You Don't See Them Brawl

[suckerpunch]

Originally Posted by Humpzilla

Hate to break it to you guys, but the most you'll get back from any letter or petition is a ridiculous form response.

It doesn't matter how powerful & persuasive your words are, or how many people sign your petition - the NHL powers that be just simply don't care about the collective interests and complaints of fans like us.

You could get every hockey fan in Canada to write a letter or sign a petition, but the only person who would look at it before its deleted or thrown away would be some 20 year old New Yorker who hates his job, doesn't watch hockey and is half asleep in his cubicle all day long.

Great attitude....

What do you suggest?

[Humpzilla]

Originally Posted by suckerpunch

Great attitude....

What do you suggest?

Either give up, wait patiently, or decide to follow a different league.

The NHL is going in what they feel is the right direction with the sport, and just like George Bush - Gary Bettman and his base group aren't going to take a moment of out their day to consider anything that isn't something they came up with personally.

[Merlin401]

Originally Posted by Humpzilla

Either give up, wait patiently, or decide to follow a different league.

The NHL is going in what they feel is the right direction with the sport, and just like George Bush - Gary Bettman and his base group aren't going to take a moment of out their day to consider anything that isn't something they came up with personally.

Honestly, this is true. If you hear any NHL official comment on the state of the game, it is allllll rosy. The game has never been better in their eyes. Some NHL PR receptionist answering an angry/disappointed email here and there is not going to make a dent.

You just have to hope there is enough people like us and that the more they turn this into soccer on ice, the less the US will care about it. In the meantime, don't spend the money on anything to support it.

[wellzy]

the league will not change until betteman is out or the coaches send out the enforcers and change the games themselves.

[itsJ.Millertime]

Originally Posted by suckerpunch

Great attitude....

What do you suggest?

Stop supporting the nhl in anyway.
The ONLY thing that will convince the owners this isnt working is a loss in revenues.
From the look of all the empty seats, the horrible TV ratings and the numerous complaints I'ld say a bit of patience from us will do just fine.
The lousy, boring product being put on the ice is speaking a lot louder than we are.

[suckerpunch]

Originally Posted by itsJ.Millertime

Stop supporting the nhl in anyway.
The ONLY thing that will convince the owners this isnt working is a loss in revenues.
From the look of all the empty seats, the horrible TV ratings and the numerous complaints I'ld say a bit of patience from us will do just fine.
The lousy, boring product being put on the ice is speaking a lot louder than we are.

Have you read any of my posts?

Used to buy seasons tickets... don't anymore
Used to have cable package.... gone
Used to buy merchandise... feggidaboudit
Sorry I still watch HNIC because it is public TV...
but I don't buy products advertised during HNIC..

You can boycott all you want, but you still have to let the owners and league know the reasons why or they won't refine the product accordingly.

Regardless of a boycott, hard-core hockey markets like Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa will all have record years for attendance because their product is acceptable and in demand. It's not the same story for less traditional markets.

I have been watching NHL hockey since for over 30 years.
and I am a Senators fan, so I think I can be as patient as the next fan....

[Smerri1029]

Originally Posted by Merlin401

Honestly, this is true. If you hear any NHL official comment on the state of the game, it is allllll rosy. The game has never been better in their eyes. Some NHL PR receptionist answering an angry/disappointed email here and there is not going to make a dent.

Yup, just look here

Gary Bettman and the head of USA hockey, in their ignorance, think the game has never been better. It's scary that they can't realize they are in severe trouble here.

[Disengage]

Do you guys realize the fights per game only dropped by .26 per game in the regular season and .02 for the playoffs from 2003-04 to 2005-06?

[Merlin401]

Originally Posted by Disengage

Do you guys realize the fights per game only dropped by .26 per game in the regular season and .02 for the playoffs from 2003-04 to 2005-06?

The playoffs have no fights to begin with (a major problem even in the pre-lockout nhl). And a .26 per game drop in fights is HUGE. We went from 789 fights to 466 fights during the season. That's a massive drop in fights.

And what's more troubling is that the fights that left were removed were not so much a random goon lining up against another goon and dropping the gloves as it was the brawls (i.e, the really really fun stuff and crazy games). In 03-04, the Rangers alone had eight instances where 2 or more fights were taking place at the same time. In 05-06, I believe the ENTIRE league didn't have that many. The brawls, scrums and passion is what is leaving the game. In that respect, there was a 90% drop in brawls i bet.

[itsJ.Millertime]

Originally Posted by suckerpunch

Have you read any of my posts?

