When is the NHL going to go bankrupt?

jjgold · 10-03-07, 06:25 AM

Cabada keeps it alfloat, i America it is deader than Womens soccer

BrentCrude · 10-03-07, 06:28 AM

The NHL lost it's image and has tried reinventing itself too many times.

I think hockey was meant to be enjoyed when guys were smaller and slower where you had more open ice and more play making and shots.It has become a brute force garbage goal sort of game like becoming rugby on ice.

Then they pretty much banned fighting and that was the only reason why alot of people watched games.Now instead of fighting resulting from chippy play you have stick jabbing.The equipment in hockey has gotten to high tech too where the guys are fearless like road warriors.

That by no means are their only problems.They expanded into cities that never had an identity with hockey and it diminished the mystique of teams like the Montreal Canadiens.They refurbish arenas like the Montreal Forum and then a few years later tear the place down because it doesn't have all the bells and whistles with luxury boxes etc.That would be like tearing down Mecca for muslims because they needed more room.

The NHL isn't all to blame because salaries got out of hand in line with other pro sports where the stadiums and arenas are subsidised by tax payers.Look at how the federal government ''U.S.tax payer''and local New York government is going to buy the Yankees and Mets new stadiums.Can you believe that they are going to tear down an american shrine like Yankee Stadium not because it's bad but because Steinbrenner gets a free new one.The old one will be a parking lot for the new one so now it will be called,the parking lot that Babe built.

Art Vandeleigh · 10-03-07, 07:55 AM

It's more than just disinterest, it's almost reviled. Ever watch Around The Horn on ESPN? If Tim Cowlishaw, the only panelist who seems to follow the sport, even thinks about mentioning hockey, Reali is going to deduct 5 points off his score. And if he ever wins that day and does his 30 seconds of face time about hockey, the other panelists are all snoring and jeering him when he finishes.

betbetter · 10-03-07, 10:08 AM

It won't fly enmasse in the U.S. and never will, outside some of the colder, traditional east coast and midwest markets.
That has nothing to do with deficiencies in the game.
I went to a pre-season game last week in Montreal, it was soldout, a pre-season game.
Hockey Night In Canada on CBC the national network draws 3 million viewers on Saturday nights. In a country of 30 million. Every rink in Canada is sold out. Every town in Canada has a minor hockey organization that feeds into a progarm of excellence that consistently produces the best players, teams and coaches in the world.
Boston, New York, Detroit, Minnesota, Chicago,Philadelphia have fan bases and programs that compare to the Canadian cities well.
The problem with the NHL lies in an American commissioner who is intent on placing teams in markets where there is little interest.
You could put a new team in any Canadian city right now and it would sell out for the next 10 years in a week.
The NHL sold over 40 million tickets last year, I think they are a ways from bankruptcy.
Speaking of paint dry, go to your pick of an MLB stadium at any given time and see 40-50000 empty seats to see guys playing 2 innings, hitting .210 and making 2-3 mill/yr.
Watch an interview with an NHL player and compare with an NBA player, who's the better youth role model? Cmon.

BatemanPatrickl · 10-03-07, 11:08 AM

I love hockey and will gladly watch a game LIVE! Can't stand to watch it on television.

marke4 · 10-03-07, 11:11 AM

What is the problem with the NHL? Is it bad marketing? Is it because regular people only play it in the Northern part of the country. I mean, I've been to a NHL game and it was great! But no one can argue it is a level below NFL, MLB, and the NBA.

Rollins08 · 10-03-07, 12:09 PM

When the Rangers won the cup hockey became huge in NY but of course since then it has died off. I would say that a hockey game is the best live sporting event, but that it doesn't translate well to TV. Another great thing about going to a Rangers game is that there a ton of hot women. For some reason they love hockey. At a football game you get mainly fat drunk men.

bigboydan · 10-03-07, 12:20 PM

If the Owners fire Bettman, half there problem is solved IMO

It's pretty obvious that Bettman has ruined this great game of hockey here in the states. The only thing Bettman has done right during his whole tenure of being commissioner is he finally implemented that salary cap, albeit the cost of an entire season.

You guys mentioned the TV contract already above, but it's even more than that though. The whole Tocchet incident, the stopping of the sale of Nashville to a Canadian group, and moving them up to the great white north. Not to mention the schedule itself.

