The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and National Hockey League (NHL®) today announced multi-year trading card license agreements with Panini America and The Upper Deck Company.
“The NHLPA is excited to renew our long-term partnership with Upper Deck and to welcome Panini into the hockey trading card marketplace,” said Adam Larry, NHLPA Director of Licensing. “We look forward to working with both of these companies to provide quality NHL player products and exciting new choices for fans and collectors of all ages.”
“Having considered the input from all stakeholders, we have concluded that a semi-exclusive model would bring customer choice, revive legacy brands and add new and innovative products and marketing initiatives that appeal to all consumer segments,” said Dave McCarthy, Vice President of Integrated Marketing, NHL.
“Upper Deck is very pleased to continue its 20-year trading card partnership with the NHLPA and the NHL,” said Richard McWilliam, Upper Deck’s Founder and CEO. “Since 2005, through its exclusive partnership with the NHLPA and the NHL, Upper Deck has taken the category and Upper Deck’s hockey brands to unimaginable levels. For the past 20 years, Upper Deck has been the only licensed company consistently producing NHL trading cards. We will continue to deliver high-end excitement and innovation and I am happy to say, our best is yet to come.”
“Panini is delighted to be extending its partnership with both the NHLPA and NHL to produce trading cards; this further establishes Panini’s strategy to rapidly become the most comprehensive publisher of trading cards domestically and enhance the presence of North American sports,” said Mark Warsop, CEO Panini America, Inc. “We are extremely excited about growing hockey trading card sales through our extensive marketing programs, and by bringing back heritage brands such as Zenith, Score and Crown Royale.”
For Upper Deck, this announcement marks a new chapter in a 20-year partnership with the NHL and the NHLPA, one that saw Upper Deck operate as the exclusive NHL player trading card manufacturer since the 2005-06 NHL season. For Panini, it means the introduction to hockey of new brands such as Adrenalyn and Certified, and the return to the hockey market of some hobby favourites issued under previous Donruss, Score, Pinnacle and Pacific licenses.
The 2010-11 NHL trading card season is scheduled to launch this August with the release of Victory from Upper Deck, while Panini has tentatively marked Score as its first release under the new license.
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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.
Speculation over Don Fehr’s potential involvement in professional sports’ weakest union is making for one of the most compelling storylines of the 2010 National Hockey League season. Rumors continue to gain steam that Fehr, who is currently acting as an unpaid advisor for the National Hockey League Players’ Association, will soon be elected Executive Director of the struggling players’ association.
If Fehr assumes a significant leadership role within the NHLPA, the union will immediately regain some of the creditability it has lost in recent years. The NHLPA will also be in a stronger bargaining position with NHL leadership if Fehr is at the helm.
The former Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players’ Association is a seminal figure within labor law circles. He has established himself over a 26-year career with the MLBPA as one of the most powerful figures in both labor law and professional sports. Fehr’s credentials and past successes should command the respect of an NHLPA membership that is in desperate need of a strong leader.
The NHLPA has fallen into a state of constant disarray and infighting ever since it lost a lengthy labor dispute with the NHL in 2005. This dispute resulted in a work stoppage that led to the cancellation of the entire 04-05 NHL season.
Other casualties of the lockout included the resignation of longtime union leader Bob Goodenow. Since the loss of Goodenow, the NHLPA has gone through three executive directors: Ted Saskin, Paul Kelly and Ian Penny, who briefly acted as interim union chief after Kelly was unexpectedly fired in 2009. The events in late 2009 also resulted in the resignation of many union staffers, leaving the NHLPA understaffed and in dire need of expert assistance.
Since Fehr has stepped in and rendered such support, the NHLPA seems to be turning things around. Little has leaked out of its Toronto office. Fehr is currently assisting the players in rewriting its constitution. After the organization completes its revisions, Fehr will then lead the NHLPA in a search to find a new Executive Director. However many expect Fehr to recommend himself as new Executive Director.
While he initially rebuffed requests to accept the Executive Director job, Fehr now appears to be interested enough in the position to not dispel rumors of his pending election.
Fehr may already be exerting his influence over the NHLPA. The union is currently reviewing a proposed rule from league GMs that the NHL adopt in an attempt to address a recent wave of high profile headshot incidents. The union has yet to approve the rule, which irked NHL brass. Some believe that if it was not for Fehr’s presence, the NHLPA would have already rubberstamped the rule’s approval. However, the union now plans to submit a counter proposal back to the league before it is submitted for approval.
