It’s yet another day of no negotiating between the NHL and its players, with the Sept. 15 lockout date looming. That, of course, puts the start of training camp in serious jeopardy. Kings players have been scheduled to report to El Segundo for physicals on Sept. 17, with on-ice practices scheduled to start the following day and the first preseason game(s) set for Sept. 24. It’s reasonable to think that nothing, schedule-wise, would be impacted if a (theoretical) lockout lasted only a couple days. Beyond that, preseason games would be endangered, including the popular annual “Frozen Fury’’ game in Las Vegas, scheduled for Sept. 29.
Then, of course, there’s the start of the regular season, with the Kings scheduled to host the New York Rangers on Oct. 12. What a shame it would be to see the Kings’ celebration delayed, especially because I’m told there’s a great celebration in the works. Here’s one tidbit: For the first time in their Forum/Staples Center history, the Kings intend to hang banners from the rafters, rather than post them on the wall. That means this year’s Stanley Cup and Western Conference championship banners will hang above the ice, as well as the 1991 and 1993 banners, most likely (details of the event are still being worked out, including the placement of the retired-number banners).
Having all the banners on a wall is a Kings/Lakers tradition that started at the Forum and carried over to Staples Center. I hesitate to make this blanket statement, for fear of a faulty memory, but to the best of my recollection, the Kings are the only NHL team that doesn’t hang its banners from the rafters. I’m curious to see what you think, but no matter what, it will definitely make the banner-raising ceremony a bit more dramatic…whenever it takes place.
3 lockouts in 18 seasons is serious BS! They better hash this out before the season starts. I know the die hard fans always come back… which is why this is so painful. We are the ones that get the shaft.
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neil Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 9:18 am
@RobSD, 50/50 split….65 million dollar cap….Let the small market owners fight it out with the large market owners.If a small market cant get by with a 65 million dollar cap then move the team or find a new owner.A team can win without spending the max. OR put all the small market teams in their own division.Hockey would be a trendsetter with this idea. Then large vs small for the ring.
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Shuchuk Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
@neil, dude. that’s a great idea. how badass would it be if baseball did that too?
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curtis Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 9:38 am
@RobSD, I have ALWAYS been on the side of the owners during lockouts/strikes. But not this time. They cancelled an entire season last time to get what they want & told fans ticket prices would be lower. Well, like true politicians, they lied, & now expect us to forget. And, now they want to push the players lower again. Yes, the players make enough, but these owners & Bettman need to be stopped. I wish they went to arbitration, but I’m sure the owners won’t because they won’t be happy until they bleed us fans & the players completely dry.
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Deke'r Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
@curtis, ….awwww..comon….it’s nothing personal…..just business….
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Shuchuk Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 8:02 pm
@Deke’r, screw the owners. they’re the ones offering stupid dollar amounts and absurd years to the players, only to cry about how they are losing money.
USHA #17 Reply:
September 7th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
@RobSD,
At least this way all the players will return healthy for the 2013-14 season.
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Hanging the banners and number from the rafters would be AWESOME!!!!!
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Shuchuk Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 8:03 pm
@Sebastian, how about the Laker’s stuff?
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Hockey "G" Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 8:38 pm
@Shuchuk, Who cares about the Lakers stuff.
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Steelers Kings Reply:
September 7th, 2012 at 9:29 pm
@Hockey “G”, that’s right, the Kings are the boss at Staples now!
Mike Reply:
September 9th, 2012 at 2:15 am
@Shuchuk, I’ve always hated that the banners were plastered to the wall next to Lakers and WNBA crap… over the ice is how it should have always been… ’bout time…
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Hang them!!!!!!! Next to the Clippers banners and retired numbers !!!!!
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Shakes Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 9:47 am
@neil, totally! i know we’re just starting our run but there’s something waaay cooler about hanging banners rather than on the wall, it’s a lot more initimidating to walk into boston or montreal and see the rafters full. it will also give Staples some extra character
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Deke'r Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
@Shakes, ….totally agree…
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Jeff_R Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
@Shakes, Especially now with the new scoreboard I can’t really see the banners at all from my seats. It be really cool if they go ahead with the rafters idea.
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Qmungous Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:26 am
@neil, too soon
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Wouldn’t it be great if both sides of the negotiations looked at it from the persepctive of “What do the fans, who pay for everything, want?” Yep, just play the games. I don’t think they will consider our perspective, but it would be nice if they did. And hang those banners from the rafters so everyone can see them!
