This Is a Fair CBA

I apologize for the length of this, but here's what I think should be a fair
CBA to get this settled :

1. Luxury tax threshold on salaries of $ 42 million ( approximately 57.5 %
or general revues, which is ALL gate reciepts, local and national TV,
concessions, parking, and rink board and stadium naming money. Merchandising
is split 50/50 with the NHLPA and is not included. ). This threshold rises
and falls as revenues rise or fall.

2. Tax dollar for dollar over $ 42 million up to a hard cap of $ 58 million
which is 80 % of general revenues. This also rises and falls as revenues
rise and fall. Tax dollars redistributed to those teams under the threshold
only, and in the amounts based on the following criteria :

a. a percentage based on how far they are below the threshold in
comparision to the other teams. Example :

Atlanta, Carolina, Washington, Buffalo, Boston, Chicago, Columbus,
Pittsburgh, NY Islanders, Calgary, Edmonton, Anaheim, and Phoenix are the
teams under the threshold as these numbers for payroll :

Atlanta $ 21 million
Carolina $ 23 million
Washington $ 25 million
Buffalo $ 27 million
Boston $ 29 million
Chicago $ 31 million
Columbus $ 32 million
Pittsburgh $ 33 million
NY Islanders $ 34 million
Calgary $ 35 million
Edmonton $ 36 million
Anaheim $ 37 million
Phoenix $ 38 million

Collectively, they are $ 145 million below the threshold. As a percentage
they rank like this :

Atlanta 14.4
Carolina 13.1
Washintgton 11.7
Buffalo 10.3
Boston 8.9
Chicago 7.6
Columbus 6.9
Pittsburgh 6.2
NY Islanders 5.5
Calgary 4.8
Edmonton 4.1
Anaheim 3.4
Phoenix 3.1



That is the percentage of the luxury tax collected that these teams receive.

b. These teams must have a minimum of 85 % of available seats sold ( no
giveaways, sold ) and have 75 % of their home games available on TV in their
local market. Any percentage below either attendance or TV market threshold
is matched 1 % - 1% reduction in transfer money.

3. A minimum salary threshold of $ 21 million,or 30 % general revenues,
with each teams minimum threshold rising as they receive transfer money on
50 % of monies received. In the above example, Atlanta would recieve 14.4 %
of the luxury tax collected, let's assume say $ 10 million. Now, their
minimum salary threshold is now $ 26 million. If they fail to meet the
minimum, they must pay back dollar for dollar into the luxury tax pool. This
keeps teams from consistently receiving tax transfers without re-investing
in salary.

4. Teams that remain below the below the threshold can bank 50 % of that
difference towards future caps. In the above example, Phoenix is $ 4 million
below the threshold. The following year, they can use $ 2 million over the
threshold ( $ 44 million ) without paying a tax. Each team can only carry
forward for 3 years, after that they lose any cap room. Also, This allows
teams to take a couple of years developing a team then make a run for the
Cup.

5. For luxury tax and cap purposes, all revenue reports are filed and
verified by each team AND their respective NHLPA rep with an independant
accounting firm. Attendance and TV revenues are determined on a team by team
basis, and are shared 60-40 home team to visiting team. Gates are calculated
based on tickets sold mutiplied by advertised price, regardless of whether
they were freebies or not. Local TV and local PPV contracts are based on a
game average over the total cost of the contract. National TV contracts and
all national PPV revenues are added to a league wide pool and split evenly
among all teams. Concessions and parking are also calculated on a game by
game basis as well as Rink board advertising and Stadium naming rights.
Merchandising is not included as mentioned above.

6. Players can be drafted at 18, but now they must return to junior for a
minimum of 1 year after that. This keeps kids in junior for an extra year of
learning and makes them available for international play. Any contract
signed at this time will not be activated until the player turns 19 and is
eligible to play in the NHL.

7. Entry level contracts are of 2 or 3 year terms only. They will have a
base plus incentives that do not exceed $ 1 million per year average over
the term. These contracts will only count 50 % towards the cap. This allows
teams to sign an extra rookie or two and develop them without costing too
much towards the thresholds.

