Ovechkin $124 Million

[Indio]

Ovechkin just signed a 13 year - $124 Million contract with Washington

[3Jack]

Why thumbs down on this? Pretty spectacular player.

[fundonny]

I'm jealous. I want that. Can I get that without any hockey skills?

[foxman]

Ovechkin just signed a 13 year - $124 Million contract with Washington

Just keeps getting better and better.Just image if the owners made money

[Indio]

Why thumbs down on this? Pretty spectacular player.

It is a freaking game.... nobody but nobody is worth that much money to play a game.....

[3Jack]

Agreed, but it's what the market, in this case Lyonsis, bears, and we're party to it by being fans of the game.

[NoBack]

It is a freaking game.... nobody but nobody is worth that much money to play a game.....

Gotta agree with the old guy on this one.

Not to mention what if he gets hurts in year 2 of this 13 year contract? That's a whole lot of insurance to pay for someone who loves the "game"

[nhwott5]

It is a freaking game.... nobody but nobody is worth that much money to play a game.....

well they are worth that actually, they bring in the $$ to the owners, they are worth what he market will bear, and only time will tell now if the market can bear this.

league revenue is up all across the board, and therefore players $ will be too. smart thing is locvking guys in young for long term, this way as legue revenue goes up, salaries do not increase as much for these guys.

now everyone can argue wheter a specific player is worth a certain $ value, btin the end, the owners make a killing on the backs of thet players, and with the new CBA ther is pretty well defined lines as to how much players must ( not can, must ) earn in relaton ot the owners revenues.

[rockford35]

That owner could have said "see ya".....if more did that, you'd see less of this.

We've been here before. What goes around, strikes around...

R35

[nhwott5]

sure they could sy see yah, to theplayer if they like

of course then they woudl also be saying see yah to all the money they bring in as well,

in hockey, lie any sport, the player is the commodity, they are what makes the money so they should earn it as well

if you don;t think so,go ask gordie howe!!!

[Golfbum]

That owner could have said "see ya".....if more did that, you'd see less of this.

We've been here before. What goes around, strikes around...

R35

The owners could have said CYA and the New York Rangers would have said "HELLO" Or some other team would have been waiting.

He is their franchise player, what else could they do? $9.5 mil a year, as long as they are under their Cap Level that is all that counts. They have their best player locked up for years. I can't see him becoming another Samsinov.

You still bitter because the Oilers would not cough up a few extra bucks to keep Smythe in Oil Town!

[big mac]

This is absolutely ridiculous ---what the hell is he going to do with 124 M---he can't even spend the daily interest fast enough. I'm not jealous or envious I am just angry at the way supposedly intelligent people continue to amaze me and I'm not talking about the player.

[Golfbum]

This is absolutely ridiculous ---what the hell is he going to do with 124 M---he can't even spend the daily interest fast enough. I'm not jealous or envious I am just angry at the way supposedly intelligent people continue to amaze me and I'm not talking about the player.

Remember Brian that is spread out over 10 years! Also remember this about hockey players.

They could blow out a knee and their career could be over at anytime. So there goes the pay cheques. So they make their money while they can.

Come on boys and girls be honest here. You know as well as I do if that kind of coin was offered to you for the work you do you would be all over it like a dog on a hunk of steak!

[MusicMan]

Season Average Salary
1990-91 $271,000
1991-92 $368,000
1992-93 $467,000
1993-94 $572,000
1994-95 $733,000
1995-96 $892,000
1996-97 $984,000
1997-98 $1,167,713
1998-99 $1,288,974
1999-00 $1,356,380
2000-01 $1,434,885
2001-02 $1,642,590
2002-03 $1,790,209
2003-04 $1,830,126
2004-05 Lockout
2005-06 $1,460,000

Jaromir Jagr $8,360,000
Crosby $8,700,000
Ovechkin $9,500,000

[Hacker]

Remember Brian that is spread out over 10 years! Also remember this about hockey players.

They could blow out a knee and their career could be over at anytime. So there goes the pay cheques. So they make their money while they can.

Come on boys and girls be honest here. You know as well as I do if that kind of coin was offered to you for the work you do you would be all over it like a dog on a hunk of steak!

Rick - the contract is over 13 years not 10 (but I'm nitpicking I know). Also don't forget that NHL contracts are guaranteed - Ovie is taking ALL of that money to the bank. The caps will take out insurance to cover his salary in the event that he suffers a career ending injury

[Indio]

Remember Brian that is spread out over 10 years! Also remember this about hockey players.

They could blow out a knee and their career could be over at anytime. So there goes the pay cheques. So they make their money while they can.

Come on boys and girls be honest here. You know as well as I do if that kind of coin was offered to you for the work you do you would be all over it like a dog on a hunk of steak!

Rick, what you say I mostly agree with, I do not blame the players although their greed on top of the owners greed is what has got us to where we are... Attending hockey games is out of the reach of many fans. The owners greed started all this, of that I have no doubt.

What has happened is that the 'game' has been put out of the reach of your typical hockey fan and been put in the hands of big business 'corporate boxes' to be used as tax deductions for their sales teams. Really, it is not the lack of fan support that causes a team to be sold or move, it is lack of big business purchasing gobs of tickets and owners not getting tax incentives or cold hard cash to maintain the arenas.

When I lived in Montreal in the late 80's, I had 2 season tickets to the Montreal Canadians and the last year I had them, they cost me a TOTAL for the 80 ngame schedule of a little less than $300! Today, that would be the cost of 2 seats for one game!

