NHL Small-Market Owners Upset By Possible Revenue-Sharing Issue

Small Market Teams Like Panthers Could Lose Revenue-Sharing Money Under NHL CBA

An increasing number of small-market NHL team owners are “wringing their hands over how [the] league’s CBA … governs revenue sharing,” according to several team owners cited by Rick Westhead of the TORONTO STAR. The CBA states that teams relying on revenue-sharing money, like the Predators, Panthers and Coyotes, must generate “a year-to-year revenue growth rate in excess of the league average revenue growth rate.” That means if the average NHL team increases revenues by 6% this year, a team whose revenue increases by 5% “would lose 25[%], or about $3[M], of its revenue-sharing stipend of $11[M].”  Large-market teams like the Rangers and Maple Leafs are “enjoying terrific seasons financially, pulling up the overall league average and making it harder for the likes of the Predators to reach revenue-sharing targets.” A small-market team owner said, “We knew the clause was there but it wasn’t something we looked closely at. We thought we’d deal with it when we had to. It’s clearly a big problem.” A banker specializing in hockey team sales said, “It could be devastating for teams” (TORONTO STAR, 11/7).