April 26, 1999
For Immediate Release
(OTTAWA) — If hockey fans want to be heard they should add their voices to the National Hockey League Fans' Association (NHLFA).
That was one of the observations made by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman when he met last week with representatives of the NHLFA at his office in New York.
Jim Boone and Jim Spendlove, co-founders of the NHLFA, spent about an hour with Mr. Bettman and NHL Chief Operating Officer, Steve Solomon. The NHLFA raised several issues of concern to the more than 5,400 members of the NHLFA. Those issues include skyrocketing player salaries, high ticket prices, the difference in the value of the Canadian and U.S. dollar, taxes paid by Canadian teams and difficulties experienced by small-market teams in both Canada and the U.S.
The two Jims said they asked if the Commissioner would consider implementing a cap on player/team salaries along with a freeze on game ticket prices, but were not surprised that Mr. Bettman said neither of those was likely to happen in the near future, for a variety of reasons.
The Jims were encouraged by Mr. Bettman's willingness to assist them in getting the NHLFA involved in the Open Ice summit being held in August to examine the state of Canadian hockey.
The Association did receive a commitment for future meetings with the NHL, but Mr. Bettman hinted that such meetings may hinge on the Association expanding its membership dramatically if it wants to be recognized as representing the voice of NHL fans in North America.
To date, the NHLFA has relied primarily on interest from the Canadian media to carry its message to prospective members, as the Association has little funding to market itself. Membership stands at 5,400 today.
The National Hockey League Fans' Association Web site (www.NHLFA.com) was launched April 20, 1998, to give NHL fans across North America and around the world a way to express their views on the game and to influence it for the better.
The Jims said the most difficult tasks facing the Association are increasing awareness and membership and securing funding. Both agree that they must continue to expand the membership base if the NHLFA is to survive and thrive. People interested in registering with the NHLFA can do so by visiting the http://www.NHLFA.com Web site. Membership in the NHLFA is free.
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