THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 15, 1995 TAG: 9512150624
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
Two months into the East Coast Hockey League season, the fledgling players union has yet to sign a contract with the league, and an agreement appears far off.
Officials on both sides of the bargaining table were telling reporters in October than an agreement was imminent. But negotiations apparently have deadlocked over three issues:
Health insurance. The Professional Hockey Players Association wants the league to buy into its health-insurance program, through which the PHPA provides insurance for players in the International and American hockey leagues. The ECHL has agreed to the concept of universal coverage, including dependents, but the league wants to write its own policy.
Licensing fees. The PHPA wants a percentage of sales of novelties that include the likeness of players. The ECHL does not want to share those revenues.
Salary cap. The sides are close to an agreement on a cap - currently $7,500 per week - though sources won't say how close.
Richmond owner Harry Feuerstein, who heads the ECHL negotiating team, won't comment on the negotiations. However, Admirals forward Rick Kowalsky, the team's player representative, attended the last PHPA-ECHL meeting earlier this week in Washington and said progress was made.
``I've only been to one meeting, but I would say I think there will be an agreement,'' Kowalsky said. ``I left there with a good feeling.
``We went over the latest proposals. What was discussed now has to go back to both sides.''
Kowalsky declined to say what issues remain unresolved.
TV CONTRACT: The ECHL All-Star game on Jan. 23 in Tallahassee will be televised by several regional cable networks, including Home Team Sports, which will carry the game on Jan. 24 at 4 p.m. on tape delay.
Corey Chandler, the ECHL's director of marketing, said the cable agreement includes a 10- to 12-game regular-season package next season that will be broadcast on HTS and other networks that reach 12 million homes.
The Admirals will be on TV at least once and Admirals president Blake Cullen said he'll push to have that game televised from Scope.
``I'm delighted,'' Cullen said. ``It just proves interest continues to grow in our league. I'm anxious to do a game from here so that people outside Hampton Roads can see the excitement our fans generate for a home Admirals game.'' by CNB