What is Happening?

The NHL lockout is negatively affecting North-American economies. The Lockout started because the NHLPA (National Hockey League Players Association) couldn’t make a deal with the teams’ owners. They had until September 25^th to come to an agreement of how much money the players get, and how much the owners get. Since they did not meet the deadline the season was officially delayed.
                  Last year the NHL had its all time popularity rates, the merchandise rate went up 22% and the T.V. rates went up 29%. Many people are afraid that duo to the lockout that the rates will fall again because following the 2005 lockout the T.V. viewer rates went down 19%. If this happens again to the league when it comes back then the tickets to the games and the merchandise will increase so the league can get back to its popularity. The delay of the season is damaging many companies such as CHE (Canadian Hockey Enterprises). This company makes hockey equipment for twenty of the thirty teams in the NHL. This company has lost forty percent in revenue and has had to lay off five percent of their employees due to the fall in profit. Most of North America are already in economic problems and the fact that people are being fired due do a cancelation of a sport is horrible. The NHL lockout had also affected certain neighborhoods such as Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Penguins play in the Consol Energy Center which is only used for the hockey games so many people ran their vender, merchandise sellers, and people who clean the ice. Now that the season has been canceled all of these people have lost their job. Again the economy in North America is all ready so bad and the delay is just making it worse than it already is. Now that the lockout is resovled the NHL will have 48 games statrting on January 19th.