Conference kaosws::canada

    Derek,
    
    Count your blessings.
    
    -Stephen

    I **knew** there would be smarty pants answers to this one. :*)
    
    						Derek.

Easy Derek,

This all boils down to the contracts the old teams had with the CBC ... and
what they called excusivity rights ... and it would have cost the sens 2 arms
and 2 legs to buy out a part of the Leafs and Canadiens rights.  When the
time comes that their contracts with the CBC expire, then it will improve.

I thought that the Sens had originally negotiated some rights with Global
or CJOH ?  Or did that cost too much too??!??!?

Stuart

    I know that RDS (french version of TSN) will show 6-7 games this
    season. Probably to fill up the slack for the departure of the Nords.
    
    Richard

    
     I think this is ripe time for a boycott of this ridiculously
     expensive gentleman's sport.
    
     I was reading an article in Oct.19 Citizen about how cities
     with very expensive, recently-built arenas are panicking about
     declining attendance figiures.
    
     It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that the declining
     attendance figures are directly associated with rising ticket 
     prices.
    
     Why the rising ticket prices. Because players/agents are demanding
    increasingly outlandish salaries that are totally out of line with
    reality. Let's face it, this is just a game, these players
     contribute zilch to society, except for entertainment.
    
      The monumental arena complexes which are being built and financed 
     to the hilt, are another reason costs are rising.
    
    Do the owners of these teams really believe that people are willing to
     pay anything to see this " professional" sport.
    I don't think so.
    
    They have completely turned me off to profesional sports.
    I would much rather go to a Triple-A Lynx game, which is where sports
     should be at.
    
    The " professional" sports world is increasingly becoming a
    mega-business veue with all sorts of folks jumping in, thinking
     that the increasing gate prices can go on forever.
    
      The tide is turning against this type of expensive sport,
     it has already begun occuring in professional baseball.
    
    I will pay to be present when the new-age pro players need to
     be told that their multi-bazillion dollar salaries are being
     chopped.
    
    

    Norm:
    
     I am still waiting for the day a sports figure says:
    
     "I know I could make 4 million on another team, but this team and
    city have been good to me, so I will accept their offer of 3 million."
    
     Which million is the one that will make them happy ? For most of us, it
    would have been the first.
    
    
    							Derek.

    Norm,
    
    One reason a Lynx ticket is cheap is because the stadium they play in
    was provided by the City of Ottawa!  The Lynx are subsidizerd by taxes
    - yes the Lynx pay rent, but they didn't have to finance the stadium
    and worry about what to do with it for half the year when no baseball is
    played.  Very, very, very STUPID for the City of Ottawa to build a
    (virtually) single use factility for a bunch of baseball fans who
    aren't prepared to pay the whole cost of their sports interest.
    
    On the other hand, and it does pain me to defend the Senators, the
    Senators financed the Palladium themselves and the ticket price they
    charge has to cover financing the Palladium.  Every "fan" has the right
    not to buy a ticket if they're too expensive.  I'd like the right to say
    "Don't give my TAX money to professional sports franchises!"
    
    Yes, the budgets of the Lynx and the Senators are orders of magnitude
    different, but your basic premise falls apart (at least in Ottawa)
    because the Lynx are subsidized and the Senators are not (at least not
    obvioulsy, but I'm sure you'll show me how they take taxs too).
    
    But, if your saying that cities shouldn't build playgrounds for
    professional sports, then I agree, but you should be consistent and
    extend your principles to all professional sports.  Or are you stating
    a principle that isn't suppose to apply to your "backyard"....

    Norm/Derek:
    
    	The other day, a reporter asked a MTL Habs player if he felt
    any added pressure because of what went on this week in the
    organisation. His reply was;"...Pressure?? What pressure??? Pressure
    for me is the man with a family of 4 who stuggles day in and day out to
    make ends meet, put food on the table for his family and tries to pay
    his mortgage on time...that's real pressure. Me, I'm extremely
    fortunate to play a sport I love and get paid a ridiculous amount of
    money to play it..." Kinda puts things in perspective, don't you
    think??
    
    Ray.
    
    
    

    Ray:
    
     Someone who understands that he is paid a big salery for playing a
    game. Like you say, a breath of fresh air. Think you could get him to
    talk to Yashin ??
    
    							Derek.

     re .6
    
        > I am still waiting for the day a sports figure says:
        >
        >    "I know I could make 4 million on another team, but this team and
        >    city have been good to me, so I will accept their offer of 3
        >    million."
    
        Anybody remember when Joe Carter turned down an offer of a raise from
        Kansas City to continue playing baseball in Toronto?

    No I didn't know/remember that. Good to hear though. 
    
    					Derek.

    On Friday, in a interview with Dave Hodge, Theorien Fleury of the
    Calgary Flames talked about his contract dispute with the Flames
    earlier  this season.
    
    He explained that he did not attend training camp and did not take part 
    in the preseason games because he was not under contract and that it
    would have been irresponsible for him to put his family's future in 
    jeopordy by playing and risking injuries.  He said that he wants to
    finish his career in  Calgary because it's a great place to raise a 
    family, he feels a sense of loyalty to the Flames for giving him the
    opportunity to play in the NHL and his wife's family is in Calgary.
    
    He signed for considerably less money than he could have had on the 
    open market but he said that somw things are more important than money.
    
    I was impressed with his attitude towards his family and his employer.
    
    Bernie.