What does the NHL need to do?

by K Walker

I want hockey fans to ask themselves and even people who are not hockey fans. What does the NHL need to do to get its ratings up and help keep the sport afloat. I personally love hockey and I go to a game when ever I can. I saw the move to OLN network did not help at all and now the NHL is on VS network as well as ABC. I think that ABC is a move in the right direction but the problem is that hockey and football season collide. College football games are going on Saturday night and day. Then the NFL plays on Sunday. It is sort of like if you are a NASCAR and football fan you flip back and forth to watch the race and football when they collide. But ask yourself what does the NHL need to do to get more people interested. Personally it is not the first thing I hear on ESPN and I think ESPN directs what all sports fans watch so I think it needs more exposure on major networks like ESPN. Let me know what you think.

Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

858 days ago

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The NHL needs to:

• Return to the old style of schedule (pre lockout)
• Play international rules, not there own
• Get a major TV deal (ESPN, FOX), even if they have to take less money for it

NFL on Sunday isn't oo big a deal, the start of the season in in October and it continues well beyond the end of the football season. I see the NBA as the NHL's rival, as they are both on in about the same time of year. I think the NHL is perfectly good as a sport, but the business side needs to improve to bring it up to where it was.

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Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

858 days ago

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*their own rules...

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JuTMSY4Legend

858 days ago

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Uh yeah, the NHL can avoid the NFL...that's not hard...and the NBA and the NHL are polar opposites...not to be un-PC, but they attract different demographics...

As far as international rules...forget it...that would

1. Eliminate Seats
   1. Be Lame
      1. Piss of the Canadian Market (the people who mostly care about Hockey)

But Alex, you are 100% on about the TV deal...(please not fox...for the love of glowing pucks, not fox!)...something akin to ESPN's hockey night again and the current NBC deal (perhaps every sunday from the start of the season)?

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Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

858 days ago

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To be fair, it is the NHL that is different. It wouldn't annoy anybody, to be honest. The NHL is just randomly changing the game. The only good NHL rule not in International rules is the Delayed Icing rule. All the others, including overtime, two-line pass, size of the rink, are rubbish.

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Baltimoresports247All-American

858 days ago

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The NHL needs not be a hockey league

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Baltimoresports247All-American

858 days ago

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*to not be a hockey league

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Davis21wylieMVP

858 days ago

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Off the top of my head, the NHL needs to fire Bettman as commish, contract about 10 teams, get a major cable TV contract again, open up the rink to eliminate the need for jersey-clutching goons, and stop giving out points for losses...

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K WalkerSoccer Kid

857 days ago

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I agree with playing the international rules and also it was a good point that you brought up about the rules change whenever they want. I will be frank they did it for the ratings they said that and they know that. The comissioner of the NHL thought it would bring in more fans if there was more scoring. I think it was atleast worth a shot but now that we all know it does not work go to the international rules.

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J CunninghamVarsity Captain

857 days ago

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The rules change might've helped attendance -- in-game attendance is actually quite good -- but it had no effect on TV ratings. TV ratings are low primarily because Versus is such a niche network, most people either don't have it in their cable systems or don't know where it is. And the few who do find it? Are uneerwhelmed by half-hearted broadcasts with poor production values.

There's also a segment of the populace susceptible to ESPN's ways. If the Worldwide Leader deems it important, it must be so. If ESPN does indeed get back into the NHL, that could only help the sport.

One would hope. Hockey's not a bad sport, it's just run by mindless simpletons.

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Rink raithPee Wee

856 days ago

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Instituting International rules (and changing the size of the rink by widening it significantly) would create havoc in almost all of the current NHL Arenas. The team owners that have part ownership in the arenas (many do) would veto that rule because of the costs associated with it.

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