It’s over before it began.
National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman cancelled the season Wednesday after the union representing the players and the NHL couldn’t reach a new labor deal.
The NHL becomes the first major sports league to lose a season to a labor impasse.
Players with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and other teams had been locked out for the past 153 games. There was hope that the sides could reach a deal Wednesday, salvaging what would have been a 28-game season.
The Anaheim Arena Management LLC, manager of the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, has hustled to bring in more events during the lockout.
The Ducks usually play 45 games at the Pond during the season, which was supposed to start in October.
Anaheim Arena Management “is working aggressively” to book events at the Pond, said Tim Ryan, chief executive of Anaheim Arena.
Anaheim Arena, which is owned by Broadcom Corp. cofounder Henry Samueli, has sought to fill the gap with other events, including the U.S. Olympic Gymnastic Trials, the post-Athens gymnastics tour and Disney on Ice.
The Anaheim Storm lacrosse team also has taken up some of the slack, said Bob Wagner, Anaheim Arena’s vice president and chief marketing officer, in a pas interview.
The Pond hosted 154 events last year, including 41 concerts, a record for the venue, Wagner said.
Even so, “In the long term it could be more of a challenge” to continue making up for lost hockey games, Wagner said.
We “need to protect the investment of the suite holders” and advertisers, he said.
The Pond recently was nominated for Pollstar Magazine’s 2004 Arena of the Year Award.
