Weary said:
Then isn't it quite foolish of the owners to spend advertising dollars promoting their workers? Successful companies promote their products, not their workers.
Yes, very foolish in my opinion. Bettman came in and attempted to implement a marketing plan based on the NBA model, especially in new markets that were unfamiliar with the game and its history. This model was about promoting the stars of the game, not the game itself. To some extent this model worked quite well in the new markets. Though some may argue that the sunbelt franchises are not the success that they need to be, you also must concede that hockey popularity and awareness in places like Nashville (though still nominal) is greater than it was a few years ago.
However, long term franchise success is not about promoting an individual star. It is about building a loyalty to a brand. Us fans, though we may like certain players, show loyalty to the team over and above the player. Thus, when a star from your team signs a FA deal somewhere else or is traded to another team, sure you may watch the highlights and reminisce, but you move on. Your loyalty is to your team, not the player.
For successful franchises, the players embody the brand. Calgary for years has marketed the "Young Guns" brand of hockey where every player brings his hardhat to work. This brand has been built partially out of necessity as they are unable to lure the top notch stars into their market. This being said, they have arguably to most dominant and one of the most promotional assets in Jerome Iginla. And yes, he is front and center in their promotions, but he is an embodiment of the brand that Calgary has created and continues to create.
The same holds true in Vancouver. The franchise turned around several years ago when they reached out to the community with a "Your Vancouver Canucks" campaign. They had billboards all over town with pictures of the core team members and their nicknames ("Nazzie", "Bert", "Cookie", etc). The folks down at Orca Bay were successful in building up a familiarity with this group. We could relate to this team, and we supported them. The Canucks brand also embodied things like being a fast skating, offensive-minded, fun to watch team. We liked the brand of the team.
Given the above, I think that when this thing does resume, the teams will have to work hard to repair the damage as our loyalty to the brand will be truly tested. Many of the American teams or teams that have consumed the NBA Kool-aid of promoting the stars, not the team, will have difficulties. I believe that a significant percentage of their fans do not yet have loyalty to the brands as this has not been the marketing strategy that was executed . If it does come down to replacement players skating in the shirts of our favourite teams, then this will make it even harder for these teams. Teams like Calgary that have built up loyalty to the brand, will succeed.
