Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and Gaming Minister Murray
Smith "recently met" with the Oilers and Flames owners to
discuss a lottery run by the two teams and "regulated by the
province" to aid the franchises, according to Mark Cooper of
the EDMONTON SUN. Klein said the teams proposed "using
[their] marketing tools to devise a game that might be some
kind of lottery program that might be exclusive to the NHL."
Klein: "My indication is that we would be willing to look at
that" (EDMONTON SUN, 4/18). Smith, on a possible Internet-
based lottery: "The (province) would control the site. It
would be a secure site and people would exchange a
transaction over the Net" (EDMONTON SUN, 4/19). In Calgary,
Mark Miller wrote that a lottery "is certainly the kind of
solution that is needed long term." Miller wrote lottery
"moneys are much more palatable, even justifiable" than
public assistance (CALGARY SUN, 4/18). Canucks GM Brian
Burke said that Canada's NHL teams "must have access to
funds generated from government-sponsored betting on NHL
games or more franchises will be lost to U.S. cities."
Federal and provincial governments "have flatly refused to
give Canadian teams any lottery money, an issue that could
end up in court." Burke: "I expect that will be addressed
by the NHL in the near future" (CP, 4/18).
A BETTMAN SAVE? In Calgary, Mark Miller writes that NHL
Commissioner Gary Bettman said that the league is "committed
to taking action to ensure small-market Canadian teams can
survive and compete in the NHL long-term." But Miller adds
that Bettman's "action likely won't come until the league
negotiates" a new CBA. Bettman: "Long-term, we are
committed to making sure all of our teams can be successful
and competitive where they are" (CALGARY SUN, 4/19).
OILERS DRILL FOR TIX: In Edmonton, Terry Jones noted
that the Oilers' "plan is to hit" 13,000 season tickets for
next season to "again qualify" for the C$3M NHL Canadian
Assistance Plan. Oilers VP/Business Operations Doug Piper:
"We are attempting to get a 100 per cent renewal rate on
season tickets. And we don't think that's unrealistic."
The team has a May 30 deadline. Oilers GM Glen Sather, on
the team's financial plight: "We have to hope a light goes
on in [NHLPA Exec Dir] Bob Goodenow's head" (E. SUN, 4/18).
TICKET TASK, PART II: The Flames, who said that they
"must sell" 5,000 more season tickets by June 30 or risk
being relocated, "are raising their price for their middle-
and top-end tickets." Gold seats -- the most expensive at
the Canadian Airlines Saddledome -- will be C$86.71 for the
2000-01 season, up C$11.38 from this year. There are also
increases in the blue, red and silver sections (CP, 4/19).
PLAYOFF FEVER GRIPS FLORIDA? The Panthers' sellout
crowd of 19,250 for Game Three against the Devils last night
was just the team's second sellout at the National Car
Rental Center this season (Bergen RECORD, 4/19).
