How can the NHL improve it's image?

Question

By and large, compared to Baseball, Football, and Basketball, NHL players are drug-free, do not get into trouble off the ice and give a lot of time and money to charity.

They even get in FEWER "bench clearing brawls".

I'm sure I'm not saying anything that most people here and involved in Hockey don't know.

However thanks to STUPID sportscasters who would rather show fights than Crosby Goals or Brodeur saves and incidents like Bertuzzi sucker punches and Simon stick swinging, people we would otherwise ATTRACT TO THE SPORT are turned away.

What can the NHL do? Try to get a little deeper than "Fire Bettman".

Bob - show me where, IN THIS QUESTION that I have advocated fighting be taken out of the game.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the overwhelming response to this question (WAY more than I expected).....but I'm trying to award a best answer and I am not overwhelmed by any one specific answer.

A lot of people simply don't think Hockey HAS an image problem. You have a right to that opinion, but I know too many people that THINK it's a more violent sport than it actually is based on what they see in the news.

I was looking for SPECIFIC things the NHL could do and most of you sort of missed the boat on that. For the ones that didn't, sorry, but cheerleaders wasn't exactly what I was looking for either.

I am going to put this up to a vote, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE voters, give some attention to the answers that came in LATER as well.

Answer 1

They shouldn't do anything. I don't believe they have an image problem. You look at guys like Pac Man Jones, Tank Johnson, Ron Artest, all the steroid BS in baseball...They're all a bunch of clowns, yet the ratings are good, so it's ignored, especially in the NFL because everyone loves it. Fights in hockey are part of the game, anyone who's been to games before knows that they are awesome. They're clean, both guys want to fight, there's nothing wrong with it. And it really swings momentum and adds to the game. The day the NHL bans fighting is the day that they deal a huge blow to their own sport.

If the NHL wants to increase their fanbase they need to advertise their young stars more (Crosby, Ovechkin - let's give Ovechkin more interviews!) and spend some money on a better network for their games...OLN/Versus...nobody knows what that is or where to find it. They need to do something about that.

Answer 2

Unfortunately the NHL is in a very bad situation because lets not kid ourselves hockey is not a TV sport compared to Football or basketball. If you arn't used to it its hard to follow the puck the offsides and icing stoppages confuse people who don't know the rules and the camera loses the play in the corners all the time.

I think the NHL more than anything needs to get better TV coverage (HD makes the game better but still nothing like it is live). If it means taking less money from ESPN than from vs take the deal. While on ESPN the NHL had coverage on sportscenter that lasted longer than 2 minutes and actually had an entire show devoted to NHL highlights (NHL Tonight). Players also need to live more in the community that they play in. A lot of "sun belt teams" are having trouble because the fans have no personal connection with the team because the players leave in the offseason and go back north. If the players are part of the community year round and become active in the community the team will be represented even more on a local level at the very least and that is a start.

Answer 3

First of all, do you actually have statistics and a source to back up what you are saying, or is it just "obvious" to you that these things are "true"? I live in Denver, one of the very few cities in the U.S. that has all four professional sports. I have heard about problems off the court with our professional athletes from all four teams, and our hockey team was certainly in the news frequently. While I do not believe the NHL to have more problems than the other sports, I don't think that they have less, either. I also have seen FAR less charity work from our hockey players than I have from the NFL, NBA, and MLB players.

There is no doubt that all professional athletes should see themselves as roll models when they are in the community, and terrible behavior off the ice should not be tolerated. However, hockey is popular BECAUSE it is a violent sport. I do not believe you would attract people to the sport by showing less fights, I believe you would drive them away. Of course the good saves and goals MUST be shown, but the fights are an important part of the game, too.

While I am not saying that there is not room for improvement, I think the NHL is doing a good job of balancing the two right now. A certain amount of violence is tolerated, but only so much. A respect for the rules of the game is generally demanded of the players, and while minor infringements are part of the game, blatant disrespect for the rules is not, and it isn't tolerated.

In Denver the Avalanche have won us 2 national championships, and won us our first championship even before the Broncos delivered us one. We love our Avs, and you see more Avalanche merchandise than you see Nuggets and Rockies merchandise combined. I believe the NHL here has a "good image" because we have a winning team. Nothing improves someone's opinion more than identifying with a winning team.

I really believe the NHL's image is better than you perceive it to be.

Answer 4

90 answers in 4 hours? That's impressive.

Stating the Obvious: Fire Bettman.

Now let's get deeper.

Sportscasters, specifically ESPN, like to show things that don't happen often. For instance, the night of the Pacers/Pistons fans brawl, they spent some time showing and over-analyzing the fight. They probably went on and on about Bertuzzi and Simon (I wouldn't know because I don't have cable) after their respective plays. If you wish to stop that, you need to control the station, not the NHL.

Simple things to do: Ice hockey is a cold weather sport. Let's stop marketing it to hot weather towns with (exponentially) small pockets of northern retirees. Move the game back to Canada, where it belongs and where you can expect a sell-out for a game between last place teams (only in Canada).

I know during Carolina's run during the 2002 Playoffs, they had some radio show where they would talk about hockey (real basic stuff). If they do keep teams down south, then the NHL should have a show where they talk hockey and explain rules and traditions.

Speaking of traditions, I would love to see the old division and conference names come back (this also should be included with the junior leagues and other hockey leagues that changed their division and conference names). I loved those names. They should have never gone away.

Answer 5

To all those who keep saying the fights are good and they draw viewers apparently either forgot or weren't alive back when fights were commonplace and the NHL was practically unknown outside of Canada, the Midwest and the Northeast. It wasn't until Hockey cleaned up it's act and expanded that it has finally become a national sport, although it still lags way behind the other three.