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Micheal Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 9:32 am
@DesertKing, I agree that would be the way to go but all they see is dollar signs…and behind those dollar signs are the fans! Its a long winter up here in Northern Alberta and if there is no hockey it will send us into a deep depression…again!! Please oh please dont make us watch some other lame form of sports!
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Donald_S Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:25 am
@DesertKing,
What is interesting to me, is that I cannot think of a single time that an owner or player or Bettman or the NHLPA have talked about money in relation to fans. It’s always “we depend on fan support”, or “we do this for the fans” not “The fans pay our salaries and we’re dead without them”. I wish there was a way for the fans to put real pressure on them. Get 100,000 fans to sign an agreement/petition that they will attend 20% fewer games and buy no jerseys or other team items over the next two years if an agreement is not reached soon. That might get their attention.
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Deke'r Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
@Donald_S, …..petitions??…really??….only one way to put pressure on them….fan strike….
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guuny Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 5:06 pm
@Donald_S, actually, you might be on to something. I know its summer but there has got to be a bunch of people buying nhl stuff (I did just a few weeks ago). Lets start a movement and boycott buying anything nhl related until they come to an agreement. you know the only way you can affect these guys is by hitting them in the pocketbook. Ok people, how do I get the word out?
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FiG17 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:21 am
@DesertKing,
Sometimes I wish fans could get representation in these talks, but the thought sounds silly the moment it enters my head.
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stagger Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:27 am
@FiG17,
No it doesn’t.
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GoringFan72 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
@stagger, I like it. The “Hockey Fan Association” or HFA for short (pronounced like “Hoffa”). Do what we say and nobody gets hurt!
Debra Turull Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
@DesertKing, I agree, I suggested a fan “watch out” where we the fans shut off the TV and not watch hockey. Maybe this is a good time to contact the sports networks that play the hockey games and tell them we won’t be watching their network. If someone could get addresses, maybe the NHL fans can have a letter writing campaign.
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EasyBob Reply:
September 7th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
@DesertKing, The fans? Who are they? They make it all happen when they buy a ticket. That pays for everything. So best listen to the fans and get back to hockey.
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“What a shame” is exactly right. I like to think I have a good idea about how people tick, but this one is beyond me. The egos on both sides must be bigger than I thought, and I thought they were enormous before. Clearly both sides are making plenty of money. Therefore, the sticking point is that one side thinks the other is making too much. That is pathetic and inexcusable. But maybe that describes both parties.
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ShuttleBut Reply:
September 8th, 2012 at 10:16 pm
@goes to eleven,
Nigel Tufnel is right!!
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The lockout doesn’t just effect fans. I know plenty of people who will be effected, as in their JOB will be effected.
But let us fight over millions. I hate the owners, I really really do. I place all the blame at their feet. You morons got EVERYTHING you wanted in the last go around, and you STILL screwed it up!
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Micheal Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 9:34 am
@mrbrett7, Very well put. The owners just want and want and want. The more they get…well you know the rest.
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:20 am
@mrbrett7, It’s interesting that some owners will lose less money without a season than with one under the current CBA. Talk about screwing things up. What a joke of a league if that’s completely true. I suspect that ‘losing money’ and ‘profits’ are very relative when it comes to NHL accounting.
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Dominick (defrim65) Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:06 am
@mrbrett7,
It’s not just the owners fault, and both sides can take a share of the blame.
The NHL doesn’t have the logistics to keep 30 teams afloat. If 1/3rd of the teams are small market teams that need revenue sharing just to survive, it’s almost impossible to put together a CBA that is going to carry 6 to 10 teams, and make a profit. Maybe 3 to 5 teams, but not 6 to 10 and make it fair for everyone. The NHL, and the NHLPA will never downsize and build the markets slowly till all the teams are sustainable before expanding back to 30 because the NHL would lose teams, and the NHLPA would lose jobs for it’s players.
Imagine the KHL being stupid enough to expand to 30 teams right now? They’d crumble. The NHL should be around 26 teams till it grows as a sport here in the US. Not carrying teams like Phoenix, and moving a failed franchise to Winnipeg where a sold out arena is still at the bottom of league average in attendence.
