Who Really Suffers?
The Lockout is upon us and with little to no say in the matter we all just have to sit back and wait. What are the real life implications of an NHL lockout? Yeah we don't get to watch our favorite team play but who really cares? There is absolutely nothing we can do about that other than complain.
Click the jump for a real reason to be mad
Now we all know that the Owners want a bigger share of the pie and we know that the players are reluctant to give up what they feel belongs to them. Good for them...
What about the fine people that work very hard selling you beer, hot dogs, or those nifty foam fingers? These guys rely on their small to average paychecks to support their families and pay their bills. Do you think they care if the owners shares get bumped up a few percent, or if players multi-million dollar salaries get rolled back?
I can tell you first hand that the owners and players arent the ones that suffer from a lockout. See, I work in television, and a chuck of my yearly income depends on whether or not the season starts. I saw a good chunk of money disappear last year when the NBA locked out, and I will have to do the same this year when the doors shut on the NHL.
I wont starve, but I will have to budget my money much more closely and make cut to things like vacations, dates with my wife, and little things that I planned on doing with my son.
The owners wont have to downsize their mansion, and players wont have to tell their kids that they cant have that expensive new toy they had their hearts set on.
So I ask you NHL & NHLPA is your cut of the billions of dollars you all collectively make really that important when Johnny Shoelace gets cut back to circus duty at the Joe this winter?
Is anyone thinking or know of anyone else thinking about walking away from the NHL after this one? I'm like 80% there... But will probably fall back in line with the rest of the cattle once they dangle their sweet product in my face.... But I would love to never give another thin dime to these owners or players ever again.
@D.M.N I like the discussion of a new league formed largely by the players in Canada and the upper Midwest USA. I know that almost certainly nothing will come of it, and I would certainly be sad to see the DRW disappear and the NHL to go out with a SoCal team winning the Cup. However, I really think that hockey fans and the North American hockey entertainment industry would do well to see the NHL simply dissolve and a new league formed by actual hockey people. I, like you, will probably fall back in line, but I don't see me buying Center Ice again anytime soon.
This is a classic case of blame the evil rich person.
Who gave those people a job in the first place?
Who put their ass and money on the line to build a franchise?
If it weren't for the owners or players caring about what what happening with what they feel they deserve none of these people would have jobs in the first place.
We need as many millionaires and billionaires as we can get because they will give more and more people jobs. That is exactly why our economy is where it is. Take a quick look into the quickest shrinking class in our country and you will notice it is the "evil rich". There is a direct correlation between a decline in wealth/job creators and jobs. Amazing how that works.
@magnum9 Um... Those franchises couldn't exist without the people that work in the arena. If that's your thinking then I guess the owners should sell/take tickets, sell merchandise, food, programs, drive the zamboni, usher people, clean the bathrooms, produce the television games that bring in mega TV bucks as well as promote their team and sport. Yes the owners and players are important, but it's the little people that really make it all possible. Thanks for reading, but please don't be ignorant.
Secondly. Last I checked these million/billion dollar companies will do whatever it takes to make a few more bucks. They aren't handing out jobs with the more money they make, they are cutting them wherever possible to line their pockets. The economy is a cruel crutch that some corporations are using. I've seen companies cut jobs because of the "economy" all while reporting record revenues
@Reddy @Tnhgeno @Jordan_Reis You do realize facism is very close to communism? I think you have your economic policy alignments mixed up.
It is communism. Spreading the wealth to teams that can't survive without it. Its Gary's grand plan and it isn't working because the best way to run a business is to let the owners do what is best. Not claiming that we MUST work something out because the consessions workers won't have jobs.
You take that mentality this whole league will go under permanently. See how many people are out of work then. Let the market do its work, if a shitty team is failing let them fail. Let the owners keep the money they make and make whatever deal they decide to with the players. I don't care if there is a salary cap but the league shouldn't then be allowed to come in and confiscate money from an owner because they do a good job just to give it to the owner who can't manage money.
Nasty comment? Where, you mean the only personal insult on here by Jordan?
Rich, hah, no. Simply someone who started by mowing lawns and washing dishes. Moving my way up. Watching people who don't want to get off their butts trying to take what I earned.
The mentality you seem to espouse is exactly why Detroit is in shambles. Hell, half they country is on a downward spiral because of it. Europe is starting to fail because of it. The NHL is on a downward spiral because of it. But lets just keep trying, eventually its gotta work right?
