NHL needs to go where its fans are

Agreed ... They should be shrinking the league, bring back better, heated rivalries and get rid of the shootout ... I'd rather see a 3 or 4 OT game, that offers infinitely more excitement that the 4-5-minute shootout ...

The NHL won't admit it, but the lost year/lockout hurt them ... They should have been able to come to agreement to get their financial house in-order, and make improvements to the game without shutting down for a year ...

They lament they don't have a good network TV contract ... They have themselves to blame, not the fans, not the press ...

Expansion will only dilute and already over-diluted league ...

Or, if they want to get serious, expand internationally - to Europe ... Maybe that would shake - and wake - up the North American players ...

Peace
JTD

PS- This was a riff I wrote last year

Lock-Out Bogus; NHL Playing Full Schedule In Secret
http://puregarlic.blogspot.com/2005/02/friday-11-february-2005.html

The NHL seems to have trouble holding itself together with as many teams as it has right now. The main problems are their lack of a decent TV contract and unbalanced scheduling. As a Red Wings fan, I can honestly say that I have never seen Sidney Crosby play, and he won't be in Detroit for several years. How can you sell a game when the players you use to pitch the product rarely seem to make appearances outside of their divisions? Not enough Original Six matchups, and strange scheduling that has the Red Wings play Columbus about 8 times, I believe. The number turns out that the Wings play the Blue Jackets for somewhere near 10% of their games. The product itself is fine, but the NHL needs some lessons on league management.

How much of the problem is Gary Bettman? I say most of it. Remeber when he came into the league 10 years ago(?) now? Everyone thought because he came from the NBA, he would solve all of the leagues problems. I think the lockout will be good for the league in the long run, but they need to do more to promote their stars and I agree with ripismoney. The young stars should be taking a tour around the league 2 a season at least. I don't agree with expanding the league or making changes to the game as a whole. It seems as if every 2 or 3 years we are changing the size of the rink or the goalie pads or telling the goalies where to go or not go. Let them play the game. My only guiding rule when it comes to rule changes would be to let the stars play. The game itself is sound.

I remember as a kid in Boston my uncle and all his buddies heading out for the game at night. He can't be paid to go to a game at this point! I live in Tampa now and have seen greatness the way I did as a kid in Boston. HOWEVER, The NHL has a huge problem with its TV schedule. Why are they only around when Football isn't? The NHL does play more than one day a week, why can't they take up some night-time TV spots? I agree that expanding is not the answer! I remember the Hartford Whalers, I remember the Quebec Nordiques. These were places that had a huge fan base. Nashville? Really? Granted people have said the same thing about us in Tampa. Tampa? Really? Here's the thing. We are not the best team in the league, but we're a sell-out crowd. Sometimes i think we're only a sell-out when we're winning, but like the article said...Nashville IS winning and can't sell out. The league definitely needs to do some serious INTERNAL revaluation. The product is good, but the marketing for such a good product is B-A-D.