Air Canada threatens to pull sponsorship from NHL over headshots

[IcedCapp]

Are you saying it's impossible that players can get injured on clean checks? The Bruins' own Steve Kapfer received a concussion on a very clean hit. Marc Savard, this season, was knocked out by a clean hit from Hunwick. It's going to happen.

Do I like the current blindside rule? Yes. Very much so. It was needed in this game.

Anyways, anyone who agrees with this corporate opportunism is absolutely ignoring their ulterior motives.

I don't care about ulterior motives as long they produce results. That's what I'm concerned with.

To your first question - No blow to the head should be legal. I don't care about the direction, intent, the 'heads up' status of the person being hit. There should be no hitting to the head.

If you get concussed because you fall on the ice, or something else that isn't the result of contact of body to head, then no, obviously that doesn't count, but there should be no contact with the head.

 

[btn]

For all the handwringing over 'they have to fire Bettman for this' in the relocation threads ....

THIS issue right hear is one that could get Bettman shown the door. Air Canada has naming rights for an arena, sponsors all 6 Canadian teams, and I believe has deals with a few US teams as well. You might be talking about $100M+.

And you think they give that money to the NHL as some kind of gift?

They sponsor the NHL because it brings them business, and if they want to shoot themselves in the foot because the favorite team of some of their executives had a kid get injured.....that is their business I guess. If I was a major institutional investor I would be dumping their stock tomorrow if this is how they make business decisions.

They should focus on running their airline, and not trying to run the NHL.

 

[RECCE]

I'd predict Molson would do it as well. Together, these sponsors have some big money in the NHL. Don't the Molsons own both Molson and the Habs?

I can see this.

 

[RECCE]

And you think they give that money to the NHL as some kind of gift?

They sponsor the NHL because it brings them business, and if they want to shoot themselves in the foot because the favorite team of some of their executives had a kid get injured.....that is their business I guess. If I was a major institutional investor I would be dumping their stock tomorrow if this is how they make business decisions.

They should focus on running their airline, and not trying to run the NHL.

That "kid" has a severe concussion and a fracture of the 4th cervical vertebrae

 

[Darth Bangkok]

Good on them, even if there are ulterior motives behind it. There comes a time when you have to go outside the norms to get something done. Normally I wouldn't want advertisers to get involved, but as is written in the letter, things are out of control. So much of the conversation these days is about injuries, its becoming a chore to be a fan of the NHL. Even fantasy is getting boring because spending all the limited time I have to check my lineups on replacing injured players is not fun at all.

I think its also a smart business decision by Air Canada not just for the free publicity, but come on. do they need to spend so much on advertising? Has anyone actually chosen to fly Air Canada over another airline simply because they have their name on the arena that the TML play in?

 

[MoreOrr]

This situation is becoming Absolutely hilarious and ridiculous. Thank you Air Canada for deciding that you should be part of judge and jury for the NHL.

Of all the injustice in the world, let's climb all over the NHL's back, from all sectors of society. [mod]

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

This kind of stuff is the only reason I even care about this hit. I don't give a crap about the Habs or Bruins, I do care because we all have to share a league with these "woe is me", overemotional, hyperbolic people who are kicking and screaming to get what they want which is down to their typical arrogance i.e. "A Hab gets hurt, someone call in the UN!" and to make things worse they'll turn the league into ******* soccer on ice just so they can watch their beloved boys in "bleu, blanc et rouge" prance around as safely as in a nursery play pen.

 

[L4br3cqu3]

Funny how they didn't say a peep when Marc Savard got creamed, or Sidney Crosby.....or just about anyone else.

I understand Montreal fans are upset, but a major corporate sponsor based in Montreal behaving like a whiny child is not good for either party. Whoever is behind this press fiasco at Air Canada should be fired by the board of directors.

In the US you have 4 Major Leagues, we're only represented in one, and that happen to be our 'national' sport, and that league is populated mostly by canadian players. Maybe they are really worried about what's happening on the ice, maybe they want free press, I don't give a ****, what's interesting here is that they're threatening the NHL, to take more precise actions against the ever increasing headshots... I don't care where they're from, perhaps, just perhaps, that enough is enough, don't you think ?

 

[Randomhero]

The same way they made it this far...USA corporate sponsors, duh.

Okay. Good luck with that.

 

[Davebo*]

What the hell is Air Canada?

[mod: deleted]

Read the article!

Air Canada, one of the NHL's largest financial corporate backers, is threatening to withdraw its sponsorship if the league doesn't take "immediate" and "serious" action on headshots

Oh wait - next you'll tell us some US sponsors will step up! They must be hiding in the woodpile - waiting to surprise us with mega bucks to save the day!

 

[a pony]

This situation is becoming Absolutely hilarious and ridiculous. Thank you Air Canada for deciding that you should be part of judge and jury for the NHL.

Of all the injustice in the world, let's climb all over the NHL's back, from all sectors of society. The NHL is the Kadafi of the world of sport.

The NHL is run by idiots and Air Canada doesn't want to be associated with them, what's wrong with that?