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Bob Bobson Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 12:14 pm
@Dominick (defrim65), It is not just the owners fault but if the NHL cannot support 30 teams, the owners, having approved expansion plans, are still to blame for that. Yes the NHLPA could just agree to take less money in the CBA or allow contraction, forcing players to go to the minors or overseas and take less, but the owners did create this situation in the first place.
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Kiosku2 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:35 pm
@Dominick (defrim65), Man, brilliantly said!
I hated when greed took over and the NHL expanded so violently, into too many markets, including some horrible ones.
You,re right, neither The owners or the NHLPA will ever admit that expansion was too broad and utilized in poor markets. Neither will they start to contract teams like MLB and the NBA have done.
The sport started growing into the sunbelt in the 90′s because of Gretzky’s foray into LA and because of other factors obviously,but it wasn’t growing that much to where so many teams needed to be added.
Contraction; It might be painful but it can’t be worse than a work stoppage every 7 or so years.
The NHL won’t grow with more work stoppages, making it harder until contraction is finally and humbly accepted.
Get ESPN back too. I had a lot of non-hockey related fans become fans of the NHL simply because the NHL was on
ESPN (And ESPN 2) during the 90′s. I saw it expand viewership firsthand and that is the start of real growth and stability.
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Any plans if frozen fury tanks,if kings will do something for fans
in vegas for those with non refundable airfares?
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Lake Forest Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 9:33 am
@PucktheDucks, From previous posts a lot of people are still going!
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Shakes Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 9:48 am
@Lake Forest, they can just reply game 6 on a jumbotron and i’d still go
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Lake Forest Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 9:52 am
@Shakes, I’ve never been, but will one of these days!
hockey junkie Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
@Shakes,
I’m in!!!!
kings4queens Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 12:04 pm
@PucktheDucks,
Since my husband and I have already paid our non-refundable airfare, we’ll be there…wearing our Kings jerseys. We’re hoping to meet up with lots of other King’s fans who are in the same boat.
@Shakes,
Good idea about game 6 on a jumbotron. That would be a blast!! I still have my finger’s crossed for the real thing though.
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Jeff_R Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 6:59 pm
@kings4queens, That would be an awesome idea showing game 6, especially if they use Bob Miller’s call of the game.
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Darrell Reply:
September 7th, 2012 at 5:47 am
Curious, if you were an Av fan, would you go?
Sally Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
@PucktheDucks, My friends & I are all still going to LV regardless… This will be my 9th yr in a row & my group refuses to break our annual FF tradition.
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It also looks like “Breakfast with the GM” will be cancelled. It’s funny that Lombardi & gang had to sit there & take crap from us fans for all those years & they finally win the cup & the breakfast is probably cancelled.
Also got the email about The Kings/Staples selling some of their chairs/seats for $250.00. Anybody buying one?
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Shakes Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
@Howe9, i’m gonna go $500 for a chair signed by Kompon (although i think only players are allowed)
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I already miss hockey…please don’t delay our Stanley Cup banner celebration, that will be such a disappointment for all of us Kings Fans… Let’s make a deal already! 50/50 split of revenue works for other leagues, just get it done!!!
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I don’t care where they hang the banners….just as long as they get hung this year!! We have waited TOO long for this!! It would be a real shame to cancel Frozen Fury as well. Especially when we have so much to celebrate, I expect the turnout for FF to be so much more incredible than it always is!!
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I really think now that they won the Cup they should take down the division and conference banners…
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CoffeyIsForClosers Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 9:48 am
@Quattro,
They should do like Boston and Detroit. The Cup banner(s) in Black/Purple, the Division/Conference banners in white – on laterally opposite sides of the rink.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/gallery/2009/12/09/banner_640.jpg
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:11 am
@CoffeyIsForClosers, Wow. That’s a lot of banners.
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Save, Hrudey! Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 7:48 pm
@CoffeyIsForClosers,
Nice idea….except with the Lakers as tenants, I could see the rafters getting too crowded. I know Detroit has a lot in that pic, but imagine if the Lakers hung all 16 titles and WC champ titles?
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neil Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 8:30 pm
@Save, Hrudey!, Lakers ONLY hang championship banners…No banners for anything except the BIG prize….oth the clippers hang everything!!!! which is……….the same amount of banners I have hanging in my house!!!!
Qmungous Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:28 am
@Quattro, why take them down? those teams earned those banners!
