[Triumph36]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
hockey had a chance and blew it with the work stoppage.

[/ QUOTE ]
The work stoppage didn't 'blow' anything for the NHL. It simply accelerated the decline of the NHL is the US. Look, save for the American Original Six franchises and a few other successful expansions/moves (read: Buffalo, Colorado, Minnesota), hockey is a niche sport in the US. Always has and always will be.

The NHL were fools were not taking ESPN's TV contract. Granted, less money, but they needed that national exposure. Gary Bettman keeps saying that attendance ratings are up, but he's full of it.

The NHL launched an aggressive marketing campaign titled 'My NHL' to go along with considerably significant rule changes that were intended to appeal to everyone, including me (which they did). However, there still is a ways to go. And unfortunately, it appears as though the refs (by far the least envied referring job of the 'Big Four'), are starting to let things slide again.

The future of the NHL in the US looks bleak. At least half a dozen teams need to be moved/eliminated. Winnipeg, Quebec City and Halifax all need teams.

[/ QUOTE ]

This post is probably a joke, right? I hope I'm not getting leveled.

The problem with the ESPN deal was that ESPN wanted to plug in hockey wherever it saw fit - basically where it puts poker now on its schedule. That's a bad deal for the NHL - it needs an exclusive night devoted to hockey every week. In the New York area, I think OLN took a garbage deal to be added for free to the digital tier, because it's in no man's land - I often forget there's a game on, and I'm a huge fan.

As for Winnipeg, Halifax, and Quebec City, there is not a chance these three cities could ever support an NHL team now. Not a chance in hell. The salary floor is going up again next season - do you really think these cities could run profitable, competitive teams in this era? Absolutely no way.

Anyway, the first work stoppage killed hockey's buzz - baseball was on strike, here was the PERFECT opportunity to slip in and get people fired up about the season. Instead there was a lockout and the owners caved. Bob Goodenow's tyrannical reign on the NHLPA is over - finally - and I think they struck a pretty fair deal this time.