Hockey lockout threatens season, league

Oct. 21, 2004
By Maggie Hughes
Staff Writer

For sports fans, the fall months consist of baseball playoffs, college and NFL football, and the NHL. However, this year fans will have to choose from baseball and football because the NHL was officially locked out on Sept. 15.

It all began in July when the National Hockey League Player’s Association (NHLPA) met with the league administrators in Manhattan to negotiate contracts and salary caps with team owners. At the meeting the league presented six possible concepts for a new economic system for the NHL. The negotiating session lasted over four hours and little progress was made. Both parties felt the other was being unfair.

“They have only one view of how they want to do things and that hasn’t enabled us to advance the negotiations,” Ted Saskin, the NHLPA’s Senior Director said in reference to the league’s representatives.

The problems involve finances. The players want a system that doesn’t include a salary cap, and the league says they are losing billions of dollars a year without one. With the two sides unable to come to an agreement, the NHL locked out its players for the 2004-2005 season that was supposed to begin Oct. 13.

This isn’t the first time the NHL season has been interrupted by player-league conflicts. A lockout in 1994-1995 reduced the season from 82 games to just 48. However, the worry this time is that not only a full season, but the NHL itself could be lost.

Meanwhile, players are beginning to look to Europe and minor league teams as possible outlets to continue playing if the NHL shuts down. Over 185 players have signed to play in Europe this season including Chicago Blackhawks Tuomo Ruutu who will play for Finland, and Stephane Robidas for Germany.

So how do the fans feel? Hockey’s fan base is small and passionate and an entire season locked out could cause some disheartenment when players return. However, hockey fan, John McKenna of SAU feels for the players union.

“It’s not really the players who are going on strike, so I don’t feel any bitterness towards the players themselves,” McKenna said. “It’s the league that’s causing the lockout. I’ll be happy when they play again.”

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is optimistic about fans coming back.
“I believe in the game. I believe when we fix this the right way, our fans will come back. It may take us a little time,” Bettman said. “We may have to lower ticket prices. We may have to re-earn their hearts and affections.”

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