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Quattro Reply:
September 8th, 2012 at 3:39 am
@Qmungous, like someone else said, imagine if the Lakers hung their division and conference banners? There would be like 50-60 banners! I just think once you win the ultimate prize, the other banners are a bit superfluous.
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I was honored to be on the Ice when they retired Robitaille’s jersey and thought it was kool to watch it being raised to the rafters. Hanging our banners and retired numbers from the rafters at Staples will finally put us in the mainstream with the rest of the league.
As for the CBA – both sides need to make concessions to make this work and I don’t see why it shouldn’t be a 50/50 share of revenue between the Owners and Players. It’s funny how the contract lengths for these new extensions and contracts are still over the 5 year limit wanted by the owners, so why are they still allowing it to happen?? Guess they figure a portion of those new contracts will be voided when the new contract limits get approved which will save them even more $$ while screwing the players. Gotta love greed!
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Just got to see the Cup for the first time in my life…i was stopped in my tracks as soon as i saw it…so beautiful. A once in a lifetime experience.
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DesertKing Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:12 am
@TeamJMFJ,
Very nice! Seen it twice and it never gets old
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:12 am
@TeamJMFJ, Hopefully more than once.
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Dominick (defrim65) Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:19 am
@TeamJMFJ,
Congrats! I’m still waiting. I haven’t even been in the same room with the thing yet. I am confident that I’ll get my chance this season though.
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seanster48 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
@TeamJMFJ, just got to see it UP CLOSE at the channel islasnds rink! Awsome! (a couple of ICE GIRLS too,) 1 QUACK fan, 1 REDWING fan were there. probably thinking that its GONNA BE AWHILE before their teams get it again!!lol GO KINGS!
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@TeamJMFJ Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 1:26 pm
@seanster48, yeah thats where i was too! didnt win the raffle but still an amazing experience to see it.
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What happens with the AHL & Junior’s players in the event of a lockout? Where will my Manchester Monarchs be working out this September? El Segundo or will they move training camp to Manchester?
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:15 am
@CT King, Good question. Since a lockout wouldn’t affect the AHL or Juniors, I’d hope they would still come to LA.
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I can tell you one thing….The refunds I get for my Frozen Fury and Game 1 tickets against the Rangers will not go back into supporting the NHL what so ever. Im thinking the LA Galaxy will be my new avenue for sports spending. Ive always loved soccer and supported the Galaxy its just always taken a back seat to hockey and the Kings. But since the powers that be cant seem to figure things out, and insist on labor disputes every go around Im done with it. I will always watch the games on TV (on the channels that come included with my cable package) and will cheer on my Kings as I always have, but Im done with spending my money on the NHL. I have all the Hockey/Kings Jerseys and merchandise anyone could ever need and would rather support billionaire/millionaire’s that dont deprive their fans of the sport they love, unlike the NHL, NFL, and NBA. The MLS just gained another paying customer in me and they can thank the NHL for it. LA………Galaxy!
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:17 am
@BrokeKingsFan, Hate to point out the obvious but you’ll be giving your money to the same people either way…AEG. Oh and…Go Galaxy! Take up a game if you haven’t already. Good prices for a great time.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:44 am
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com), I know….AEG gets my money anyway. At least its not in support of hockey though. Love Galaxy games…I go to at least 4 or 5 a year and I was at the LA /Van game on saturday. Great goals by Juninho and Beckham!
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DesertKing Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:23 am
@BrokeKingsFan,
Just waiting for the refund myself. Instead of Vegas and Frozen Fury, I will be heading to Oakland and Raiders football.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:50 am
@DesertKing, Im a Broncos guy and hate the Raiders but good luck to you guys this season. The AFC West is much improved this year and it should be a good division battle to the end.
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DesertKing Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:48 am
@BrokeKingsFan,
Both teams could actually have a good year and renew a once proud rivalry.
JQ is better than you Reply:
September 12th, 2012 at 3:38 am
@DesertKing, Don’t forget to bring your prison shank with u!
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Deke'r Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 2:22 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, …..unfortunately that’s what it will take for the owners to get the message….although AEG gets the money it’s still less than it won’t be hockey revenue…
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Deke'r Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 2:24 pm
@Deke’r, …”although AEG gets the money it won’t be hockey revenue”….
