Draft & Marketing Idea

[naihlflames]

On the eve of the NFL draft and being a hockey fan I am amazed and envious of all the attention being paid to the NFL draft. With the NHL there has been alot of debate about what the draft order should be.

Whenever there is a settlement, the NHL will need a positive media boost. How is this for a draft idea that would surely drive huge media attention and if televised in the USA and Canada would probably break all NHL draft ratings.

Pre-draft there is always debate about who you team should draft and mock drafts left and right. If the NHL goes to a lottery for the draft order, why not a live lottery at the moment of the draft. 30 NHL balls in a bin and the commissioner draws a ball out. That team has the #1 pick and has 5 minutes to deal it or make the pick. Once the pick is announced, the commissioner picks another team and they are on the clock.

It would keep hockey fans on the edge of their seats on not only who should be drafted next, but what team will get the pick. Great drama to bring media attention to a sport that will badly need it.

btw: There have been many threads about the draft order. If you are anti-lottery no need to respond to thread. I already know half the people are pro lottery and half against it. If you are pro-lottery, what do you think of the marketing spin on it and the attention it would bring? Would you tune it and watch it?

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[Pavel]

The reason people are into the NFL draft is because they are in to the NFL. If most sports fans, especially us Americans, don't care about hockey then they really won't care about the draft.

 

[nyrmessier011]

remember when the NHL was about hockey?

Everyone involved in the process should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[Seachd]

I think the NFL draft makes more of an impact with its fans because the draftees are generally seen sooner in the NFL. NHL draftees can wait 5 years or more without seeing an NHL game.

5 minutes is a pretty ridiculous amount of time to decide if you want to keep the pick, and a) if so decide who to pick, or b) if not, work out a deal.

Anyway, I don't like the idea. Drafts, by definition, aren't entertaining or dramatic for those who don't really care. They shouldn't be dressed up as such. I don't think it will draw any more attention, and just make a mockery of the whole process at the same time. In fact, as it is, I prefer the NHL draft to the NFL's or NBA's.

 

[Epsilon]

I think the NFL draft makes more of an impact with its fans because the draftees are generally seen sooner in the NFL. NHL draftees can wait 5 years or more without seeing an NHL game.

Here's another reason: the number of people who have even heard the name Sidney Crosby is nowhere near the number of people who have watched guys like Alex Smith, Aaron Rodgers, Braylon Edwards, and Mike Williams star in college football during all those fall Saturdays and New Year's bowl games.

 

[Pavel]

Here's another reason: the number of people who have even heard the name Sidney Crosby is nowhere near the number of people who have watched guys like Alex Smith, Aaron Rodgers, Braylon Edwards, and Mike Williams star in college football during all those fall Saturdays and New Year's bowl games.

That's a good point too. Out of all the major sports drafts people are most familiar with the players in the NFL draft. There isn't even a close second in terms of name recoginition.

 

[thinkwild]

That's a good point too. Out of all the major sports drafts people are most familiar with the players in the NFL draft. There isn't even a close second in terms of name recoginition.

In the States. Not so in the Provinces. Which makes sense, because Hockey is Canada's sport. The other 3 are America's sports.

 

[Oilers Chick]

To add to what Epsilon said...

College Football and Basketball is huge here in the US, that's a big reason why the NBA and especially the NFL draft get so much attention. I guess a somewhat similar equivalent in Canada would be the popularity of the CHL in relation to the NHL draft. College Hockey, as wonderful and exciting it is to those of us that follow it closely, is not nearly as popular as College Football or Baskertball in many parts of the US. Sad but true.

 

[Timmy]

College Football and Basketball is huge here in the US, that's a big reason why the NBA and especially the NFL draft get so much attention. I guess a somewhat similar equivalent in Canada would be the popularity of the CHL in relation to the NHL draft. College Hockey, as wonderful and exciting it is to those of us that follow it closely, is not nearly as popular as College Football or Baskertball in many parts of the US. Sad but true.

I didn't know there was an NFL draft until after the fact.

Only fans of the sport follow. The hype is nice, but not particularly necessary.