Enough lockout talk: Marketability of Sidney Crosby in USA

[GKJ]

When Sidney Crosby is finally drafted, we know the NHL will market the **** out of him. The question is how much will we see him marketed to the fans and some non-fans.Freddy Adu was 14 when he came into the MLS and even ABC put his first pro game on TV and it wasn't even a game he started (although the hype is just about gone), and we all know about LeBron James and Michael Vick. My question is where does Sidney Crosby fit in? And How far is too far or not far enough? Many people here proclaim him as the next Gretzky, and even some on ESPN. We know Americans will watch anything if there is something that they like and something that is interesting and Sidney Crosby is interesting.

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[Morbo]

Depends if he ends up in a big or small market.

The likeliest possibility right now is that he'll end up in a small market. That limits his television exposure, unfortunately.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Who says an american team will get him? I hope he goes to Montreal honestly.

 

[GKJ]

Who says an american team will get him? I hope he goes to Montreal honestly.

No team from Canada will be bad enough to be in the lottery.

 

[Toonces]

No team from Canada will be bad enough to be in the lottery.

It doesn't matter anyway.

The NHL needs to market him league wide, especially if he is really a "generational" talent.

 

[CarlRacki]

I'm not sure you can enirely erase the lockout from the equation because the longer it goes on, the harder it will be to market the sport and any of its players in the states.
I'm not sure small market/large market will have much of an impact. The best-known hockey player ever in the U.S. made his name in Edmonton. The hottest star and most marketable name in the NBA plays in Cleveland. With the right marketing plan (hint: borrow some people from Nike) it won't matter where he plays.

 

[NYIsles1*]

I'm not sure you can enirely erase the lockout from the equation because the longer it goes on, the harder it will be to market the sport and any of its players in the states.

I'm not sure small market/large market will have much of an impact. The best-known hockey player ever in the U.S. made his name in Edmonton. The hottest star and most marketable name in the NBA plays in Cleveland. With the right marketing plan (hint: borrow some people from Nike) it won't matter where he plays.

Only problem with that is James was marketed long before he joined the NBA. There is nothing in the US tracking Crosby's every move. It's been interesting the only time the Knicks can see a game on national television is when Cleveland is the opposition.

The NBA has the right idea, show players, not markets. It's worked.

Long term there are a few markets that Crosby could help. He would do nothing for any of the three metro NY teams (off the ice) because he would be burried here behind the major teams in the market with plenty of their own stars.

 

[Gary]

Personally-I believe there are TONNES of players who could become the next 'Great One' not just Crosby...My oppinion might not be popular-But I think that Gretzky was MADE into who he was and that if you gave Yzerman/Sakic/Forsberg/Thornton/Iglinia Wayne-Gretzky like league-wide protection that they would be putting points up at a almost identical paces...IF the league WANTS too-They can make Crosby a spokesmen for the game and one of the alltime greats on their own...But if we're going to even start talking about the 'great ones' numbers-we'd need major rule changes and protection on Crosby to make that even fesible IMHO.

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

Who says an american team will get him? I hope he goes to Montreal honestly.

Screw the Habs; the league did them enough favours over the last 100 years. (how else could you explanin the robot known as Kerry Fraser?)

If he can't go to Toronto, the media capital of hockey, then I hope he goes to Columbus:

Crosby ---- Nash

Think of the marketing opportunities!

 

[Toonces]

Crosby ---- Nash

Think of the marketing opportunities!

Yeah, they just have to get somebody named Stills to play with them

Ouch, that was a bad one

 

[iagreewithidiots]

When Sidney Crosby is finally drafted, we know the NHL will market the **** out of him. The question is how much will we see him marketed to the fans and some non-fans.Freddy Adu was 14 when he came into the MLS and even ABC put his first pro game on TV and it wasn't even a game he started (although the hype is just about gone), and we all know about LeBron James and Michael Vick. My question is where does Sidney Crosby fit in? And How far is too far or not far enough? Many people here proclaim him as the next Gretzky, and even some on ESPN. We know Americans will watch anything if there is something that they like and something that is interesting and Sidney Crosby is interesting.

Adu was a big story because he was 14. I havent seen or heard anything about him since he scored his first goal.

James and Vick play football and basketball. Two american sports. Two very popular american sports.

Crosby fits in nowhere. Very few in the states is talking about him. The lockout barely gets press.

Yes americans will watch anything if they like it and its interesting but hockey is neither to most americans.

Im sorry to have to put it that way. But theres no need to blow smoke up your butt.

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

Yeah, they just have to get somebody named Stills to play with them

Ouch, that was a bad one

Get Scott Young to play the point on the PP.

 

[CarlRacki]

Only problem with that is James was marketed long before he joined the NBA. There is nothing in the US tracking Crosby's every move. It's been interesting the only time the Knicks can see a game on national television is when Cleveland is the opposition.

That's a fair point. That said, Crosby has not gone unnoticed in the states. ESPN the Magazine recently did a big piece on him last year (which likely means ESPN did as well, since they cross-promote one another to death). The Sporting News also named him one of its future stars in an issue 2-3 weeks ago. He certainly lacks James' exposure, but he's not an unknown to American fans.

