SharksandAsFan
09-16-2004, 03:37 AM
NEW YORK (Ticker) - As expected, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Wednesday afternoon that the league will have a work stoppage at midnight EDT, when the current collective bargaining agreement expires.
Earlier in the day, Bettman met with the NHL's Board of Governors, who unanimously agreed to shut down operations until a new economic system was in place.
"For the past several years, as flaws in the current economic system have become increasingly difficult to overcome, we at the National Hockey League have done everything possible to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement that works, day in and day out, to serve the best interests of all involved," Bettman said.
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"Sadly, those efforts have not achieved their objective. And as the league stands at the threshold of the conclusion of the current CBA, which occurs at midnight tonight, it is my somber duty to report that at today's meeting, the Board of Governors unanimously reconfirmed that NHL teams will not play at the expiration of the CBA until we have a new system which fixes the economic problems facing our game."
The lockout is the second work stoppage in the NHL in 10 years. In 1994, the start of the season was delayed until January and the schedule was reduced to 48 games.
"This is a disappointing day for NHL players and fans," NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow said in a statement. "Gary Bettman's announcement that he and the owners have locked out the players and are shutting down the game of hockey is simply the wrong way to address the issues we are facing.
"The players have been prepared to compromise for a very long time and have proposed frameworks that should already have produced a deal that is fair for all. Unfortunately, the league has rejected all opportunities for compromise, while stubbornly insisting that Gary Bettman has the single solution to every problem - a salary cap."
Bettman believes the league cannot survive under the current system and claims a lockout is the only action it can take to make the union acknowledge its problems.
"Unfortunately, we lose less money by not playing," he said. "Given the choice of stopping things right now so that we can get it right or continuing to play with a fatally flawed system that is absolutely killing the game and killing our franchises, it's no choice."
The NHL and the union have held numerous meetings in recent weeks but have been unable to reach an accord on a new collective bargaining agreement. The major stumbling block is a salary cap, which the union vehemently acknowledges it never will accept.
The NHLPA, which rejected six proposals by the league in July, presented one of its own Thursday. But the NHL promptly discarded it, claiming it was just a repackaged version of the union's previous plan that featured a luxury tax, player salary rollbacks, changes to the entry level system and a revenue-sharing plan.
"Twenty of our clubs are losing money," Bettman said. "There have been too many bankruptcies and too many other close calls. I have had too many owners tell me they will get out of this game if the economics are not repaired."
"The players remain prepared to negotiate a fair agreement with the owners," Goodenow said. "But we need a negotiating partner who understands that agreements are the products of compromise. We do not have such a negotiating partner now."
Each team issued statements confirming the work stoppage and apologizing to fans shortly after Bettman's announcement.
During a conference call later in the day, Goodenow refused to speculate as to when the sides will continue negotiations.
"There's no set guideline or protocol as to when a call is made or a visit is made or anything like that right now," he said.
While Bettman took a somewhat hostile approach during his news conference, Goodenow reiterated the necessity of the league's cooperation in achieving a new CBA that is beneficial for both sides.
"When the union wants to stop the posturing and acknowledges that the problems are as real as our governors' resolve to fix them, we will be here, ready to make a fair and meaningful agreement that will usher in a new era for our game," Bettman said.
"An honest partnership can never be achieved under the league's 'My way or the highway' approach," Goodenow said. "Partnerships are build on respect, trust and willingness to compromise. Partnerships are not built through confrontation. Nonetheless, Gary and the owners have chosen, through a lockout, to try to force players to accept a system they know players would never agree to."
Earlier in the day, Bettman met with the NHL's Board of Governors, who unanimously agreed to shut down operations until a new economic system was in place.
"For the past several years, as flaws in the current economic system have become increasingly difficult to overcome, we at the National Hockey League have done everything possible to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement that works, day in and day out, to serve the best interests of all involved," Bettman said.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Sadly, those efforts have not achieved their objective. And as the league stands at the threshold of the conclusion of the current CBA, which occurs at midnight tonight, it is my somber duty to report that at today's meeting, the Board of Governors unanimously reconfirmed that NHL teams will not play at the expiration of the CBA until we have a new system which fixes the economic problems facing our game."
The lockout is the second work stoppage in the NHL in 10 years. In 1994, the start of the season was delayed until January and the schedule was reduced to 48 games.
"This is a disappointing day for NHL players and fans," NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow said in a statement. "Gary Bettman's announcement that he and the owners have locked out the players and are shutting down the game of hockey is simply the wrong way to address the issues we are facing.
"The players have been prepared to compromise for a very long time and have proposed frameworks that should already have produced a deal that is fair for all. Unfortunately, the league has rejected all opportunities for compromise, while stubbornly insisting that Gary Bettman has the single solution to every problem - a salary cap."
Bettman believes the league cannot survive under the current system and claims a lockout is the only action it can take to make the union acknowledge its problems.
"Unfortunately, we lose less money by not playing," he said. "Given the choice of stopping things right now so that we can get it right or continuing to play with a fatally flawed system that is absolutely killing the game and killing our franchises, it's no choice."
The NHL and the union have held numerous meetings in recent weeks but have been unable to reach an accord on a new collective bargaining agreement. The major stumbling block is a salary cap, which the union vehemently acknowledges it never will accept.
The NHLPA, which rejected six proposals by the league in July, presented one of its own Thursday. But the NHL promptly discarded it, claiming it was just a repackaged version of the union's previous plan that featured a luxury tax, player salary rollbacks, changes to the entry level system and a revenue-sharing plan.
"Twenty of our clubs are losing money," Bettman said. "There have been too many bankruptcies and too many other close calls. I have had too many owners tell me they will get out of this game if the economics are not repaired."
"The players remain prepared to negotiate a fair agreement with the owners," Goodenow said. "But we need a negotiating partner who understands that agreements are the products of compromise. We do not have such a negotiating partner now."
Each team issued statements confirming the work stoppage and apologizing to fans shortly after Bettman's announcement.
During a conference call later in the day, Goodenow refused to speculate as to when the sides will continue negotiations.
"There's no set guideline or protocol as to when a call is made or a visit is made or anything like that right now," he said.
While Bettman took a somewhat hostile approach during his news conference, Goodenow reiterated the necessity of the league's cooperation in achieving a new CBA that is beneficial for both sides.
"When the union wants to stop the posturing and acknowledges that the problems are as real as our governors' resolve to fix them, we will be here, ready to make a fair and meaningful agreement that will usher in a new era for our game," Bettman said.
"An honest partnership can never be achieved under the league's 'My way or the highway' approach," Goodenow said. "Partnerships are build on respect, trust and willingness to compromise. Partnerships are not built through confrontation. Nonetheless, Gary and the owners have chosen, through a lockout, to try to force players to accept a system they know players would never agree to."