British Expatriate Network

The owners of the National Hockey League have locked out the members of the NHLPA because both parties cannot come to an agreement over their Collective Bargaining Agreement. The NHL owners with some proof have claimed that have lost a fortune over the last few years. The owners want a salary cap and/or some kind of revinue sharing. The players association flatley reject any salary cap. It isnt looking very good for any hockey being played for at least this season.

anyone out there really care?
My wife works at the HSBC arena (home of the Buffalo Sabres) so I suppose I care!! wink

I would love to care, because I hate to see all the fringe people out of work (like your wife for instance) because of the lock-out. That's an angle that you don't hear very often.

However, it'll be interesting to see what happens with this because as far as I can see there is a huge amount of apathy towards this lockout. If it was football baseball or (maybe) basketball, then I think there would be a larger outcry. As it is, is it possible that just not enough people care about the NHL? I know it's different up north where hockey is more ingrained on the psyche, but this has been a hockey town for a number of years now, and you wouldn't even notice that there's no hockey preseason right now.

Shame.

Yeah, I was just about to get into that since I've moved to a place where they have a team.... roll

Nope.

how can you sympathise with the players, when they turn down $5 million a year in Detroit but go play in Russia/Sweden for $1.5 million.

it's the NHL initial problem due to the last contract they signed with the players, but it I will not sympathise with the players over this. The sport is broke.

Out of all the US sports, and I've been to a live game of football, baseball, basketball and a hockey match, I've liked hockey the best. I am by no means a sports fan, but I will be upset if I can't see the Avs this season.

I've also seen the Stanley Cup close up, me.

Btw, RedWings Suck! wink wink

how long has it been since you won a cup?

This precisely why the Redwings Suck! Plus, the amount of bumper stickers I see around this town with that phrase on, it's pretty ingrained in my mind.

kicking-myself-up-the-arse-that-I've-started-a-sports-argument regards,

Diane

P.S.......Good to see you posting again :D

I never stopped did I, I think the general board has been a bit slow, but I never made a mental note not to post.

Perhaps you were in the bog.

I think youre right, but, I will say that because the big clubs have given out huge contracts for certain players its had a result throughout the league in signing players. When a franchise has to pay over 75% of its income to its players with a small amount of advertising revinue coming in its a problem waiting to happen. I know that in Canada its at the crisis point already. Toronto might actually have to follow St. Johns and the Raptors this season !! :wink:

American sports are just so bloody awful who can care?

And then those dopey announcers on their sports round-up shows sound like a bunch of drunk hyena's.

I think you have a point, like on a Sunday morning with those NFL shows its all a bit cliquey and laddish for me.I wonder what theyd make of Football Focus, On The Ball, and Soccer AM and shows like that?

As long as the Richmond Riverdogs compete in the UHL that will keep my friends happy. I find it quite amazing how many US soccer fans are also hockey fans, maybe it's because the seasons coincide quite nicely, or perhaps it's more than that.

that's the same league as my local minor league team. Muskegon Fury.
UHL Champs last year.