Sports

NHL’s Arizona obsession costing players big bucks

In choosing to re main for the time being in Glendale, Ariz. — the time being defined by the city’s politicians’ willingness to inflict the cost of business on its citizens — rather than relocate immediately to Winnipeg, the NHL is going for at least one more year in a market that never has demonstrated the ability to generate the revenue necessary to turn the team into a profitable enterprise.

This is not a felony, but in sacrificing immediate additional guaranteed revenue north of the border — and for the second time in a year now, following the Jim Balsillie debacle — Gary Bettman and the power brokers on Sixth Avenue are taking money out of the pockets of every player in the league without giving them, or their representatives in the NHLPA, a seat at the table or a voice in the process.

You don’t hear much these days about the partnership between the league and the players, and this is why. It’s not a partnership when one side dictates terms to the other. It’s not a partnership when the league on its own decides to ride the flight of the Phoenix to its inevitable crash, even as that means the players’ 57-percent of the imaginary gross will be worth less than a move to more fertile territory would guarantee.

This will become a significant issue in the next round of collective bargaining. Count on it.

Commitment to retaining the Coyotes in the desert might be part of the league’s strategy to get a more lucrative national television contract when the current one with NBC expires following next season, though even in this environment where every economic indicator for the league is positive (except, ironically, for gate receipts on which the clubs essentially survive), it’s impossible to believe that Arizona is critical to the endeavor.

It’s true. Revenue is up, and in some areas substantially so by a percentage basis, on every measurable media platform. This reflects well on the league’s innovation and commitment to digital and alternative media. Sixth Avenue has moved aggressively in this area to serve its fan base.

The problem for the league, however, is that national/international revenue still accounts for no more than 10 or 11 percent of the league gross, with the remainder generated by the 30 teams, with gate receipts accounting for a huge portion of those proceeds.

This is why the concept of percentage of the gross was such a sham as applied to this league. There is no legitimate collective pot of gold, such as exists in the NFL or NBA, where clubs share in meaningful television revenue. This is still a gate-receipts league, one in which numerous teams — including Atlanta, St. Louis, Florida, the Islanders and the Coyotes — that cannot generate revenue off ticket sales.

If the league somehow can strike it rich through television the next time, more power to Bettman. Fans should note, however, that the more money a network commits to a league, the more power it has over the league’s schedule.

This is the last thing NHL fans should want. The league’s playoff schedule this year has been nearly perfect. It wouldn’t be if NBC or a cable operator had more control. Just check the NBA and its routine four-day gaps within a series. It’s a farce.

* Sorry, 10 years for Nicklas Backstrom is just too long of a commitment, even as Capitals owner Ted Leonsis is to be commended for going the distance to bring a champion to D.C.

Ten years for anybody other than Sidney Crosby at this point is too long.

Check that.

We’d go 10 years for Zach Parise, any time.

The Rangers will announce the signing of free agent Mats Zuccarello-Aasen this week following the conclusion of the World Championship tournament.

The fleet Norwegian Hobbit, who at 5-foot-7 (wink) is a latter day descendent of Herb Brooks‘ Smurf Mark Pavelich — the Blueshirts can only pray — has agreed to a two-year deal believed worth the Entry Level base cap of $900,000. It’s unknown whether the contract includes bonuses.

The Blueshirts have initiated contact and discussions with Ryan McDonough‘s family advisers that will continue this week, we’ve been informed. As a college athlete, the Wisconsin senior is not permitted to retain an agent to negotiate on his behalf while maintaining his NCAA eligibility.

* The Rangers also are expected to begin talks this week with the representatives for Erik Christensen, the midseason waiver acquisition who completed the year as the Blueshirts’ first-line center.

Slap Shots has learned from several sources that Christensen, an impending restricted free agent owed an $840,000 qualifier, played the final two games of the season against the Flyers with a separated shoulder he sustained late in the April 7 match at the Garden against the Maple Leafs, when he was run into the wall late in the third period by Francois Beauchemin.

And this is the player head coach John Tortorella indicted after the fact for not showing up for the season finale?

larry.brooks@nypost.com