Len Barrie Says Revenue Sharing Won't Make Lightning Profitable

Lightning Can Expect To Receive Up To $14M From NHL Revenue Sharing

Lightning co-Owner Len Barrie said that a revenue-sharing check the Lightning will get this year from the NHL "will not make it profitable," according to Damian Cristodero of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. Barrie: "We'll still be in the red for the year." Barrie declined to give specifics on the team's revenue-sharing allotment, but the Lightning "apparently can expect perhaps up to" $14M from revenue sharing. Barrie, on NHL revenue sharing: "It helps every team that's in a market that's trying to grow and make the league stronger, and we're in one of those markets." Cristodero notes teams eligible for revenue sharing "cannot be in a media market of 2.5 million television households" or more. To get a full share, teams also "must sell an average 14,000 tickets and have revenue growth exceeding the league average." Barrie said of the team's financial situation, "Is it disappointing? Yeah. But we're going to continue to try to grow the business." NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said of the Lightning, "The financial underpinnings of this franchise are strong." Meanwhile, Barrie "denied reports in Canada that he and [Lightning co-Owner] Oren Koules are not speaking." Barrie: "We talk every day. We probably talk two times a day" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/6).