NHL GM's prepare for a new reality financially

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Corral

Yeah cuz what’s being played now is exactly what Rogers paid billions for. The exclusive right to broadcast high quality men’s league tournament in an empty arena with a bit of emotion but not very much. These playoffs are LMAO. And if they try this for a full season it will be a farce.

Good thing Rogers isn’t paying you for legal advice LOL

Have you read the contract? Do you have any clue how limited force make use clauses are?

Rogers may threaten to pull the plug to bargain with the NHL but they won’t actually do it.

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by VilleN

If the league can shut down for a year due to a lockout, how is this any different revenue-wise? Why is this so much harder for teams to bear? So far, they've only missed about 15% of the regular season and managed to cobble together playoffs. Surely they can miss next season, or have an abbreviated season and be fine.

Or is the bigger issue (compounding issue) that all of these stadiums aren't holding any events at all?

How is it different than a lock out? Players don't get paid in a lockout. All teh cost, zero of the revenue.

[Corral]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Have you read the contract? Do you have any clue how limited force make use clauses are?

Rogers may threaten to pull the plug to bargain with the NHL but they won’t actually do it.

Well somebody covers the losses accrued in this empty arena tour. I’m betting Rogers isn’t just going to roll over and let Gary and Bill stick it on them.

Have i seen the contract? No. Am I sure there are provisions that require a certain product be delivered by the nhl ? Yes. Is it open to argument whether this is the product bargained for? Absolutely. That’s what you pay good lawyers to do for you. Interpret the contract in your favour and litigate if necessary.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Crown Royal

How is it different than a lock out? Players don't get paid in a lockout. All teh cost, zero of the revenue.

I don't think they get paid if the season is cancelled no matter what the reason is. They only got a prorated amount this season after the last dozen or so games were cancelled.

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I don't think they get paid if the season is cancelled no matter what the reason is. They only got a prorated amount this season after the last dozen or so games were cancelled.

I don't think the NHL can't just cancel a season without the NHLPA agreeing to it though. And I am pretty sure that their was no prorated salaries, but rather players forfeited their final cheques as a result of CBA negotiations and the eventual extension.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Corral

Well somebody covers the losses accrued in this empty arena tour. I’m betting Rogers isn’t just going to roll over and let Gary and Bill stick it on them.

Have i seen the contract? No. Am I sure there are provisions that require a certain product be delivered by the nhl ? Yes. Is it open to argument whether this is the product bargained for? Absolutely. That’s what you pay good lawyers to do for you. Interpret the contract in your favour and litigate if necessary.

I don’t have to pay good lawyers. I am a good lawyer. And you have a pretty simplistic view of what’s in a contract. Rogers won’t be pulling the plug or litigating.

[Fuzz]

Have they discussed any plans for the next season? The only viable solution at this point with the border closed seems to be the bubble, and I can't imagine that working for a full season.


Maybe they could do a severely abbreviated regular season(maybe 30 games?), then a break, then the playoffs?

[Corral]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I don’t have to pay good lawyers. I am a good lawyer. And you have a pretty simplistic view of what’s in a contract. Rogers won’t be pulling the plug or litigating.

Ok I guess I’ll take your word for it then. Thanks for the clarification

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Crown Royal

I don't think the NHL can't just cancel a season without the NHLPA agreeing to it though. And I am pretty sure that their was no prorated salaries, but rather players forfeited their final cheques as a result of CBA negotiations and the eventual extension.

The CBA extension essentially changed 50/50 linkage on an annual basis to 50/50 over the next 7 years (including the one we are currently finishing). So they gave up last paycheque and escrow, but it will balance out eventually (at least collectively).

Cancellation would be messy. But ultimately, it comes down to revenue generation and variable operating costs. Collectively, it may not even make that much sense for the players to play, but it probably makes sense for the majority of them as individuals.

[ricardodw]

Don't worry the NHL has a big US TV contract coming up????

link

A total of 69 NHL playoff games have seen a 28% drop to an average 749,000 Nielsen-measured viewers per game.

NBA down 33%

[Strange Brew]

Those are some really really small numbers for viewership for both the NHL and the NBA.

[Crown Royal]

Numbers are down for everything. This covid thing has led to a great deal of acute anxiety and depression; one major symptom of that is apathy. Combine that with a drastically different experience due to no fans and it's not a shock they are down a ton.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Crown Royal

Numbers are down for everything. This covid thing has led to a great deal of acute anxiety and depression; one major symptom of that is apathy. Combine that with a drastically different experience due to no fans and it's not a shock they are down a ton.

Wut? Golf viewership is up. Streaming services are killing it. Outdoor activities and sports seem to be flourishing. Basketball and hockey meanwhile are outside of their traditional seasons.

Is there some data that supports Covid anxiety is leading to people watching less of certain sports? Seems to me people want a distraction and they’re not choosing basketball and hockey in the summer.

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Wut? Golf viewership is up. Streaming services are killing it. Outdoor activities and sports seem to be flourishing. Basketball and hockey meanwhile are outside of their traditional seasons.

