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With the 2020 postseason beginning to wind down, focus is starting to shift to the 2020-21 season, which is currently slated to begin on December 1, and training camps beginning November 17 . If you’ve followed along during the hiatus, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has made it very clear that the 2020-21 season had to be played in its entirety, with most of those reasons being financial. But just how will the 2020-21 season take place?
Sportsnet analyst Brian Burke appeared on the Writers’ Bloc on Wednesday and revealed that a modified bubble plan continues to be on the table. The current scenario would operate four dedicated bubble locations, with teams entering to play a number of games, and then returning home for a period of time.
Brian Burke on Writers Bloc says for next year he has heard one scenario where there will be four bubbles and players come in for 14 days and play 7 games and then go back home and live normal lives.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) September 9, 2020
Burke added that the league cannot sit back and wait for a vaccine.
Burks adds the NHL cannot just sit back and wait until a vaccine is ready for them to have fans in the stands before they decide to start their season, he says people will find other things to do and become disinterested in hockey. Jan. 1, 2021 is the latest they can wait.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) September 9, 2020
Burke also stated that If the league can only have a limited amount of fans in the arena with social distancing and required masks, so be it. If they have to come up with another bubble scenario to play an entire reg. season, you have to go with that as well.
By Jon Sorensen
Fan in stands don’t matter any as per you had in earlier article,NHL makes majority of it’s money off tv deals,so no fans don’t make difference anyway. Problems going to be for example if I who lives 2 hours from Edmonton get tickets to goto game than get told @ door thier @ capacity & can’t come in who’s repaying me for ticket,meals,& fuel to get to game? All the above for 2 lower bowl tickets in Edmonton is going to run me @ least $750.00-1000.00 total!
I’m with ya Scott. That is one of many many issues that will need to be worked out. Who will get tickets with a reduced capacity is another.