 |
INDEPTH:
NHL LABOUR STRIFE
The NHL cancels the season Full
text of NHL Executive Director Bob Goodenow's statment about the
cancellation of 2004-05 NHL season:
CBC Sports Online | Last updated Feb. 16,
2004
"I had hoped we would never see the
NHL owners and their commissioner do the unthinkable and cancel
an entire season. Unfortunately, Gary Bettman and the owners did
exactly that today. Let's step back for a minute for some perspective.
"The expired collective bargaining (CBA) agreement provided a marketplace
in which owners set player values. It was extended twice by the
owners. They did not -- they decided not to extend it again, which
was their right. The owners wanted to get a new CBA that would be
more favourable for them. The owners made their first proposal for
a new CBA almost two years ago. Their proposal then had two primary
components.
"First, they wanted linkage or cost certainty, which means total
player compensation is limited to a percentage of league-wide revenues.
Second, they wanted an individual team cap at approximately $31
million. Players were opposed to both demands. In response to the
owners' demands for a better deal for themselves, the players made
a number of offers over the ensuing months. Every offer by the players
moved in the owners' direction. The players never tried to improve
their position or keep the old CBA. The players sincerely wanted
a fair deal and pushed hard to get one.
"Unfortunately, we never had a real negotiating partner. The league
maintaining its demand for both linkage and a team by team cap,
the players made a series of major moves in the owners' direction.
For example, the players offered two comprehensive proposals to
establish a framework to end the owners' lockout. The players offered
to roll back their salaries by 24 per cent, a move that would have
saved the owners over 500 million dollars this year and more than
one billion over three years.
"The players offered extensive changes and the entry level system,
which would have severely restricted compensation for players coming
into the league. The players offered new arbitration rights to clubs.
The players offered payroll taxes, and players wanted the clubs
to agree to truly, meaningful, ongoing revenue sharing. The league's
revenue sharing proposals have never done that. The owners do want
-- do not want to be true partners with each other, let alone with
the players. The players offered to reset the entire marketplace
and ensure that salary drags and system deflators were in place
for years to come.
"In addition, in January, our president, Trevor Linden, initiated
a series of meetings that included Harley Hotchkiss. For those,
Trevor was publicly applauded by league people, the media, and fans
for his efforts, unfortunately, no progress was made. The league's
response to every initiative by the players remained the same. Every
time the owners demanded both linkage and individual team caps,
they never negotiated any of the proposals submitted by the players;
although they quickly tried to grab the players' offer of a 24-per-cent
roll back.
"The league maintained both its linkage and its team cap demands
until Monday afternoon of this week. At that time, the owners finally
dropped their demand for league-wide linkage. On Monday evening,
the players responded with a ground-breaking team cap offer. The
league rejected it. Last night, Gary presented the players with
a take it or leave it final offer and said he would refuse to negotiate.
"The players responded with a counter-offer that moved again in
favour of the clubs. Continuing the pattern we have seen for years,
the other side refused to negotiate. So less than 48 hours after
he finally abandoned linkage, the owners' commissioner today cancelled
the season.
"Players play hockey. It's what they love
to do, and players proactively offered proposals and initiated talks
with the league to keep the game on the ice long before the commissioner
triggered the second lock out during his tenure. Keep one thing
perfectly clear. The players never asked for more money. They just
asked for a marketplace to exist where they could negotiate with
their clubs' owners for what their value was to their teams. Marketplaces
exist in the revenue side of every NHL business. Tickets, parking,
concessions, suites, naming rights, television, radio, merchandise,
et cetera. And players fully accept the fact that markets go up,
and markets go down.
"We have said all along that players don't want to earn a dollar
more or a dollar less than they're worth. During the last CBA, when
revenues went up, so did salaries. When revenues eased, so did salaries.
As evidenced by recent signings. The league's threats, ultimatums,
take it or leave it tactics, and refusals to negotiate ultimately
prevented a deal here. The players wanted to reach a fair agreement,
but never had a negotiating partner to work with. At some point,
concessions end, and they've ended here today."
|
|
|
|
