Hockey Talks Glitch Could Cost Anaheim : Without an Agreement Soon, Season Could Be on Ice

It’s not clear just what the status is of negotiations that would put a Walt Disney Co.-owned NHL hockey team in the new Anaheim Arena as early as this fall. Disney and its Chairman Michael D. Eisner aren’t saying anything, but a source familiar with lease negotiations between the company and Ogden Entertainment companies told The Times recently that talks actually had broken down, effectively putting off play until the 1994-95 season.

Meanwhile, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that he was aware of a problem and speculated that he would not hear about the franchise before March 1, the date which, for all intents and purposes, is the deadline for next season. The reason is that the league must make up a schedule.

And yet, despite the gathering clouds, several arena officials and Anaheim’s city manager have asserted that negotiations are indeed continuing, with a targeted start up date of this October.

While Disney has been silent on the subject, it did decline to comment last week on a report of a possible joint venture with the city to build a separate practice rink, saying that the arena negotiations were pending. Does this mean the negotiations are still viable? Orange County should hope so.

Wherever the negotiations stand, it’s important for all parties to recognize common interest in the speedy, successful conclusion of negotiations on the arena.

That’s clearly the case for the city, which faces an additional $1 million a year liability if the arena comes up empty on tenants. And it also would lose the spillover revenue from hockey games, expected to be about $7.5 million for the city.

The NHL, which needs money and the invigorating shot in the arm of expansion franchises, would receive $25 million in franchise fees if the team skates. It also can benefit.

Disney immediately would have access to a deep draft pool of talent to put quality players on the ice. And most important for later on, the timing of a successful deal could do wonders for the chemistry of the next phase of Disney development in Anaheim. Plans for a new theme park across town could gain momentum from a viable new arena. That could be a shot in the arm for the park expansion.

There are those who say that Disney holds all the cards on the arena because Anaheim took such a huge risk in building its publicly financed arena without teams.

But Disney also still must iron out complicated negotiations with the city for infrastructure improvements for its planned new park. The success of the arena, after the recent period of serious doubt about whether it would fly, could help trigger the right climate for the successful expansion.

So what’s it worth to iron out the differences on such items as revenues from luxury boxes, concessions, and advertising, as well as on other aspects of the business? A lot. Flexibility can work wonders.

A certain amount of delay may be part and parcel of the posturing that goes into deal-making. But March 1 is not that far away, either. It would be a shame for all parties, including the public, if another hockey season comes and goes before there are games played in Anaheim.