Fehr’s potential appointment comes at a pivotal time in labor relations between the NHL and the union. The current collective bargaining agreement between the parties expires in September 2011. Although the players are not satisfied with all provisions within the CBA, they have the option to extend the accord for one more year. Extending the CBA for an additional year may provide the NHLPA’s new leader with valuable time to plan a strategy to lead the union in another round of negotiations with the NHL. The union needs to elect a leader who will shift the balance of power in a labor relationship that has been skewed in favor of the NHL ever since the lockout ended. Time will tell whether that new leader will be Fehr.
Jeff Levine is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is a sports attorney, and the Executive Director of One Sports and Entertainment, International.
Speculation over Don Fehr’s potential involvement in professional sports’ weakest union is making forone of themost compelling storylinesof the 2010 National Hockey League season. Rumors continue to gain steam that Fehr, who is currently acting as an unpaid advisor for the National Hockey League Players’ Association, will soon be elected Executive Director of the struggling players’ association.
If Fehr assumes a significant leadership role within the NHLPA, the union will immediately regain some of the creditability it has lost in recent years. The NHLPA will also be in a stronger bargaining position with NHL leadership if Fehr is at the helm.
The former Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players’ Association is a seminal figure within labor law circles. He has established himself over a 26-year career with the MPBPA as one of the most powerful figures in both labor law and professional sports. Fehr’s credentials and past successes should command the respect of an NHLPA membership that is in desperate need of a strong leader.
The NHLPA has fallen into a state of constant disarray and infighting ever since it lost a lengthy labor dispute with the NHLin 2005. This dispute resulted in a work stoppage that led to the cancelation of the entire 04-05NHL season.
Other casualtiesof the lockout included the resignation of longtime union leader Bob Goodenow. Since the loss of Goodenow, the NHLPA has gone through three executive directors: Ted Saskin, Paul Kelly and Ian Penny, who briefly acted as interim union chief after Kelly was unexpectedly fired in 2009. The events in late 2009 also resulted in the resignation of many union staffers, leaving the NHLPA understaffed and in dire need of expert assistance.
Since Fehr has stepped in and rendered such support, the NHLPA seems to be turning things around. Little has leaked out of its Toronto office. Fehr is currently assisting the players in rewriting its constitution. After the organization completes its revisions, Fehr will then lead the NHLPA in a search to find a new Executive Director. However many expect Fehr to recommend himself as new Executive Director.
While he initially rebuffed requests to accept the Executive Director job, Fehr now appears to be interested enough in the position to not dispel rumors of his pending election.
Fehr may already be exerting his influence over the NHLPA. The union is currently reviewing a proposed rule fromleague GMsthatthe NHL adopt in an attempt to address a recent wave of high profile headshot incidents.The union has yet to approve the rule, which irked NHL brass. Some believe that if it was not for Fehr’s presence, the NHLPA would have already rubberstamped the rule’s approval. However, the union now plans to submit a counter proposal back to the league before it is submitted for approval.
Fehr’s potential appointment comes at a pivotal time in labor relations between the NHL and the union. The current collective bargaining agreement between the parties expires in September 2011. Although the playersare not satisfied with all provisions within the CBA, they have the option to extend the accord for one more year. Extending the CBA for an additional year may provide the NHLPA’s new leader with valuable time to plan a strategy to lead the union in another round of negotiations with the NHL. The union needs to elect a leader who will shift the balance of power in a labor relationship that has been skewed in favor of the NHL ever since the lockout ended. Time will tell whether that new leader will be Fehr
The NHL’s board of governors must have been watching when Philadelphia Flyers forward Mike Richards blindsided Florida Panthers forward David Booth. They must have seen the replays of Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke slamming into the unsuspecting Bruins star Marc Savard. They must have because the board of governors unanimously approved the proposed penalty that would ban hits to the head against an unsuspecting player.
USA Today reported Tuesday that the NHL released a statement saying the timing and details of implementation are being worked out by the league’s hockey operations department and the players’ Association.
This, however, does not mean we’ll have a rule in place tomorrow. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, the new rule needs approval from a 10-man competition committee. That committee is made up of five players, four general managers and Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider.
"The league's proposal cannot take effect until it first receives the support of the joint NHLPA/NHL competition committee, and then is endorsed by the NHL board of governors," the players' association said in a statement.
"As we have previously stated, the NHLPA's competition committee members are finalizing their response to the NHL's proposal regarding blindside hits to the head and will be responding back to the league this week."
Here are some things to consider as far as details go for the new blindside hits rule:
-Assuming the rule is approved, when will it go into effect? Should and will are two different stories. The rule should go into effect immediately after being approved. It would be crazy to say, “Get your shots in now, because next week that’s illegal.” Will it go into effect immediately? It took a lockout for the NHL to change the two-line pass rule. Most would probably settle for the rule taking effect come playoff time.
