Not Deja Vu All Over Again

Slowly but surely, this lockout is starting to differentiate itself from the last one.

That, at least in theory, could be bad news for NHL owners and players.

Last time, there was a sense in a substantial corner of the hockey world that honestly and passionately believed the fight was about levelling the playing field, about giving smaller market teams a greater opportunity to compete and keep their star players, about stopping the financial bleeding in some sectors.

Yes, there was a considerable portion of the hockey universe that didn't believe that was the core of the disagreement at all. But it formed the central debate in the public forum, and for some fans, at least, there was belief that it was a fight worth having.

Nobody outside of the NHL board of governors or the NHLPA believes that now.

Nobody other than NHL owners and players believes that any good can come of this battle, that fans in any city will benefit in any way, that there is any kind of moral high ground to be had here. There are some strident voices on both sides claiming the owners are in the right or that the players are, but a guess would be that the vast majority of hockey fans don't identify a good guy in any of this and certainly cannot imagine a result that would make the game cheaper for fans, more enjoyable or more exciting.

And therein lies the difference between this lockout and the last one. You can believe one side or the other is in the right, but there has yet to be a voice able to articulate any way in which this fight is good for fans or the game or the competition.

Maybe this won't matter in the end. Maybe fans will flood back like lemmings and the NHL and NHLPA will smirk at how easy it was to get back to normal.

But its starting to feel like it won't be quite that easy. More and more the NHL and its endless labour troubles seem to be setting it aside from the mainstream of pro sports, apart from other leagues where owners and unions seem to have found ways to establish better working relationships than has been the case in the NHL. The NHL and NHLPA are starting to look like the couple who snipe viciously at each other at social events without realizing others find their behavior unseemly and boorish.

It feels like even when this ends it will be in the first paragraph of every hockey story for the six months that follow. Neither Gary Bettman nor Don Fehr is looking like a statesman or a person whose sole ambition is to cut a deal and get the games rolling.

It feels like the poison between the owners and players is starting to seep into the fabric of the hockey industry. The players seem focussed on demonizing Bettman, which will do neither they or the business any good in the long run. Jimmy Devellano's outburst, meanwhile, perhaps revealed the cynical way in which some NHL owners regard the hired hands. The fanciful notion of a partnership is dead, and it seems these two sides will go on hating each other even if a deal can be reached to save this season.

There's also a sense that the NHL is flirting with irrelevancy, more in the U.S. than in Canada. Perhaps it's just the fabulous post-season baseball is enjoying, with all four division series matchups going the limit. The NFL is into the meat of its season, the NBA has started playing exhibition games and then there's the NHL, idle and ridiculous and run by league and union executives who seem to believe they're bulletproof and are thus more dedicated to standing their ground than negotiating.

So you begin to put all those factors together. No belief that there is anything in this fight for the fans or the game. An unsettling element of spite and disrespect on both sides despite the overall growth of the business and the wealth of players since the last lockout. Exciting times for other sports, with baseball, football and basketball having found ways to solve their differences and thus perfectly positioning themselves to crowd hockey out of the larger conversation.

The end result may be different from '04-05. How that might be its tough to say.  Or perhaps the NHL and NHLPA will again be able to get away with defacing the game and the business without any serious repercussions.

But the feel, the atmosphere says this is different this time around, that more people are turning away in either disgust or simply because there are other things to do and watch.

The NHL and NHLPA deserve to be punished and punished severely for doing this to the game without a compelling reason to do so. Both sides are equally appalling. 

Bettman, more committed to keeping the Coyotes in Phoenix than making sure at all costs that this season got started on time, has failed the game and destroyed any claim he might have had to being a commissioner for anything but the owners and their avarice. He's getting kudos from no one for running the lockout play again and has sentenced himself to owning an unenviable legacy. Perhaps he cares not.

Fehr, meanwhile, has proven to be of nearly no value whatsoever as far as ending the cycle of vicious labour squabbles. He's knows almost nothing about the game, he's tired and worn after too many baseball battles and offers nothing new. He's a continuation of the Goodenow regime after a brief break. He's a short-term leader and old-school thinker for a union that desperately requires a visionary.

At least last time there was an effort to fix the game itself while the lockout dragged on, which allowed the two sides to promote the "new" NHL when the '04-05 lockout was over.

That's not in play this time around, and there's no sense it will be, no sense that there's an individual like Brendan Shanahan willing to look beyond the fray and see a greater collective need.

Instead, the NHL is being petty, shutting down an L.A. Kings blogger, while the union wastes everyone's time with pointless and unsuccessful labour board challenges in Quebec and Alberta.

No, no one's thinking of fixing the game right now. The NHL game as played in the post-season last spring was, for the most part, ghastly, and it will return in the same form at the end of this lockout, a ping-pong game in which shot-blocking is more valued than skill and imagination.

