By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek
October 15, 2012
As the NHL lockout enters its second month, the league and players association appear no closer to reaching a deal. Recent negotiations have only focused on secondary issues such as drug testing, not the core issues that include revenue sharing and salary cap. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly says the league already has foregone $230 million in revenue from the lost preseason and the cancellation of the first two weeks of the regular season. Commissioner Gary Bettman is also considering cancelling the league’s crown jewel event, the New Year’s Day Winter Classic. The NHL last year posted record revenues of $3.3 billion.
With regular season games being missed to the work stoppage, NHL stakeholders are starting to speak out. The U.S. Conference of Mayors is urging the league to end the lockout because of its negative impact on small business owners. In Canada, NHL broadcast partner CBC says losing 400 hours worth of their flagship show, Hockey Night in Canada, would be more devastating than losing live games. Bottom line, as players and owners argue over how to divide millions of dollars, some people are losing out on the income they need to live day-to-day.