.

I was'nt calling you out. Sorry if it seemed so. I was only responding to your question.
I've done all the same things you've done. I do still tune in a game on free tv but usually I can only stomach a period at the most before I become disgusted and turn channels.
Tonights NYR game is a good example. Dull at best and yet another "rivalry" killed by the "new" nhl.
I saw a large amount of empty seats during the "free preview" week in Toronto and quite a few in Calgary so don't be so sure the "new" rules are being accepted even in Canada at this point.

[itsJ.Millertime]

Originally Posted by Disengage

Do you guys realize the fights per game only dropped by .26 per game in the regular season and .02 for the playoffs from 2003-04 to 2005-06?

Sure but hockey has sucked for quite awhile now.
It's not the difference from the 03-04 season to now most of us hate but the difference from eras long before you started watching. For me it's the 80's to early 90's to now.
The playoffs from about 93 on have become a shell of what they were and the reg season has become worse and worse almost yearly since bettman took over.

[suckerpunch]

Originally Posted by itsJ.Millertime

I saw a large amount of empty seats during the "free preview" week in Toronto and quite a few in Calgary so don't be so sure the "new" rules are being accepted even in Canada at this point.

I don't think the rules are being accepted, far from it. For most Canadian fans of the game, there is die-hard team loyalty that can go back generations. They love hockey... plain and simple. When you see empty seats in our arenas it's usually 100-level corporate absentees. Toronto is almost always sold out and Ottawa had record attendance last year.

I am fortunate to have a team that has a good rivalry going on with Toronto and Montreal so I think this season will be intense. Ottawa vs Toronto games are hard to get tickets for and thery are actually sold at a premium becaus of higher demand. If someone wants to take me I'll go, but I am not going to be buying another NHL ticket for a long time. (Even if I can write it off as a business expense). I will take my son to see a 67's or Olympiques game though. Much more accessible.

[spiderarms]

Originally Posted by Merlin401

The playoffs have no fights to begin with (a major problem even in the pre-lockout nhl). And a .26 per game drop in fights is HUGE. We went from 789 fights to 466 fights during the season. That's a massive drop in fights.

And what's more troubling is that the fights that left were not a random goon lining up against another goon and dropping the gloves so much as it was the brawls (i.e, the really really fun stuff and crazy games). In 03-04, the Rangers alone had eight instances where 2 or more fights were taking place at the same time. In 05-06, I believe the ENTIRE league didn't have that many. The brawls, scrums and passion is what is leaving the game. In that respect, there was a 90% drop in brawls i bet.

As you mention this is the most noticeable area. The scrums, pushing and shoving etc. But another area though I have no statistic to prove it is the BODYCHECKING. That's kind of what gets the ball rolling.

[spiderarms]

Originally Posted by Smerri1029

Yup, just look here

Gary Bettman and the head of USA hockey, in their ignorance, think the game has never been better. It's scary that they can't realize they are in severe trouble here.

Bettman has almost been running these last two years with a "BLANK CHECK". Why? Because the Owners percieve him as the big savior with their WIN in the strike situation. They probably feel Bettman saved them alot of money. THEY'RE FOOLS!

[spiderarms]

Originally Posted by suckerpunch

I don't think the rules are being accepted, far from it. For most Canadian fans of the game, there is die-hard team loyalty that can go back generations. They love hockey... plain and simple. When you see empty seats in our arenas it's usually 100-level corporate absentees. Toronto is almost always sold out and Ottawa had record attendance last year.

I am fortunate to have a team that has a good rivalry going on with Toronto and Montreal so I think this season will be intense. Ottawa vs Toronto games are hard to get tickets for and thery are actually sold at a premium becaus of higher demand. If someone wants to take me I'll go, but I am not going to be buying another NHL ticket for a long time. (Even if I can write it off as a business expense). I will take my son to see a 67's or Olympiques game though. Much more accessible.

Tradition can go along way and I agree that in some markets it maybe much "TOUGHER" to change things than others. In Canada, Hockey is NUMBER #1 without question. In the US for the most part, it is not even 2nd or 3rd in any market. FOOTBALL and BASEBALL dominate the market place if they are present. But it is possible to effect change though, an example would be the marketshare drop in Baseball following the strike pre-McGuire and Sosa. There was nothing else to watch at the time because baseball is by itself in the summer time. Yet attendence was down all over the country including NEW YORK, where the Yankees have a tremendous market share. This just shows that when people are angry enough, things can happen.