So no, this lockout isn't exactly the same as the last one. There are no shining knights, no grand principles to be fought for, no attention to the needs of the game itself, nothing in it for the fan. The owner of the Stanley Cup champions wants out of the business. The owner of the Edmonton Oilers tried to blackmail the city by threatening to move the team. A player who used to be one of the game's top marquee attractions mutters indiocies about not honouring his contract and staying in Russia. Other players ignore the obvious negative impact of stealing jobs in Europe. Only one player, Anaheim's Bobby Ryan, has spoken his mind in a reasoned way without being an obvious partisan. Not a single owner has done likewise.

Just negatives everywhere. There are few words of compromise or understanding. No signs of honor. Just hate and extremism and bitterness, threats and hypocrisy, distrust and greed and total disregard of the sport on both sides.

When it's over, both sides will claim they have healed all wounds, and everyone will know it's a gigantic lie.

All that's left to see is how long it goes, and whether the reaction of the customers when it's over will be any different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Paul McNabb]

Nail on the head Damien. You hit it squarely. I for one, am so disillusioned by the actions of the owners and players. The emotional impact on fans notwithstanding, how about the financial impact they are having on supporting business and the bars and restaurants that see 60% of their revenue coming from the hockey season. These millionaire whiners don't seem to understand, or worse, care about the people and businesses that support them. I am ready for a fan boycott. If ten perecent of the fan base does not spend a dime on the game for two years, the NHL may then take notice but i gaurentee that if we do not hit their pocket books, nothing will change.

[Shaun]

Hey Damo....even though you blocked me on twitter for no reason I'm giving you props on this article. Could not agree more. I think everyone is just getting sick and tired of both sides and could care less if they come back. NHL is not life and death and people are realizing that they can live fine without it.

[Laura]

I would agree with a boycott, in that, the players are under contract and will still get their salaries...the losers will be the owners. I believe that what sets the NHL from other sports with respect to a good working relationship with the NHL Owners is very simple. The other pro sports leagues do not have to deal with the likes of Gary Bettman and his "my way or no way" attitude.

[Dave Sadorna]

You're right, Damian, this lockout does feel much different than the last. I've been watching hockey for over 40 years but have had enough at this point. The league AND the players are doing irrepairable damage to the game and stomping the fans in the process. I haven't watched baseball since the mid-90s and hockey has officially been added to the 'I don't care' list along with it.

[Rich M.]

Have to admit I do agree with most of what you've said here. Until the fans in Canada and the large US markets decide they are going to send their own message by:

a) not showing up
b) not buy the products of the sponsors so they don't enable this any longer

There will be no motiviation towards the two sides working together. Bettman is paid by the owners to be their hated face - he could care less about what anyone says - and will spin things to whatever end he desires to serve.

Fehr has united the players to stand firm (while over 150 go off to Europe or the AHL so they continue to be paid). He's an experienced negotiator who will not give in, no matter the cost.

But what I find most telling of the arrogance of the owners is the laughable attitude of Daryl Katz in Edmonton, who is intent on extorting money from the city with the threat to leave while his team is locked out. Just so he can make more money.

Neither side cares for the game that was handded to them or the fans. It's quite sad.

No, I could care less at this point. I miss the game that once was, but I can do without both of these bad characters and will not go to another game for a very long time. .

[Chris]

Great Article. I mentioned the same the other day about how great all the other sports are doing and no one really cares if the NHL comes back. The media does not even talk about the NHL, they are so disgusted with it. "Out of sight out of Mind". I think all the local and National advertisers should pull all commitments from the NHL channel and teams and take a stand it you really want to hit the pockets books.

[Dave M]

"The NHL and NHLPA are starting to look like the couple who snipe viciously at each other at social events without realizing others find their behavior unseemly and boorish."

Your characterization of the NHL and NHLPA, and the article in general, are bang on. Very very difficult to feel anything other than like a hostage to their distasteful game of chicken. Like the children of the sniping couple in your simile, hockey fans are the victims who know that both sides are to blame for perpetuating and exacerbating resolvable differences out of pride, arrogance, and self-centredness.

I actually like watching the Marlies, and would normally go to a few games a year, but the thing is, I actually feel like I would only be indirectly demonstrating my support for the NHL - proving to the Leafs that I am one of those fans who will undoubtedly return once the 'real' product returns to the ice. So I am holding off.

[jani7]

People need to realize this is a business, both sides only care about their earnings. There are no 'fuzzy & warm' feelings involved here, despite CBC's best efforts. So whenever the NHL gets back to business (which it is), fans have the choice of whether or not to patronize this business. That is your choice on how to spend your entertainment dollar, and honestly I think there will be more than enough 'fans' to support the business. What can be done, and would be noticed by the owners & players is to stop buying licensed merchandise, team or player. The reduction in merchandise revenue by both sides would be noticeable.
In the end, it's up to us. This is a business, how do you, as a customer, feel about your treatment?

