Gary Bettman's tactics seem almost laughable.
It seemed like he was saying that he was interested in getting the season started by Nov. 2 when the league made its 50-50 offer to the NHL Players' Association on Oct. 16 (source: TSN.ca).
Not only did the offer represent a reasonable increase in the players' revenue from the previous offer, he also presented a plan that indicated playing a full 82-game season was still viable.
Did he really expect Donald Fehr and the NHLPA to roll on their backs, keep their feet up in the air in celebration and just blindly accept the offer?
If he did, he couldn't have been more mistaken.
Fehr is a savvy and intelligent veteran of sports negotiations. He has been through many rodeos. He does not just roll over because someone has made him what amounts to a first offer.
It's a first offer because what the NHL had sent the players' way prior to the 50-50 offer had amounted to a non-starter.
The NHL had offered the NHLPA 46 percent (source: SI.com) of the Hockey Related Revenues and Fehr had not given that offer any credence.
The NHLPA was happy that Bettman had come ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Steve Silverman
NHL Lockout: Why Gary Bettman Is Using the Wrong Tactics
October 19th, 2012 by Steve Silverman Leave a reply »
Advertisement