of 179 games -- 97 preseason games and 82 regular-season games.
• It's been a long while since the players put an offer on the table for the owners' consideration and when they last did, the owners hardly even considered it. The big aspect the union has been trying to push under Donald Fehr is expanded revenue sharing. A professor of economics at the University of Manitoba agrees that's the way to go.
In other words, the NHL's real problem is its income is very unevenly distributed. The NHL (along with the NBA) has the weakest revenue-sharing provisions in North American sports. In contrast, the NFL not only shares broadcast revenue equally between all the teams in the league but also money from ticket sales. Forty per cent of gate revenue goes into a league pool that is shared evenly.
If the NHL were really worried about the survival of small markets, this type of redistribution would solve the problem. In the NFL, the small-market Green Bay Packers can compete financially with the big-market New York Jets. (Winnipeg Free Press)
• Larry Brooks has been clearly on board with the union's approach to greater revenue sharing and pretty much Fehr's entire stance. But his support is not blind or without reason. He explained why the players have a sound argument and the sooner the owners accept it the sooner we might get near a deal.
The breakdown in share of revenue is critical, of course. Revenue-sharing is critical, of course. Systemic rights issues are critical, of course. But nothing is more critical toward an agreement than the NHL agreeing to honor all existing contracts that account for approximately $5.2 billion going forward by capping escrow on these deals in their entirety.
That is the first step toward an agreement. That is the first step toward a 2012-13 season. And that is a step that must be taken by the owners. Let Bettman or Daly commit to that as the basis of new proposals the league is beseeching the union to put on the table.
For the record, I couldn't agree more. The big thing the players seem to want is no salary rollbacks. The owners promised to pay these deals so they should pay these deals. (New York Post)
• Everybody knows that Gary Bettman and Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke have a good relationship, going way back to when Burke worked in the league offices with Bettman. So naturally, that has Steve Simmons wondering if Bettman let Burke know something others might not based on the Leafs' moves (or lack thereof) in the past few months. Who doesn't like a conspiracy theory? (Toronto Sun)
• So many people you don't always think about right off hand are affected by a lockout. There are a lot of businesses that rely on the NHL beyond the league itself. For example: How about people who make a lot of money on jersey sales? Without a season to get fans excited, they aren't gobbling up sweaters like they normally would.
John Czvelka with Van City Sports says he's seeing a huge drop in jersey sales.
"Sixty per cent of my total sales are related to hockey. We're talking [losses] anywhere from $800,000 to $900,000 if this keeps up for the whole year," he believes. (News 1130)
Hockey fix
Today let's go back and look at what might have been the defining moment of the season for Calder Trophy winner Gabriel Landeskog. The celebration of his OT winner to put the Avalanche over the Ducks was that type of memorable moment trophy winners often need. Lost in the celebration, though: what a shot. Poor Jonas Hiller didn't have a chance.
KHL update
Since there is no NHL hockey, we'll update you daily on what's going on in the KHL. Or, more correctly, letting KHL video update you daily on what's going on in the Russia-based league. Today includes another beauty from highly touted Capitals prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov.
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