SI1020 Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Hockey is in serious trouble. It's not just Ottawa and Buffalo.The Penguins may be going bankrupt too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hotsoxchick1 Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 ya know they have been talking alot about hockey lately on the radio........we thought our marketing team sucked...geez hockey has a marketing team which is running the sport right into the ground............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolpapa Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Hockey is in serious trouble. It's not just Ottawa and Buffalo.The Penguins may be going bankrupt too. Mark my words, within 3 years, basketball will have the same problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Hockey is in serious trouble. It's not just Ottawa and Buffalo.The Penguins may be going bankrupt too. The Red Wings are doing fine, so who cares? Next up: anti Red Wing blast from Zach23, Zach61, or HeatherLee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjmarte Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 The NHL owners made the mistake of hiring Gary "Radar" Bettman to run the league ( into the ground ). He seems to think that hockey should be like basketball, with all the distractions and bells and whistles that the NBA uses to "enhance the game experience". All that stuff is crap, and most hockey fans prefer to concentrate on the game, and don't need all that garbage. Mistake #2 that the NHL made is too much expansion. The result is a watered-down game and ballooning salaries in a league that doesn't generate the income that other sports do, yet tries to compete in the salary boom to make it seem more legitimate as a "Big Four" sport. Like it or not, hockey is a niche sport, and should realize its place and its fan base and stop trying to become something it's not. There are many other problems with the NHL, and unfortunately ( or fortunately, if you see it like I do ), some teams will have to die off before this any sanity is brought back to the NHL's business model. By the way, Radar ABSOLUTELY wants some teams to die before the next collective bargaining agreement negotiations take place. At the very least, he wants to show the NHLPA that even teams that are successful on the ice, like Ottawa, simply can't stay above water with the current structure. In short, Bettman is trying to solve problems that his own management style helped to create. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1020 Posted February 14, 2003 Author Share Posted February 14, 2003 The NHL owners made the mistake of hiring Gary "Radar" Bettman to run the league ( into the ground ). He seems to think that hockey should be like basketball, with all the distractions and bells and whistles that the NBA uses to "enhance the game experience". All that stuff is crap, and most hockey fans prefer to concentrate on the game, and don't need all that garbage. Mistake #2 that the NHL made is too much expansion. The result is a watered-down game and ballooning salaries in a league that doesn't generate the income that other sports do, yet tries to compete in the salary boom to make it seem more legitimate as a "Big Four" sport. Like it or not, hockey is a niche sport, and should realize its place and its fan base and stop trying to become something it's not. There are many other problems with the NHL, and unfortunately ( or fortunately, if you see it like I do ), some teams will have to die off before this any sanity is brought back to the NHL's business model. By the way, Radar ABSOLUTELY wants some teams to die before the next collective bargaining agreement negotiations take place. At the very least, he wants to show the NHLPA that even teams that are successful on the ice, like Ottawa, simply can't stay above water with the current structure. In short, Bettman is trying to solve problems that his own management style helped to create. Great post IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 The NHL owners made the mistake of hiring Gary "Radar" Bettman to run the league ( into the ground ). He seems to think that hockey should be like basketball, with all the distractions and bells and whistles that the NBA uses to "enhance the game experience". All that stuff is crap, and most hockey fans prefer to concentrate on the game, and don't need all that garbage. Mistake #2 that the NHL made is too much expansion. The result is a watered-down game and ballooning salaries in a league that doesn't generate the income that other sports do, yet tries to compete in the salary boom to make it seem more legitimate as a "Big Four" sport. Like it or not, hockey is a niche sport, and should realize its place and its fan base and stop trying to become something it's not. There are many other problems with the NHL, and unfortunately ( or fortunately, if you see it like I do ), some teams will have to die off before this any sanity is brought back to the NHL's business model. By the way, Radar ABSOLUTELY wants some teams to die before the next collective bargaining agreement negotiations take place. At the very least, he wants to show the NHLPA that even teams that are successful on the ice, like Ottawa, simply can't stay above water with the current structure. In short, Bettman is trying to solve problems that his own management style helped to create. Very accurate. I just hope the Senators and the Canes make it through. One or both will probably fold or move though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Hockey