I think what will make matters even worse before it gets better for the NHL. Is the fact that they are entertaining yet another expansion proposal, which is the last thing thats needed right about now IMO. The NHL should be moving teams up to Canada instead of diluting the talent levels to minor league talent, and 45+ year old men that have been washed up for about 5 years past there prime.

Matt Rain · 10-03-07, 12:21 PM

Originally posted by marke4

What is the problem with the NHL? Is it bad marketing? Is it because regular people only play it in the Northern part of the country. I mean, I've been to a NHL game and it was great! But no one can argue it is a level below NFL, MLB, and the NBA.

If you're talking about media coverage, well here, NFL, MLB, NBA are all several "levels" below NHL, and college foots/hoops do not exist.

The problem is with American businessmen who've tried and failed to turn hockey into an American product. These people are still too stupid to give up and get rid of a bunch of teams in several pointless markets. There's no need for 2 teams in Florida, just for starters.

ShamsWoof10 · 10-03-07, 01:12 PM

I HATE Hockey!!!

The only reason why "IT SEEMS" most watch it is because of the fighting... Why not watch... ummm fighting then..? Shit the UFC is hockey without skates, equipment, a goal, and a puck...

jon13009 · 10-03-07, 01:28 PM

I lost track of the NHL when the players were locked out..... Hockey was a marginal sport then, and with all the changes it just lost all of the appeal......The NHL has to compete with the NFL, NBA, NCAA....and with so many meaningless games until the postseason, who even cares until April arrives. With teams like Anaheim, Carolina, and Tampa Bay (?!) winning the cup, it seems like anyone can win the thing now.

The bottom line for me is that I have absolutely no understanding (or interest in) of how to handicap a hockey game because that would require some underlying feel for the game - which is gone now.

I don't think the NHL will go bankrupt with the level of popularity in Canada and even some major markets in the US, but most people (outside of the cities competing for post season play) will probably care less who wins the Stanley Cup.

SPECULATOR 13 · 10-03-07, 02:33 PM

reply

"ICE SOCCER" (NHL just as boring and unwatchable as soccer)IS A GAME THAT ONLY A CANADIAN CAN LOVE!!THE NFL IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING,THERE IS A COMPETITION COMITY THAT IS MAKING SURE TO MAKE THE GAME INTERESTING AS MUCH POSSIBLE. THE NBA SEE THAT A CERTAIN DEFENSIVE SYSTEM IMPEDED SCORING THAN BING IT REMOVES IT.BASEBALL PULL THE PITCHERS MOUND FROM 60 TO 90FT,BRING IN A LIVE BALL TO HELP HOME RUNS AND THAN HAD A WILD CARD TO GARNER INTEREST.NASCAR WELL WHERE DO YOU BEGIN ?THERE IS TO MUCH TO EVEN TALK ABOUT,with them ITS ALL ABOUT ENTERTAINING THEIR AUDIENCE.ONLY "ICE SOCCER" AND THE IMBECILE WHO FOLLOWS THAT SH*T FEEL THAT EVERYTHING IS JUST FINE,SO NOTHING CHANGES!IF THEY WANT "ICE SOCCER" TO BE HOCKEY AGAIN THEY MUST AT THE VERY LEAST GO 4 VS 4 OR ADOPT THE EURO SIZE SURFACE.IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY ELIMINATE THE GOONS AND IF THEY ENFORCE THE RULES AS THEY DID THE YEAR AFTER THE STRIKE(at least) AND (maybe if possible) REDUCE THE LEAGUE TO 21 TEAMS AT THE MOST!THAN AND ONLY THAN WILL ICE SOCCER WILL BE HOCKEY AGAIN.UP UNTIL THAN IT IS GARBAGE THAT ONLY A CANADIAN CAN LOVE.......yes i'll be watching the leafs tonight...it's in our blood we can't help it!!

betbetter · 10-03-07, 02:59 PM

Nobody supports a loser like a Torontonian.(see above post)

GOLEAFSGO!!

jjgold · 10-03-07, 03:02 PM

NHL also is a sport that is least bet, books do not even have to offer it and it would not be missed.

SPECULATOR 13 · 10-03-07, 03:13 PM

Originally posted by betbetter

Nobody supports a loser like a Torontonian.(see above post)

GOLEAFSGO!!

OUCH!!! THAT HURTS ARE YOU A FELLOW TORONTONIAN OR CANADIAN?

betbetter · 10-03-07, 04:12 PM

BOTH!!

