I'm about to make Kusand's head explode faster than a speeding bullet.

edit: Probably should have posted why:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2010/...7/15621811.html

I think I can live with this if the plan isn't to nationally distribute these at Sports Authority and Dick's Sporting Goods to get the general public into hockey. They're targeting little boys.


Also, everyone on this board, because I think we can agree we all want to read the adventures of Captain Haircut, the Swedish royalty who avenges the wronged of NYC.

The NHL's marketing is hideous. And in similarly depressing news from a poll on the sidebar of that page:

Should the NHL continue to open the season in Europe in the future?
No, not worth effort 79%
Yes, need to expand fanbase 18%
Unsure 3%

I would be interested in the results a similar but updated poll:

Should the NHL continue to open the season in American cities for which you could give a flying f%$# but do not currently have an NHL franchise in the future?

I can only assume I blacked out while reading that.

The NHL is officially a minor league...er...league?

Would the Captain Haircut figure be anatomically correct?

NONE CAN ESCAPE THE MIGHTY JUSTICE OF THE BLUE JACKET! PREPARE TO BE COLUM-BUSTED!

(O) Hi-yo!

I think that any time your marketing strategy fall in line with the motivations of pedophiles, you've done your job admirably. Why not just have the players pull up to playgrounds in seedy vans and offer out free candy?

Retard league. Kids have no money. Toy companies and Disney can sell themselves like this because the product offers something tangible in return. You get the action figure to play with; you get dizzy from the ride. Hockey is a bunch of adults spinning around on the ice. Ever take a kid to a sporting event. They generally ruin it for everyone. Most don't even watch the game. The NHL makes it's money from ticket sales, so the marketing strategy here is that the kids will demand that their parents take them to more games. Kids are stupid and have tiny brains. It will take them thirty seconds to realize that Alex Frolov does not have magic powers and that's he's really just a disengaged perimeter player -- now it's a bad experience for everyone.

Do. What. The. NFL. Does. Cater to adults. Promote hockey as a great date night and good buddy bonding experience. Make the games a better alternative to a routine night at the bar. The arenas should be smaller, tickets/concessions cheaper and accessible by public transportation.

Does not compute.

I don't disagree with "cater to adults" but I don't see how the NFL can be a template for the NHL. Is that how the NFL started out or something?

It only evolved into the juggernaut that it is now thanks to its intelligent design.

No, but they're the most successful sports market in the country, and I (non-expert, obviously) attribute part of that to their marketing gears toward adults. For example, I have no children. Yet I am drawn to watch the NFL every Sunday. I would go to the games in a heartbeat. It's a complicated sport that involves a degree of intelligence to follow/understand, it lends itself perfectly to adult-themed activities (like parties and drinking), and I don't feel immature when I discuss it with other like-minded adults. Why not apply some of the NFL's marketing concepts toward the sport of hockey?

Why not sell your games to alcohol companies to market? Why not emphasize the intellectual aspects of the game alongside the skill level involved? Why not stress team over individual? Why not stress the experience of seeing the sport live as being more than just the game itself?

I don't see how the NHL doesn't market to adults. Let's take out this really stupid idea. What exactly is out there that shows they don't market to adults? You have no children yet you are drawn to watch Ranger games. Hockey is not a complicated sport that involves a degree of intelligence to follow and understand? (I would argue that the intelligence level does not have to be exceptionall high to follow or enjoy football of all sports btw, so I'm not entirely understanding this viewpoint. it's like saying you need a level of intelligence to follow and understand Nascar. Spoiler alert: no you don't) The only reason hockey does not go over well at parties is because it's a sport that actually has to be followed, where football involves time in between each play and the average play in football involves a whopping 3 yards. It's much easier to passively follow, same holds true for baseball and basketball? Wake me up with 2 minutes left in the 4th.

You feel immature when you discuss hockey with other like-minded adults? Why? You feel mature when discussing football? What exactly is the most mature moment you've felt when discussing football? Stats? ok hockey's got that. That bonecrushing hit. uh huh. That sweet play? ooook




What do you mean by sell your games to alcohol companies? They all have corporate beer sponsors. or are you referring to ad space, because they all do that to. They also tried having an "official" beer and it was bud ice, smart on the NHLs part, unfortunately a dumb product put out by bud.

Yes, the intellect level needs to be addressed more by the NHL. They don't play up the skill set at all.

Team over individual? When has football ever done this? Ever. I don't necessarily disagree with the idea but you are comparing to footballs agenda. you mean this one "CAN TOM BRADY AND THE PATRIOTS OVERCOME THE THE JETS DEFENSE LEAD BY REVIS?" I can go on with an example from every single team. In that regard, the NHL follows the NFLs advertising to a t.

Sport live, again, yes.

I really don't disagree with the overall sentiment of your argument, I just...I dunno whatever it's been a long day.

I've always felt this is the reason hockey and soccer do terribly in America. They're flowing, low-scoring games. Basketball at least has a basket every minute, and baseball is so slow and choppy you can grow your lawn to it.

Don't you all find football slow and frustrating to watch? Constant commercials, long reviews/timeouts, and so much time between plays. I swear, for how much people say the NFL is filled with action, any given game has like 10 minutes of actual playing, the rest is just people standing around and commercials.

That's why hockey and basketball (particularly college) are king for me, constant action and an actual flow to a game. Football has no flow barring the occasional 2 minute drill or long drive. Also, ESPN's coverage of the NFL is sickening. James Harrison being angry that he can't try to kill people anymore was ahead of the baseball playoffs this morning on SportsCenter. That's unreal. Every little thing about the NFL is broken-down and analyzed, media coverage is unbearable and I think it kills it for me.

That said, I try not to miss a Chiefs game because I love watching them and I'm a total slave to the NFL. Although I think I'm gonna give up on fantasy football next year, sick of it.

And you seriously don't find this to be true of baseball as well?