Ray Romano gets $50 million a year to make his TV show because ratings justify it. His network gives him that because his show turns a profit for it. If Romano's show could not support that kind of salary, Romano would either see his income reduced on his next contract, or see his show cancelled.
Romano's salary fluctuates with his ability to generate revenue. Or, he plays by the rules of the free market system.
Atheletes on the other hand, and hockey players in particular, refuse to play in a free market system. They want their salaries to be tied to the ultimately irrelevent benchmarks of goals, assists and points. The points atheletes argue their value upon has a limited coorelation with their monetary value to their employer. Their salaries - like Ray Romano and Bruce Willis - should be tied to the revenue they generate.
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