New Lockout League

[Shootmaster_44]

http://www.mississauganews.com/mi/news/story/2106366p-2439104c.html

It appears that the new WHA has a bit of competition. If what this article says about the ice time, I think this league will succeed. The only thing I wonder is what happens if the NHL lockout goes beyond this season, this league will not have the ice time booked. The only other thing is where will the Winnipeg franchise play? Didn't they tear down the Winnipeg Arena? I thought that was the plan, so a team in Winnipeg would be homeless PDQ. But I hope that a league, be it this one or the WHA, survives if the NHL is locked out.

[spider]

I like the proposed rules and rosters. 11 players and a goaltender, no red line and 4 a side. That sounds like a plan for a downsized hockey league here in the south central US.

[BCRantzilla]

Winnipeg has a new arena which will be officially unveiled this fall. Don't worry, they are ready for the NHL or major league hockey again.

[wncsport.com]

I'm with Spider, we'll see if this 4 on 4 idea actually works.

If it does, minor leagues like SPHL should seriously consider it.

[Shootmaster_44]

Winnipeg has a new arena which will be officially unveiled this fall. Don't worry, they are ready for the NHL or major league hockey again.

I know about the new arena, but doesn't the AHL's Manitoba Moose have an exclusive lease where no rival leagues could set up shop? Seems to me I read that somewhere.

[BCRantzilla]

Chipman, whom few in this city have any respect for, has a 25 year no-compete clause against anything not on AHL level. However, this league would certainly be a higher level than the AHL.

[Shootmaster_44]

Chipman, whom few in this city have any respect for, has a 25 year no-compete clause against anything not on AHL level. However, this league would certainly be a higher level than the AHL.

I guess it would be higher than AHL quality. The argument he could use is that the only league that is a higher level than the AHL is called the NHL. Any other name would be of "lower quality" than the AHL. I think the WHA is at least on par talent wise with the AHL and he managed to keep them out of the new arena. I bet Chipman would fight hard to keep this league out too. But I suppose anything is possible.

[Houston Caldwell]

I tried clicking on the link in the first post on this topic, but my browser "could not find the server", so I can't read the article everyone is referring to. Can some poster tell me what this story is about?

[Shootmaster_44]

Here's the article:

THE MISSISSAUGA NEWS
Derbys owner has NHL pros ready to play
Agents support interim league

GARY McCARTHY
Jul 30, 2004

A Mississauga investment broker who owns the Streetsville Derbys is the major player behind a plan to organize a six-team league of National Hockey League players in the event of a work stoppage in September.

Randy Gumbley told The News he has developed a plan to produce professional hockey in seven Canadian cities, including the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, and one city in the United States, should the NHL and the NHL Players' Association fail to agree on a new collective agreement by the Sept. 15 deadline.

"We'll be ready to drop the puck in our first game by Sept. 18," Gumbley told The News, adding his plan includes triple-headers that will be televised by major Canadian sports networks.

A well-known player agent in Toronto, who requested anonymity, said the plan proposed by Gumbley is "very attractive" to player agents.

"I know a lot of agents have called him (Gumbley) expressing interest," said the agent. "Subject to certain conditions being met, they're prepared to offer up their players."

Gumbley said he can't name the players who will be joining his league while negotiations between the NHL and the union are ongoing.

"We're counting on the fact that the players will all be current NHL players," said Gumbley, who has been working non-stop for weeks now with hockey and business people to put the proposal together.

Players would be paid on a revenue-sharing basis and there would also be money turned over to local charities and non-profit organizations, said Gumbley, who has scheduled a news conference for next Thursday morning at the Delta Meadowvale Resort & Conference Centre.

"The concept as well as the revenue-sharing for the players are of interest to everyone," said the agent.

Gumbley said the games will be played at the Metro Centre in Halifax, the Pepsi Centre in Quebec City, the Ricoh Coliseum, Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, the John Labatt Centre in London, the Auditorium in Kitchener, the old Winnipeg Arena and the former home of the old Hartford Whalers in Connecticut.

"All the ice has been booked and it can all be cancelled on 24 hours notice without any penalties," said the Derbys owner. "So, if at any time there is an agreement between the NHL and the players, we'll be able to cancel the games and the players will go back to their teams."

He doesn't see his operation as competing against the planned resurrection of the World Hockey Association.

"We're not trying to form a permanent alternative to the NHL," he said. "We've simply got a plan to provide NHL calibre hockey in the event of a work stoppage."

Gumbley explained that his plan calls for the six teams to play a round-robin and playoffs.

Each team will carry 11 skaters and one goaltender. There will be no red line and teams will play four aside.

Games would be played Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays.

Tickets will be sold on a per-game basis and in package deals.

THE MISSISSAUGA NEWS