The Business of HockeyDiscuss the financial and business aspects of the NHL. Franchise sales, valuations, TV contracts, ratings, expansion, relocation, the CBA and work stoppage discussion goes here.
I like the shortened season, what would it take to make it permanent?
The only practical way to achieve this would be two have two separate competitions, somewhat similar to European soccer. Have a 40 game NHL season and playoffs for the Stanley Cup and then have a Champions League-style competition where 32 of the best teams in the world compete. For the NHL teams that don't qualify for the Champions League, there could be a second tier tournament for them to play in. They'd have to determine if its better to have the competitions happen at the same time, like in soccer, or if they should have them run sequential.
I doubt this will ever happen, but as hockey becomes more of a global sport and other leagues improve, it could eventually work.
Is season length something that's collectively bargained? How did baseball go about making the switch.
Yes.
And MLB made the switch because there was no MLBPA to deal with, so they could simply unilaterally impose the change and then blacklist anyone who complained about it.
I personally like the NHL season ending in mid june. Baseball still hasn't gotten into full swing in may...I like how hockey ending coincides with baseball getting serious and more meaningful. I could make a nice transition from sport to sport
Just like when football shows up in August and hockey in October to take over from baseball.
Right now it was brutal if your NFL team is out of the playoffs. Just nothing to do.
I personally like the NHL season ending in mid june. Baseball still hasn't gotten into full swing in may...I like how hockey ending coincides with baseball getting serious and more meaningful. I could make a nice transition from sport to sport
Just like when football shows up in August and hockey in October to take over from baseball.
Right now it was brutal if your NFL team is out of the playoffs. Just nothing to do.
Dude, the NFL playoffs are great. I'm a Lions fans so I get to finally watch good football. NFL playoffs>>>>NHL playoffs. One game and you're out.
The AHl went down to 76 from 80 last season, so its feasible, but again its a matter of money. if you wre to balance a slightly shorter regular season with a slightly expanded postseason i think it would be a wash.
I like the idea of two shortened seasons a year much like Mexican/Latin American soccer. Just as much, if not more, hockey, two chances a year to hoist the cup.
Either convince players to take a 50% salary cut, or convince the fans that doubling ticket prices is fine.
Even that won't fly muster with the owners ticket price is only one part of the monetization. You sell half of the food and drink you use to and ask any movie theatre owner how doubling the price on that helped their business. All the in house advertissement won't scale if anything they have to charge less since less games mean less exposure. Same goes for TV rights...
That's what they do here in Mexico with soccer; though clearly the one Seasons are not one followed directly by another.
They used to do that in the early days of the league. Sort of. The winnier of the first half of the league, played against the winner of the second half of the league to determine who got to play for the stanley cup, against the winner of some other professional league.
Yes... let's have LESS hockey. And not just a little less... between regular season and playoffs let's cut FOUR MONTHS!
Yes, I am a fan. I find the season combined with the playoffs too long. The game is very physical and extremely taxing, and the players cannot give it there all in pursuit of maximizing gate revenue.
That's why tournament hockey is so much better than the long drawn out, regular season of the NHL that wears out players physically and mentally.
Yes, I am a fan. I find the season combined with the playoffs too long. The game is very physical and extremely taxing, and the players cannot give it there all in pursuit of maximizing gate revenue.
What does that even mean? ...players cannot give it their all in pursuit of maximizing gate revenue?? what?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hamilton Tigers
That's why tournament hockey is so much better than the long drawn out, regular season of the NHL that wears out players physically and mentally.
So,... go watch tournament hockey - good for you. 82 NHL games is just fine with me.
Bettman to other BoG folks: "hey guys, cross Hamilton off that expansion city list, ok? The fans don't like long seasons there."
^^^^ I watch both. Tournament hockey (Olympics, World/Canada Cup, Memorial Cup, WJHC, NHL playoffs) is way better than a not very meaningful game 39 on a Tuesday night of the NHL schedule.
If you don't know what I mean, then by all means keep enjoying the inferior version of less intense, slower hockey.
What does that even mean? ...players cannot give it their all in pursuit of maximizing gate revenue?? what?
... what the op's referring to is that many, myself included, feel the NHL's regular season is too long, too many games, scheduling impracticable, travel & resultant burnout and injuries in order to maximize gate revenues not worth the decline in quality performances & games. I'd like to see a shorter schedule, even down to 60 or max 64 games, the Playoffs starting earlier. A bit of a Utopian Ideal granted, but hey, one can dream, wish.
What would it take? Years of losing money with a new start-up league, that one day convinces enough players, fans, sponsors, TV channels, etc, that its shortened season is a better brand of hockey than the NHL. I'm guessing billions of dollars is what it would take.
Maybe 82 isnt enough. Maybe the NHL should be more like baseball and double the amount of games. By the end of the season, half the rosters would be AHL due to attrition but at least this would make the playoffs even less predictable...