Ok, end of rant.

[SGH]

A few points:

1. Hockey tickets are not much of a write off for corporations. They fall under "Meals and Entertainment" which means they are only 50% deductable. Corporate tax rates are low to begin with, so they are receiving a maximum of a 20% discount (realistically more like 10% discount for most corporations). By that I meant that if CIBC buys tickets for 100, they still pay 90 bucks after receiving the deduction for tax purpsoes - not much of a deal really. The biggest advantage corproations have is that they have the money to buy tickets - not the tax deduction.

2. Ticket prices work on supply and demand. If an organization could make more money by lowering ticket prices - they would, no doubt. Unfortunately it is pricing the "average hockey fan" out of going to games (myself included unfortunately), but that's the reality of the situation - it likely won't change.

3. Ovenchkin is one of the very best at what he does. The best investment bankers, executives, surgeons etc make as much and more than 9.5M a year. The difference here is that Ovenchkin's salary is made public. Also, he makes this over 13 years while CEOs earn salaries over 20+ years.

Just some thoughts - I don't mean to say I think it's reasonable to pay someone this much to play a game. But I also don't think it's reasonable that we as a society pay $200 to attend a hockey game while we balk at spending $100 for an eye appointment - doesn't really make sense to me.

[spackler]

When I lived in Montreal in the late 80's, I had 2 season tickets to the Montreal Canadians and the last year I had them, they cost me a TOTAL for the 80 ngame schedule of a little less than $300! Today, that would be the cost of 2 seats for one game!

Ok, end of rant.

I think the drugs are kicking in again. The late 80s and you were paying $1.90/ticket/game?

***edit...me fail math? unpossible. I meant $3.75/ticket/game

[Indio]

I think the drugs are kicking in again. The late 80s and you were paying $1.90/ticket/game?

I will have to check my dates because yes, I was paying under $300 for 2 seats to 40 games. They were in the very last nose bleed row of the Montreal forum and you couldn't see well but they were in the forum

[Indio]

OK, I am gonna blame the expensive drugs, I moved to Ottawa in 1980 So make that late 60's had to give them up in the 70's cause the cost was getting too much for someone who didn't make much money as a lowly computer operator at McGill University.

[nhwott5]

so based on 1969 dolar values, you have anywhere from about $1600 now using just straight CPI, up to just opver $4000.00 using the more complex relative share of GDP

(number are apporx of course)

now i have no idea what the cheapest season tickets are in the bell center for this year, anyone know

[spackler]

OK, I am gonna blame the expensive drugs, I moved to Ottawa in 1980 So make that late 60's had to give them up in the 70's cause the cost was getting too much for someone who didn't make much money as a lowly computer operator at McGill University.

Might be the sun stroke, but if you do the math correctly (you know, unlike me) it's $3.75/ticket. In the late 60s, that seems entirely reasonable. In the 80s, well, no. I went to tons of games at MLG in the 80s and I don't remember any tickets costing less than $20 or so.

[Indio]

Might be the sun stroke

Lets go with Cabin fever you can relate with your parental duties I'm sure

[spackler]

Lets go with Cabin fever you can relate with your parental duties I'm sure

No cabin fever where I'm at, no freezing rain either.

[Indio]

No cabin fever where I'm at, no freezing rain either.

You schmuck, you are down in Orlando getting ready for the show aren't you

Good on ya bud

bring me back a nice present, lets say maybe a Red X 5! oh and one more thing, a bright orange grip please

[spackler]

You schmuck, you are down in Orlando getting ready for the show aren't you

Good on ya bud

bring me back a nice present, lets say maybe a Red X 5! oh and one more thing, a bright orange grip please

Not in Orlando yet, not quite as warm and beachy there compared to here. If I can talk the Lightning into signing me for Ovechkin money, an orange grip will be yours.

[Indio]

Not in Orlando yet, not quite as warm and beachy there compared to here. If I can talk the Lightning into signing me for Ovechkin money, an orange grip will be yours.

Hmm, Tampa... great place but I want the orange grip on the Red X silly!

[big mac]

Hey Rick--I sort of agree --all nit picking aside etc etc--I am just in awe of the numbers that's all---and really the player in the long run is not the guy saying yes or no.

[Baxter]

It is a freaking game.... nobody but nobody is worth that much money to play a game.....

Your right in the way you feel and I would say I feel the same but as we all know....

It's not a game and has not been for way to many years...It's big business and the people that make the owners money get paid..nothing worng with that...He sells Tickets , hats, jerseys, pucks, hockey cards plus many other things..worth every penny...Now Joe stiff who does not make you money but is a solid hockey player he loses by only making a mill or two...lol..but you need him to win and that will also make you more money so you pay him enough to keep him happy.

How much money is the KID making for Mario...a few truck loads more than he is paying him...any thing wrong with that??? I think not....It's no different that what Brad Pitt gets paid to make a movie...His name sells tickets and DVD's....Pay the guy if you want to make money...if not make the movie with some one nobody knows and lose money....It's all the same....

And please do not bring in the Doctor stuff about saving a life, because if people paid to watch a Doctor on TV(A Real One) doing some thing major and saving alife..He would be getting the 124 mill.

It's all about making money and who helps you make it......Spezza, Heatly and Alfie will get some huge dollars next time around and long term deals with whom ever pays the cash.......

I think it's great for the kid..Get as much as you can...I would if I could