OT: promoting hockey in the U.S

Alright so I work for the Geeksqaud and I take calls from all around the United states. I was speaking with several people who were living in NHL team cities (i.e st. paul) I asked the lady, if she was into paid any attention to the wild. She responded by saying...NO. I told her to search of "the Gaborik flip" on youtube, and his 5 goal performance. She responded by saying "who is Gaborik?" She was telling me how there is very little promotion in the city about hockey. So the question is why does the nhl not try and exploit something like a 5 goal performance? I think it is something that can be compared to getting 4 homeruns in a game. It's simply incredible, and people need to appreciate that

in case you haven't realized, if your name isn't Ovechkin or Crosby, the NHL doesn't promote you really.

what's really annoying about the promotion of those two is, they're both in the same ****ing conference, and within probably 500 miles of one another geographically.

right now Pittsburgh is the last team that needs promotion, considering they sell out a lot now. Yeah, Washington needs help, but did they ever have great attendance numbers?

Why isn't the league promoting its already established stars, Pavel Datsyuk and (as I just got the name from the wings board) Led Zetterberg are two INCREDIBLE players, and together, IMO, they **** all over Ovie and Criesby respectively.

They did a little promotion with Vinny on VS, but beyond that...not really. The guy is incredible, get his name out there...promote his incredible skill, make him a spectacle. And yes, what about the Gaborik 5 goal game? What about promoting even JR. hockey in America? Let's reach down and get the hype on prospects, the NHL should man up and put some college hockey on the NHL Network (assuming they already don't). I just think hockey as a whole needs promotion, not just the NHL.

For our team, we now own 3 teams, why not get the Comcast network locally to try and carry the Titans games? I mean, I can't imagine the ratings could be any lower than their ****** regular programming. Why not try to get FSN to pickup some Lowell games on off-nights for the Devils?

You can't just blame the league, because it's also about the money with the teams. You gotta spend money to make money, and making hockey more prominent and widely available is a better start than most things. I mean, christ...I've watched some basketball and baseball games out of sheer bordom on some days. Baseball isn't as bad, but Basketball...what a ****** sport. There are casual viewers just as much as there are casual fans. Adding goals isn't going to draw people, it's making people see the sport who normally wouldn't.

Alright so I work for the Geeksqaud and I take calls from all around the United states. I was speaking with several people who were living in NHL team cities (i.e st. paul) I asked the lady, if she was into paid any attention to the wild. She responded by saying...NO. I told her to search of "the Gaborik flip" on youtube, and his 5 goal performance. She responded by saying "who is Gaborik?" She was telling me how there is very little promotion in the city about hockey. So the question is why does the nhl not try and exploit something like a 5 goal performance? I think it is something that can be compared to getting 4 homeruns in a game. It's simply incredible, and people need to appreciate that


Um, why would some random woman who calls the Geek Squad be a hockey fan?

This is part of the NHL's problem, they shouldn't give a **** what the run of the mill person thinks about hockey. There is no reason to promote it to them, because they don't care, never have, never will. Promote to the core, who holds the league up with their money.

Yeah, maybe people who use the Geek Squad either/or 1) have too much money for their own good and 2) are too stupid to be able to handle simple tasks, making them the ideal people to market to, dumb/rich... but it's a lost cause for hockey.

I wish the NHL wouldn't realize that the biggest key to attracting new fans is for them to attend a game..

Every fan that i have brought to a game, who was on the fringe or even a non-NHL fan, changed their minds about a game once they expericence it live..

Hockey is like soccer.. A completely different experience from watching it on tv and attending a game

Why is there so much Crosby hate?

If anything, his name needs to be mentioned more, but not in timeslots during NHL games or just on the NHL network. Promoting the NHL like that is pretty redundant. The NHL needs to work harder getting timeslots during football games, basketball games, during the hour of Desperate Housewives, whenever! They need to spread the word to more than just hockey fans so that plays like this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ik-_3gHWbAU

...aren't seen by just us.

Um, why would some random woman who calls the Geek Squad be a hockey fan?

This is part of the NHL's problem, they shouldn't give a **** what the run of the mill person thinks about hockey. There is no reason to promote it to them, because they don't care, never have, never will. Promote to the core, who holds the league up with their money.

Yeah, maybe people who use the Geek Squad either/or 1) have too much money for their own good and 2) are too stupid to be able to handle simple tasks, making them the ideal people to market to, dumb/rich... but it's a lost cause for hockey.

look at that in a more general statement. 5 goals in a game, and it doesn't get attention. She said she never knew it happened. If a common character doesn't know it happened, the odds of everyone else in the area knowing about are slim.

look at that in a more general statement. 5 goals in a game, and it doesn't get attention. She said she never knew it happened. If a common character doesn't know it happened, the odds of everyone else in the area knowing about are slim.

And if you asked her what happened in a big football game that weekend, she probably wouldn't know either.

The only thing you can sell people on, which has been pointed out, is the game experience, but alot of that goes down to the individual teams to take care of.

Making commericals promoting Gaborik on channels non-fans watch isn't going to create any fans.

Maybe if they make a commericals that say "$1 hot dogs and sodas against Phoenix!"
it'll get people to turn out. And maybe *then* the person will be impressed.

I think too many people are obsessed with planting the seed everywhere when all they have to do is cultivate what they already have.

I live near San Jose and last year when the Sharks advanced to the second round. The next day the whole front page of the sports page was about someone swimming in Australia. I was way pissed. If you don't live in a real hockey town no one even gives a crap about hockey. But the Sharks sell out alot so they don't seem to push the issue much. Unlike the As, Giants, Or Warriors they always give away free tickets and stuff.

Why is there so much Crosby hate?

If anything, his name needs to be mentioned more, but not in timeslots during NHL games or just on the NHL network. Promoting the NHL like that is pretty redundant. The NHL needs to work harder getting timeslots during football games, basketball games, during the hour of Desperate Housewives, whenever! They need to spread the word to more than just hockey fans so that plays like this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ik-_3gHWbAU

...aren't seen by just us.

Couldn't disagree more. Maybe when he stops whining all the time and can earn peoples respect. No one likes a whiner unless he's your home-team player. (See: Tom Brady)

And again, why are you going to promote a player that half the league doesn't see on a regular basis?

In Anaheim: Hey guys Sidney Crosby, he sure is a spectacle, WOW.......now just pay 150 dollars for center ice so you can actually witness it for yourself.

Sounds like GREAT marketing to me. I'm sure plenty of people are willing to pay that money halfway across the continent to see a player the league is marketing to no end. I'm sure it's going to create thousands of more Pittsburgh Penguins fans, too.

I bet promoting surfboards in Montana will work wonders, too.

:shakehead