Source: Globe and Mail

What's the relative value of the TV and website assets of the three NHL franchises in Western Canada?

A disagreement over how much more the Vancouver Canucks think they are worth has produced a breakdown in negotiations to form a broadcast partnership among the teams.

The Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Canucks - who currently share a CRTC pay-per-view broadcast license - have been trying to create a more broad-based project that would allow them to either create their own model based on Leafs TV or else sell their joint rights to a broadcaster or third party for a lump sum. (The number $100-million has been dropped as a desired price.)

The three teams agreed on the general concept behind acting in concert, but the problem has been in deciding how the revenues should be broken down. Specifically, Vancouver would like a share that reflects the value of its TV and internet properties. (Sources tell Usual Suspects a 60-20-20 split has been tabled.)

Talks about such a revenue split have caused the parties to disengage.

"For now, we've agreed to walk away," Oilers president and chief executive officer Patrick LaForge says.

"Calgary and Edmonton will continue to work together, and Vancouver will keep working on what they do. We knew [the share split] was an issue going in, deciding who gets what. We've agreed the three of us will talk down the road when we're a little more advanced in our planning."

Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis declined comment. Flames president Ken King would only say: "We continue to work on this. After a new building for the team, it's our top priority."

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