How To Fix The NHL

[scomvp316]

My ideas are from a presentation standpoint. The assist argument makes no sense just because there aren't guys approaching the numbers of Gretzky and Lemieux did with over 200 points. Your argument points are the same type of arguments that anti-hockey fans have been making for quite some time now. Like I mentioned before take a look at some of my posts in this thread and make comments on whether you like those ideas or not. Feel free to give some ideas that make sense and won't harm the integrity of the game

[It's Damn Real!]

The "I can't see the puck" argument is flawed, and an argument that is completely full of shit. Wanna know why?

The size of a puck is approximately 1" thick and 3" in diameter.

By comparison, the size of a tennis ball is between 2.5 and 2.58" — SMALLER than a hockey puck, yet I'm willing to bet NO ONE complains about not being able to see the ball in tennis, eh?

But lemme guess... you can see the tennis ball on the highlights on YouTube or your smartphone? Bullshit.

[justinsayne]

If you can't see a black puck on white ice, you need to get your vision checked. That complaint has always been fucking stupid to me. I remember when Fox had the NHL & they introduced the stupid glowing puck, that shit was fucking annoying, anytime the puck was up against the boards it appeared as if it was 3 rows deep in the crowd, & it never made it easier to follow at all, & cost Fox something like $2.5 Mil. to get everything set up to use it per game. it was a waste of money & just looked stupid. With HD tv if you can't see a think black dot on a giant white surface, than you either are not paying attention to the game at all or have a serious vision problem.

[It's Damn Real!]

Originally Posted by justinsayne

If you can't see a black puck on white ice, you need to get your vision checked. That complaint has always been fucking stupid to me. I remember when Fox had the NHL & they introduced the stupid glowing puck, that shit was fucking annoying, anytime the puck was up against the boards it appeared as if it was 3 rows deep in the crowd, & it never made it easier to follow at all, & cost Fox something like $2.5 Mil. to get everything set up to use it per game. it was a waste of money & just looked stupid. With HD tv if you can't see a think black dot on a giant white surface, than you either are not paying attention to the game at all or have a serious vision problem.

Or don't actually watch the game enough to understand the mechanics of it. Everyone who watches hockey knows you almost never "watch the puck". You watch the play, and the puck actually follows. It's why the main camera man is almost always right on top of it, and rarely focusing on an area of the ice where the puck is not.

I also agree that HDTV has come a long way to shoring up the complaints behind the "I can't see the puck" crowd, but I also don't really think that the vast majority of that crowd are actually fans. They're people who put a hockey game on for 30 seconds, go "this is dumb" and then complain about every little arbitrary thing as a means for their not wanting to watch. Their mind was made up well before they "couldn't see the puck".

[SDS1582]

I think contraction is necessary. Let's face reality. Hockey is not a sport that is naturally popular everywhere (I'm referring to the United States in particular). Kids in Florida don't grow up aspiring to be hockey players or grow up playing hockey. Same goes for Phoenix, and North Carolina, and other warm weather climates. YES I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THESE AREAS THAT PLAY HOCKEY. However, it's not nearly as common as basketball, baseball or football. I live in Michigan and kids DO grow up playing hockey and many kids pick up a hockey stick before a baskeball, baseball, etc. But that's because we're a cold weather climate and have a long history of hockey, in terms of popularity.

So, because this sport is a cold weather sport by nature and isn't popular (in general) in the warm weather climates, those teams unfortunately need to be contracted. What they've done is force a market where there isn't one. Does Florida need one team let alone two? Carolina? Nashville? Sure, those areas have good fanbases now because those teams have had success but people are always going to cheer for a winner. As soon as those teams stink, you've got no fans. So, of course those markets are going to struggle.

If Bettman is so against contraction, then at the very least, he should continue to relocate. How does Seattle not have a team but Florida has two and Phoenix has one (for the time being)? How does Quebec not have a team anymore. Put your teams in areas where you'll have a fan base and then these teams, even "small market" ones won't struggle? How is there not a team in Wisconsin, a hockey hotbed? How is there not one in Maine?


Another thing I think needs to happen is a TV deal with ESPN. The league has many, many young players who would be marketable. But when you're on podunk networks and have national games on NBC once a week for only part of the year, how do you expect these stars to be exposed to the "casual fan" and even "non-fan?" I realize the league would get less of a percentage of the TV money by making a deal with ESPN but ESPN markets the shit out of teams, players, leagues, etc. That's what this league needs right now. People that have never heard of Crosby, Nash, Malkin, Ovechkin, etc. need to have these guys shoved in their face and that's exactly what ESPN would do.


All of this is easier said than done obviously but these are my thoughts.

[scomvp316]

I agree with you guys on the idiotic so called fans that use the excuse of not watching because they can't follow the puck. I give Bettman credit for making sure that most of the clutching and holding is out of the game. So with HDTV Technology has ended the complaints of not following the puck and the game being much more wide open and still casual fans bitch and complain about this great game. I say to the casual fan who still bitches about not watching this game go fuck yourself. We don't need you and don't want you!

