Wednesday, December 01, 2004
SOUTHERN HOCKEY ON THE SKIDS?
Check out this piece from The Tennessean in Nashville.
It's easy to understand the concern over the fate of the NHL's southeastern teams — Atlanta, Carolina, Florida, Nashville and Tampa Bay — in a post-lockout world.
Three of those teams — Atlanta, Carolina and Nashville — finished in the bottom third in attendance last season, and all five have struggled at various times in their existence to consistently put fans in the seats.
Ted Saskin, second in command at the NHL Players' Association, said he fears the lockout will hurt southern hockey markets worst of all.
"There's no doubt it will have a negative impact on all teams, but especially those markets where hockey isn't as familiar," Saskin said. "Nothing good can come about from the lockout because it takes the product away from the fans and it risks alienating them as well."
Saskin compared the situation to that of the baseball strike in 1994, which did serious damage to the sport both in the U.S. and in Canada.
"The Canadian markets never really recovered, and the U.S. markets took quite some time," Saskin said. "I think with hockey, the situation might be reversed. I think a lot of the newer hockey markets may have a difficult time recovering, especially the longer (the lockout) goes on."
Man, I hope this won't become a fact.
I've written here before about the NHL in the South. I'm going to spend at least the next couple of years here in the South. When the NHL comes back, whether that be in a few months or in 2006, I would like to go to Nashville to check out a Predators game. But with the lockout, who knows what's going to happen to the game of hockey, especially the future of the Southern hockey markets.
"Hockey will never work in the South," some folks suggest. Well, this same attitude sure came to fruition in San Jose, didn't it? San Jose is just one example. Hockey can work in these newer markets. It takes a spirited effort on the part of the NHL to try to make it work. The NHL is the worst of the 4 major professional sports leagues in terms of marketing. Marketing, or lack there of, is one of the main reasons why a lot of people in America simply don't give a damn about the NHL lockout right now.
If the NHL decides to market itself better in the Southern markets and needs a few good men or women to help out, I'll be first in line to help out. I know the game of hockey. And I'll be happy as hell to make the game work down here in the South.
It's easy to understand the concern over the fate of the NHL's southeastern teams — Atlanta, Carolina, Florida, Nashville and Tampa Bay — in a post-lockout world.
Three of those teams — Atlanta, Carolina and Nashville — finished in the bottom third in attendance last season, and all five have struggled at various times in their existence to consistently put fans in the seats.
Ted Saskin, second in command at the NHL Players' Association, said he fears the lockout will hurt southern hockey markets worst of all.
"There's no doubt it will have a negative impact on all teams, but especially those markets where hockey isn't as familiar," Saskin said. "Nothing good can come about from the lockout because it takes the product away from the fans and it risks alienating them as well."
Saskin compared the situation to that of the baseball strike in 1994, which did serious damage to the sport both in the U.S. and in Canada.
"The Canadian markets never really recovered, and the U.S. markets took quite some time," Saskin said. "I think with hockey, the situation might be reversed. I think a lot of the newer hockey markets may have a difficult time recovering, especially the longer (the lockout) goes on."
Man, I hope this won't become a fact.
I've written here before about the NHL in the South. I'm going to spend at least the next couple of years here in the South. When the NHL comes back, whether that be in a few months or in 2006, I would like to go to Nashville to check out a Predators game. But with the lockout, who knows what's going to happen to the game of hockey, especially the future of the Southern hockey markets.
"Hockey will never work in the South," some folks suggest. Well, this same attitude sure came to fruition in San Jose, didn't it? San Jose is just one example. Hockey can work in these newer markets. It takes a spirited effort on the part of the NHL to try to make it work. The NHL is the worst of the 4 major professional sports leagues in terms of marketing. Marketing, or lack there of, is one of the main reasons why a lot of people in America simply don't give a damn about the NHL lockout right now.
If the NHL decides to market itself better in the Southern markets and needs a few good men or women to help out, I'll be first in line to help out. I know the game of hockey. And I'll be happy as hell to make the game work down here in the South.
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