I quit watching for 5 years after the lockout. Any league that is willing to lose a year of competition is a league I have a very hard time supporting.
Its sad that any rule change in the NHL trickles down to the CHL. It means when the NHL goes to the dogs the CHL will too.
It would probably take all the Canadian teams leaving, including the Leafs (though arguably they left already ). I think if there was a Canadian league and no Canadian teams in the NHL, I would watch the new league instead, but even so I'd probably still watch the American finals (I suppose this is comparable to football, I watch CFL all the time, and as for the NFL, I only usually have interest in who wins the Superbowl)
surprised nobody else said it, but another play stoppage and i would be pretty close to saying f it. Being an isles fan, i already get a crap product yr in and yr out, but if i had to deal with a lockout/strike again due to the lack of a cba, id be livid. I dunno if i would "quit" but i know i wouldnt go to a game for quite some time. i pay for cable, which they get a portion of...thatd be more than enough.
any further wussification of the game would be tough to swallow, but nothing close to making me want to walk away from the sport.
I thought of a work stoppage first but I realized I could never follow thru. I was super pissed in 2004 and vowed to not watch again, but then Ovie and Crosby came along and I was sucked back in. I did sit out 2005 though, before I caved.
I quit watching for 2 years after the lockout while the officials were trying to figure out what was a penalty and what wasn't. Those were some long winters....
I was watching the games last night and thinking how great this time of the year is when you are a fan of the NHL.
The question is simple what, if anything, would make you quit or stop following the NHL altogether?
For me it is very simple. If shootouts EVER happen in the playoffs in any form, in any round, I would be done as a fan.
if there is another lockout/strike.
if my city loses it's team.
I was disgusted this year when all of a sudden the refs started calling the games like it was 2004. it's amazing how all sorts of little things that tick you off about a league add up until you realize you just don't care about the game anymore.
I like hockey, but i'm not a fanatic.
Or, as someone mentioned, banning fighting would be very, very hard to swallow. I'd probably take some time off, but as long as there's a league, I'm a fan.
If the salary cap ever went away, I'd probably stop watching. I stopped watching the MLB 4 years ago for that very reason. Not that they ever had a cap, but the league is too unfair/too much of a joke now with the huge disparity in team salaries.
Another lockout would be difficult to swallow, although I would manage... somewhat. It frankly would depend on my situation the following year. That said, if hitting was ever taken away than I'm out without a thought. One of the most intriguing aspects of the sport is how physical it is. A bone crushing hit can make you jump almost as much as a goal. The supposed revival of the "dead puck era" isn't something I'm all too keen on either but not enough to consider abandoning the sport.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SaxMan
Shootouts in the playoffs wouldn't be a bad idea. Sucks staying up so late then have to go to bed before the game finishes. - Casual Fan
Simple. Go to bed anyway and check the highlights on TSN. Us nuts want insanely long OT.
Some people on here said they would 'quit' if ads were put on jerseys
That would be weird at first, but honestly they could look like NASCAR drivers for all I care if it would offset some of the cost of tickets so I could go to more games.
Possibly another full year lockout
Shootouts in the playoffs
changing the game from 5 on 5 to 4 on 4
the elimination of hitting
Those are things that would make definitely stop watching
A few things that would make me watch hockey a hell of a lot less:
eliminating fighting
another full season lock-out
the Devils re-locating/contraction
People complain about the decline of the league compared to the 90's, but I don't see it. I'll always be following the NHL.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pseudomonas
If the salary cap ever went away, I'd probably stop watching. I stopped watching the MLB 4 years ago for that very reason. Not that they ever had a cap, but the league is too unfair/too much of a joke now with the huge disparity in team salaries.
Actually the league is perfectly fair, even without a salary cap.
). I think if there was a Canadian league and no Canadian teams in the NHL, I would watch the new league instead, but even so I'd probably still watch the American finals (I suppose this is comparable to football, I watch CFL all the time, and as for the NFL, I only usually have interest in who wins the Superbowl)
id do it!!!!!
