Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr Stuck On PR Ferris Wheel

With the recent cancellation of games through the end of 2012 (December 30) and talks of decertification ramping up, it is clear that the game we love wont be back anytime soon. The sad thing is the two sides are extremely close to a new CBA, but neither side wants to admit it for fear of defeat. In all honesty its sad and pathetic that the lockout has lasted this long and the only reason it has, is because both Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr are intertwined in the PR battle.

It's gotten to the point where Fehr is quicker to jump up on the podium and point the finger than too actually sit down with the players and actually hammer out a deal. For some strange reason the NHLPA believes they must win the PR and maintain their image with the fans, as the good guys. But what they fail to realize is that the fans don't care whose fault this mess is, they just want a solution. At this point the PR battle doesn't matter, fans are upset at both sides. All the posturing done by the NHLPA is for not if the 2012-2013 season is lost, fans will be just as upset at the players as they are with the owners because this lockout was preventable.

Another thing the NHLPA needs to keep in mind is the majority of hockey fans don't like Bettman as it is, they don't need anymore convincing. Telling the fans how stupid Bettman is and pointing the blame isn't going to help win the fans over, they already don't think highly of the man you're not telling them anything they don't already know.

Lets go back to the meetings last week when Bettman brilliantly suggested the owners, players and GM's meet without Bettman and Fehr in the room. Now of course this was a PR stunt by the league commissioner but it worked! The players were extremely happy to finally be allowed to talk and there was a real sense of optimism about getting a deal done. Then for whatever reason Fehr, ill advised, decided he wanted back in the meetings which sent things in a downward spiral.  Bettman left the NHLPA a voicemail that I imagine went something like this: "The deal was we stay out of the room! I held up my end of the deal but you couldn't stay away. You broke deal, we're done talking!" Which then in turn led to Fehr and the NHLPA holding a press conference to whine to the media about the voicemail left by the NHL. Fehr running to the media made Bettman furious who then called his own press conference. By the time two had cooled off all the progress had been lost.

It's understandable that the NHLPA was upset over the way the meetings were handled by their opposition, but it was their own doing. Yes Fehr had every right to want back in the meetings, but thats not what was agreed upon. The owners and GMs were only asked to talk with the players not Fehr, Bettman stayed out of the room his counterpart should have as well. At some point the NHLPA have to realize crying to the media isn't going to get them anywhere. All it does is frustrate Bettman and annoy the fans. It's turned into the boy who cried wolf situation and last week may have been the last straw for the NHLPA. If the entire season is lost one can relate the sinking point to Fehr's press conference last Thursday, I have never seen Bettman so upset or agitated over these discussions. It's time for the NHLPA to grow up and act like the professionals they are no more whining or the season will be lost, period.

The best thing to happen is whats happening right now, silence. The two sides are meeting with mediators but not letting any information slip to the public. The only chance we have at seeing a season is if we hear very little during the next few weeks.

The good news for fans is that as big as Fehr and Bettman's ego's are it's not worth losing the entire season over. One of them and I expect it to be Bettman, honestly because he's been the less talkative of the two, will decide enough is enough and leave his ego at the door and tune the media out. The only way this lockout ends is if they give up the PR battle and the media is told nothing.

NHL Presents 2nd Offer

 

The CBA negotiating saga is still ongoing and with roughly 19 days left till the September 15th deadline the NHL has finally submitted to the NHLPA their 2nd offer. Only hitch, there really isn't anything new in the offer.

As much as people don't like Gary Bettman you have to give credit where credit is do. He's not stupid, he's a lawyer and he doesn't like to lose. Instead of catering to the NHLPA's demands with his second offer he decided to "re-arrange" the league initial offer. His plan seems to have worked, Donald Fehr head of the NHLPA said on Tuesday he was pleasantly surprised with the leagues second offer.

The only good news about the leagues proposal is the players would make $460 million more than the owners suggested in the original deal, everything else is just "re-worded".

• The NHL has come up with a 6 year deal, 3 of those years will result in a fixed salary cap and the final 3 will return to the cap being based on the league revenue. players would earn 51.6% in 2012-13, 50.5% in 2013-14 and 49.6% in 2014-15. In the final three years, the players and owners would split revenue 50-50.


• This offer does not include rollbacks on current contracts. Meaning players like Sidney Crosby will still get all the money the were promised.


• The league is asking the players to give back 11 percent which would set the salary cap at $58 million, $12 million less than it would have been under the current CBA. Not mention 16 current teams are already over $58 million.


• The players revenue share is 46% up from the original 43%


• The NHL would also like the players salaries to go towards escrow, this point here pretty much rules out any real significant changes between the first deal and the second deal.

The Fehr accompanied by 11 players met with the NHL today to present their alternatives and further debate the second proposal. It appears the players didn't have the same feelings of optimism about the "improved" deal;

"We’re ready to play. We want to play. But Gary'’s pretty adamant about his third lockout of his tenure.” ~ Zach Parise

Very powerful statement by Parise, gives fans a little insight on what the players are thinking about the CBA negotiations. Unfortunately for the players, right now the NHL has the power.

Fehr says the players will work on a second counterproposal which may be ready as early as tomorrow. But he still claims both sides are far apart on revenue sharing. The biggest thing separating to the two sides is the revenue sharing or the "pie" as the two sides refer to it.

"Before you divide up the pie,need to remove some of what is included in the pie" ~ Donald Fehr

The good news for fans, is both sides seem to have found some common ground, pie. Both sides are hung up of the revenue share and how much of the pie their side will get. With the latest deal the NHLPA would get 46% of the pie while the NHL would get 54%. Here's a remarkable idea why not share the pie 50/50?

The players still feel like the league is trying to take "money out of their pockets" and are concerned about a new 6 year deal. But good news for fans is both sides seem to have found some common ground and are starting to focus their negotiations on getting a deal done. While the clock is still ticking both sides still refuse to accept a straight deal without compromise. But as long as they're talking it has to be good news right?

My prediction

• The Players will be the ones to backdown and accept a deal


• We will not see a full season lockout but will see a work stoppage, resulting in a shortened season.