Is there some data that supports Covid anxiety is leading to people watching less of certain sports? Seems to me people want a distraction and they’re not choosing basketball and hockey in the summer.

Apathy is a symptom of depression and anxiety and it is often one of the first acute symptoms. There are probably thousands of sources to verify that and if you think this pandemic hasn't caused anxiety and depression, you are simply flat out wrong.

If golf viewership is up, it's an anomaly. Just like baseball viewership being up 4% is an anomaly (it's way up among women and young people, but way down among the older demographic which is usually it's strongest). Soccer viewership is down 30% for afternoon games, but up a little in the evening (4%). NFL ratings were even down down by 11%. Wrestling viewership is way down.

Streaming services have constantly been on the rise for many years, they also run in the background without people paying much attention to them quite often, so not a great example IMO.

Don't get me wrong, apathy is not the only reason, but it plays a big part. Playing when they don't normally plays a part, playing without fans and the normal atmosphere plays a part too.

It's not certain sports, it's almost all sports. It's hard to be passionate about sports when you are feeling apathetic. And yes, getting into hockey in the summer is harder, it is also harder to do so without the awesome playoff atmosphere.

[Flamenspiel]

dp

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Do people hate the hockey being played that much? I mean it isn't the same quality, but that is more to do with the fact that the teams in it are two of the more boring teams from a western Canadian perspective. If the Flames were still in it, this message board would be incredibly active.

This has to be losing a tonne of money though, to shut down an arena and book a hotel for a month, let alone all of the other costs of having a large group of people in a bubble. This is a lot more fun than watching games from the 80s and 90s like they had on before.

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

Do people hate the hockey being played that much? I mean it isn't the same quality, but that is more to do with the fact that the teams in it are two of the more boring teams from a western Canadian perspective. If the Flames were still in it, this message board would be incredibly active.

This has to be losing a tonne of money though, to shut down an arena and book a hotel for a month, let alone all of the other costs of having a large group of people in a bubble. This is a lot more fun than watching games from the 80s and 90s like they had on before.

I don't think people hate it, well I'm sure some do, but I don't think most do. I think it is a combination of many things. From apathy, to being played in the summer, to no fans, to having months off in the middle of the season. I watched alot until the Flames were eliminated, then my excitement wore off and I am feeling apathetic to it now. My sister who loves the game as much as me, maybe more, hasn't watched much even though she likes Tampa because she's away camping every weekend.

To add to that, in the US, Chicago was out in round 1, Detroit didn't qualify, Rangers were out in the prelim, Caps were out in round 1, Pens out in the prelim, , LA didn't qualify, Blues were out in round 1. The only teams that regularly gets national US games to advance past round 1 was Philly & Boston who were out in round 2. In Canada, Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton and Winnipeg lost in the Flames were in out round 1 and Canucks in round 2. Ottawa never qualified, not that anyone cares. So the results from the Covid Cup tournament, have not be conducive to good ratings.

I think it is costing them a pretty penny for hotels, but I am sure they are getting a really good deal as well because hotels aren't getting much traffic these days. Also, they didn't shut down the arena for a month, there was nothing happening there, so it actually opened it back up for two months for some usage.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

An empty building generates no revenue but it also has minimal costs whereas the costs of putting the events on has to be significant. How much did they pay for the swabbing process alone? Nevermind the food, events staff, cleaning, maintenance, and ice workers

[powderjunkie]

The revenue almost certainly exceeded the expenses for these bubble playoffs; otherwise they wouldn't have done it. If they projected a marginal break-even, they probably wouldn't have done it, since there was always a risk that it failed/shut-down early.


How this works for the upcoming season, I don't know. It seems like a far more marginal and risky proposition, especially with anything resembling a normal travel schedule.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Crown Royal

Apathy is a symptom of depression and anxiety and it is often one of the first acute symptoms. There are probably thousands of sources to verify that and if you think this pandemic hasn't caused anxiety and depression, you are simply flat out wrong.

If golf viewership is up, it's an anomaly. Just like baseball viewership being up 4% is an anomaly (it's way up among women and young people, but way down among the older demographic which is usually it's strongest). Soccer viewership is down 30% for afternoon games, but up a little in the evening (4%). NFL ratings were even down down by 11%. Wrestling viewership is way down.

Streaming services have constantly been on the rise for many years, they also run in the background without people paying much attention to them quite often, so not a great example IMO.

Don't get me wrong, apathy is not the only reason, but it plays a big part. Playing when they don't normally plays a part, playing without fans and the normal atmosphere plays a part too.

It's not certain sports, it's almost all sports. It's hard to be passionate about sports when you are feeling apathetic. And yes, getting into hockey in the summer is harder, it is also harder to do so without the awesome playoff atmosphere.

Nice strawman with the bolded part, as it doesn't remotely resemble what I said.

I'm not aware of evidence that people are spending less time watching television or streaming. Ratings for some sports are up. And have you tried buying a bike or fitness equipment this summer? Or been on a golf course.

Here are some stats on the uptick in outdoor activities.

https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/u...-5-activities/

It's not a surprise that US viewers are apathetic towards ice hockey in the summer. It's not due to the very serious issue of depression.