We hear different sides on a daily basis about the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA,) it has been a back and forth process that so far doesn’t appear to be getting anywhere. Most fans and even people that don’t follow hockey will eventually pick a side.

Times are much different today than they once were in the NHL as far as salaries go. Back in the mid to late eighties Paul Coffey the former Edmonton Oiler and Hall of Fame defenseman was the first big name to move due to money. Coffey started what became the exodus of what could have been greatest hockey dynasty ever had salaries not been an issue. Coffey was the first but Wayne Gretzky was the most notable to be moved from that team for money purposes.

Nowadays not all owners of hockey teams are filthy rich and bringing in large amounts of revenue. Some teams in the NHL actually lose money on a yearly basis. I am pretty sure that back in the early eighties that everybody out there was behind the players because they made next to nothing back then and prior to that there were players who had to find a summer job to make ends meet.

The NHL and the PA have come a long way since then. On one side of the coin an argument can be made that the fans come out to see the players play, they are the ones who bring people to their feet whether they are watching at home on television or if they are at the game. The players bleed when punched and sweat for their team to win.

They endure strict diets, they train all summer long many with a personal trainer, the players are taking a risk with their health and that in itself is worth a big pay day.

In return average income players can set themselves up for life if they are smart with their money. I don’t mean they have to be lucky they simply need to do the right things with the big paychecks they receive. That is nothing to shake a stick at.

On the other hand the owners are the ones with the foresight and are responsible for hiring the right people around them to make the right decisions. They take a financial risk and they are the ones who shelled out millions of dollars to purchase a professional sports team. If the ship goes down they are the captains of the boat who go down with the ship if need be.

In many hockey cities there is no risk regardless of how good or bad their season was they will be financially successful. Those are mostly owners of Canadian teams and U.S border or cold weather teams who have that luxury.

The Sharks though are an example of a team who made it to the conference finals two years ago and still ended up in the red. With each additional game a team receives additional revenue. The Sharks have sold out for quite some time and are the biggest pro sports team in the city; however some internal changes were made to help get the team out the red. It would appear that things aren’t always what they seem to be.

At the end of the day the players need to make their money as well as the owners and that is why new CBA’s take time and are not easily agreed upon. That is why we recently saw a shortened season in basketball and the hockey lockout in 2004/05 was the second time the league lost games. In 1994/95 teams played less than fifty regular season games due to a work stoppage.

Regardless of whom the fans side with the sport can’t endure another season lost or shortened if they want to keep the big TV contracts and for the sport to continue to grow.

Keep your sticks on the ice,
Cam Gore

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