It is possible Oilers moving to Seattle if they can't reach an arena deal with the city of Edmonton. If this happens where is the NHL making sure Oilers stay in Edmonton much like they did with the Coyotes and the failed attemp to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta. I understand the want of hockey in Wisconsin but is there enough hockey fans to keep a team say in Madison. Its a great college hockey market but thats the same reason why they put a team in Columbus and we have seen from a fan standpoint that hockey has failed in another college hockey market. I live in ME and there was a QMJHL Team here and the AHL affiliate fails because here in ME unless its a winning team there isn't enough of passionate fans to support a team. I am a huge proponent of putting a team in NS. Alot of top hockey prospects come from their and what about maybe Saskatoon. I know those two markets are small but the excitement of hockey is as strong as in Montreal and Toronto

[justinsayne]

Originally Posted by scomvp316

It is possible Oilers moving to Seattle if they can't reach an arena deal with the city of Edmonton. If this happens where is the NHL making sure Oilers stay in Edmonton much like they did with the Coyotes and the failed attemp to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta.

I hope this doesn't happen, I hate seeing Canadian teams moved to the states, especially teams with as much history as Edmonton. If teh NHL wants to move a team into Seattle (assuming Seattle could support an NHL franchise), then move the fucking Coyotes up there. Trying to start NHL franchises in in Atlanta, & Phoenix was stupid to begin with.

A- They've already tried & failed with Atlanta years ago with the Flames, that alone should have been a clear indicator that Atlantians don't give a fuck about hockey.

B- Phoenix is in the middle of a fucking desert, who the fuck thinks "You know where would be a great place to set up a hockey franchise, the middle of the fucking desert"?

I understand the want of hockey in Wisconsin but is there enough hockey fans to keep a team say in Madison. Its a great college hockey market but thats the same reason why they put a team in Columbus and we have seen from a fan standpoint that hockey has failed in another college hockey market.

As a hockey fan that grew up near Madison, WI, I can tell you putting an NHL franchise in that city would be a massive failure. There just is no demand for it there, they've had several minor league teams & most of those have failed. If the people living there won't come out to support their minor league teams then what on Earth would make anyone think they would would support an NHL franchise? Wisconsin is just not a big hockey state, outside of the college game, there is just no demand for it, the state is much more of a football state than anything. Hockey just doesn't sell well there, what hockey fans Wisconsin has are usually people who have moved up from the Chicago area, or over from Minnesota, in which case they're goin to be fairly loyal to their Blackhawks & Wild. Madison would be a failure, & Milwaukee probably would fair much better.

[braveh]

Originally Posted by It's Damn Real!

The "I can't see the puck" argument is flawed, and an argument that is completely full of shit. Wanna know why?

The size of a puck is approximately 1" thick and 3" in diameter.

By comparison, the size of a tennis ball is between 2.5 and 2.58" — SMALLER than a hockey puck, yet I'm willing to bet NO ONE complains about not being able to see the ball in tennis, eh?

But lemme guess... you can see the tennis ball on the highlights on YouTube or your smartphone? Bullshit.

Hockey doesn't compete with tennis. The 4 major leagues compete with each other. I never watched tennis highlights on my smartphone. I probably never will. That tells you something right there about your argument.

[braveh]

Case in point
It's easier to follow the puck in this video from the 70s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxzimDYlTCs

than in this video from this years SC finals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0imOy2JUM8Q


Why? I don't know but the camera is closer and the players aren't as stuffed with clothes and gear

[CH David]

I haven't read to many of the posts. There is no need to fix the NHL, outside of maybe the shootout, but people find that exciting so whatever. The NHL is the best hockey there is. I don't see European hockey so take that as you will. Minors, juniors, and youth that you see on NHL Network are fun, but it's not as good as the NHL. It is the ultimate team sport, that's why there aren't the "Mega stars" like baseball, hockey, and basketball. You're going to get a certain amount of ice time from each guy and that is it. Usually more for defensemen than forwards, but regardless. You have to play as a team.

The problem is ironing out the contract details. Nobody seems to want to come together for the CBA. Owners are demanding it be signed no matter what, and the players want to negotiate. This take it or leave it shit certainly hasn't worked so far. The revenue situation is likely going to fuck them when they finally come to an agreement. Fans are pissed at another lockout, especially one threatening another cancelled season. The whole 50/50 thing is great, but that revenue won't rise for another few years when fans come back.

The years for both contracts and the CBA are the major points in my mind. The owners fucked up last year by hastily doing this, giving the players 57% of revenue and then allowing the players to have an absurd amount of years for a contract. That was a big fuck up. But regardless of everything, both sides are at fault. The PA should've been talking to the owners about a new deal long before this summer, and vice versa. The whole "Let's not meet for a few weeks" thing is weak as shit too! If you wanted hockey, and to not alienate the people that you need to come see you, you'd hammer this shit out quickly and efficiently. The way this has been handled, TWICE, makes them all look like jokes.