Comments on the NHL Lockout Situation
 

Posted on September 14, 2004

With the announcement of the NHL lockout there have been a number of surveys and quotes from people within the sport and those that watch the sport. An overwhelming of Canadians and hockey fans seem to support the owners and NHL commission board according to surveys performed by Canadian cable sports network Sportsnet, TSN.ca, along with various third party survey companies.

From the NHLCBANEWS.com website a number of hockey team owners were questioned on the situation and here is what Bill Wirtz, owner of the Chicago Blackhawk's had to say:

"We're in the family entertainment business, and a lot of families can't afford to go to a hockey game anymore. Not only in Chicago, throughout the League. It costs less to go to a Broadway show. But we don't charge what we charge because we want to. We charge what we have to. The players keep wanting more and more. Pretty soon they'll want the key to my door. Well, God bless 'em. I love them all. But I love my door even more."

(Chicago Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz, Chicago Tribune, December 30, 2002)

"In professional sports now, if you can't control your expenses, you're in trouble. If you put a gun to my head, I wouldn't buy any (NHL) team, including the one I own. And we're in better shape than most, because we don't carry any debt."

(Chicago Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz, Chicago Tribune, December 30, 2002)