After the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2004, there were rumblings of a lockout. The CBA would be expiring in September, but like the most fans after the playoffs, I need a break from the sport. So knowing that the World Cup of Hockey was being held that summer, after the draft I took a month off and didn't keep track of much.
Reality set in on September 14th, the last day of the World Cup Tournament. Canada won and the announcer said as they were signing off, "This might be the last we see of pro hockey for a long time." Those words hit my brain and I realized that the sport that had taken up most of my time and money for the last ten years could begone for a while.
As it turned out a NHL puck didn't touch the ice till October 5, 2005.
Fast forward to 2012. My little obsession of a sport has grown ten fold. NBC is now the the home of the NHL till past 2020. It's not embarrassing to be a fan anymore. The ratings are up, attendance is up. Life is good as a fan.
Or we thought....
In 10 days, the CBA signed back in 2005 expires. So now in one of the hottest times for the sport, it can go away again.
As a hockey fan in general, I'm not sitting here as pissed off because I do have the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals.
But as a die hard NHL fan, a Devils fan, I'm pissed at the NHL & NHLPA, everyone of them. I don't care what the reports say. I don't care "who's fault it is?" according to the media. It shouldn't have come down to this AGAIN.
The last lockout really tested the fans' loyalty and patience. But back then the fanbase wasn't that big. When the sport returned the action, there were sellouts across the board.
Now if there's another long lockout, all the hard work that the NHL did, NBC did and most important the fans did for this sport in this country to spread the game to the masses, will be all for not.
So to all the members of the board of the NHLPA, especially Mr. Bettman, get this mess figured out and do it fast.
Unlike in 2005, it might be as easy to rebuild again.
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