LABOUR WOES HIT RUSH
NLL axes first two weekends of play
DAVE DEIBERT AND KEVIN MITCHELL
The Saskatchewan Rush have waited seven months to raise the team’s most recent National Lacrosse League championship banner. Thanks to an ongoing labour dispute between the league and its players, that wait will continue for at least an extra four weeks.
With little progress being made on a new collective bargaining agreement — and no signs of a deal being reached anytime soon — the first two weekends of the 2018-19 NLL season have been cancelled. The announcement, made by the NLL on Thursday, means a total of seven games on Dec. 1 and Dec. 8 will not be played.
Among the seven regular-season games affected, the Saskatchewan Rush had been scheduled to begin the season on Dec. 1 versus the host Georgia Swarm and then play its home opener at Sasktel Centre versus the Colorado Mammoth on Dec. 8. Last spring, the Rush won its third NLL championship in four seasons — and second in three seasons since moving from Edmonton to Saskatoon.
“In terms of the cancellation of our Dec. 8 banner-raising home opener … it’s crappy,” said Rush director of business development and media relations Brandon Urban.
“That pretty much sums it up, to be honest with you. It’s very unfortunate, and not an ideal situation for us. We’ve been marketing and promoting and pushing our preseason game and home opener for the last few months now, and it certainly hasn’t unfolded the way we were hoping and the way we anticipated. It’s unfortunate, and hopefully they get this resolved soon.”
The league in a statement said it hopes to “meet with the (Professional Lacrosse Players Association) to resolve this issue in earnest.
“At this point, we are extremely disappointed that we have not reached a fair and equitable agreement for both the NLL and the players.”
In a letter earlier this week from NLL commissioner Nick Sakiewicz to PLPA president Peter Schmitz, Sakiewicz said the league would have to cancel games if no deal was reached by Wednesday. After extending that deadline by one day, the league announced Thursday the cancellation of the early-season games.
The league in its statement said it has made “a very good and fair offer” that includes a 25-per-cent increase in salary and benefits for the players. The NLL said it must partner with the players to grow the NLL, but that a strategy must fit “within a reasonable business model.”
The league said it has been negotiating with the PLPA and has “always comported ourselves in a professional, above board and good faith manner.” The NLL said it proposed “a fair calculation” of bonuses to be paid to players, based on attendance growth and an increase each year in lacrosserelated revenues, such as parking, food and beverages and merchandise.
The PLPA on its official Twitter account said the players “have grown tired of the (commissioner’s) letters referencing his wanting to provide full transparency to the (players) when a remaining obstacle of significance is the unwillingness to tie Average Team Revenue (ATR) growth to the players salaries. Irony at its best .... ”
Last week, the PLPA said on its Twitter account that the players rejected an offer from the league but countered with a one-year proposal “in the interest of getting the season underway while we continue to negotiate on a mutually agreed upon long-term deal.”
Vancouver Stealth’s Corey Small tweeted this week that the league “rejected our 1 year deal with a no strike clause and a mandated 10 negotiation dates to hash out a long term deal that satisfies both side. It’s clear we want to start the season on time for our loyal fans! Can’t say that feeling is shared.”
Urban said the Rush’s home opener is now scheduled for Jan. 5, against San Diego.
“It’s the reality of professional sports,” Urban said, “and you’ve just got to deal with it and move forward.”
In terms of the cancellation of our Dec. 8 banner-raising home opener … it’s crappy . ... It’s unfortunate and hopefully we’ll get this resolved soon.