Air Canada threatens to pull sponsorship from NHL over headshots

[MillerTime2181]

NBC dictates the times of games. Though, they're not a sponsor and definitely don't provide the NHL the $ Air Canada does.

Thats a television contract and I'm pretty sure it's written into it they have the power to alter the games they show/what times based on what works for them best ratings-wise. They aren't say Doritos saying they will pull sponsership if rulings/ect. aren't dealt with according to their liking.

 

[Kikizaz]

another thing is don't these sponsers have some sort on contract. Wouldn't they be in breach of said contract by opting out on a whim. I would thing there would need to be warning/proper documents/notice filed, and if this is it so be it, but otherwise I think Air Canada would be walking a tightrope here, no?

hmmm... is the nhl willing to spend MORE money to fight it in court?

One thing im slowly learning, having control means controlling the purse strings.

 

[MillerTime2181]

hmmm... is the nhl willing to spend MORE money to fight it in court?

One thing im slowly learning, having control means controlling the purse strings.

So the alternative is to give in to what they demand? What kind of precedent does that set? Regardless of what you think/thought of the hit. This is a different issue entirely. How much power should the NHL begrudge their sponsers over the rulings/actions/results of the league/games?

 

[New User Name]

Thats a television contract and I'm pretty sure it's written into it they have the power to alter the games they show/what times based on what works for them best ratings-wise. They aren't say Doritos saying they will pull sponsership if rulings/ect. aren't dealt with according to their liking.

I'm with Air Canada on this one.

It's time we cleaned up the game before someone gets killed.

Players are bigger, faster and stronger. It will happen if nothing is done. I'm not a Montreal fan either.

The icing rule is a disaster waiting to happen. But what does the NHL do? They're looking into the stupid USHL rule instead of going with the common sense European rule. BTW I'm not European either.

Someone will die and we'll all say OMG why did it come to this.

 

[AllByDesign]

I didn't say anything about intent. The hit was illegal. A penalty was called immediately for interference, and to say it wasn't interference is ridiculous. He started the hit late, let alone finished it late, and a player was injured because of it. I'm not saying he intended to injure, but it's Chara's job as a player and a veteran of the league to not be reckless on this play.

And I, sir, never said it wasn't interference. It wasn't even a hit. Max was in the process of being interfered with (rubbed out). Chara has 8 inches and 60 pounds on the kid. It wasn't pretty. Since you agree there was no intent, then you agree that a mild 2-3 game suspension would have been ample?

Yes, Air Canada is free to sponsor whatever their repeatedly cash strapped heart desires. More reasons to fly WestJet

 

[tez]

And I, sir, never said it wasn't interference. It wasn't even a hit. Max was in the process of being interfered with (rubbed out). Chara has 8 inches and 60 pounds on the kid. It wasn't pretty. Since you agree there was no intent, then you agree that a mild 2-3 game suspension would have been ample?

Yes, Air Canada is free to sponsor whatever their repeatedly cash strapped heart desires. More reasons to fly WestJet

Yes, that was my opinion the entire time (aside from last night when it had just happened, when obviously everyone was over-reacting and a little touchy).

I agree that 2-3 games would have been the right decision, the NHL can't send a message that plays like this are safe - regardless of whether he had intent or not, which I think we can agree on.

 

[AllByDesign]

I'm with Air Canada on this one.

It's time we cleaned up the game before someone gets killed.

Players are bigger, faster and stronger. It will happen if nothing is done. I'm not a Montreal fan either.

The icing rule is a disaster waiting to happen. But what does the NHL do? They're looking into the stupid USHL rule instead of going with the common sense European rule. BTW I'm not European either.

Someone will die and we'll all say OMG why did it come to this.

Or no-one dies and Air Canada takes the credit? Or had someone died the sponsors would take the brunt of the blame? I can't believe no one sees this as Air Canada cashing in on free exposure, thus exploiting the tragic injury suffered yesterday.

Yay for Air Canada.

 

[MillerTime2181]

I'm with Air Canada on this one.

It's time we cleaned up the game before someone gets killed.

Players are bigger, faster and stronger. It will happen if nothing is done. I'm not a Montreal fan either.

The icing rule is a disaster waiting to happen. But what does the NHL do? They're looking into the stupid USHL rule instead of going with the common sense European rule. BTW I'm not European either.

Someone will die and we'll all say OMG why did it come to this.

I agree with cleaning up the game. No one likes injuries. But to give a sponser that much power is asking for trouble. What happens next, a company decides the nets should be bigger? Some corporation says unless every jersey bears their logo they pull advertising? Where does it end? Again a great endeavor but going about it the wrong way unless they are taking the stance it's from here on out they expect the league to rule for more suspensions. To change prior rulings is asinine.

 

[AllByDesign]

Yes, that was my opinion the entire time (aside from last night when it had just happened, when obviously everyone was over-reacting and a little touchy).

I agree that 2-3 games would have been the right decision, the NHL can't send a message that plays like this are safe - regardless of whether he had intent or not, which I think we can agree on.

Glad we agree, I had mistakenly made the assumption you were part of the "Ban him for life crowd". I apologize for my mistake.

 

[tez]

Glad we agree, I had mistakenly made the assumption you were part of the "Ban him for life crowd". I apologize for my mistake.

Lol, no worries. This whole situation hasn't helped the reputation of Habs fans, that's for sure.

 

[Ignoramus*]

I'm really getting tired of hearing Crosby's name lumped in with all this, when it's so ridiculously irrelevant.

Pretty sure being concussed by a headshot is relevant to a discussion of headshots and concussions.

 

[New User Name]

Or no-one dies and Air Canada takes the credit? Or had someone died the sponsors would take the brunt of the blame? I can't believe no one sees this as Air Canada cashing in on free exposure, thus exploiting the tragic injury suffered yesterday.