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Buster Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:21 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
I’ll probably be going to more ECHL games. Probably the Wranglers every time they face the Reign.
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Okay, this is going to be a bit unpopular but so be it…
This impaase is not entirely on the owners and Commissioner. The players and their agents have to take some of the heat too as do we all as fans. The owners are clearly divided by haves and have nots. Salaries rise because fans demand it of their teams to sign and retain big ticket players but then we gripe about ticket prices. Players just want to play and get paid but their agents want to get paid as much as they can demand so it is a game of leverage and clever lawyering. Do people really think these cap evading contracts with declining salaries was a player or owner invention?
Yes overall revenues have gone up. That’s the NHL equivalent of the stock market rebounding. Sure it helps the big guys at the top makin huge suns of money but it does nothing for the 9-5 guys who are still trying to make it paycheck to paycheck. Yes all of the owners are wealthy but they did not get wealthy bleeding money in bad investments. The cba issues are not just about how to split a big pile of money with each side saying they want more. The big picture issue is long term viability across the league and who is going to foot the bill. Everyone has to give to make it work. There are teams losing big money annually and it is unfair to blame it all on the owners and the need to save them from themselves. You blame nashville for Weber’s deal? No way. And that deal may break that team for years to come.
The way I see it there are three groups to balance: owners making money; owners losing money; and players. The players and money making owners need to find a way to balance things off to help the money losing owners. It helps everyone long term. Here is why: the more teams there are the more jobs there are for players. It is the NHLPA not the AHLPA we are talking about here. So if the players want to help their fellow players they need to give something back. Big money franchises need to help as well because contraction looks bad for the league and goes opposite from the direction of expanding the league’s presence in the sports market. Finally the small market teams need give something ito secure the investment from the players and other teams. Say a 3 year cap on revenue sharing to keep them motivated to grow their team instead of resting on the laurels of others?
Once those numbers are agreed upon the rest is mechanics. Players give back x. The top half of the league gives back y based on a sliding scale based on revenues. Teams receiving revenue sharing receive a % of pool based on rank in revenue (can’t be on position where finished because of teams like the Leafs) teams receiving revenue share only can receive for 3 years out of any 5 year period.
The smaller issues of contract limits and free agency should not even be considered until the core issue is resolved.
This isn’t about saving the owners from themselves, it is about saving the league from itself. Take some accountability and this whole thing gets done. That includes me and every other fan, so our concession can only come in the form of paying more for the game we all love, and that’s just fine by me. There are a lot of things I can’t afford but I make no assumptiins that someone will get it for me.
Whatever… just hope it gets done.
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Stuart Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:46 am
@pk, agents are a lot like lobbyists… cancers to society.
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Deke'r Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 2:25 pm
@Stuart, ….lawyers….go figure….
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Buster Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
@Stuart,
Pimps might be more accurate.
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bbb7 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
@pk, A lot of good points in there. This happens in all the leagues, and there’s lots of posing by the principals involved cause that’s how they justify their huge salaries and power to their ‘constituents.’
My big problem with this is, all this was known 6 months ago and, as ALWAYS, they made zero progress before the meetings and little so far in them. It’s always the same story. Why can’t the two sides start earlier and get serious and not jeopardize their incomes and the goodwill of the fans? It’s just SILLY. And pathetic.
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Osaka Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 6:37 pm
@pk,”Players just want to play and get paid but their agents want to get paid as much as they can demand…”
It was all Drew agents fault! He didn’t want the money he held out for. Drew wanted to play for $500,000 a year right? The agents work FOR the players. The players are the ones that say yes or no to any offer. An agent may advise a player he thinks we can get more, but it is the players decision to accept an offer or not. Why do the players hire the big name agents? Why didn’t Drew handle his own contract like JJ did?
If you get down to it the agents are the most honest people in this business. Players, teams, owners all say one thing and do another. Agents tell you straight out that their job is to get the best deal for their client.
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Way cool, where ever they put them, if maybe we will see this year? If not then next year for sure and since we waited 45 years for the cup one more year we can do it and wait as it looks like no hockey for at least few months for sure now, or none at all, as always money and not caring about the fans for sure, did you except any things less, as it is the 6th already, and so one day at a time.
Going to Las Vegas anyhow, as airlines do not refund money and can always use the FF for a night out in Vegas other than hockey like a show?