@Tnhgeno @magnum9 @Jordan_Reis This all started with one of the stupidest, most naive, fairly nasty comments I've read on here. I love how the auto-comeback for americans is to claim the other person is preaching communism. Hate to tell you this but that's exactly what the league needs, revenue sharing, because they all make money from each other. As for the borderline fascist comments made by magnum9, don't get me started on how wrong you are. Are you a rich spoilt brat by any chance? No? Just sanctimonious then.
@magnum9 @Jordan_Reis What I've gathered from reading this is 2 facts.
1. The workers could not make money if it was not for the owners.
2. The owners could not make money if it was not for the workers.
You are both correct. Problem resolved?
Didn't realize making money and hiring people to work thereby boosting the economy was foolish. I learn something new every day.
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@magnum9 My vision of NHL Communism? My article or anything that I have stated has nothing to do with how the CBA is worked out. I could care less. Im talking about the average joes that work hard to make your viewing experience possible whether on tv or at the arena. And if you knew anything about what was going on you would already know that they are arguing about how revenue should be split. I think you are grasping at straws here because you look like a fool.
@Jordan_Reis @magnum9 Sorry Jordan, I am pretty damn sure your vision NHL communism is not what people want. Splitting the wealth because of population numbers will fail every time.
Exactly right. We still remain number 11 all the while enduring an all out assult since the 1930's. Its amazing how enterprising individuals can triumph over the governments attempts to thwart private commerce.
@magnum9 @Jordan_Reis "I hope you didn't go to a government school where they forgot the economics lesson regarding about how having more wealthy people in a nation makes for a more wealthy middle/lower class... which is why we have been so lucky to live in the US as is." I teach Government / Economics (though at a private, not "government" school). What you just said makes no sense, though it likely could be explained by changing a single word. You start with the idea of more (total quantity) of wealthy individuals, but you end with the idea of a more wealthy class (the middle class; more wealthy possessed by the class corporately). Did you intend to use two different measures? That aside, problem the two most important economic statistics relevant to this discussion are per capita GDP (PPP) and the GINI Index. You can read a brief description of the two and see the United States as a comparison to all other countries at the places below: per capita GDP: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html?countryName=United%20States&countryCode=us®ionCode=noa&rank=11#us .
@magnum9 sorry but you can buy a franchise and be as rich as you want but they don't run themselves. These franchises wouldn't exist without the workers. Yes ignorance. It's not about making more money it's about how to split it. The workers didn't have a choice in the matter and anyone that argues "poor millionaires" is a fool. I didn't miss my economics lesson and am not about to get into a debate about it on a sports blog, but you are mistaken. Yes, the country is run by millionaire/billionaires, but the middle class is what makes America what it is. Those guys wouldn't have that money without them. Fact is you are entitled to your opinion, but that doesn't make you right, and I would bet that 999,999 out of 1,000,000 would agree with me on the lockout
First, million/billion dollar companies are the ONLY way most middle class people will ever be able to retire... through IRA's and other retirement funds. It is VITAL to have corporations that make huge profits for this reason.
The first thing any franchise needs is a Millionaire to buy it. Not one single person would have a job in the organization if it weren't for those Millionaires.
I hope you didn't go to a government school where they forgot the economics lesson regarding about how having more wealthy people in a nation makes for a more wealthy middle/lower class... which is why we have been so lucky to live in the US as is.
Sorry, not ignorance... simple economics.
There are a lot of people affected by a lock out but no matter which way you look at it, if the franchises aren't making money they sport is gone. That is the first thing that is needed. But I would agree with anyone who says that some of the franchises currently on NHL welfare should be gone in the first place.
My husband and I were just discussing this very thing last night. It's a sad state of affairs when the "little people" don't matter. Even though it's us little people who spend our hard earned money on tickets to games and hockey swag. It's the little people who make sure our arenas are staffed and there to take care of the hockey fans. The only thing we get to say is BOHICA... For those who don't know, BOHICA means Bend Over Here It Comes Again...
That's the thing about billionaires and millionaires, they don't care about anything but themselves. Not all, but many.
I thought the same way, when it comes to the people that work at those arena's and how it effects them. Its stupid, them trying to figure out a way to split out money. They don't care about the fan's, its showing more then ever and now its making me not care about them or this stupid league. Might just watch college hockey and khl instead. Love the Page always though, hopefully it gets more mobile safe soon lol
