"How did we get here, ECHL? Why are you going on strike, and more importantly, why should we care? Now I am a hockey fanatic, a level 5 hockey fan on the seven levels of hockey fans scale, dare I say a sicko at times. I follow the AHL and host an AHL podcast; my team, the Hershey Bears, is affiliated with the South Carolina Stingrays."
"Many players in the ECHL have no connections to their NHL teams; heck, some are not even signed to an AHL team. Their ECHL teams sign them to very little pay; players have taken side jobs or different careers to make ends meet. Yet you want to brag about your ticket prices being only the median of $21 across the ECHL, which is not bad in this economy, but not the time for it."
ECHL players receive low pay, often lack NHL/AHL affiliation, and frequently take side jobs to cover living costs. The collective bargaining agreement expired in July and negotiations between the league and the PHPA have stalled, producing public proposals and counter-offers. Players seek better per diem, mileage reimbursement, reduced back-to-back games, mandatory holiday days off, and clearer scheduling or game-count changes. The league intends to expand to 32 teams while claiming affordable ticket prices, but rapid expansion and financial constraints have intensified tension. The labor dispute has become public and could disrupt the season and fan experience.
Read at Puck Prose
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]