Go Kings Go!
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puck73 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:44 am
@Gail Web, I always go to frozen fury. However, I have decided that if the lockout goes in to effect, then their is no way I am going and wasting money.
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Gail Web Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:55 am
@puck73, Hi Puck 73, its not wasting money as there is Luc poker game to watch and other lots of things to do in Vegas as always, and since airlines do not refund once you have air tiks you got to go or sell them to some one else so anyhow two days rest in Vegas sounds good to me even if no FF.
Nothing us fans can do at this point to just get refunds for the tiks we already paid for, and use for other things
Go Kings Go!
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Sebastian Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:11 am
@puck73, yep, this would be my 4th consecutive FF, I look forward to it as soon as the season ends, but im gonna save my money and stay home if its canceled. it actually feels weird and disappointing when i go to Vegas but dont get to watch Kings hockey.
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If the Number One power play unit can’t score then you bring in the Number Two power play unit. Time to put Bettman and Fehr back on the bench and bring out the second unit to negotiate.
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Shakes Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 12:47 pm
@HeyChief, fire Kompon!
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DesertKing Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
@Shakes,
Again!!
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Kiosku2 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:49 pm
@Shakes, Wait, they re-upped him? When are they going to learn? If he lasts till the end of next season with us, running our pathetic power play, I’m voting for a 2012-2013 work stoppage along with this year’s!!!! Get rid of that guy already!
Rich, please don’t moderate me, I know he’s surely a nice guy but it’s still hilarious that the cult “Fire Kompon” still exists even though…….. They “fired Kompon”
“time is a train that makes the future the past, standing in the station with you’re face pressed up against the glass” Achtung Baby – 1991—— For you Shakes….
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What a fiasco a lockout would create. Smart business men would be willing to forego any revenue from games not played for however long,eh? Any negotiation necessitates each side hurting a little. Neither side gets the whole ball of wax. Both sides are greedy..the owners want more $$$, the layers want more $$$. Unfortunately Buttman opened his inglorious mouth early on threatening lockout which makes it fifficult for the players to negotiate in good faith. Fehr is just as asinine as Buttman as each of them to claim to be the top dog. However, the real losers are the fans who pa their good money to bu the tickets that pay the salaries of the players. If the fans walk awa, the league will all look like Phoenix and Anaheim…less that half the seats occupied..and Phoeniz has alwas given awa lots of seats for free.
Instead of animosity,let the billionares amd millionares get this settled NOW!!!!!!!!
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puck73 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 10:47 am
@Optomistic, totally agree. Last season while watching Kings road games I noticed that places like Dallas, Phoenix, and Florida were a ghost town. As for Anaheim, they sell out when The Kings and Red Wings come to town, otherwise their attendence isnt very good either.
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paul03 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:56 am
@puck73, Totally agree puck the Anaheim Ducks probably only sell out about ten games a year.The ducks should be moved to Canada or somewhere else.
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Bob Bobson Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
@paul03, I dislike the Ducks as much as anyone the Ducks do not need to move. Attendance will go up once the team rebounds. When the Kings were doing badly, Staples was pretty empty also. I got seats in the Premier section for $20 for the home opener once.
bbb7 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
@puck73, If the league is going to continue with 30 teams (including, always it seems, a handful of ‘life support’ franchises) the players benefit by having more of their brethren at the Show level and so there has to be a lot of give-and-take. Since a hard cap is the only reasonable way to achieve some semblance of parity (the luxury ‘tax’ of baseball just mean the same 8 or so teams are the only ones in contention for the championship every year) and some of the teams will need financial help meeting the minimum cap. It’s the price you pay to have so many teams/owners/players ‘employed’.
The NHL is on the right track and I dont think there’s another league in which the cap has brought about a feeling for so many teams and fans that they have a legitimate shot at the Cup. After all is said and done I suspect they will end up at a 50/50 split, salaries might be cut back some and the cap reduced proportionately. I dont think limiting the length of contracts or the length of entry level contracts will fly, nor should they. The owners are free to hang themselves with cap rope spending sprees, like any other ‘consumer.’ Just dont let contracts be a way to circumvent the intent of the cap; limit them by the age of the player, perhaps.
I just dont see how it always comes to an impasse after a year+ to make some progress. It always ends up being part economics, part p*ssing contest. Here, negotiators,have some Trix.
