In a move met with disbelief, the National Lacrosse League canceled its 2008 season Tuesday, citing the rejection of a proposed collective bargaining agreement by the executive committee of the Professional Lacrosse Players’ Association.
“I don’t know if it’s a bluff or what,” Colorado Mammoth defender Jamie Hanford said. “It’s a shock. It’s a shame the two sides couldn’t agree. It’s a shame there is an October deadline.”
Although the first game is not scheduled until Dec. 29, the mid-October action is tied to arena rental deadlines. Teams who rent their buildings must pay the rent or surrender the dates. Although the Mammoth is owned by Stan Kroenke, who also owns the Pepsi Center, the same process is in effect.
Mammoth general manager Steve Govett released the eight Pepsi Center dates set aside for the Mammoth and informed 400 Pepsi Center employees of the news.
The father in Govett faced an even tougher task.
“I have to sit down with my 7-year-old son and tell him that there will be no Mammoth season,” he said. “How final is that? Guess who loses? The fans and the game.”
Mammoth goaltender Gee Nash, the PLPA treasurer and a member of the executive and negotiating committees, acknowledged the potential crippling effect on the fringe league that moved to the western United States five years ago when the Mammoth was established.
“There’s always that fear when a league cancels its own season,” he said. “I talked to a lot of guys today, and there was overall disappointment because the players are still open to negotiation.”
Only three NLL teams made revenue last season: Colorado, Toronto and Buffalo. While the 13-team league lost an average of $600,000 per team, five teams averaged less than 9,400 fans, including San Jose’s league-low 4,676. Colorado drew a league-leading 16,794.
Players, who supplement their incomes with other jobs, were paid an average salary of $14,500 last season.
The previous 3-year-old CBA expired July 31. It included a provision designed to compensate the players, via a benefit fund. According to Nash, the PLPA claims that $873,000 is owed to that fund, based on the 2006 season. After a controversial audit, neither side can agree on that amount or the 2007 figure.
While the NLL contends the provision is flawed, based on gross revenue rather than net revenue, which subtracts expenses, the PLPA is pushing to include the same provision in the new agreement.
“In good conscience, we couldn’t accept their offer,” Nash said. “We would not be left behind. At what point do you say, ‘For the love of the game, are we willing to sell the players on an unfair deal?’ ”
Nash pointed out that the players are more educated than ever about the issues.
Said Hanford: “It’s a shame the league won’t work with the players’ union. The league needs us; we need them. The league might need us more. We’re the product.
“Maybe we have to take a step back to take a couple steps forward. It’s sad, but maybe this is what we have to do to make it better for the kids who’ll be coming up from college.”
