Take a hint from NASCAR

[NJD Jester]

Here's a thought: Why can't the NHL solve one of its biggest problems with NASCAR TV technology?

For about two seconds, every shift, have the players names digitally float above them, almost like you would in a video game. Not the entire time, but maybe just long enough for viewers to get a sense of who everyone is and where they are.

 

[GKJ]

Actually, they did. A lot. There have been a ton of rule changes regarding cars' bodies, engines, and tires in the past few years, in an effort to even out the playing field and create more drama. Long time fans grumble about it all the time.

They've also made major changes to the schedules, dumping dates at smaller, Southern tracks in favor of races at newer, bigger tracks in larger markets. Long time fans grumble about it all the time.

Finally, last year they overhauled the points system. Before the champion was the person with the most points at the end of the year, with every race counting equally. Last year essentially had a ten race playoff, with only the top ten racers elligible for "the Chase." Long time fans are still grumbling about it.

Really, it looks to me like the biggest difference between Nascar and the NHL is that Nascar succeeded in gaining a national footprint and expanding its fan base, the NHL did not.

And how many sponsors are sponsors with not only NASCAR but the individual drivers? Some drivers have 10-15 sponsors just on their car. They all get so much money from that, and in my estimation, probably have more sponsors than the NFL

 

[Johnny On the Spot]

One of Nascar's biggest advantages is its sponsors. The sponsors pay up to $ 14 million to have their Logo on the hood of a car, in turn the drivers are promoting the sponsors every time a camera or mic. is directed towards them.
The fix the NHL needs is to have sponsors bridge the gap between players and owners. If that means that the players have a billboard attached to them, and their interviews resemble " I just want to thank Molsons for getting the team here to play one game at a time". I would be happy.

 

[Cully9]

Here's a thought: Why can't the NHL solve one of its biggest problems with NASCAR TV technology?

For about two seconds, every shift, have the players names digitally float above them, almost like you would in a video game. Not the entire time, but maybe just long enough for viewers to get a sense of who everyone is and where they are.

Now, that is innovative thinking. Don't know if it would work, but it might be worth a try.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I do not get the appeal either. But from those who go, I have heard that it, like hockey, is a sport best appreciated live. The power and speed is an adrenilan rush to be close to and feel and hear as the cars go that fast fairly close to you. Again, I do not think that being there would do much for me, but just sharing what I have heard.

 

[Schlep Rock]

I posted this idea back in November and the thread ended up getting deleted because everybody told me that Nascar and the NHL are two completely different vehicles and the NHL was bigger than Nascar was in the 90's (duh).

Tune has changed... FWIW... the posters who did try and attack me for the idea I haven't seen around in a while.

 

[ti-vite]

Im not a NASCR fan but what I like to see when flipping through channels is hearing the pilot talk to his crew from inside the car. Thats cool.

If they could put mics on certain hockey players during the games, and refs (ouch that would be funny), and coaches, it would make for a great show.

Would need a full time BLEEPER though.

 

[PredsFan77*]

Im not a NASCR fan but what I like to see when flipping through channels is hearing the pilot talk to his crew from inside the car. Thats cool.

If they could put mics on certain hockey players during the games, and refs (ouch that would be funny), and coaches, it would make for a great show.

Would need a full time BLEEPER though.

You need to listen to Dale Jr. more often...there is a reason you never hear him on TV.

 

[Slats432]

Alright...I will admit it...I am a *gasp*....Nascar fan.

Nascar's appeal? Rooting for a driver. You always have a driver or two to root for. As your drivers get older, you have a couple other ones you like, because *bing**bing**bing**bing*...they market the personalities of their stars.

I like Jeff Gordon. All clean cut and everything. Professional, articulate.

I hate Tony Stewart. Brash jerk that you want to punch his face in, everytime you see him.

Sentimental favourites abound....Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, Sterling Marlin, Dale Jarrett.

Their announcers are so knowledgeable, and everyone within the sport gives you the impression that they are just a regular guy.

Nascar is about the intracacies, nuances, things that are so minute that you never give them a second thought. But they are not above explaining every detail, and they don't talk down to you.

I can explain the purpose of restricter plates, but personally, I have no idea why the nets are painted red.

They have rules. There are officials that are all over the place, that make sure that if you are driving 57 mph on pit road at Daytona that you get your penalty. Whether it is on the first or last lap doesn't matter.

There is power, aggression, loyalty, precision, and each and every move done by the driver or anyone on his crew can cost them 10 places.

When Jeff Gordon went to the outside on Tony Stewart, he dropped a couple spots at Daytona on Sunday. I knew that he was asking for trouble. But he hung in, got back to the yellow line, and then zipped past Dale Junior on the straightaway. I understand why that all happened, and I am not even a motorsports geek.

They don't hold out, they don't switch teams very often, and they genuinely seem like good old boys.

Also...the end of professional sports as we know it happened when the PAs of sports released the figures of team sport payrolls. That is when the spiral started.

 

[krandor]

One other advantage Nascar has is that a lot of the money is won by winning races. If you just show up and don't do well and don't finish the race you don't get near the money as you get if you win. That is one reason people don't complain about how much money some of the drivers make because most of the drivers have to earn it. Even with sponsors, if you don't do well in races you will lose sponsors and lose money. Very little is guaranteed and a lot is dependant on performance.

 

[Backin72]

Here's a thought: Why can't the NHL solve one of its biggest problems with NASCAR TV technology?

For about two seconds, every shift, have the players names digitally float above them, almost like you would in a video game. Not the entire time, but maybe just long enough for viewers to get a sense of who everyone is and where they are.

Good idea, but technically a nightmare. The players are all over the place and to position the font in the correct order and position would be next to impossible.