 

[Brodie]

Yeah, they're totally doing it because they're LOL HOMER HABS FANS

it's not like this is a serious matter that's embarrassing the league or anything

 

[HuGo Sham]

Canadien fans - write emails to Air Canada stating they'll no longer fly with them if they don't drop corporate sponsorship for the NHL.. because of the accidently injury by Chara that went unsuspended.
Air Canada - Writes email to NHL threatening to drop sponsership unless Chara gets suspended.

Guessing that's what happened...

Chara Pacioretty was once a year accidental incident that caused injury. If it was two different teams playing, this incident would go nearly unnoticed. But because it was Bruin on Hab... in Montreal..

don't **** with the fans of the habs. you have no idea. none. what a base that large,loyal, and passionate will do. I look forward to Chara's next game in montreal. it will be something else.

 

[X8oD]

The NHL is run by idiots and Air Canada doesn't want to be associated with them, what's wrong with that?

If this was a non-canadian team that was at the end of the hit. They wouldn't make this comment.

which is the point.

 

[ReVeuF]

I think the day a player will die from a cheap shot the NHL will die as well...

I see this as a warning, hope the NHL owners arrange a meeting soon and I dream about them firing Bettman. Buttman was never a hockey guy and do not belongs there since the start...

6 canadian teams generate over 40% of NHL revenues... Leafs and Habs nation got a lot of power to say the least...

Move Coyotes to Winnipeg, Thrashers to Quebec and Panthers to Hamilton, it will be a good start in the after-Buttman era.

 

[btn]

That "kid" has a severe concussion and a fracture of the 4th cervical vertebrae

And kids get severely injured in the juniors, in NCAA hockey, in the NHL as well.

It is a violent game.

Let me ask you this, if Hal Gill puts the exact same hit on Patrice Bergeron....and Bergeron has the exact same injuries.....Air Canada doesn't do a darn thing..do they?

This has nothing to do with hockey, it has to do with Montreal fans feeling wronged. And it is hilarious that the people running a major airline are running their business based on that.

 

[MoreOrr]

The NHL is run by idiots and Air Canada doesn't want to be associated with them, what's wrong with that?

If that's the way you really feel, then go and be a fan of the KHL. Nice knowing you.

 

[Davebo*]

this is just blowing hot air. air canada isn't going to pull support from the only sport canada cares about

Guess again.

They could throw some serious cash at the CHL. A league for Canadians that's all across the country. Some seriously good hockey, too.

**** the nhl.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

I think the day a player will die from a cheap shot the NHL will die as well...

I see this as a warning, hope the NHL owners arrange a meeting soon and I dream about them firing Bettman. Buttman was never a hockey guy and do not belongs there since the start...

Move Coyotes to Winnipeg, Thrashers to Quebec and Panthers to Hamilton, it will be a good start.

Yeah teams being located in those cities will prevent cheap shots. Wait what? Something's getting lost in translation here.

 

[MountainHawk]

And you think they give that money to the NHL as some kind of gift?

They sponsor the NHL because it brings them business, and if they want to shoot themselves in the foot because the favorite team of some of their executives had a kid get injured.....that is their business I guess. If I was a major institutional investor I would be dumping their stock tomorrow if this is how they make business decisions.

They should focus on running their airline, and not trying to run the NHL.

Air Canada having issues filling flights in Canada would be like Delta having issues in Atlanta. Not gonna happen.

 

[New User Name]

And you think they give that money to the NHL as some kind of gift?

They sponsor the NHL because it brings them business, and if they want to shoot themselves in the foot because the favorite team of some of their executives had a kid get injured.....that is their business I guess. If I was a major institutional investor I would be dumping their stock tomorrow if this is how they make business decisions.

They should focus on running their airline, and not trying to run the NHL.

You actually believe that? I guess you do.....wow

 

[MountainHawk]

And kids get severely injured in the juniors, in NCAA hockey, in the NHL as well.

It is a violent game.

Let me ask you this, if Hal Gill puts the exact same hit on Patrice Bergeron....and Bergeron has the exact same injuries.....Air Canada doesn't do a darn thing..do they?

This has nothing to do with hockey, it has to do with Montreal fans feeling wronged. And it is hilarious that the people running a major airline are running their business based on that.

Link?

Because the press release says the exact opposite.

 

[HuGo Sham]

If this was a non-canadian team that was at the end of the hit. They wouldn't make this comment.

which is the point.

hey if the bruins are allowed to have ******** influence at the league level
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2011/03/09/17558356.html
you can be ****ing sure the habs have it at several levels too. if it bothers you. tough

 

[a pony]

If that's the way you really feel, the go and be a fan of the KHL. Nice knowing you.

Bettman and Co. are terrible and the League survives in spite of their actions. Maybe when the BoG wises up and removes them and Jacobs as Chairman we'll get a league that's somewhat respectable.

 

[obsenssive*]

Air Canada receives subsidy and protectionism from the government and probably shouldn't be financially supporting anything but its own operations.

nice try, but fail.

Air Canada has an agreement with the government to service non-profitable routes as a public service. All the government does is reimburse their lost profits only on those routes.