The problem here is the windfall given to big market teams then in terms of undeserved gained profit. Big market teams are acting in a competitive market. If smaller teams can't compete that says something about the market.
You're absolutely right, but that's the current reality of the situation. They have to live with it, can't just pretend the problem doesn't exist. Not to mention having more teams does benefit the players, obviously not all of them are loaded with $$$ but it's more possibilities. If most or all of those teams can be competitive, then that's more bidders for players during FA which can mean more $$$.
This is by far the biggest issue. I would very much argue it isn't the PA's problem. They don't get to negotiate with Snider, Leonsis, and the Molsons. If they got to negotiate with everyone that would be fine, but if the NHL wants its monopoly it needs to operate as one cohesive unit. Teams like Phoenix are a management problem that cost EVERYONE money, hence why revenue sharing is BY FAR the most important issue. Other sports don't have the same disparity issues that the NHL has. Smaller markets are at least still viable. If the NHL wants to continue like this it needs to support those teams from management and not force the players to pay for their shitty deals with Glendale.
Revenue sharing is an important issue. Somehow I doubt MLSE, Snider, Molsons want to give up any more $$ in revenue sharing. I'm sure they do not like what they're giving up now (rumored to be 7% of top teams pooled revenue).
Other leagues have big TV revenue to count on, if ticket sales drop massively for small market NHL teams, they go down into the shitter.
What sort of concessions do you want the players to make? They've already pretty much accepted that they're going to have to take some sort of decrease in %. That was always a foregone conclusion. Now the owners are looking to take away essentially 20% of what they were already making AND impose a bunch of restrictions that will make it impossible to cash in before taking on severe risk of injury as a young player. I don't see how the players "have their heads up their asses." They're the ones agreeing to continue playing while negotiating AND to make concessions from the current status quo. The owners are just being assholes.
To people claiming Fehr is being unreasonable: What should he be agreeing to that he isn't?
I imagine they'd give up a %, they should just settle on 50/50 nice and even. Owners take financial risks running teams, player contracts are guaranteed.
They can either have 57% of $3B(or less if it drops) or 50% of $5B if league continues to grow.
I don't think the player should have to make too many concessions, it is unfair. By "Heads up their asses" I mean that Fehr just wants to get the most $$$ for his members which is shortsighted. They need to seriously considered the health and future of the league. The NHL is also guilty of this so it's not all on the NHLPA.
I can't claim he's being reasonable or unreasonable until he makes a counterproposal, right now he's been stalling.
