Live&DieBillsFootball Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 My solution to the lockout: Break the NHL into 2 leagues. Put the top 6 teams into one league with no salary cap and ticket prices as high as they want to make them. All the big spenders can be in this league and can have all of the multi-millionaire players that they want. Have a minimum salary of $3 or $4 Million per year for each player. The top 6 league would have a much better chance of landing a decent TV contract due to the high talent level of the teams. This league would have no annual draft. Players would have total free market rights and could sign with the highest bidder. Teams would be able to bid for and buy any players that they want as long as they pay at least the minimum salary to all players. The second tier league would have the remaining teams. Ticket prices would range from $5-$25 per seat and a set percentage of all revenue would go to a salary cap for the players. The annual draft and free agency would work just like in the past, but teams would be limited by their spending cap. Any player would be available for promotion to the top 6 league provided that the top 6 team pays a fee of 1 year's salary to the team of the player promoted and has to pay the player at least the $3-$4 million dollar minimum for the full year regardless of when they call him up. This would prevent late-season poaching of players from the second tier league. The Sabres would obviously play in the second tier league and we would get to watch AFFORDABLE, quality hockey. I would make myself available as the new commisioner as long as I would be able to fire that short, pompous idiot as my first order of business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP-era Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 My solution to the lockout: Break the NHL into 2 leagues. Put the top 6 teams into one league with no salary cap and ticket prices as high as they want to make them. All the big spenders can be in this league and can have all of the multi-millionaire players that they want. Have a minimum salary of $3 or $4 Million per year for each player. The top 6 league would have a much better chance of landing a decent TV contract due to the high talent level of the teams. This league would have no annual draft. Players would have total free market rights and could sign with the highest bidder. Teams would be able to bid for and buy any players that they want as long as they pay at least the minimum salary to all players. The second tier league would have the remaining teams. Ticket prices would range from $5-$25 per seat and a set percentage of all revenue would go to a salary cap for the players. The annual draft and free agency would work just like in the past, but teams would be limited by their spending cap. Any player would be available for promotion to the top 6 league provided that the top 6 team pays a fee of 1 year's salary to the team of the player promoted and has to pay the player at least the $3-$4 million dollar minimum for the full year regardless of when they call him up. This would prevent late-season poaching of players from the second tier league. The Sabres would obviously play in the second tier league and we would get to watch AFFORDABLE, quality hockey. I would make myself available as the new commisioner as long as I would be able to fire that short, pompous idiot as my first order of business. 92754[/snapback] My solution is easy. Its called a salary cap! The NFL used on and learned that any team now can win the SB any year. Dynasties and true competition return, revenue throughout the league goes up even at poorly attended rinks because every team could be in it at the start of the season. Everyone is happy, even the players a few years after they suck it up and play for 500K a season instead of 1-2mil waaaaa! The problem is the players will hold out and can get paid to play elsewhere. The league cant hold them to the fire like the NFL can. This will be a LONG hold out I promise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 i love hockey, but i want to see this ship sunk! these players a refreakindiculous! Read Jay Mckees comments in todays paper, he says there will be no season if the nhl wants a cap! Sorry Jay how about pickin up a spatula and flippin burgers! How does that sound? Hpw about shoppin for a KIA rather than a Hummer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webster Guy Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 "The top 6 league would have a much better chance of landing a decent TV contract due to the high talent level of the teams." I don't think the top 6 teams in your scenario would get a contract that supports 3-4 mil per player. Football survives because it gets a big TV contract. They get this because people watch football. People don't watch hockey on a national scale. Even your "good" teams. People will tune in to watch the 2 worst teams on Monday night, but they won't tune in to watch the 2 best teams in the NHL finals. I think it is a shame, but that's the reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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