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Osaka Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 6:04 pm
@bbb7, You say with a luxury tax system it would be the same 8 teams that can pick up all the UFA and buy championships? There are only a handful of teams that spend to the cap and buy all the UFA’s now. At least in a luxury tax system the bottom teams would have some revenues come their way. Can winnipeg and Phoenix spend to the cap and outspend Philly, Boston, Det, NY…. for UFA’s? As far as buying a championship Phoenix was in the conference finals. The Ranger have won the cup once since 54.
posted on other thread but should he here.
shared from Chaz Curry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQs3O_IDas&feature=youtu.be
Let US be heard
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Shakes Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
@pr0cess, the song portion which starts at 4:50 is just awesome and perfect
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This would have been the best Frozen Fury ever, by the way. All those years of going after losing seasons and it was awesome, but it would have been incredible after a cup win. Rich, you are a reasonable guy. Perhaps you can resolve this dispute before the 15th? You do pretty much everything else …
SAVE FROZEN FURY!!
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I have a solution. The fans generate the money that allows the NHL to exist and for owners and players to be millionaires. Since this sport would be nothing without the fans, every team should pick one season ticket holder and all 30 season ticket holders, one from each team, should be the arbitraters, thereby guaranteeing that there will be no lockout.
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Dominick (defrim65) Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:26 am
@NOW IMPRESSED, Unless the 30 appointed can’t get along. Then we’ll end up with what we have now.
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Here’s the way to negotiate, reduce contract salary for players, fans become owners and fans get price sets reduction…
Love the idea banners hanging at the Staples
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Banners should always be hung in the rafters. There were no rafters for all intents and purposes in the Forum, so the walls made sense, but it always looked strange and rather unimpressive.
They should hang them in the rafters at Staples Center and be consistent in colors, sizes and design.
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Sebastian Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 11:59 am
@dMan, the lack of Championship banners was unimpressive. no they actually have something worth hanging.
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Darrell Reply:
September 7th, 2012 at 5:55 am
@dMan, Technically, I don’t think there are any rafters in the Staples Center either. There’s a big honkin’ truss, though.
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Rich’s headline of the season “blowing in the wind” is pretty close to factual. I would change it to the season “dying in the wind,” since both sides are passing so much gas, no one could breathe in that room. No wonder the sessions never last more than minutes. It has got to be worse than the campfire chili scene from Blazing Saddles or the elevator scene from the Pink Panther.
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I dont like the idea of the conference banner and the stanley cups champs banner, i think the highest level you reach should be hung. i feel like the conference champ banner is redundant because if you have the cup banner, then obviously you were conf champs.
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According to hockey news yearbook….the kings have 3 of the top 8 players in the league….can u name them?
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Shakes Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
@neil, trick question, Juraj is all 8.
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KC23 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
@neil, Quick and Kopitar should be locks. The league always seems to be in love with Doughty so that would be my last guess about what Hockey News thinks.
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neil Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 3:39 pm
@KC23, BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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CB14 Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
@neil, They have Doughty at #8, are you kidding me? They must have only watched the Kings play in the playoffs and not the regular season.
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i guess in this era of sports, the sentiment “for the love of the game” is not in the vernacular of those whom re negotiating…
i have his funky vision of bettman playing xbox and “Call of Duty 3″ and fehr playing on a ps3 “Max Payne 3″….
at least, they can agree on the version number, if not…eh, um…for the love of the game….
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I don’t know who I agree with, the players or the owners! All I know players contracts are going up, owners profits are going up, but, fans seats prices have gone up with it. So who are the real losers? The Fans…
If contracts go down and owners get their 50-50 split, we the fans will get reduced prices in ticket! Yeaaaaaaaaaah! NOT!
So as much as we want to blame owners I blame the players also, for they are both as greedy and only the fans who lose with higher ticket prices!
Dear Mr. Gary Bettmen and NHLPA, when you guys do sit and sign a contract one or three months from now, and everybody has their piece of pie, don’t forget us fans given us our pie in the contract! (reduce ticket prices)
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Always disliked hanging banners on walls. Rafters is where they belong. Since we finally won a cup I believe from now on we should only hang champion banners. Nobody cares if the Kings win a division/conference title a million years ago. I’m a King’s fan and I don’t even care.
