Speaking of the Fiscal Cliff…

2 thoughts on “Speaking of the Fiscal Cliff…”

1. Its just amazing how stupid both sides are in this years NHL lockout. First there is a deal next there isnt, then the player and owners get together and put a deal together until Donald Fehr and Gary Bettman gets back involved.. Owners wont deal with Fehr and Players wont deal with Bettman.. What a stalemate.

2. Labor v. Capital disputes occur in every profession. How the disputes are handled is critical to the long-term survival of both the capitalist and laborer of a given field.

   Here, both sides seem bound and determined to go the way of Hostess and the Twinkie. For years, the hockey product has had a strong, vibrant, but shrinking fan base in the U.S. Allowing this labor dispute to drag on only reduces market share against the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Advertisers flee, TV networks won’t carry the games, and fans stop buying the merch and filling the seats. A loss of the fan base means an end to the product.

   Hostess and its labor force chose to kill the company instead of take one last try to improve the produce and grow shelf-space. Other than some nostalgia, no one really seems to miss those processed desserts. Will that be true of the NHL, too?

   Just like we said good-bye to the Twinkie, if this lockout continues, without regard to the rights and wrongs alleged, soon the hockey capitalist and hockey laborer, squabbling over the dwindling revenue pie, will see their beloved sport become one with the Twinkie.