Here It Comes Softer Now
By Ah, nice to see that Big Media Matt has finally messed the hair of the night and come around to the correct position that salary caps are about putting money in owners’ pockets, not about “competitive balance.” (And, of course it’s far from surprising that owners’ shill Malcolm Gladwell didn’t highlight this in his New Yorker review.)
But, of course, this myth will be almost impossible to kill. The first thing that sports capital’s lickspittles will now cite is the new NHL (TM). Because after the owners’ crushing of the player’s union, a tiny market team from Alberta has upset San Jose and Detroit in 6 games and is on the verge of the final, a truly radical change from the last free-market year, when a tiny-market team from Alberta upset San Jose and Detroit in 6 games and was a goal away from winning the Stanley Cup. The real genius of the NHL, though, was to tie much-needed and popular rule changes to the new labor rules, although the two are logically independent. But, anyway, the effect of salary caps on “competitive balance” is relatively trivial. To conclude, in the article linked in comments, John Brattain sums it up:
What Bud and the owners say: “The Yankees and Red Sox payrolls make it impossible for other teams to compete.”
What they mean: “We need more free money.”What Bud and the owners say: “Our small markets need faith and hope.”
What they mean: “We need more free money.”What Bud and the owners say: “A new stadium is vital to make [insert team name] a viable franchise.”
What they mean: “We need more free money.”What Bud and the owners say: “Salaries are out of control.”
What they mean: “We need more free money.”What Bud and the owners say: “Competitive balance is something we‘re striving to achieve.”
What they mean: “We need more free money.”What Bud and the owners say: “We lost several million dollars this year.”
What they mean: “We need more free money.”
I also agree with the commenter about this terrific article about the botched management of the Marlins, perpetually whining about the taxpayers not giving them a free stadium. Of course, when it comes to Loria, for me it’s personal…