That, as they say, is that . . .

Today, the NHL managed to do something that MLB, the NFL and the NBA have been able to avoid: cancellation of an entire season. Eric at OffWing will no doubt have the best coverage, once he finishes his fight with Comcast over his NHL Central Ice package. The gentlemen at the Sports Economist also have some insights.

To state the obvious, this is bad news for hockey and a bad sign for all professional sports. The economics were so bad in hockey that the owners were willing to cancel an entire season rather than give in to the players' demands. And this was after the players' gave in to the biggest demand: a salary cap. Now, the players will not only lose the money from this season, but will have to live with the salary cap that is so hated. It is hard to see how the players have improved their situation at all. Is this a sign of things to come in other sports? The economics may work now in the Big 3, but if salaries continue to escalate, it will not be long before players in other sports are faced with the same lose-lose situation.

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