Missing the NHL?

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KMFJD

Lifer
Aug 11, 2005
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I think the players should accept shorter max contract length (maybe not necessarily 5 years) but fight back against the bumped up free agency age.

What happens to the guys that signed long term contracts though? their contracts are declared null/void?
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,193
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http://www.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendance/att_graph.php?tmi=5492

One of the best attendances in the NHL since 1986

image_att_graph.php

What are the ticket prices like?
 

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
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I think people tend to forget that there are a lot of wealthy suburbs around the decaying city. Actually, I heard once that Detroit is like a bullseye, a small wealthy area in the center of the city, surrounded by urban blight, then surrounded again with the wealthy suburbs.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
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I understand those issues but what does the NHLPA get in return for reducing their share to 50%?

Don't get me wrong, I hope it works. But just because 50/50 is a nice, round number, doesn't mean it solves everything. The NHL has still yet to "give" anything in these negotiations.

They offered increased revenue sharing. Not as much as the players wanted, but they met in the middle. Beyond that, what else can the league give? One side is going to have to come out of this negotiation worse off financially than they were previously. Most teams are losing money under the old CBA. That's why the lockout was inevitable, and that's why the players want more revenue sharing - to help ensure that a lockout isn't inevitable next time.

They "gave" and "got" exactly what they wanted the last time. Obviously they weren't happy with it... hence this lockout.

You don't ever get what you want in a negotiation, you get what you can get.
 

Elganja

Platinum Member
May 21, 2007
2,143
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Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger
NHLPA conf call has ended. Nothing certain, but a counter proposal is expected in next 24-48 hrs.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
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Exactly. After the first lockout in '05, I didn't really want to come back to the NHL right away. I figured maybe let them sqirm a little bit, lower ticket prices, really show me that they wanted me back. But everyone else ran back to them like lost little puppies, and I think that's why we have another lockout now: the players and owners just don't think they're risking anything by cancelling all these games.

Because it's a business, I accept that they have to run it like a business and don't take the lockout as a personal affront like a lot of hockey fans do. I don't get butthurt when UPS or my cable company has a labor dispute, and I don't get butthurt when sports leagues do either.

They're selling me entertainment, and as long as they're selling it I'm buying it.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
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you guys can always watch some NFL in the meantime, eh?

:\

I do, but of the 6 games a week that I could watch one is definitely the Jets, one is possibly not shown here because a local home game is happening at the same time, one is on the crappy NFL network, one probably features the Denver Broncos because OMG Peyton Manning, one I can't watch without hearing Jon Gruden's obnoxious voice, and only one features the Giants.

Also, hockey is better.

Edit to add: I think it's hilarious that I'm likely to be unable to watch the Eagles or Cowboys early in the season because Fox broadcasts the MLB playoffs.
 
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bguile

Senior member
Nov 30, 2011
529
51
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What are the ticket prices like?


IIRC, I paid ~ 60 a ticket for some center ice upper level tickets last year. Towards the front. The seats were not bad, but its too much for more than 1 or 2 games a year IMO. Probably could have gotten them cheaper on Stubhub.
 

xSauronx

Lifer
Jul 14, 2000
19,582
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IIRC, I paid ~ 60 a ticket for some center ice upper level tickets last year.

not too bad, probably comparable with the hurricanes tickets which are pretty cheap generally. you can get upper goal zone for a stupid cheap amount of money: season tickets start at $429 a seat and you get all the benefits of any other STH package (discounts, special events, yadda yadda)

my friends and i live 2 hours away from the arena and they got 4 season tickets the last couple of years. as cheap as it is and with what they can trade in and discounts they get...even if they only make half the home games or so its a good time and worth it to them (too much driving for me, imo)

if i lived closer id get a season ticket, or 2. some friends are 10 minutes from the arena so between their vouchers and discounts i get cheap entry whenever i wanna drive up :)
 

Michael

Elite member
Nov 19, 1999
5,435
234
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I live in Shanghai and depend on NHL Center Ice on Apple TV or my iPad to see games now. And I do miss the NHL a lot. I lived in Portland, Oregon before I moved here and went to a bunch of the local Junior A games. Cheap tickets and reasonably good hockey. My 2 girls really liked going to the games.

Michael
 

Fingolfin269

Lifer
Feb 28, 2003
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you guys can always watch some NFL in the meantime, eh?

:\

I love the NFL and the NHL and grew up in a big time college football town. So bascially I grew up loving football but I've discovered over the last few years that I now lean a lot more towards the NHL. I think it's due to going to so many games and realizing just how much down time there is in football. I still enjoy football but damn hockey needs to start again soon!
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
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No, more talking about how the city is suffering, not exactly overflowing with cash to spend on NHL tickets.

Unlike some cities the city of Detroit is relatively small, about 10 miles by 12 miles. It is surrounded by suburbs that extend about 40 miles to the west and about 60 miles north to south. When you see the blight of Detroit you are looking at what maybe is about 20 to 40 percent of the city proper. The rest of Metro Area is not a bad place to live, plenty of cash for tickets.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,193
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Unlike some cities the city of Detroit is relatively small, about 10 miles by 12 miles. It is surrounded by suburbs that extend about 40 miles to the west and about 60 miles north to south. When you see the blight of Detroit you are looking at what maybe is about 20 to 40 percent of the city proper. The rest of Metro Area is not a bad place to live, plenty of cash for tickets.

ok. You learn new things every day :biggrin:

So basically Detroit proper has a good re-envisioning opportunity.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
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So it would only apply to new contracts after the lockout ends?

/poor Islanders and their 15 year DiPietro contract....

And 6+ year contracts will count against the cap for their entire term regardless of when the player retires. And the team that signed the contract takes the cap hit after the player retires. That's really sticking it to the teams that signed all of those crazy front-loaded contracts. As a fan of one of those teams, I think it's entirely deserved.
 

jacktesterson

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2001
5,493
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I live about a 6 hour drive from Montreal.

I went to 3 games this past season and cheapest tickets I bought were $150 each. I paid over $200 for tickets each for one of the games. Saw the Leafs, Capitals and Jets. (Caps and Jets were back to back sat/sun games)


I'm also a Patriots fan (closest team to me distance, grew up a fan, been to 1 game only). As much as I love Football, Hockey is my sport.

1) Hockey
2) Baseball
3) MMA
4) Football
5) Boxing

In that order for me.

I'm a Jays fan that's never been to a game in Toronto. I've been to Fenway probably a dozen times (about 8-9 hour drive, closest team) though everytime was against the Jays.
 
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AMDZen

Lifer
Apr 15, 2004
12,589
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People got me all excited. I don't think hockey is any closer to being played y'all