8. After the expiry of these contracts, they become transitional players,
where only the team can offer arbitration, or make a qualifying offer no
less than 80 % of the average per year of the previous contract. If a team
choses arbitration, they have no walk away rights, and must accept the
arbitors' decision. The player does not have walk away rights. The arbitor
can choose either the team offer, the player offer, or any amount in
between. If the team makes a qualifying offer, and is refused by the player,
they retain all previous restricted free agent rights, such as right to
match and compensation. If no arbitration or qualifying offer is made, the
player becomes an unrestriced free agent, with no compensation to the team.
Transitional contracts can be of any term length. Arbitration offers can be
of any length by either team or player, and the arbitor has the option of
selecting either length or anything between.

9. After the completion of the transitional contract, the player becomes
negotiation-eligible player, where now either the team or the player can
offer arbitration or offer qualifying offers to the other party. If the team
offers arbitration, and is refused, they retain right to match and right to
compensation. If the player offers arbitration, and the team refuses, then
they retain compensation rights ONLY. If either party makes a qualifying
offer not to exceed 110 % of the average of the previous contract, and is
refused, that player becomes an unrestricted free agent, with the team
giving up all rights to compensation and right to match. Both parties have
the right to walk away from the arbitors' decision, with the team retaining
compensation rights if the players walks away. These contracts can be of any
term length.

10. After the completion of the negotiation-eligible contract, REGARDLESS OF
AGE, the player is now an unrestricted free agent, with the team retaining
no rights.

11. Compensation - The compensation for signing restricted free agents will
vary according to the players' status.

Transition - Compensation will be in the form of the next 2
available draft picks of the signing team equal to the drafting position of
the player in question plus one draft pick in the next round. . Example :
Joe Smith is drafted in the first round, an signs an entry level contract
with Atlanta, and then signs with Florida, then Florida would compensate
Atlanta with the next two available first round picks plus the next
available second round pick.

Negotiation Eligible - Compensation would be in the form of 1 draft
pick equal to the drafting position of the player in question, plus 1 draft
pick in the next round, plus 1 draft pick in the second next round. In the
example above, Florida would compensate Atlanta With 1 first round, 1 second
round, and one third round pick.

Teams have the option of trading players for draft picks if they so choose,
once compensation has been determined.

12. For luxury tax and cap purposes, arbitration awards will only be counted
75 % of the contract. This allows teams to accept awards without impacting
greatly on their payroll.

13. For arbitration awards, an arbitrator now has the option of using player
and salary comparision if they deem appropriate, or can ignore the
comparison all together if they choose.



Some of the numbers can be negotiated, tweaked, whatever, but this addresses
the major issues, that being allow teams to control costs, without
sacrificing talent, and allows marquee players to make more money if they
deserve it. The luxury tax has enough bite to control the spending of
high-revenue teams, but allows some flexibility for making roster
adjustments as required. The cap keeps all teams in affordable salary
ranges. Players can stay with teams to win championships and make decent
money, or change teams constantly for more money and never win anything.
Depends if they want to win the Cup or just make as much money as possible.
Maybe a cap or tax adjustment based on revenue contribution can be made as
well, so that teams that make large amounts of revenue can spend some of it
without throwing the league economics out of whack. Of course, this whole
proposal I just drew up could be totally stupid and useless, but to me it
makes sense.

Of course, I also believe that Atlanta, Columbus, Florida, Carolina,
Nashville and Anaheim should fold, and Phoenix move back to Winnipeg, and
Pittsburgh move to Quebec City, but what do I know ?


New NHL :

Atlantic Division North Division
Central Division Western Division

New Jersey Toronto
Detroit Edmonton
NY Islanders Montreal
Chicago Calgary
NY Rangers Quebec City
St. Louis Vancouver
Washington Ottawa
Minnesota Los Angeles
Philadelphia Boston
Dallas Colorado
Tampa Bay Buffalo
Winnipeg San Jose

Oops, screwed up the new divisions, but I think you guys can figure it out !
SORRY !!


