By Eric Cooney, Staff Writer | Follow him on Twitter
We’re in lockout mode. I’m sure every one of you is thinking the same thing as I am: this stinks.
Players are headed for Europe as we speak. Others are likely turning into some form of The Blob as their summer training and conditioning goes on hold during negotiations (I’m looking at you, Byfuglien). Meanwhile, Bettman and Fehr seem to take their sweet time trying to figure out this mess.
I, like Bettman and Fehr, work in a business with deadlines. However, if I don’t hit my deadlines, I get fired. My bosses don’t wait around while they bleed money. Our customers don’t wait with bated breath for our work to come out. They move on and get their entertainment elsewhere. Hockeys fans will do the same.
In the end, Bettman and Fehr will be evaluated on how well they protect their employers interests, not on how fast they get the job done. After all, this is Bettman’s third lockout, so the owners must like what he’s doing for them.
This lockout marks the third in Gary Bettman’s tenure as NHL commissioner.
While Bettman and Fehr do their dance, fans wait patiently with their dollars burning holes in their pockets. The NHL is bound to lose a lot of money from ad revenue, TV contracts, merchandise, and of course ticket sales. I have no idea how grand the total losses would be, but I do know how much money I spend per year. Let’s take a look at that.
With my busy work schedule, I make it to about 6 hockey games per season. I’m usually going with at least one other person. Then, my girlfriend’s dad will spring for a game as well. So here’s some math:
-Of the 6 games, I pay for 5. I go for the nosebleeds due to cost and because I honestly like sitting up high (anyone else?). With upper level seats at around $40 here in Los Angeles, add in “service fees” or whatever, then account for the 2 seats I’ll be buying, that’s $100 per game. I’ll eat something at the game, maybe grab a beer as well. So that’s another $40. $140 per game x 5 = $700.
-As for the other game, my girlfriend’s dad will pay, but I’m going to include it in this scenario. He likes to sit lower level so the seats are around $100. Myself, my girlfriend, her mom and her dad is 4 seats. Another $80 for food and drinks, comes to $480.
-That is a season total that I bring to Staples Center of $1,180.
That’s a good chunk of change right there. That doesn’t include the t-shirts or hats I might buy. It doesn’t include every game I watch on TV, which is every game. It doesn’t include all of the charity events that teams hold to raise money for various non-profits that fans will flock to.
So, how do you compare? How much are you throwing down a year on your favorite team? How much money does your team stand to lose because you’ll take that money to the movies or an NBA game? Okay, who am I kidding, you’re not going to an NBA game.
