This is Bob Martel, Bruins 2004 7th Man
(http://www.bostonbruins.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?
ID=1213)....and I need your help to save the game we all love. It
means making a sacrifice; one I don't take lightly. However after
months of tireless work, I believe it is the only way to save the
professional game so that it will be there for our enjoyment someday
down the road.

In the interest of brevity, I won't rehash a lot of history here on
what I've been up to. I encourage you to visit
www.fansstrikeback.com to get the details on my efforts and those of
Roger Farina, NHL 2003 7th Man. You can find two good summary
stories here:

http://www.eagletribune.com/news/stories/20050327/SP_002.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/2005-03-17-timeout-fans_x.htm

After a talk I had recently with a media person in the know, I'm
beginning to understand why some changes will never occur. There's
some shady dealings at the top. The NHL is trying to secretly bust
the union. It appears Mr. Jacobs has a heavy hand in the direction
of things and is dead set against revenue sharing. He's also been
allegedly caught understating ticket revenues. The core values we
hold as fans even if they were expressed to an audience of
player/owner brass in NYC (as proposed in my letters to Mr. Bettman)
would still be squelched at the highest levels by those who see the
NHL as a cash cow and don't want the boat rocked. The ONLY way we
stand a chance is to unite our local fan bases. Each 7th Man will be
contacting as many local season ticket holders as possible and
creating a list. I am coordinating the effort for Boston. I am
asking each Bruins season ticket holder to do 3 things.

First if you are a season ticket holder, send me an email
(bruins7thman@...) with whatever contact info you are willing
to provide me with so I can get in touch with you in the upcoming
weeks.

Second, pass the word to ANYONE you know who is a Boston Bruins
season ticket holder and ask them to do the same. My goal is to get
contact info for at least 100 people, hopefully many times more.
Then, I will call a press conference with those people in attendance
and get the media to cover it (I already have this lined up). We
could do it at a restaurant near the Garden that could use the extra
business. I am assured by my media contacts that this WILL get the
attention of the media (as well as the Bruins ownership).

Thirdly, at the press conference, we will all sign a letter where we
agree to cancel our season ticket memberships and request a full
refund. By doing so, we will inspire a number of others to do the
same. Then with the media present, I will present the petition to
the season ticket office, thus cancelling potentially hundreds of
season tickets at 1 single moment. The goal is to do this
simulteneously in all 30 NHL cities on June 1st.

I know this is not an easy decision to make. I have been a season
ticket holder since 1988 myself. However I know this is the only way
for us to force the NHL and NHLPA to do something about the lock-
out. Money talks! We hold the money. A hundred season ticket
holders carry as much weight as a luxury box owner does. Losing 1 or
two season ticket memberships won't cause much of a stir. But
hundreds, in each NHL city, on the same day will get attention. And
let's face it, for the next 2-3 years, there's going to be plenty of
tickets to be had. We can come back down the road if we see fit.
But unless we take action now, the chances of having anything worth
seeing down the road is dismal.

Finally, a though on what the Bruins are offering to hold season
ticket money. Starting May 1st, it's 15% interest paid out
in "Bruins Bucks" for your season ticket account. Do any of you have
mortgages with escrow accounts? The bank MUST pay you CASH interest
on that account annually. It's required by law. Ditto I believe for
the NHL teams holding our money now. I believe offering us extra
tickets and/or funny-money in exchange for holding our cash is
ILLEGAL. If you buy tickets to a concert and the concert is
cancelled, do you have to let the venue hold your money until the
concert is rescheduled and then attend it regardless of whether or
not the same band is even playing on the new date? Well that's
what's happening here. Season cancelled, perhaps replacement players
next year, and our money is being held in the team warchest with the
threat of losing season ticket tenure held over our heads.

If you wish to join myself and others across the league in sending a
message by taking back your hard-earned dollars, please get in touch
with me and ask your fellow season ticket holders to do the same. I
can be reached at bruins7thman@....

Warm regards,

Bob