 

[ScottyBowman]

Lets just wait and see how good he actually is until we start talking about promoting the next great one.

 

[Thornton97]

I don't think the NHL can wait to market him if it even survives the current crisis. The NBA marketed James far before he even took the court - let alone prove he is the aire to Jordan/Bird/Johnson/et. al.

The NHL needs to grab ahold of him and market the heckout of him. He is a player and he has a personality - something that Americans can watch and take note of. As was previously mentioned, the NHL needs to make him a star, a "generational" talent. If they wait until he has proven that he is the next "great one," it is already too late.

And as for where he goes, it has to be an American city. I understand the Canadians all wanted him on their respective teams, but for the sport to survive, he has to be in the U.S.

Just my opinion of course...

 

[no13matssundin]

No team from Canada will be bad enough to be in the lottery.

Lottery? Doesnt there have to be a LEAGUE to have a lottery? Seriously though, my bet is that with the League cancelling the 2004-05 Season, the upcoming draft will be cancelled and then Sydney's rights become an open market thing, not unlike Gretz when he came from the WHA. The hope is that a strong hockey market will get him, but the hope is also that we goto a 24 team league in 24 markets (with 8 canadian ones)

Heres to hoping

 

[Poignant Discussion*]

Lottery? Doesnt there have to be a LEAGUE to have a lottery? Seriously though, my bet is that with the League cancelling the 2004-05 Season, the upcoming draft will be cancelled and then Sydney's rights become an open market thing, not unlike Gretz when he came from the WHA. The hope is that a strong hockey market will get him, but the hope is also that we goto a 24 team league in 24 markets (with 8 canadian ones)

Heres to hoping

No because it is a 19 year old draft. Players can opt in at 18. Crosby would still be 19 for the "next draft" and therefore not a free agent. But a damned good try though!

 

[futurcorerock]

Lottery? Doesnt there have to be a LEAGUE to have a lottery? Seriously though, my bet is that with the League cancelling the 2004-05 Season, the upcoming draft will be cancelled and then Sydney's rights become an open market thing, not unlike Gretz when he came from the WHA. The hope is that a strong hockey market will get him, but the hope is also that we goto a 24 team league in 24 markets (with 8 canadian ones)

Heres to hoping

You're hoping on a pipe dream that the NHL would put two franchises in Canada over contracting/moving teams out of the USA.

Dont forget, their offices are in New York City.

 

[X0ssbar]

"Where will Crosby end up? Let's say pigs fly and a labor agreement is reached in March, too late for the season to be played but in time for the June draft to be held. What's the draft order -- i.e., who goes first and gets to take young Sidney? It would be hard to use last summer's draft order; is it fair to give the Capitals the top pick two years in a row and a lineup that includes Crosby and Russian phenom Alexander Ovechkin, the 2004 No. 1?

I suspect Bettman would also be loath to hold a league-wide lottery. That would open the first-pick door to too many small-market teams. The league would rather shut down for a year than see Crosby languish in Edmonton, Nashville or Calgary. (Another possibility: Crosby could fight for the right to bypass the draft and instead sign somewhere as a free agent.)

You know how united the ownership bloc is against the union in the lockout scrap? Watch how quickly those owners savage each other if Crosby's rights are up for grabs."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/stephen_cannella/01/07/blog.crosby/index.html

 

[Ghost of Dale Hunter]

Who says an american team will get him? I hope he goes to Montreal honestly.

I agree.....

 

[Accord]

Who says an american team will get him? I hope he goes to Montreal honestly.

The NHL will fix the draft so Crosby goes to the Rangers just like the NBA did in 1985 to ensure that Patrick Ewing went to the New York Knicks .

 

[octopi]

Personally-I believe there are TONNES of players who could become the next 'Great One' not just Crosby...My oppinion might not be popular-But I think that Gretzky was MADE into who he was and that if you gave Yzerman/Sakic/Forsberg/Thornton/Iglinia Wayne-Gretzky like league-wide protection that they would be putting points up at a almost identical paces....

Amen to that. Gretzky was protected like noone else in the game, with the added fortune of the prime of his carreer being during the era of the scorefest. Gretzky was a great player, but IMHO, he is not the best of all time.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

The NHL can't fix anything. If the CBA isn't together by then Crosby will be a FA and I'm sure he would pick Toronto or Montreal.

 

[futurcorerock]

The NHL can't fix anything. If the CBA isn't together by then Crosby will be a FA and I'm sure he would pick Toronto or Montreal.

pipe dreams.

We've heard the horror story of Crosby going undrafted and getting free agency.

I doubt he'd go FA. He's going to go in the draft no matter what. The NHL isnt stupid enough to let him go to.... *gasp* Montreal

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

pipe dreams.

We've heard the horror story of Crosby going undrafted and getting free agency.

I doubt he'd go FA. He's going to go in the draft no matter what. The NHL isnt stupid enough to let him go to.... *gasp* Montreal

The NHL has no way to stop him. Like I said, they can't change have a draft without the CBA. The NHL can't just make a draft without it. Whats wrong with Crosby going to Montreal? I would rather it a Canadian team then an american. He will get his proper marketablility.