[Ron]

What you say is correct, but isn't this also Bettman telling Fehr..don't think you can walk in here and dictate what the agreement is going to be and Fehr telling Bettman ...I am the big Kahuna when it comes to contracts so I am going to show you, you won't push the NHLPA around anymore. So bottom line is when they both convince their consituants that they have their best interests at heart they will sign a contarct that will save face for both of them for the next 5 or 6 years and then we will be back to where we started.

[Tim From Orangeville]

My prayer is that when these two greedy parties finally get back to the business of generating hockey related revenue, that, despite their best efforts, they find that there is significantly less interest in the league that they continue to harm.

The result being a much smaller pot of money to split between those who have no concern for its paying customers.

One can only hope.

Another wonderful read Mr. Cox.

[Draft Order]

Just noticed the story about Halifax prospect MacKinnon. If the season is wiped out, how is the 2013 draft order decided? Is it a total lottery this time?

[Aaron]

I agree whole heartily. I this fall I got into the NFL, and still follow the CFL and have even followed the LFL, which surprisingly is very competitive (and of course fun to watch!).

I don't miss the NHL and it's ridiculous 82 game schedule.

[Ed Arzouian]

So, once again Canadian cycling takes a slap in the face.

Squeaky-clean Mike Barry was doping. The CCA or CCC, now, or however CyclingCanadaCyclismeCanadaCycling is referred to, and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES) suspected nothing. Unfortunate but not surprising. I’m disappointed for and with Mike but have to give him credit for finally coming forward. I’d like to see the feds in the US re-open their case against Armstrong, not for doping but for perjury, witness intimidation, obstruction of justice and the creation of fraudulent documents. It might be time to exchange Lance’s yellow bracelets for shiny silver ones.

More dismal news, and that after embarrassing Olympic and even ParaOlympic performances last summer. Not a single medal if I’m not mistaken. Maybe I missed a ParaOlympic medal, but whatever. 2012 ranks down there with the very worst ever Canadian Olympic cycling performances doesn’t it? I can only personally remember back to 1976.

The new CCC web site is a dysfunctional mess. But if you manage to get to the "Sponsors" page you will find three (3) sponsors. Yup, three sponsors, that’s it; cold remedy ColdFX, LOOK and Louis Garneau, a sponsorship so poor many people representing Canada abroad (even Gord Singleton) have to buy their own national team jersey. These have been the same two or three sponsors for almost a decade.

But what did you expect?????

Since Greg Mathieu came to run the CCA/CCC from his mediocre, lengthy stay at Wrestling Canada he has accomplished almost nothing, same thing he did there for years. Mathieu had probably never been to a cycling race in his life before taking on the sport's leadership for the country!!! Like putting a football player in charge of World Championship Road Races....WTF!

On the CCA/CCC Board of Directors you still have a guy like Bill Kinash who after 30 or 40 years of “managing" the sport in Saskatchewan (the worse cycling province in the country) and being the President of the CCA was unknown to The Regina Leader-Post Sports department. Remember Kinash is the idiot that left the CCA Marketing Director position vacant for 15 months during the $15,000,000 Road World Championships in 2003, the biggest event in the sport in the country in 27 years, since the 1976 Olympics. Also remember the CCA limped away for that event with ZERO sponsors.

What a disgrace.

So we have fewer big events. Fewer small events. We have fewer sponsors. We have fewer teams. Bauer's big team is on hold. We have fewer riders. We have fewer international results. The funding from Sport Canada is drying up. Can things get any worse? The answer, sadly, is probably yes, they can get worse.

And I’ve told you so for almost a decade now. Maybe someday you will wake up. Maybe not.

In two weeks in Toronto you have a chance to show up and ask the people destroying the sport of cycling in Canada some questions. The 2012 Cycling Canada Annual General Meeting will take place 10.26.12 – 10.27.12 at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Toronto ON, drop by and voice your discontent. If you do go bring a paper bag to wear over your head. But don't expect much to happen, it's not like they will vote themselves out of power. Chief Executive Officer Mathieu's goals for 2013 are probably to ensure there's a bell on every handlebar and reflector in every wheel. Lofty objectives. High performance stuff. A what point to you deem this guy is a failure?

I’m looking forward to a hard-hitting Rob Jones Canadian Cyclist editorial exposé on this. He writes one a year and then buries that very long, skinny neck of his in the sand until the next year. Better he puts his head there, I suppose, than where most of the people in charge of the sport seem to have it firmly lodged.