"Bruce Daniel" <bdaniel11.RemoveThis@eastlink.ca> wrote in message
news:4nYId.127$Ob.14@edtnps84...
> I apologize for the length of this, but here's what I think should be a
fair
> CBA to get this settled :
>
> 1. Luxury tax threshold on salaries of $ 42 million ( approximately 57.5 %
> or general revues, which is ALL gate reciepts, local and national TV,
> concessions, parking, and rink board and stadium naming money.
Merchandising
> is split 50/50 with the NHLPA and is not included. ). This threshold rises
> and falls as revenues rise or fall.
>
> 2. Tax dollar for dollar over $ 42 million up to a hard cap of $ 58
million
> which is 80 % of general revenues. This also rises and falls as revenues
> rise and fall. Tax dollars redistributed to those teams under the
threshold
> only, and in the amounts based on the following criteria :
>
> a. a percentage based on how far they are below the threshold in
> comparision to the other teams. Example :
>
> Atlanta, Carolina, Washington, Buffalo, Boston, Chicago, Columbus,
> Pittsburgh, NY Islanders, Calgary, Edmonton, Anaheim, and Phoenix are the
> teams under the threshold as these numbers for payroll :
>
> Atlanta $ 21 million
> Carolina $ 23 million
> Washington $ 25 million
> Buffalo $ 27 million
> Boston $ 29 million
> Chicago $ 31 million
> Columbus $ 32 million
> Pittsburgh $ 33 million
> NY Islanders $ 34 million
> Calgary $ 35 million
> Edmonton $ 36 million
> Anaheim $ 37 million
> Phoenix $ 38 million
>
> Collectively, they are $ 145 million below the threshold. As a percentage
> they rank like this :
>
> Atlanta 14.4
> Carolina 13.1
> Washintgton 11.7
> Buffalo 10.3
> Boston 8.9
> Chicago 7.6
> Columbus 6.9
> Pittsburgh 6.2
> NY Islanders 5.5
> Calgary 4.8
> Edmonton 4.1
> Anaheim 3.4
> Phoenix 3.1
>
>
>
> That is the percentage of the luxury tax collected that these teams
receive.
>
> b. These teams must have a minimum of 85 % of available seats sold (
no
> giveaways, sold ) and have 75 % of their home games available on TV in
their
> local market. Any percentage below either attendance or TV market
threshold
> is matched 1 % - 1% reduction in transfer money.
>
> 3. A minimum salary threshold of $ 21 million,or 30 % general revenues,
> with each teams minimum threshold rising as they receive transfer money on
> 50 % of monies received. In the above example, Atlanta would recieve 14.4
%
> of the luxury tax collected, let's assume say $ 10 million. Now, their
> minimum salary threshold is now $ 26 million. If they fail to meet the
> minimum, they must pay back dollar for dollar into the luxury tax pool.
This
> keeps teams from consistently receiving tax transfers without re-investing
> in salary.
>
> 4. Teams that remain below the below the threshold can bank 50 % of that
> difference towards future caps. In the above example, Phoenix is $ 4
million
> below the threshold. The following year, they can use $ 2 million over the
> threshold ( $ 44 million ) without paying a tax. Each team can only carry
> forward for 3 years, after that they lose any cap room. Also, This allows
> teams to take a couple of years developing a team then make a run for the
> Cup.
>
> 5. For luxury tax and cap purposes, all revenue reports are filed and
> verified by each team AND their respective NHLPA rep with an independant
> accounting firm. Attendance and TV revenues are determined on a team by
team
> basis, and are shared 60-40 home team to visiting team. Gates are
calculated
> based on tickets sold mutiplied by advertised price, regardless of whether
> they were freebies or not. Local TV and local PPV contracts are based on a
> game average over the total cost of the contract. National TV contracts
and
> all national PPV revenues are added to a league wide pool and split evenly
> among all teams. Concessions and parking are also calculated on a game by
> game basis as well as Rink board advertising and Stadium naming rights.
> Merchandising is not included as mentioned above.
>
> 6. Players can be drafted at 18, but now they must return to junior for a
> minimum of 1 year after that. This keeps kids in junior for an extra year
of
> learning and makes them available for international play. Any contract
> signed at this time will not be activated until the player turns 19 and is
> eligible to play in the NHL.
>
> 7. Entry level contracts are of 2 or 3 year terms only. They will have a
> base plus incentives that do not exceed $ 1 million per year average over
> the term. These contracts will only count 50 % towards the cap. This
allows
> teams to sign an extra rookie or two and develop them without costing too
> much towards the thresholds.
>
> 8. After the expiry of these contracts, they become transitional players,
> where only the team can offer arbitration, or make a qualifying offer no
