Commissioner Gary Bettman does not see 82-Game Season Taking Place -NHL Lockout Update
Hopes had been high ever since National Hockey League (NHL) commissioner Gary Bettman revealed to the world his plan for saving a full, 82-game regular season, but it looks like now he has also given up all optimism.
The league and Players’ Association had to reach a deal by Thursday, October 25, 2012, on a new collective bargaining agreement and bring the lockout to an end, but it seems like now that all hopes have been lost with both stakeholders deadlocked once again.
He was speaking during a press conference in New York to announce the shifting of the Islanders franchise to Brooklyn in the upcoming years and had to share his thoughts on when the lockout may come to an end. The media was hyped that Bettman just might
release a plan on negotiating with players in the next day or two but expectations were too high for many.
"Obviously as you know we made an offer to the Union last week to share revenues 50-50 and to deal with the so-called 'make whole' provision that was contingent on playing an 82-game season, which we believe [would require that we] drop the puck Nov. 2,
which would necessitate making a deal by [Thursday]," Commissioner Bettman said. "The Union has chosen not to engage on our proposal or to make a new proposal of their own, so unfortunately it looks like an 82-game season is not going to be a reality.”
While the regular season may have to be downplayed as further cancellations are expected in the next couple of days, both sides will now have to focus on saving what remains of the hockey year, along with the annual NHL Winter Classic event. The NHL has
termed November to be the month in which they will make their decision be made public.
"Things seem to be not progressing the way we would like. It's disappointing," Bettman added.
In the end, Bettman added that he is still optimistic that they will eventually managed to work something out, but saving a full regular season is just not something that seems possible to do any longer.
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