Yay for Air Canada.

I don't agree/disagree with you on AC trying to get some exposure.

But with recent dirty hits (Savard, Crosby--yes I believe it was intentional) the reckless (not dirty) hit by Chara and many others, the league needs to do something.

 

[danisonfire]

Simply.... silence silence silence silence... Montreal?!?!?! We boycott.

Wasn't even a head shot.

 

[AllByDesign]

Lol, no worries. This whole situation hasn't helped the reputation of Habs fans, that's for sure.

I can empathize with the touchiness. Max had really hit his stride this year, and proving to be a valuable asset to his team. A big loss for sure.

 

[Ignoramus*]

I don't agree/disagree with you on AC trying to get some exposure.

But with recent dirty hits (Savard, Crosby--yes I believe it was intentional) the reckless (not dirty) hit by Chara and many others, the league needs to do something.

Correction: The league should have done something 10 years ago.

 

[New User Name]

Correction: The league should have done something 10 years ago.

I agree. Lets just hope someone isn't killed before they do something.

Already because of a (IMO) cheap shot, fans are denied the pleasure of seeing the best player in the world (love him or hate him) who was having an absolute fantastic year. Sad really.

 

[AllByDesign]

I don't agree/disagree with you on AC trying to get some exposure.

But with recent dirty hits (Savard, Crosby--yes I believe it was intentional) the reckless (not dirty) hit by Chara and many others, the league needs to do something.

I believe intentional as well. I agree Chara should bear some responsibilty for his actions as well. The result doesn't please me in the least. Some are trying to cast a larger shadow out of sensationalism, calling into question a players reputation that is deserved of the benefit of the doubt. It's starting to wear thin.

Yes... let's make an evaluation on a clip by clip pace... much like a disputed goal. You will also notice in the picture a Bruin 2nd from the right... he isn't even taking notice of your implied "Head Shot"... why would that be? If someone were being thrust head first into a stantion, would this not catch his attention? Could it be because he wouldn't react to a defenseman rubbing a player out along the boards, because.. what's abnormal about that?

 

[seanlinden]

Oh Wow, where did a post of calm sense come from out of all this. You sir, I will respond to. Everyone is looking to press the blame on someone, but a great many fans need to look in the mirror and see that they've all denied the evolution of the game and the players that play it, as well as the strategies to win in a more competitive League. Changes are needed, Yes, but in truth almost nobody wants them, and the League is just like the fans that watch it, dragging its feet to accommodate the "painful" realties that exist. No one player is responsible for woes that exist today in the League, and the League itself hasn't created these problems, they've come about through the evolution of the game, and the League, everyone, hasn't adapted to it all yet.

Completely agree.

It's really not as simple as saying "suspend the dirty hits" -- any objective fan would tell you that this is an interference penalty that happened to go wrong. Chara hit him into the boards (as clearly evidenced by the door actually opening), and Pacioretty's forward momentum from skating carried him into the turnbuckle. If Pacioretty had the puck on his stick or in his feet, it would've made no difference to the injury suffered.

If you suspend Chara for checking Pacioretty in a position where he hits the turnbuckle, you effectively make that area of the ice a no-hit zone, and / or put the honus on the hitter that if you're going to hit a player by the benches, you make sure he doesn't go into the turnbuckle at the worst possible angle. I mean, people take issue with the Crosby concussion -- it happened as a result of innocent collision.

There is no easy solution to this, and I think that's why you have so many unreasonable fans posting their first instinct without actually thinking it through. When you actually look at the game today, there is no simple way to fix it, beyond the idea of locking players in cabins in the mountains and only giving them basic nutrition. Unfortunately, hockey has it worse than even a sport like football. Obviously the players aren't as strong, but a hockey player can skate faster than a football player can run. When you hit the ground in football, you hit a simulated grass surface which has give to it, when you hit the ice, you hit ice. When you get knocked out of bounds in football, you get knocked over and bump into a variety of things on the sideline, when you get knocked out of bounds in hockey, you get knocked into a wall.

 

[WhereIsIt]

That photo is misleading, he's not touching his head. I can see that you are in love with this photo, as you have it as your avatar, but you love it because it shows what you think happened and not what actually happened.

 

[MiLLw00d]

That photo is misleading, he's not touching his head. I can see that you are in love with this photo, as you have it as your avatar, but you love it because it shows what you think happened and not what actually happened.

I've had it with comment like that,
Pacioretty himself told 2 reporters today that he was pushed on his HEAD by Chara.

ffs, the interview was made public 3 hours ago and some people are still debating that??

Wake up!!

 

[just22]

Don't hit players on Canadian teams or else the league might lose corporate sponsors.

well if there were no Canadian teams, the NHL probably doesn't exist... you gotta protect your investments

 

[Melrose Munch]

The NHL would be just fine if Montreal and Toronto stayed. And chances are they will.

 

[Dado]

Sponsors have a right - and arguably an obligation - to push the events they pay for in the direction they want.

 

[Shawa666]

Exactly it's not the endeavor that should anger some but rather the timing. No uproar over the Crosby,Savard, or Richards hits. Yet a Canadian player on a Canadian team-the very teams the majority of the sponser's money go to- and we get this. Kudos for standing up to the hits and arguing for changes, but the timing seems off.

Max Pacioretty is from Connecticut, FYI.

 

[Shawa666]

I agree with cleaning up the game. No one likes injuries. But to give a sponser that much power is asking for trouble. What happens next, a company decides the nets should be bigger? Some corporation says unless every jersey bears their logo they pull advertising? Where does it end? Again a great endeavor but going about it the wrong way unless they are taking the stance it's from here on out they expect the league to rule for more suspensions. To change prior rulings is asinine.

NBC