Are You Kidding Me, 3 Proposals Aren’t Enough?

Ten minutes is not a lot of time. In fact, it might even take you more than ten minutes to read the article and that puts it into perspective when thinking about how quickly the NHL and the owners dismissed, not one, not two, but three counter proposals from the NHLPA.  Three proposals in ten minutes, gone, no good, thanks for trying.  Are you kidding me?

When the NHL pitched their proposal on Tuesday that was highlighted around a 50-50 revenue split, they had to have known the NHLPA would come back with at least one counter proposal.  That’s just the way negotiations work and this isn’t Donald Fehr’s first rodeo.

So how can Bettman and company be so quick to dismiss all three of the counter offers from the players?  They didn’t even consider one of them as a starting point to come back with a counter proposal to the players.  Instead they just flat out declined them all and then go somberly address the media as if this is all the players fault.

Bettman was awfully quick to point out that none of the player’s offers were close to the 50-50 split that the league offered earlier this week.  Yet we hear now that the third offer was at a 50-50 split based on one condition; honor the contracts that were signed before the CBA expired in September.  Sounds simple enough does it not?

How can the owners stand there and say, we want more of the revenue generated pie and oh, we’re going to roll back your salaries that we were foolish enough to sign you to.  In what world does that happen? Honor the contracts that you signed your John Henry on and let’s get this thing done already.

Nothing has been leaked about whether or not the two sides plan to meet any time soon.  It’s now become a mind game with the general public and a war of words through the media.  Bettman claims no offer was close to their proposed 50-50 split, not in year one and not in the foreseeable future.  The player’s claim to have offered three proposals and have taken to Twitter to criticize the owners for not taking the deal and honoring the previously signed contracts.

In the end it’s the fans that are truly hurt by this circus that we’re watching and following on a daily basis.  Bettman won’t even consider moving his side from their 50-50 stance, stating that it’s going to be their way or the highway.  We all know how far that gets someone in negotiations as concessions need to be made in order to come to an agreement.

The players say they feel for the fans and at least they’re willing to negotiate.  The terms may not be what the league wants, but hey, it’s a starting point.  Why dismiss something so quickly when it isn’t what you want it to be Gary?

Both sides are playing hard ball with the owners looking like stubborn mules given their head strong stance.  Of course this could all be a ploy to the general public and we could see re-negotiations take place next week with these proposals used as a spring board.  Or talks could die all together and we’ll be left with no NHL hockey, a state you have to think that the owners would sooner get to.