-Will there be an automatic suspension and fine? If the league follows precedent set by the instigator rule, it will implement (at very least) an automatic fine for a blindside hit. The instigator rule, which is when a player instigates a fight in the final five minutes of the game, carries the penalty of a one-game suspension and $10,000 fine to the player and coach.
-Will it stick? Ottawa Senators forward Jason Spezza called the rule a “Band-Aid fix for the rest of the year.” We get the feeling everyone wants something in place and they want it now even if it isn’t perfect. If the rule is implemented this season, it will have a different look come next October.
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Matthew Coller is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network, and is a freelance writer. He can be followed on Twitter
Apparently, the National Hockey League is not done firing shots Jerry Moyes. Earlier this month, the NHL filed a lawsuit against the former Phoenix Coyotes owner and several other defendants in New York State Court, seeking over $60 million in damages. The league is contending that Moyes:
1) violated a 2006 promise not to move the Coyotes out of Arizona;
2) refused to fund the team’s operating expenses, and;
3) breached his fiduciary duty to the team by secretly entering into an agreement to sell the Coyotes to Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie, which culminated in the filing of a chapter 11 bankruptcy to achieve the goal without the league’s approval.
Specifically, ABC News reports that the NHL is seeking $30 million in damages for violating the agreement with the league, $10 million for “aiding and abetting” violations of the Coyotes’ fiduciary duty to the NHL, $10 million in punitive damages and $11.6 million to cover amounts that the league paid to Coyotes creditors, including former coach Wayne Gretzky. The NHL bought the team out of bankruptcy and is actively trying to sell the team to a group that will keep the Coyotes in metropolitan Phoenix.
The league’s strongest argument is that it is entitled to damages because Moyes violated his fiduciary duty to the NHL and its Board of Governors by trying to circumvent League bylaws and it constitution. The NHL and its member teams have a right to decide who owns a franchise and where they play. Moyes attempted to circumvent those rights by selling the Coyotes to Balsillie, who was planning on moving the team to Hamilton Ontario, without league approval through bankruptcy. However, it is difficult to place a dollar amount on Moyes’ alleged breach of fiduciary duty. Further, even if the NHL prevails in a trial, collectability of the judgment may be a concern due to the down economy significantly affecting the profitability of Moyes’ trucking company, Swift Trucking.
So, the question remains, why is the NHL committing itself to costly litigation with no guarantee of recovery just months after spending hundreds of thousands to litigate the Coyotes’ bankruptcy?
It is quite possible the NHL is suing Moyes to teach him a lesson. Put another way, the NHL wants to deter others from engaging in action that will damage the NHL’s reputation or product. This lawsuit could be a tool designed to discourage rogue owners from engaging in behavior designed to skirt league protocol. However Moyes’ conduct was done less to defy the NHL and more to remove himself from a financially untenable situation.
Moyes went against the NHL seemingly out of necessity. Saddled with the immense debt from years of operating losses, Moyes was desperate for financial relief. According to documents made public during the team’s six month bankruptcy, the NHL had provided the former owner with a secured line of credit at one point during the 2008 season. That provided temporary relief. However the league eventually terminated that lifeline, which led to Moyes’ desperate action of striking a deal with Balsillie, who was known to be a firestorm of controversy within professional hockey due to his prior attempts to purchase financially strapped NHL franchises and then move them to Canada against league wishes. Moyes needed to file bankruptcy because a bankruptcy court judge could sell the team to the highest bidder without NHL consent. Balsillie’s $242.5 million bid was highly overinflated. However, the Canadian billionaire’s bid was so immense because the agreement was contingent on the Coyotes moving to Canada, something that the NHL would have never had agreed upon. Therefore, Moyes needed to put the decision in the hands of the bankruptcy court.
There is no telling how much the Coyotes’ bankruptcy cost the league in terms of sponsors viewing professional hockey as a credible sport. The bankruptcy was a black eye for the league. Less than five years after hockey became the only US sport to ever lose an entire season due to labor dispute that was based mostly on financial reasons, the NHL was once again thrust into the spotlight because of the financial health of its member teams. For months in 2009, the NHL was receiving press for all the wrong reasons. The bankruptcy proved that the lockout has not solved hockey’s money problems and that NHL owners still occupy a fragile financial position within professional sports. In addition, the bankruptcy proceedings made many of the NHL’s confidential documents public, causing unknown damage.
Although it may have a valid cause of action against Moyes, the league may not achieve a quick victory. The Phoenix Business Journal reports that its likely Moyes and his attorneys will file a counterclaim against the NHL for rejecting the Moyes-Balsillie sale agreement. Thus, if Moyes follows through and files his claim, both sides will find themselves back in the courtroom for another expensive round of litigation. For the NHL, this cost very-well may be the price it must pay for protecting its brand.