The only thing more worse than only 1 banner in 45 years is putting a bunch of also ran banners next to it. Retired numbers and cup banners only please.
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Lead Feet Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 2:29 pm
@KC23, I agree with you 100%
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neil Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 3:41 pm
@KC23, Unless you are the Clippers…hang something…anything…even if its for Ralph!!!!You would never know that the Clippers play there.The cool thing about hanging banners is T.V. will show it when they do the long shots of the Arena!!!!!
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Of course there is a lockout the year the Kings get to hang THE banner. Since we probably won’t be getting any practice/game/season news for a while, is there any chance we can find out the team’s lockout plans? Will Kopi play in Europe? Will Brown play in Manchester again? Will Quick join Toastmasters?
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wideleft Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 4:30 pm
@paige, I wonder when we do hang the banners in the rafters, will Bettman be up there…I mean there
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luc20rules Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
@paige, Brown was 19 I think when he played the lockout season in Manchester. I don’t think it would do him much good to play in the AHL. The list of players that might would start with Clifford, Nolan, King, & Voynov. I would have my doubts as to any of the other Kings benifiting much from more AHL experience. Those on the border would be Martinez & Lewis. I don’t know about lock out rules, but when recalling them if the lockout ends this season they maybe exposed to waivers. If thats the case I don’t think anyone in that catagory would play in the AHL.
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paige Reply:
September 7th, 2012 at 11:52 am
@luc20rules, I didn’t know any of that. Thanks for explaining!
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snickoless Reply:
September 9th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
@paige, OK thats hilarious!! Quick joining Toastmasters!! Laughed out loud for several minutes. Thanks for the chuckles.
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As a fan I am frustrated as hell. How can the owners lock the players out from a CBA that exist because the owners had previously locked the players out to get? By doing so they are admitting they were wrong last time right? Why should anybody believe them now? They simply looked at other leagues and decided they wanted more. So after a player signs a contract, if someone else signs for more, they should holdout for a bigger contract.
The owners are greedy, I give you that, but they are not stupid. They will make more money from the new CBA that will more than make up for any losses suffered during a lockout. They have the cost analysis of a lockout and will go ahead without a problem. How many fans they may lose is not an issue. They will make more money, and in the long run revenues lost won’t even be a pebble on the road.
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Hang ‘em from the rafters. Period.
Never liked them on the wall.
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I’m going to miss FF either way. The 29th is the green light date to move into my new house.
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“….it will definitely make the banner-raising ceremony a bit more dramatic…whenever it takes place”
No matter how long it takes. It’ll happen. It’s ours. We Won it. And we won it in high record breaking fashion. No amount of lockouts, media discount and bias is going to take that away from us. Can’t help the tears of joys welling up at the visual of the banner-raising ceremony.
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Definitely going to as many Ontario Reign games as possible. Always had love for them but not especially if there’s a lockout I’ll be there
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A bit of the topic. How about signing Jason Arnott and use him as a 3-d line center and move Stoll to 4th. I thing Jason can still play a put some points on the board plus he can definitely provide some leadership on and of the ice.
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Good thing we have baseball since we won’t have hockey
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ArkRazor Reply:
September 9th, 2012 at 5:56 pm
@Kings x, are you willing to pay Arnott 3 x 4mil? b/c that is what it will take. Since he’s 35+, his cap hit does not go bye-bye if he retires. I’d rather have Arnott than Doan though.
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Kings20 Reply:
September 11th, 2012 at 11:27 am
@ArkRazor, I think he will take 5 mil. for two years. He will be 36 but his size leadership and very good offensive numbers are impressive. Plus diffensively he is not too bad either.
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ArkRazor Reply:
September 12th, 2012 at 2:52 pm
@Kings20, Yes, I would definitely sign him if he would go for 2 x 2.5.
They should put the non-championship banners away and hang only the Stanley Cup Championship. The Lakers and the Sparks only do this- just like UCLA in Pauley. It shows that the standard of excellence is the championship only. Leaving these other banners up only cheapens the actual championship. Even though I can see it from my seats, hanging the banner could block the view of some people in the upper section to the scoreboard/stats at the other end of the ice.
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Since we are starting a “culture”, hang only championship banners from rafters. This sets a definite standard and no reward for second best. I hate the “everybody gets a trophy” culture. Retired jerseys and Cup banners only. That’s the way to go.
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