NHL Proposes 50-50 Revenue Split

In the last NHL collective bargaining agreement, the players stood to make 57 percent of all hockey-related revenue that came in through the team.  I think a good place to start is by outlining what "hockey-related revenue" actually is.

Money "derived or earned from, relating to or arising directly or indirectly out of the playing of NHL hockey games or NHL-related events in which current NHL Players participate or in which current NHL Players’ names and likenesses are used, by each such Club or the League, or attributable directly to the Club or the League from a Club Affiliated Entity or League Affiliated Entity."

So, the players were earning a 57 percent share during the last CBA.  For this CBA, the owners wanted 57 percent, a 14 percent swing in their favor.  This created the giant schism that has been the month-long 2012-13 NHL lockout.

But when the two sides met Tuesday, the NHL came out of left field and proposed a 50-50 split, right down the center, of revenue.  If accepted by the players union, the season could start as soon as Nov. 2, with all 82 games intact.  The NHLPA will be going over the proposal and it is speculated they could have an answer as early as Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning.

This is easily the best news that has come out of the lockout talks for the past couple months.  A lot of speculation pointed towards the season starting, if it was even to start, around Christmas.  Just this morning I was talking about it over breakfast, expecting the first game to be the Winter Classic.  We'll wait and see what becomes of this proposal, and Three if by Strike will be on standby all day for the latest news.