> less than 80 % of the average per year of the previous contract. If a team
> choses arbitration, they have no walk away rights, and must accept the
> arbitors' decision. The player does not have walk away rights. The arbitor
> can choose either the team offer, the player offer, or any amount in
> between. If the team makes a qualifying offer, and is refused by the
player,
> they retain all previous restricted free agent rights, such as right to
> match and compensation. If no arbitration or qualifying offer is made, the
> player becomes an unrestriced free agent, with no compensation to the
team.
> Transitional contracts can be of any term length. Arbitration offers can
be
> of any length by either team or player, and the arbitor has the option of
> selecting either length or anything between.
>
> 9. After the completion of the transitional contract, the player becomes
> negotiation-eligible player, where now either the team or the player can
> offer arbitration or offer qualifying offers to the other party. If the
team
> offers arbitration, and is refused, they retain right to match and right
to
> compensation. If the player offers arbitration, and the team refuses, then
> they retain compensation rights ONLY. If either party makes a qualifying
> offer not to exceed 110 % of the average of the previous contract, and is
> refused, that player becomes an unrestricted free agent, with the team
> giving up all rights to compensation and right to match. Both parties have
> the right to walk away from the arbitors' decision, with the team
retaining
> compensation rights if the players walks away. These contracts can be of
any
> term length.
>
> 10. After the completion of the negotiation-eligible contract, REGARDLESS
OF
> AGE, the player is now an unrestricted free agent, with the team retaining
> no rights.
>
> 11. Compensation - The compensation for signing restricted free agents
will
> vary according to the players' status.
>
> Transition - Compensation will be in the form of the next 2
> available draft picks of the signing team equal to the drafting position
of
> the player in question plus one draft pick in the next round. . Example :
> Joe Smith is drafted in the first round, an signs an entry level contract
> with Atlanta, and then signs with Florida, then Florida would compensate
> Atlanta with the next two available first round picks plus the next
> available second round pick.
>
> Negotiation Eligible - Compensation would be in the form of 1
draft
> pick equal to the drafting position of the player in question, plus 1
draft
> pick in the next round, plus 1 draft pick in the second next round. In the
> example above, Florida would compensate Atlanta With 1 first round, 1
second
> round, and one third round pick.
>
> Teams have the option of trading players for draft picks if they so
choose,
> once compensation has been determined.
>
> 12. For luxury tax and cap purposes, arbitration awards will only be
counted
> 75 % of the contract. This allows teams to accept awards without impacting
> greatly on their payroll.
>
> 13. For arbitration awards, an arbitrator now has the option of using
player
> and salary comparision if they deem appropriate, or can ignore the
> comparison all together if they choose.
>
>
>
> Some of the numbers can be negotiated, tweaked, whatever, but this
addresses
> the major issues, that being allow teams to control costs, without
> sacrificing talent, and allows marquee players to make more money if they
> deserve it. The luxury tax has enough bite to control the spending of
> high-revenue teams, but allows some flexibility for making roster
> adjustments as required. The cap keeps all teams in affordable salary
> ranges. Players can stay with teams to win championships and make decent
> money, or change teams constantly for more money and never win anything.
> Depends if they want to win the Cup or just make as much money as
possible.
> Maybe a cap or tax adjustment based on revenue contribution can be made as
> well, so that teams that make large amounts of revenue can spend some of
it
> without throwing the league economics out of whack. Of course, this whole
> proposal I just drew up could be totally stupid and useless, but to me it
> makes sense.
>
> Of course, I also believe that Atlanta, Columbus, Florida, Carolina,
> Nashville and Anaheim should fold, and Phoenix move back to Winnipeg, and
> Pittsburgh move to Quebec City, but what do I know ?
>
>
> New NHL :
>
> Atlantic Division North Division
> Central Division Western Division
>
> New Jersey Toronto
> Detroit Edmonton
> NY Islanders Montreal
> Chicago Calgary
> NY Rangers Quebec City
> St. Louis Vancouver
> Washington Ottawa
> Minnesota Los Angeles
> Philadelphia Boston
> Dallas Colorado
> Tampa Bay Buffalo
> Winnipeg San Jose
>
>
>
>