Thursday, October 07, 2004
Without the NHL, life goes on...
With the baseball playoffs in full swing (&$^# Yankees!), I'm hardly 'jonesing' for hockey at this point. The NHL and NHLPA don't appear to care about getting a deal done, so fan apathy will continue to build as the Yankees Cardinals make their World Series run.
Still, the other leagues are benefitting in some ways by the lockout, and yesterday Sportsnet announced that they will televise 22 regular season games this season for Canadian fans.
Unfortunately, we'll be seeing the Canadian teams playing each other pretty much exclusively! We won't get to a chance to see some of the American teams and the prospects they have. It's certainly efficient scheduling by Sportsnet, but I'd prefer more variety.
---
The CHL has seen good juniors like Adam Courchaine put back in juniors thanks to the lockout and a marked increase in attendance in cities such as Vancouver.
Unfortunately for the CHL, they aren't getting the 'developmental' funds, as reported by tsn.ca
So the Giants, with Marc Fistric drafted in the 1st round last year, would have received at least $65,000 from this benefit program. For the true small-market WHL clubs, these funds make a huge difference over the course of a year (Travel costs, etc)
The CHL clubs expect the NHL to eventually remit the money to them even though there is no formal contract in place. It's hardly the headache that the IIHF agreement will be for Bettman.
Still, the other leagues are benefitting in some ways by the lockout, and yesterday Sportsnet announced that they will televise 22 regular season games this season for Canadian fans.
The 22-game schedule features all-Canadian content with coverage of the four AHL teams north of the 49th parallel:
- Hamilton Bulldogs - NHL affiliate: Montreal Canadiens -- 12 games
- Manitoba Moose - NHL affiliate: Vancouver Canucks -- 11 games
- Edmonton Road Runners - NHL affiliate: Edmonton Oilers -- 11 games
- St. John's Maple Leafs - NHL affiliate: Toronto Maple Leafs -- 10 games
Unfortunately, we'll be seeing the Canadian teams playing each other pretty much exclusively! We won't get to a chance to see some of the American teams and the prospects they have. It's certainly efficient scheduling by Sportsnet, but I'd prefer more variety.
---
The CHL has seen good juniors like Adam Courchaine put back in juniors thanks to the lockout and a marked increase in attendance in cities such as Vancouver.
Unfortunately for the CHL, they aren't getting the 'developmental' funds, as reported by tsn.ca
Under the previous CHL-NHL agreement, which expired in June, the NHL paid major junior hockey development fees each year after the entry draft. That agreement has not been renewed because the NHL is preoccupied with its current lockout of its players.
...
Each team would receive a $50,000 base grant and then additional money based on the number of its players drafted and in which round.
A first-round draft pick, for example, was worth between $15,000 and $17,000.
So the Giants, with Marc Fistric drafted in the 1st round last year, would have received at least $65,000 from this benefit program. For the true small-market WHL clubs, these funds make a huge difference over the course of a year (Travel costs, etc)
The CHL clubs expect the NHL to eventually remit the money to them even though there is no formal contract in place. It's hardly the headache that the IIHF agreement will be for Bettman.
Comments:
<< Home
Hey-
Came across your blog today. Great stuff. Sorry about the lockout!
Hoping you could add a permanent Blogroll link to my "College Basketball Blog,"
collegeball.blogspot.com. I'd very much appreciate a link on
your site.
And would gladly return the favor, adding you to my blogroll.
Thanks!
Yoni Cohen, collegeball.blogspot.com
College Basketball Blog
Post a Comment
Came across your blog today. Great stuff. Sorry about the lockout!
Hoping you could add a permanent Blogroll link to my "College Basketball Blog,"
collegeball.blogspot.com. I'd very much appreciate a link on
your site.
And would gladly return the favor, adding you to my blogroll.
Thanks!
Yoni Cohen, collegeball.blogspot.com
College Basketball Blog
<< Home
