Is the National Hockey League doomed?

[WilliamPitt]

Poll question: Is the National Hockey League doomed?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1882150

Little chance season opens on Oct. 13

NEW YORK -- The National Hockey League is locking out its players starting Thursday, threatening to keep the sport off the ice for the entire 2004-05 season and perhaps beyond in an effort by management to gain massive change in the sport's economic structure.

After the long-expected decision was approved unanimously Wednesday by NHL owners, commissioner Gary Bettman repeatedly belittled the union's bargaining position, talked about the possibility the confrontation could extend into the 2005-06 season and said the conflict has jeopardized the NHL's participation in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

"If there's enough time to play some games, we'll do it," he said of this season, "and if there's not, we won't."

...more...

[strategery blunder]

1. I voted "not doomed," but the league might be much smaller

after all is said and done. It overexpanded, and there are a lot of new markets out there without established fan bases yet--once they drop out for a season, those teams are toast.

[Shananigans]

2. I sure hope not...

My goal was to go to a Minnesota Wild game this year. I haven't been to a Mn. hockey game since the Stars were the Minnesota North Stars. Bastards!

[drumwolf]

3. I voted "doomed"......

...and good riddance to that organization. It's a shame for hockey fans, but the National Hockey League needs to be wiped out and replaced with some new organization that will treat hockey fans with more respect.

BTW, I worked for the NHL in the late '90s, and the people running the organization at the executive level (Gary Bettman, etc.) had about as much respect for NHL employees as they do for hockey fans. Their attitude was that you should be grateful that the National Hockey League would even deign to hire you, so don't complain about things like, say, insufficient equipment or staff and salaries that were about sixty percent of market value (and we're talking about a time when the job market was red-hot).

[ghostsofgiants]

4. ...

I really don't care what happens to the NHL. My friends and family are all terrified though. It's a great time to not be a hockey fan.