Contraction looming???

[clumping platelets]

http://espn.go.com/nhl/columns/ratto_ray/1486218.html

seems like the Florida teams and Atlanta would be on the hit list before the Sabres, regardless of the present situation.

[Ebenezer]

This is not good...this morning they were talking about the talk in the Ottawa lock room after they did not get paid and many of the players had no clue how bad it really was. Giambra said this morning he is really worried and would like some assurance that the Sabres will exist after a lockout...He has heard rumors that the league could contract to 18 or 20 teams.

[Buffarama]

How exactly does contraction save the NHL money. Anyone?

[Ebenezer]

Originally posted by Buffarama
How exactly does contraction save the NHL money. Anyone?


It doesn't...it is a hammer they can hold over the PAs head to get concessions.

[Earthquake Enyart]

The remaining teams would get bigger pieces of "common" revenues like TV money.

Although they look like they are screwed there too as the ESPN contract ends after this season. ESPN has made a heavy committment to the NBA and might not even want the NHL back. Where else can the NHL go?

[Dozerdog]

Back to Fox Sportsd net (like they do with watered down Baseball) for a fraction of ther cost

[Earthquake Enyart]

Just about all the teams now are on some Fox Sportsd Net. Be hard to weave a national game that wouldn't conflict with all the local games.

[Buffarama]

I think the only way they get a national TV contract is to eliminate local home team TV viewing like Empire, etc.
Conceptually speaking, if the Bills games were on Empire, what major network would sign a contract for the big money they do now.

[Ebenezer]

the difference is the nfl plays 16 games...all are important...the other sports have a minimum of 80...most games are throwaways as far as networks and fans are concerned.

[JefftheBillsfan]

there would be more talent on all the teams...

[clumping platelets]

...and thus make more teams competitive and in some markets, more fans at the games

[HenryRules]

They'd save money simply by the lack of competition for free agents ... for an example, look at the goalie position. Right now, there's about 25 starting-calibre goalies and maybe 5-10 star calibre goalies. Cut away 10 teams, and there's absolutely no market at all for free agent goalies and they'll end up settling for anything (ask Lord Byron what happens when there's no market for a player). Similar situations would be presented at other positions.

[HenryRules]

At the same time, there'd also be a higher likelihood for each team to make the playoffs (I'm assuming they'd keep the 16-team playoffs just like they did before the expansion boom of the 90s). And an extra 2 or 3 sellout home dates at increased prices is a fair increase in income with pretty much no increase in expenses at all (player salaries, which are not paid during postseason, are the main expense for NHL teams).

[HenryRules]

I also think the NHL would have a better opportunity of getting a richer national TV contract (on a per-team basis) if they cut some teams. Nationally televising the Thrashers or the Coyotes doesn't do much at all for national ratings, so losing teams such as those wouldn't greatly affect the income the league receives in its tv contract. However, with the reduction in teams that coincides, it would increase each teams share of the overall contract.
Regardless of whether contraction takes place, the NHL will lose money on its tv contract next time. However, if contract takes place, the remaining teams will not lose as much money as they would otherwise.

[HenryRules]

Originally posted by JefftheBillsfan
there would be more talent on all the teams...

This would increase the likelihood of records being challenged ... not that anyone is going to take a run at Gretzky's 215 or 92 ... but there would probably be runs at 50 in 50 and 80 goal seasons. These alone would create national interest in the league ... I remember when Neely had his 50 goals in 50 games, it made papers all over Canada even though he was playing in Boston. Right now, teams simply don't have the skilled players to score a lot of goals and unfortunately for the NHL, great goalie #'s don't attract nearly the same attention as great scoring numbers.

[Ð]

Break out the oxytoxin, boys, she's long overdue...