TCC#51 - At least we can beat Colorado
Even though it’s only been one game since our last episode, we’re back to give you another dose of our punditry because it’s tough to keep hockey fans, much like ourselves, down. Dave is a healthy scratch on this one, but the rest of the crew gathers together for this session that aimed to be short but wound up running about forty minutes.
- Record as of this episode: 6-8-0
Northwest Division: 4th
Western Conference: 14th
The win against Colorado looked good, but we need to keep pushing to make sure that things keep looking up. We also try to figure out why there are these long breaks in the season without games, J.J. takes a first look at the All-Star ballots and presents some ideas for a new system, Rebecca finds an interesting new nickname for Vingualt, Alanah presents some interesting insights to the state of the league, and John has been watching some Finnish hockey.
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[...] mentioned it in the recent episode of The Crazy Canucks, but the NHL should really do more with the technology of bittorrent. I’m not the first one [...]
Ohhh…so much to add comments to on this episode.
1. Schedule. The schedule is usually determined by the open dates in each building. From my recollection, the city of Vancouver will come to a standstill somewhere next month, because the Spice Girls are in GM Place.
2. Bit Torrent. Great work John…you are now enjoying the wonders of Intl hockey. I am a Swedish Elite League fan, myself. Probably the best league outside the NHL (some would argue the Russian league…but it just seems too mafioso for my tastes). HV71 is tearing it up right now…but perennial contenders Farjestad are never far behind.
As for the NHL getting into this…yes, I have said many times the NHL is really missing a chance with its core fan base (displaced Canadians and strange minded Americans like me) in publishing and posting bit torrents of its games on its own. I’ve always said…post the games after they are completed live…but immediately after they are completed. For a sucker like me, I’d even pay $$$ to get these games. Now, would I pay $19.95 per game, like they do pay per view…no. I would, however, help pay to offset the server costs, etc…while the NHL pumps all of its advertising into the game file so I can watch it. We both end up winners in the end.
3. Marketing the game in the USA. You guys hit the nail on the head…but didn’t discuss the issue. Yes, the NHL is a niche sport in the USA. I would argue to say that football and basketball are larger, but as JJ said, NCAA hoops is probably bigger…and NCAA football is perhaps on par with the NFL. The NHL cannot compete…and they shouldn’t.
As you said, they are a niche sport with niche markets…they should market it as such. Marketing the game as a very special and unique experience…something that not everyone has access to or can attain…that is the true measure of what they can do in the USA.
And John, you are SO right…the totally blew it when they expanded in the USA. Can someone tell me why the NHL is not in Seattle or Portland? Or Milwaukee? Or Winnipeg? Or…Anchorage??? Florida…Carolina…Arizona…Georgia…not hockey havens. Hockey failed in many of these places before…why would you want to try and repeat the mistakes?
4. All Star Voting. One word: Yawn. Trash the all-star game and concentrate on the 4 year all star tournament known as the Olympics. It would make the NHL much more attractive if that was the only time we saw the stars together.
If people insist on an all-star game…send them out to the ponds in northern Quebec and have them all play shinny. No pads…no helmets…just good old fun.
Hi everyone,
Firstly apologies. i know I havent made any comments for a few months but lifes been really busy, you know how it goes. Rest assured ive caught every podcast and every game without fail.
Well where do we start?
1.. The new season hasnt started well, but looks like we might be geting somewhere now. the “D” has been very shoddy and leaking like a sive.I must say I was very dissappointed at the jeers at Bobby Lou. Gees lets get up there with the team even when its not going as we want it too. We do still need a surefire scorer.
2.. The Schedule.. Well we all know its a bit of a joke this year. Could it be to keep travelling costs down? Blocks of games away from home cuts down on expenses as the team are not travelling back to Vancouver between games. Maybe not, but just a thought.
3.. Video footage.. I have to be content with clips from Nucks games from Youtube, Yahoo sports, etc. Far from ideal, we do have an NHL programme on noraml mainstream channel here in UK but its a 1 game then goal highlights and never seems to the Nucks.
It would be ideal if the more far away fans could get them live on the net or at least the next day. The NHL are missing a big oppertunity here. Which brings me nicely to point 4.
4.. Marketing.. I was priveleged to be at the Saturday game in London for the Ducks/Kings game. My 1st NHL game! Oh what an experiance! To see the mighty Bert play in the flesh was just a dream come true.I was just blown away by the whole day.The atmosphere was brilliant.
The 2 days were a sell out, 17,500 fans each day.Many were Britsa but many from europe and even some from the sates.
The thing I found bad was the lack of promotion by the Nhl and the teams. A few photos online, a few small articles on the BBC website. Ok there was lots of promition on Nasn, the pay sports network over here, but only because it was being shown live there. No real national press, tv or radio coverage. Now the crunch. The NBA and the NFL are playing or have played games in the Uk recently. They have both had some heavy coverage in the media and well done to them for it. So why cant the NHL do the same! They say they wanted to expand the sport in Europe, on that score they failed, because it was only hockey fans that knew about it. Ok, its far from a major sport over here, it will never compete with soccer or rugby. I worked it out that at a conservative estimate 35,000+ people go to hockey each weekend in the Uk.
I had a great chat to 2 nucks fans who were visting London and got tickets, those guys were as passionate as me about the Nucks!
I heard the comments about jerseys in Europe being a bit diffrent and covered in advertising. The sad reality is thats its the only way we can pay for the teams to survive over here. The sponsorship pays the bills, not gate money. My local team currently has 11 sponsors! http://www.lightning.miltonkeynes.com/ if you want a look.
5..All Stars..Why not take an All Star game series on the road? Lets say 4 games through the year. Different confrence palyers each game, so more get the chance to play. Take them to diffrent cities and continents. 1 in Europe, 1 in Asia, 1 in Australia and 1 in USA/Canada. That way it could be promoted more, more chances for hockey fans to see there heroes and more cahnces of media coverage and converting newbies to the great sport.
One last thought on your comments about Brian Burke as commisioner. i dont have any problem with that, we certainly get some coverage! Not exactly the most under stated guy out there! It would certainly be interesting.
Anyway take care everyone. Keep it real and keep supporting the greatest hockey team ever!!
GO CANUCKS GO!
Steve.
Steve…
Leave a link to your blog, or pop a note to one of the Crazies to forward on to me. Watching Canuck highlites on Yahoo or YouTube pains me.
Im new to this blog thing! Im just a dumb 39 yr old Scotman!! Only joking about the dumb bit.
Catch me at http://cannucks-uk.spaces.live.com/
I know its a double “n” but its the closest i could get!
GO CANUCKS GO!
Steve.xx