 

[Injektilo]

Good idea, but technically a nightmare. The players are all over the place and to position the font in the correct order and position would be next to impossible.

couldn't the networks put chips similar to the foxtraxx puck (or whatever) in the helmets of the players? They shouldn't be on all the time, but say whenever a player is skating with the puck, on a rush or something... just for a couple seconds each shift, so fans watching on TV can tell who is who alot easier. It'd be a good way to market the players, which apparently is something the NHL needs to do in certain areas of the US.

I dunno, i haven't a clue about how this technology would work... I don't think it'd be next to impossible though to do it for one or two players at a time for a second or two while they skate with the puck... maybe for all the forwards when a team is advancing with the puck through the neutral zone or something...

 

[Backin72]

couldn't the networks put chips similar to the foxtraxx puck (or whatever) in the helmets of the players? They shouldn't be on all the time, but say whenever a player is skating with the puck, on a rush or something... just for a couple seconds each shift, so fans watching on TV can tell who is who alot easier. It'd be a good way to market the players, which apparently is something the NHL needs to do in certain areas of the US.

I dunno, i haven't a clue about how this technology would work... I don't think it'd be next to impossible though to do it for one or two players at a time for a second or two while they skate with the puck... maybe for all the forwards when a team is advancing with the puck through the neutral zone or something...

I guess you're talking about 700 different chips, plus a receiver(s) to identify those chips, plus a way to omit the signal from the chips from the players on the bench(maybe the hardest task), plus a way to tie it into the chyron in the truck. Remember, they only had one puck at a time to worry about on Fox. I guess it could be done, but also, at what cost?

 

[Injektilo]

I guess you're talking about 700 different chips, plus a receiver(s) to identify those chips, plus a way to omit the signal from the chips from the players on the bench(maybe the hardest task), plus a way to tie it into the chyron in the truck. Remember, they only had one puck at a time to worry about on Fox. I guess it could be done, but also, at what cost?

good point... maybe it'd be easier to just do it from the control station then, which would limit it's use, but maybe make it feasible at least.

 

[Gary Buttman]

They do the arrow on Fox for NASCAR and it works really well. I think thats the least of the issues. HDTV, more camera angles, being able to see the play develop, etc. are bigger.

AND MARKET THE PLAYERS!

 

[McDonald19]

I, for one, love watching NASCAR - and I know a ton of people who also do, and I live in Eastern Canada! As for 'crap', I think that's a personal statement on something you know nothing about.

Sorry car's driving around in circles is not big here in so-cal.

Car Chases on the freeway on the other hand get big ratings.

 

[nomorekids]

Sorry car's driving around in circles is not big here in so-cal.

Car Chases on the freeway on the other hand get big ratings.

I'm no NASCAR fan, but when you've got a track on the NASCAR circuit with one of the largest attendances ON the circuit...NASCAR is big in your area.

 

[arnie]

-Both began as regional sports that aren't played by that many people.

Huh? This is a really bizarre comment. You don't think that most people in most places don't drive cars?

 

[McDonald19]

I'm no NASCAR fan, but when you've got a track on the NASCAR circuit with one of the largest attendances ON the circuit...NASCAR is big in your area.

well no one I know goes there. I've never over heard anyone talk about going to a nascar event at my university/work/anywhere. It's not something that casual sports fans talk about. It is a niche sport. And I've never met anyone who is a part of that niche.

There are millions of people in california so it doesn't impress me that much that a car race can sell out here a couple times a year. If the world bowling championships sold out in California would that mean that bowling is a hugely popular sport in California?

 

[McDonald19]

-Both began as regional sports that aren't played by that many people.

Huh? This is a really bizarre comment. You don't think that most people in most places don't drive cars?

I guess there are actually people that grow up going to professional driving schools rather than playing little league baseball or basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, etc.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

Here's a thought: Why can't the NHL solve one of its biggest problems with NASCAR TV technology?

For about two seconds, every shift, have the players names digitally float above them, almost like you would in a video game. Not the entire time, but maybe just long enough for viewers to get a sense of who everyone is and where they are.

I like it.

 

[Gary Buttman]

-Both began as regional sports that aren't played by that many people.

Huh? This is a really bizarre comment. You don't think that most people in most places don't drive cars?

Not at 180 mph around a 1.5 mile oval track. Driving your '89 Celica to the Harris Teeter to get eggs and milk isnt a sport.

 

[bcrt2000]

I like it.

would be good, but i think better if it was underneath the player instead of above.. and i think maybe only at the faceoffs it should be used, and maybe the first 5-10 seconds a player is on the ice on a line change

 

[BAdvocate]

They do the arrow on Fox for NASCAR and it works really well.

AND MARKET THE PLAYERS!

Yes, I noticed this during the NASCAR race last Sunday. I think it would be a good idea to use 1 arrow at certain times to point out marquee players. For example, in a game featuring the Avs & the Redwings, they might want to use an arrow to identify/follow Sakic, Hedjuk, Forsberg, Tanguay, Blake, Yzerman, Shanahan, Chelios, Datsyuk, etc. during certain passages of play. I think following more than 1 player would be a bit confusing, maybe they could follow up to 2 of them at a time? Also, it would probably be very valuable when showing replays of certain plays during the game & highlights on ESPN.

Then to market the player, maybe show a quick profile of the player with a picture of his face, years in the league, & a few career highlights/awards. Kind of like they do with NFL players at the beginning of a game (just don't let them talk).

 

[Hockeyfan02]

wasn't one of the promotions for Tampa Bay season tickets is that you got free beer if you bought them?

It was something like two free beers if you bought season tickets.