is in serious trouble. It's not just Ottawa and Buffalo.The Penguins may be going bankrupt too. Mark my words, within 3 years, basketball will have the same problems. I think basketball solved there problems with there last labor agreement. Salaries were out of control. Hockeys problem is real simple they are playing players ridiculous salaries and they have no way to compensate them with Tv revenue and other things because there tv contract sucks and there is no salary cap. They don't have the draw of baseball nor the tv contracts of the NFL or NBA or even MLB. Hockey will probably see around 4 or 5 teams go under within the next year or two. When I say go under, I mean dissapear. Hockey has some serious things to fix when the next labor agreement comes up in two years. If they screw this one up, then hockey could be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 Thanks for the back-up, SI1020 and FanOf14. Hockey is by far my favorite sport, and I hate what Bettman's tinkering has done to it. It's a shame that hockey fans in __________ ( fill in the city name here - Miami, Raleigh, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Ottawa, etc. etc. ) will have to lose their teams in order to save the sport, but it was a shame that Quebec, Winnipeg and Hartford had theirs taken away too. By the way, I got an Oilers alternate jersey for Valentine's Day - my wife ROCKS!!! Now I gotta get the red Senators jersey before they fold up the tent... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgeportHeather Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 Critic, Nice post! I too am a hockey first kind of girl! The Blackhawks by far are my greatest passion. I DO love the Bears, Sox, and Bulls too, but that love will never even approach the love that I hold for the Hawks. Oh, cwsox....Just remember one thing, and one thing only.... DEAD THINGS STILL SUCK!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 one team that has never won its sports highest championship in a lifetime is enough for me - I knew Black Hawks players as a kid and never liked them or Wirtz -- say what you will about the team from Hockeytown - 3 in 6 and going for 4 in 7, yeah baby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 Mistake #2 that the NHL made is too much expansion. The result is a watered-down game and ballooning salaries in a league that doesn't generate the income that other sports do, yet tries to compete in the salary boom to make it seem more legitimate as a "Big Four" sport. Like it or not, hockey is a niche sport, and should realize its place and its fan base and stop trying to become something it's not. While I lean slightly more to hockey being part of the big 4 and not a niche sport (I like that phrase though a lot!) I think the rest of your post is exactly right on, exactly right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgeportHeather Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 Ohhhh, check this out!!!! Once you read up on all the good information there, check out the photos given in the link at the bottom of the page! Some town Detroit is!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI1020 Posted February 15, 2003 Author Share Posted February 15, 2003 Ohhhh, check this out!!!! Once you read up on all the good information there, check out the photos given in the link at the bottom of the page! Some town Detroit is!!! Oh well I swore off politics. (again!) Let me say that was great reading. In the late 70's and early 80's I had to spend a lot of my work time alone and unarmed in various neighborhoods of the west side of Chicago. I had a couple of really scary moments, but otherwise just sailed through the experience. Years later I went to Detroit and had cause to return a half dozen times or so. One time, being the urban guerilla I am, I spent the better part of the afternoon "cruising" through the neighborhoods of the North East and East sides of Detroit. What a surreal experience! Detroit is the extreme of the American "rust belt" city. Parts (actually most) of the city couldn't look worse if an enemy had carpet bombed the place. I have lived in Pittsburgh exclusively since 1985. I was able to complete my college education as an adult here, but the place has really ruined me career wise. You want to see death, defeat, decay and despair come here and visit. I'll buy you lunch and show you around. Pittsburgh, unlike Detroit however does not have a hard edged view of reality. At least the movers and shakers don't. They are unbelievable rose colored pollyannas who keep extolling the virtues of the place, as it continues to die a little more each year. The local peons aren't so dumb. Pittsburgh has always been known as an unusually informal and friendly American city but years of decay and decline have taken their toll. People get a little meaner each year. To top it all off, and get back to the topic the hockey team is going bankrupt and this time even Mario might not be able to save it. Great link Heather. It qualifies under the heading, " read it and weep." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 To top it all off, and get back to the topic the hockey team is going bankrupt and this time even Mario might not be able to save it. Especially if he retires as a player like he says he's going to! Who's left to watch on that team if he leaves?? OMG, the only reason to go to a Pens game would be to see the other team!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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