So having Crosby in New York is a good thing because of what? Because they are a media center? Great. So Crosby gets buried behind coverage of the Yankees, the Mets, the Giants, the Jets, the Knicks, etc. and ignored like the Rangers normally are (with the exception of their rise from the ashes ever 54 years). Instead Crosby could end up in a growing market like Columbus where the Blue Jackets are the only game in town and will get all the coverage he deserves and generate a buzz.
Getting all the local coverage only so that does what for the game? Sure helps Columbus but it's about 30 markets remember? Having him in a big market like NY in my mind would actually benfit the game ..and IF he was succesfull enough to take them deep woudl be awesome. Look at the highest point of "Buzz" the NHL has had in the last 10-20 years, 1994, the year the Rangers won the cup..
I guess it all depends on what you suspect is the best strategy for developing the game. To me, the game is best developed by having 30 local markets that are strong and have the ability to sustain themselves. By generating a buzz in those 30 markets, and then working on the development of regional interaction and rivalries to cross pollonate the markets, you begin to spread the enthusiasm for the product and get people hooked on the game itself. The NFL has great ratings because they broadcast the games that people want to see regionally and the hot teams nationally. The NHL should take a similar approach and make sure that the local markets ahev the opportunity to see every single game of their home team, as well as the best teams in the league on a weekly basis, no matter where they are from. Just watching the traditional BIG market team does nothing for the game, and will in fact remind the fans of all that was bad about the last system and give the jaded the proof that nothing has changed.
I agree, i just dont see how putting Crosby in Columbus or whereever helps that. Alll the above needs to be done and by god you put it very well, but having the phenom in a lrger market would accentuate that, not work against it, IMO
The NHL has a chance to move the league in a positive direction. Strong teams in every market should be the priority, not ramping up one or two markets with stars because they are media centers. That is essentially the system the league allowed to develop and it failed miserably. The league should be focusing on the greatness of each team and promoting the hell out of that. That's where success will come from.
Again I agree, and simply thinking that the league would be better off having him in a big market at this point is hardly making it a priority.
Waiting to see where he ends up and then watching the bickering here should be fairly entertaining tho!