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JeffLevine is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is a sports attorney, and the Executive Director of One Sports and Entertainment, International.
Ian Penny, the former general counsel for the NHL Players Association, and the short-lived interim executive director for the union following Paul Kelly's firing, has resolved all matters with the union, according to a statement released late Weds. The statement reads:
The parties have resolved all matters regarding Ian Penny's employment with the National Hockey League Players' Association. The Association and its members appreciate the service and contributions of Mr. Penny, as well as his commitment to the National Hockey League Players' Association and its members.
The statement adds that the NHLPA and Penny will be making no further statements regarding the matter.
Financial terms of the settlement were not released.
Penny resigned on the last day of October with the NHLPA saying he had been constructively dismissed. Penny said at the time that he could "no longer work under the present circumstances."
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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.
Marc Savard of the Boston Bruins lay motionless on the ice. After a slap slot, Matt Cooke of the Pittsburgh Penguins elbowed him in the side of the head. Dangerous head hits seem commonplace lately. We remember Junior hockey player Patrice Cromier’s disgusting hit that made headlines earlier this season and Florida Panthers star David Booth having to be carted off the ice after a hit by Philadelphia Flyers. These horrific injuries have become a major topic at the NHL GM meetings in Boca Raton, Florida.
The Associated Press reported via Yahoo! Sports that GMs are trying to find a way to deal with these types of hits. “I think we all care about the safety of our players, first and foremost,” Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said.
Some have been discussing tougher penalties for those who repeatedly commit dangerous acts on the ice. Former player and current Dallas Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said, “Clearly, the blindside and the unsuspecting player is what we’re targeting.”
Nieuwendyk also said that GMs don’t want to take hitting out of the game. “It’s a rough sport, but we’re just trying to take the necessary steps to protect our players.”
San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson said the GMs would like to have something in place as early as this week.
Other issues being discussed at the meetings are potential play-in games, different point formats and the all-star game selection process.
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Matthew Coller is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network, and is a freelance writer. He can be followed on Twitter
On Friday, Maury Brown, the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, was on SportsRadio 950 ESPN in Rochester this past Saturdaytalking to our very own Matthew Coller and Seth Pohorence about several issues in the NHL including the sale of the Lightening, the NHL suing former Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes, how the Olympics might influence the NHL
Click the icon below to listen to the segment through your browser, or the link provided to download in MP3.
Audio courtesy of SportsRadio 950 ESPN in Rodchester
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TampaBay.com and NHL.com are reporting that the sale of the Tampa Bay Lightning to Boston hedge fund manager Jeff Vinik is complete. Vinik, who also controls the company Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment LLC, had his purchase unanimously by the NHL Board of Governors. Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed, but the transaction is believed Vinik paid $110 million cash to become the team’s owner.
"The Lightning is a great franchise in a terrific community," Vinik said in a statement. "We thank Oren Koules and his partners for beginning the turnaround of the Lightning hockey club. Our goal now is to build a world-class organization on and off the ice."
Vinik is the chairman of the Lightning and the club’s Governor on the National Hockey League’s Board of Governors. Another one of Vinik’s many roles is being a minority owner of the Boston Red Sox.
The Lightning was originally founded in 1990 by Hall of Famer Phil Esposito and began play in 1992. The team won the 2004 Stanley cup. Its previous owners include Kokusai Green Ltd from 1992-’98, Art Williams from ’98-’99 and Palace Sports & Entertainment from 1999 through 2008. Oren Koules and Len Barrie bought the team in ’08 for $204 million.
In the standings, the Lightning are two points out of a playoff spot. The team currently ranks 22nd in attendance, averaging 15,087 per night, filling 76.4 percent of their arena St. Pete Times Forum.
From 2006 to 2009, the team dropped from 11th to 18th in the Forbes.com valuations of all NHL teams. The Lightning team value (based on current area deal with out deduction for debt) was $191 million. Revenue is listed by Forbes at $80 million and the team’s value decreased four percent from 2008-’09. When the team won the Stanley Cup, revenue peaked at $88 million.
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Matthew Coller is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network, and is a freelance writer. He can be followed on Twitter
The NHL’s board of governors must have been watching when Philadelphia Flyers forward Mike Richards blindsided Florida Panthers forward David Booth. They must have seen the replays of Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke slamming into the unsuspecting Bruins star Marc Savard. They must have because the board of governors unanimously approved the proposed penalty that would ban hits to the head against an unsuspecting player.
On Friday, Maury Brown, the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, was on SportsRadio 950 ESPN in Rochester this past Saturday talking to our very own Matthew Coller and Seth Pohorence about several issues in the NHL including the sale of the Lightening, the NHL suing former Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes, how the Olympics might influence the NHL