If you want to watch fighting, then tune in to a boxing match and leave Hockey to the players with skill. I know you die-hards are going to say fighting is historically part of the game, but it makes the hockey players and the game itself look stupid an foolish to others. The whole object of "improving" hockey is to broaden it's viewer base, and therefore increase revenue through TV, and fighting is NOT the way. More and more people are turning away from hockey, why do you think ESPN let it go? It was losing money on hockey.

If hockey doesn't wake up, it will be #5 behind soccer!

Answer 6

Of course "Fire Bettman" is the best idea. I'm actually glad you asked this question because I just wrote a college paper on this subject. The biggest suprise to most people is that attendance right now is actually really good. Average numbers are as high or higher than other years; including it's prime. The problem with the NHL is that Bettman has screwed up the TV ratings. Honestly, whatever ESPN wants to show in terms of highlights is based on what they feel will sell THEIR show, not the NHL. Nobody gives a crap about saves or goals. The NHL has tried too many "cheap" ideas to gain fans. Who would really start watching because of a glowing puck? How would ratings ever be better by broadcasting the All-Star game on a weeknight? And how would you gain any viewers by showing games on OLN?

Another point is how hockey affects your life. People like football because they grow up playing it. Same with basketball and baseball. Hockey is too expensive and too inconvienient for most people; especially in warmer climates. The NHL has more American teams, but how many American's are really on them? A buddy of mine was actually just cut from the Long Beach Ice Dogs because they'd rather be playing Canadian's. High Schools don't have teams, a lot of big colleges don't have teams, so who wants to play?

Basically we need to rebuild hockey from the ground up, and then make better decisions. I'm sorry, but step one is "Fire Bettman".

Answer 7

I hate to pose another question on top of a question but, what would happen if the NHL improved its image? Would they get bigger crowds of people who want to see a good old hockey game?...or would they get smaller crowds because of all the people that stayed home thinking there wouldn't be any good old fights at the hockey game? There must be some logical reason why sportscasters put the spotlight on hockey mishaps...I KNOW!...it draws an audience. Sure the NHL can improve its image, if it's willing to take a hit in the wallet. Sure sportscasters can put more goals and saves on the highlight reel, if they want their ratings to fall. There IS a logical reason why things are currently the way they are...right now that reason is money.

Answer 8

It's hard to get a fan base here in the US when really it's not an American sport like the NBA or NFL. We have the hockey camps and meet the players here in Dallas all the time if it's not free no one goes. But if the Dallas Cowboys were to do meet the players, people sign up $125 a head. Showing real life brawls isn't really family oriented. I agree a little less negativity more positive may help.

Answer 9

Funny that you seem to be the only one that sees this "image problem" and you won't just let it rest. Steroids in baseball is an image problem-football/basketball players murdering people and getting caught with drugs is an image problem BUT do people watch less of these sports because of it? I don't think so. Maybe a few MLB fans are turned off. Why do you think so many of you Southerners watch NASCAR? Mostly for the crashes from what I gather.

You claim I can have my opinion and you can have yours. Fine. Agree to disagree. The problem with this question is that you are putting your opinion in a group (people would be attracted to the sport) like you honestly think that most people agree with your take on the game over my take of the game. While you have your opinion, what gives you the audacity to think that more fans would be attracted to the game you would prefer? You must realize that you are the minority.
More people are attracted to the blood and sweat of the game than are turned off by it. Look at how well the UFC does these days.
I see plenty of Crosby goals and Brodeur saves on the highlights BUT when "those STUPID sportscasters" are showing all of these fights in the highlight packages, why do you think they do that?? Just think about that one for a moment, let it absorb into your brain. Is it because this is what people (FANS) don't want to see?? No. That doesn't right. Could it be that it is just what they want to see?? No. That doesn't quite sound right either. I am going to just take a wild stab and say that maybe, just maybe, it is part of what the MAJORITY OF NHL FANS WANT TO SEE. They include the fights and the ratings go up so #1. What image problem ?and #2 Where are those people that would be otherwise attracted to the game? One more time....highlights with no fights= poor ratings and highlights with fights= better ratings.
Also, what was the most talked about FAN FRENZIED game this year? Easy-Ottawa vs. Buffalo back to back games when the goalies got into it and the follow up game to see what would happen. Fans were watching/paying attention and places like this site were buzzing with anticipation.
So, while I will respect your opinion (for now), stop trying to always stuff in down everyone elses throat like some door to door bible salesman and stop trying to lump yourself into this big "group" and have us believe that there would be more fans if fighting/cheap shots/brawls were out of the game because that is NOT TRUE. This part is not my opinion but rather a FACT.



Clueless, I based it on the statement that stupid sportscasters would rather show fights........... as you being opposed PLUS, I know how you think. Holy crud, is this question reading right?? 88 answers-i think you must have touched some nerves. Still, out of every answer you know deep down that mine is the best.

I am also going to give you this tidbit of credit, you seem to be more than a fairweather fan seeing as how you are still talking hockey to spite your Kings stinking. Oh well, I am a Flyer fan so welcome to my world. The lottery draft world.

Answer 10

It is just not a game with the mass appeal in the U.S. as the other three sports you mention.

The problem is they've changed the game. They mean well. But you mention brawls, I hate them, but have you ever been at a game where there has been one? The fans are euphoric, and if management stopped the brawl and asked if people wanted their money back or to sign up for more tickets, more tickets would win hands down.

So what does that tell you. The NHL is taking fighting out of the game, yet that's what people cheer for and buy tickets for. I know, marketing geniuses say people go to see skilled players. Obviously. But nobody can question the fact that the majority of people love the fights. Not wall to wall, but strategically placed.

And if there's a brawl, so be it. Like you said, there are more in other sports and always have been.