PWHL - Your level of interest

[MNRube]

Source?

common knowledge

 

[Toby91ca]

Maybe you're right, I haven't followed any women's league in any sport. If it previously worked then great.

It's not good hockey though...

I’m not sure any previous professional women’s hockey league has ever worked really well….they never got to financial stability as far as I can tell. Will this be different? Not sure. I tuned in to watch a bit of a game I saw show up on the guide as I was scanning. If I’m honest, it didn’t really hold my interest. I have watched a bit of women’s hockey at the Olympics, but that would have been different, watching for NTL pride, rooting for a few players I knew personally and it was also the very best players……those players are now split across many teams. I am somewhat concerned interest will wane after the initial curiosity fades

 

[Dessloch]

NHL fans should like this!

 

[Phion Keneuf]

When PWHL pops up on my late night sports channel binging I know it’s time to turn off the TV and go to bed.

 

[Golden_Jet]

NHL fans should like this!

2 minute penalty good call,
much better having the rough stuff now.

 

[Dessloch]

2 minute penalty good call,
much better having the rough stuff now.

Yeah, thats what I meant, Many of the forum members spend days and weeks defending various cheap shots and violent hits that injures people. So they will be delighted if that kind of stuff makes it to the womens game albeit in a smaller scale

As for hitting, they should re-write the rulebook and allow hitting exactly as the mens game, it would make for easier decision making, less confusion among specators & refs and tougher and more entertaining games!

 

[K1984]

I can’t see how the NHL can have any affiliation with this league at all, unless the league can stand on its own financially.

The NHL doesn’t have the revenue to help prop up a financially struggling women’s league.

I could see the NHL taking money from the league, by licensing team identities, but I don’t think the PR for doing that would be very good. The NHL would be expected to donate their intellectual property and invest financially in the league making pay equity the big question, which would obviously be unbelievably stupid.

This is how all of those women soccer players and women basketball players feel like they deserve McDavid money.

I see zero incentive whatsoever for the NHL to dip their toes in these waters. For them to even think about it, they would probably have to answer all these questions from their owners:

- How much are we going to invest in this?
- How long before we could possibly break even?
- If this doesn't work, what's the exit strategy?
- How will we handle the inevitable labour demands from the players?
- If we have to drop the league, how do we handle the PR fall out?

I see this going only one of a few ways for the NHL if they decided to go for it, none of them good:

1 - League is a money pit, NHL drops support, everyone loses their marbles at "multi billion dollar revenue league stops supporting women."

2 - Players organize and demand even more of a "living wage," NHL says no and everyone loses their marbles at "multi billion dollar revenue organization is against equal pay for women!"

3 - League persists, but NHL owners lose their shirts

To me, the lack of really any possible way to exit without a gigantic PR nightmare is enough to not bother. If you get in it, you're in it forever and currently there is no way to forecast that league to become anything but a money pit. The NHL is following the exact correct strategy of waiting to see if it can hold up on its own before even thinking of getting involved.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I see zero incentive whatsoever for the NHL to dip their toes in these waters. For them to even think about it, they would probably have to answer all these questions from their owners:

- How much are we going to invest in this?
- How long before we could possibly break even?
- If this doesn't work, what's the exit strategy?
- How will we handle the inevitable labour demands from the players?
- If we have to drop the league, how do we handle the PR fall out?

I see this going only one of a few ways for the NHL if they decided to go for it, none of them good:

1 - League is a money pit, NHL drops support, everyone loses their marbles at "multi billion dollar revenue league stops supporting women."

2 - Players organize and demand even more of a "living wage," NHL says no and everyone loses their marbles at "multi billion dollar revenue organization is against equal pay for women!"

3 - League persists, but NHL owners lose their shirts

To me, the lack of really any possible way to exit without a gigantic PR nightmare is enough to not bother. If you get in it, you're in it forever and currently there is no way to forecast that league to become anything but a money pit. The NHL is following the exact correct strategy of waiting to see if it can hold up on its own before even thinking of getting involved.

the NHL has to look at the NBA for guidance and how they handle the WNBA...is the WNBA even profitable? I know their revenue is like 1% of what the NBA makes...

there's a big difference in revenues between the NHL and NBA I know, but the PWHL is also smaller than the WNBA

 

[K1984]

the NHL has to look at the NBA for guidance and how they handle the WNBA...is the WNBA even profitable? I know their revenue is like 1% of what the NBA makes...

there's a big difference in revenues between the NHL and NBA I know, but the PWHL is also smaller than the WNBA

The only guidance they would probably give is "don't." WNBA has been a money pit its whole existence.

 

[FiveFourteenSixOne]

I once bought an entire row of tickets at an NHL game for less than $21.

Then you skipped it to go and watch a talkie.

the NHL has to look at the NBA for guidance and how they handle the WNBA...is the WNBA even profitable? I know their revenue is like 1% of what the NBA makes...

there's a big difference in revenues between the NHL and NBA I know, but the PWHL is also smaller than the WNBA

The WNBA has never turned a profit. It gets the majority of its funding directly from the NBA. The league only exists because it is subsidized.

 

[Puckstop40]

I’ve been able to watch a couple of games. I find them enjoyable. There is quite a bit of skill in the league and it’s cool to see how much the talent in women’s hockey has grown. I love hockey regardless of who plays so I hope this continues to grow.

 

[Voight]

Nice start,
Wonder why Toronto chose to play out of a 2600 seat arena, that’s half the average per game so far.