Cmon, with the exception of Bettman the games in great shape. Fastest sport in the world.
Americans will never get it,

who cares?

NBA - Thugs and Drugs.

Baseball - Yeah, let's talk a slow, boring sport

NASCAR - Drive around in a circle until somebody crashes, move up a spot, theres a sport

NFL - I like.

JBC77 · 10-03-07, 05:30 PM

I think in part the NHL is to blame. They've done a terrible job marketing. No one knows the players. No one cares.

You want to know how strong the future of a pro sport is? Go outside in your neighbor hood. Find 5 or 6 10 year olds. Ask them to name you one single player in the NHL. Then ask them to name you 5 MLB and NFL stars.

I'd be willing to wager that in most U.S neighborhoods you'd be lucky to get 1 in 50 to answer with a single NHL star.

SPECULATOR 13 · 10-03-07, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by betbetter

BOTH!!

Cmon, with the exception of Bettman the games in great shape. Fastest sport in the world.
Americans will never get it,

who cares?

NBA - Thugs and Drugs.

Baseball - Yeah, let's talk a slow, boring sport

NASCAR - Drive around in a circle until somebody crashes, move up a spot, theres a sport

NFL - I like.

i agree with ALMOST everything you said especially about the NBA,i can't wait for these Raptor Assh*les to be sold and run out of town.They are a drain on the M.L.E. and those show-boating thugs do not fit the canadian character,we don't identify with that kind of Sh*T.And i love the NFL also.The only place we disagree is with the state of our game.Last years playoff where a disgrace it was the old NHL again,it was especially dishartning
if you remember the EXTRAORDINARY post strike year play-off season we got to enjoy in 06.

betbetter · 10-03-07, 06:01 PM

You are right. I'm not going to belabor it but that's the point. And it has nothing to do with marketing. You could ask the same question of any boy in almost any Canadian neighborhood to name MLB or NFL stars and you'd get the same response. And nobody markets better than the NFL.

Those kids can't name NHL stars because they don't play the sport, their Father's did'nt, nor their Father's Father's.

Outside of the traditional strong US hockey markets, hockey won't sell and never will no matter how much Gary Bettman tries.

By the way the no.1 pick in the NHL entry draft last year was from Buffalo, great Hockey town!

betbetter · 10-03-07, 06:06 PM

The NHL is in it's 90th season. The Stanley Cup has been competed for since 1893. The future of a pro sport relies on tradition and history as well. The sooner we get a Canadian in the comissioners chair, a hockey person and not a NY lawyer the better.

20Four7 · 10-03-07, 06:12 PM

Originally posted by bigboydan

If the Owners fire Bettman, half there problem is solved IMO

BINGO

JBC77 · 10-03-07, 06:16 PM

Originally posted by betbetter

You are right. I'm not going to belabor it but that's the point. And it has nothing to do with marketing. You could ask the same question of any boy in almost any Canadian neighborhood to name MLB or NFL stars and you'd get the same response. And nobody markets better than the NFL.

Those kids can't name NHL stars because they don't play the sport, their Father's did'nt, nor their Father's Father's.

Outside of the traditional strong US hockey markets, hockey won't sell and never will no matter how much Gary Bettman tries.

By the way the no.1 pick in the NHL entry draft last year was from Buffalo, great Hockey town!

You make a good point.

On another level. Does anyone remember that cartoon where Wayne Gretzky was a super hero? I think Michael Jordan was his sidekick.

Matt Rain · 10-04-07, 07:30 AM

Originally posted by betbetter

The NHL is in it's 90th season. The Stanley Cup has been competed for since 1893. The future of a pro sport relies on tradition and history as well. The sooner we get a Canadian in the comissioners chair, a hockey person and not a NY lawyer the better.

Exactly.

joey825 · 10-04-07, 07:18 PM

Problem with the NHL

I USED to be a huge hockey fan when I was a kid. Now the league is diluted. The NHL expanded to markets where people don't care about hockey. It is the worst officiated sport. No consistency. It's is a boring game, and the price of a ticket??? WTF.....I agree, the NHL will be bankrupt soon...

indianachris · 10-04-07, 09:01 PM

When I want hockey I'll just watch the Mighty Ducks (The movie not the team).

BigBollocks · 10-04-07, 10:48 PM

Even a lot of us from Montreal don't give a damn anymore. Montreal's always been into the NBA, and is becoming more and more interested in the NFL nowadays too...