Quote:
Originally Posted by Table 5
The solution to all this is fairly simple (in theory at least)…the league needs to cut expenses down to a level that allows them to build/maintain their own infrastructure. The biggest expenses the league has are players salaries, so they need to come down to whatever level that makes the operation viable without subsidies. Like with any private business, you can’t be handing out multi-million dollar salaries, and then complain that you can’t pay the rent.
I don’t know what that reduction is, but the NHL/NHLPA need to integrate infrastructure planning into their cap/escrow agreements. For example, if the NHL salary cap was $40M, instead of $80M or whatever it is now, and they put that extra $40M away every year…well they’d have enough money for every team to build a new stadium every 25-30 years. Yes it might mean that a star is making $5M instead of $10M... but if that’s what makes the league viable without subsidies, so be it.
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But team owners have figured out that all you have to do is threaten to move a team and municipalities cave and fork over the money.
So why would the NHL do what you suggest, when they can just continue to shake down cities for millions?