No hope for NHL fans after latest lockout talks

NEW YORK (AFP) –

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, pictured in 2011. National Hockey League club owners and players union representatives met for two hours Tuesday but made no progress in ending a lockout that threatens to wipe out the 2012-2013 season.

National Hockey League club owners and players union representatives met for two hours Tuesday but made no progress in ending a lockout that threatens to wipe out the 2012-2013 season.

With hope dwindling that season openers will be played October 11 as scheduled, negotiators talked about how to divide $3.2 billion in revenues without reaching a deal to replace the one that expired last month.

“No progress was made,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. “Today wasn’t overly encouraging, that’s for sure.

“Their general position is not to create certainty on some issues and to kick other issues to the resolution of the main issues.”

No additional talks have been scheduled.

“I would imagine we’ll be in touch over the next little while,” Daly said. “If it makes sense to meet, we’ll meet.”

The NHL, which wiped out the entire 2004-2005 season in a similar dispute, has already wiped out pre-season exhibition games. Regular-season matchups are next on the chopping block.

“We will make an appropriate decision at the appropriate time,” Daly said. “We’re still focused on doing what we can to minimize the damage. By losing our preseason, we’ve probably done close to $100 million in damage to the business.

“That’s not going to be recouped. That’s going to cost both sides and that’s unfortunate, but it’s a reality of where we are.”

Players were receiving 57 percent of hockey-related revenues under the old deal but owners want to reduce that to as little as 47 percent, once sides can agree on exactly what income falls into the hockey-related category.

In the meantime, fans who returned from the lost season eight years ago and boosted NHL revenues by $1.2 billion since 2005 can only wonder if they are destined to miss another entire campaign.

Many top NHL players from Europe have signed deals with European clubs, notably in Russia and Switzerland, that will last until the NHL lockout ends, paying hefty insurance premiums to avoid an idled year in the prime of careers.