Jeff Blair on Donald Fehr and the Globe's Power 50
Globe sport columnist takes your questions on Fehr, executive director of the NHLPA, who is No. 1 on The Globe and Mail’s Power 50 for 2012, because of the significance accorded negotiations on a new collective agreement with the National Hockey League. Blair will be online Thursday at 1 p.m.
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Here's Jeff's piece on Fehr and a look at the entire Top 50. -
This is globesports.com editor Darren Yourk inviting you to join Globe columnist Jeff Blair here Thursday at 1 p.m. to discuss Donald Fehr and the Globe 's Power 50 list of influential people in sport. Jeff wrote the profile of Fehr for the package and will take your questions on the executive director of the NHLPA and the state of negotiations with the NHL on a new collective bargaining agreement. You can submit questions in the comments section below once the chat begins, or e-mail them to power50@scribblelive.com. We hope you will join us.
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Hockey is king in Canada. We can debate what that means about us, but it is fact. And the NHL is the most-watched and followed league in Canada. It could have been either Fehr or Gary Bettman but we went with Fehr because he brings an intriguing new dynamic to negotiations on a CBA. Bettman we know about. Fehr is considered the most adroit sports labour negotiator of his generation and his approach and tone will more than be a match for Bettman. Fehr's presence means amateur hour is over at the NHLPA; and a strong union with clear channels of communication makes it easier to get an agreement and avoid a stoppage. Ultimately, it will be Bettman who calls the shot: if he feels the need to "win," there will be a stoppage. But Fehr is more than his match.
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Fehr is not afraid to stand on principle, but he is hardly doctinaire. He fought drug testing because of right to privacy issues - and was proven right when test results leaked out. But he's also a realist; he sensed players were becoming more sensitive about testing and were willing to give ground grudgingly, so he did. He knows the players are going to get a smaller share of revenue in this agreement. He will try to get concessions from ownership that will make it more palatable to his membership. Beyond that .... he's actually a pretty cool guy to spend some time with.
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Mike: A win would be holding their share of revenues at 50 per-cent compared to 57, as well as a clearer description of restricted free agency - the union does not consider the open reluctance of G.M.s to sign other teams free agents for fear of reprisal to be similar legally to the collusion issue that was faced in baseball. My own belief is Fehr would like a formal joint partnership with the NHL on a World Cup format that could actually generate revenue. Other than their medals, NHL players don't get much out of the Olympics. If a World Cup would be a way of increasing the revenue pie, I think the players would go for it.
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Rick, I don't think he cares. Nor, frankly, do the players. They want teams in markets where the most revenue can be generated. If it's Quebec City, fine. If it's Seattle or some place else, that's OK too. I do know this: Quebec City needs to get moving within the next four months. It needs to get beyond the good intentions stage. This negotiation is going to be about revenue.
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In my opinion, if the NHL owners were smart they'd move off the cap system totally and go more towards a luxury-tax system like baseball has. But they won't. We disagree about your point; if there's a way the floor can be managed, both sides will go for it. I don't think a cap works without a floor, both philosophically and practically.
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David, the reason most of the active athletes made the list was because they are involved in endeavours outside of competition. Patrick Chan didn't make it. Brett Lawrie didn't either. It's not based on performance. As for Dryden? We believe he is going to be the point man in the continuing battle to raise awareness of concussions in hockey. The doctors do great work; but Dryden still has a cache possessed by few others.
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Darren, My own opinion is in the long run it will be a benefit because it will maximize exposure over multiple platforms, whether CTV or Rogers. Obviously, there are going to be concerns about competitiveness, but I think the real determining factor in "who wins" down the road will be the ability to harness developing technologies, especially mobile technologies. That will ensure competitiveness, because it is to both parties benefit OUTSIDE of sports to beat the other in that area. On the other hand, it will be fun watching them carve up the Leafs TV and radio schedule ....
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Stu, I think it was pretty comprehensive, especially with the focus on athletes who are addressing wider societal concerns as opposed to those who are simply excelling on the field. I might have made exception for soccer players Junior Hoilett and Jonathan de Guzman, because if they committed to Canada they would do more for their sport in one stroke of the pen - in terms of credibility, message and transformational ability - what few other athletes would be capable of doing.
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