Froma. PR standpoint its much easier to claim a sellout when there's less than 3000 seats to fill.

Most of the bigger arenas in Toronto are booked solid. Scotiabank has the Leafs, Raptors and a bunch of other events. Coca Cola Coliseum where the Marlies play has them and other events.

 

[JMCx4]

... Coca Cola Coliseum where the Marlins play has them and other events.

Miami baseball moves north for the winter ... that's a bold move. Don't you just loathe autocorrect?

 

[Voight]

Miami baseball moves north for the winter ... that's a bold move. Don't you just loathe autocorrect?

thanks for catching that.

Autocorrect has saved me at certain points/made my life easier, but times like this its been a PITA.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Froma. PR standpoint its much easier to claim a sellout when there's less than 3000 seats to fill.

Most of the bigger arenas in Toronto are booked solid. Scotiabank has the Leafs, Raptors and a bunch of other events. Coca Cola Coliseum where the Marlies play has them and other events.

the other teams have more than one tenant and other events, as well. It wasn’t the best decision, to choose there. Minnesota play where the Wild do, Ottawa team play where the 67’s do, NY shares with an AHL team …..

 

[Machinehead]

I'm so tired of the "got beat up by high school boys" meme.

So did you when you were in high school.

 

[Dessloch]

Why has hitting not been completely allowed in the rules when its allowed on the ice? Who benefits from the confusion of what hits are allowed or not?

Why would the women not be able to play with same hitting rules as men?

 

[Golden_Jet]

Why has hitting not been completely allowed in the rules when its allowed on the ice? Who benefits from the confusion of what hits are allowed or not?

Why would the women not be able to play with same hitting rules as men?

You’re getting a little bit more knowledgeable on the game, you’ve now moved on from this.

Why are they talking about physicality during the intermission in a league that do not allow hitting?

There is ZERO reason for this league to not make hitting part of the game! If hitting can be allowed in the SDHL swedish womens league and everyone likes it, why not? This is north america who loves hitting far more than we do in Sweden.

 

[Dessloch]

You’re getting a little bit more knowledgeable on the game, you’ve now moved on from this.

Considering I have seen full womens hockey hitting in SDHL in sweden for 2 season, I had plenty of knowledge. The PWHL just copied what the SDHL has been doing for years. The SDHL is the original, the PWHL the copycat. (I am sure PWHL will try to claim it was the first league to allow hitting, just a matter of time)

Regardless I see people all over social media not understanding whats allowed or not allowed, which is to no benefit of anyone. And I have not seen one single post explaining why these women cant tolerate full on hitting without paragraphs stating exceptions when hitting is not allowed etc.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Considering I have seen full womens hockey hitting in SDHL in sweden for 2 season, I had plenty of knowledge. The PWHL just copied what the SDHL has been doing for years. The SDHL is the original, the PWHL the copycat. (I am sure PWHL will try to claim it was the first league to allow hitting, just a matter of time)

Regardless I see people all over social media not understanding whats allowed or not allowed, which is to no benefit of anyone. And I have not seen one single post explaining why these women cant tolerate full on hitting without paragraphs stating exceptions when hitting is not allowed etc.

PWHL will not claim first to allow hitting, that’s just your bias against the League that you’ve gone on , ad nauseum about in this thread.
I’ve heard the women say in interviews , mention the Swedish game. If you’re so knowledgeable, weird you thought there was no hitting allowed.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I'm so tired of the "got beat up by high school boys" meme.

So did you when you were in high school.

I guess I don't understand why it's so taboo to say that women's hockey is not on par with men's. I understand there may be unnecessary venom towards the league but is it really that controversial? I don't watch college hockey for the same reason, the quality sucks compared to the NHL. The impassioned defense when people have valid criticisms of women's hockey discredits any valid arguments people have about sexist takes on this board.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I guess I don't understand why it's so taboo to say that women's hockey is not on par with men's. I understand there may be unnecessary venom towards the league but is it really that controversial? I don't watch college hockey for the same reason, the quality sucks compared to the NHL. The impassioned defense when people have valid criticisms of women's hockey discredits any valid arguments people have about sexist takes on this board.

It’s the comparison to high school, but you skimmed over the posters point,
When it’s been shown lots of times in here that they play midget AAA and junior teams. And win some and lose some.
The records were also shown in here against those teams.

 

[MNRube]

I guess I don't understand why it's so taboo to say that women's hockey is not on par with men's. I understand there may be unnecessary venom towards the league but is it really that controversial? I don't watch college hockey for the same reason, the quality sucks compared to the NHL. The impassioned defense when people have valid criticisms of women's hockey discredits any valid arguments people have about sexist takes on this board.

It’s not taboo, it’s just annoying.

I’ve had a ton of fun watching WJC, NCAA and HS hockey over the years. And now I’m enjoying the PWHL. None are the NHL obviously, but each has their own merits.

Another thing is that NHLers are so good, that there is rarely time and space for players to truly dominate. A transcendent talent in the leagues above can really stand out.

 

[MNRube]

It’s the comparison to high school, but you skimmed over the posters point,
When it’s been shown lots of times in here that they play midget AAA and junior teams. And win some and lose some.
The records were also shown in here against those teams.

Plus, Warroad is always good. It’s called Hockeytown USA for a reason. The town keeps the rink open year round for local kids.

It’d be a different story if it was a normal HS team, I’d wager.

 

[BlueDream]

I'm so tired of the "got beat up by high school boys" meme.

So did you when you were in high school.

Lots of projection in this post.