NHL is damaging its reputation with useless ASG and missing Olympics

[Chimpradamus]

If you think NHL owners and the IOC are "of the same breed" you don't know a damn thing about the IOC. The only sport organization further in the toilet is FIFA and even then it's WAY closer than it should be.

So in which higher esteem do you hold the playboy owners of NHL franchises? Sure, they might know more about business and look less like Flintheart Glomgold, but only slightly. In what way aren't they of the same corrupt tie and suit breed? If you say I don't know enough about the IOC, I'd say you don't know enough about NHL franchise owners.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I dont think they should do away with ASG but they do need to go back to the Olympics.

 

[Saltcreek]

NHL loves wasting time on all star game, but wasting the same amount of time on olympics is a no-no.

It's weird because winter olympics are huge and give tons of publicity. It's amazing for marketing, much better than ASGs.

What marketing? Some me one NHL marketing ad that has Olympic highlights or references. This is not hard to understand. The NHL cannot use any Olympic material in their advertising and with that comes little to zero exposure. The only people who care about NHL players playing in the Olympics are people who already watch the NHL.

 

[sandysan]

It’s once in 4 years . Yes, it’s perfectly fine.

When someone else has to foot all of the risk for no award?

Sure a crappy deal once every 4 years remains a crappy deal regardless of frequency.

 

[sandysan]

NHL loves wasting time on all star game, but wasting the same amount of time on olympics is a no-no.

It's weird because winter olympics are huge and give tons of publicity. It's amazing for marketing, much better than ASGs.

The last sentence isn't only false, it's demonstrably false.

The NHL has never EVER gotten a bump from Olympics participation. Ever.

This might have something to do with the NHL's " partner" contractually preventing NHL access to Olympic footage after the games are over to capitalize on the best players on the planet.

The league explicitly stated the lack of benefit for why they told ( finally) the iOC " thanks, but no thanks".

The nhl is not luge were being famous for two weeks every 4 years and not a day inbetween is sufficient.

 

[Spartachat]

Yeah the Olympics is way more entertaining than the ASG but the IOC is a slimy organization and I don't blame the owners for not sending their "investments" over there to play for free and risk injury. I mean the NHL cant even show Olympic highlights afterwards. They gain nothing from that tournament and have a lot to lose.

Nothing beats the World Cup of Hockey!

 

[57special]

Until the OLympics decide to share some of the money with the NHL, why should they?

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Until the OLympics decide to share some of the money with the NHL, why should they?

because their employees want to do it. I understand the NHL’s position, but this is one I think they should give in on. See if they can work a deal with the IOC, it’s a shame that greed from both sides is keeping the players from playing in games they actually care about.

As to the all-star game.. maybe make it at the end of the season? Doesn’t work great for the NFL, but maybe if hockey combined it with the awards ceremony and stuff it might work better? Still tough to manage given that playoff participants will be banged up and everyone just wants to go on break at that point, but I gotta think there’s a period where it’d slot in nicely

 

[jrs]

why don't they just not have an all star event during the year of the olympics and schedule the break around that?

 

[Lacaar]

I will argue that 20 or odd so years of Olympics hasn't done sweet piddly shit for the NHL or the sport of Hockey.
The first Olympic champion country can barely piss out an NHL player 20+ years later.. they've regressed massively.

Olympics and growing the sport is a big bunch of bullshit

 

[Voight]

When’s the last all star game people watched fully?

Think mine was al mccinis

The year they had the draft because David Backes said he was going to hit the captain who didn't pick him during the game.

Olympic participation for extending the CBA? How is that garbage? Do the players think they're gonna get a better deal. Every time it expires the players give up a little more. Why would they want that to happen sooner? Do they somehow think they're gonna get the better of the Owners this time?

The current deal really isn't that great for them. Yes I know they didn't opt out but I think that was a goodwill gesture co lobby the league for 2022. & also because scoring is at its highest in years and they don't want to interrupt anything.

 

[sandysan]

I dont think they should do away with ASG but they do need to go back to the Olympics.

For what purpose? To stuff the pockets of some fatcats in Lausanne?

Big. Fat. No.

 

[Neuf]

There's also the issue of this:
NHL: Divisional format and playoffs encourages rivalry

NHL: I bet fans want to cheer for teams made from their divisions

Feels like we end up with apathy

 

[KingsFan7824]

because their employees want to do it. I understand the NHL’s position, but this is one I think they should give in on. See if they can work a deal with the IOC, it’s a shame that greed from both sides is keeping the players from playing in games they actually care about.

Sure, because there's almost zero downside for players. The worst that happens is they get hurt, and the team they're on either misses the playoffs, or they're too hurt to play come playoff time. Even if a player gets hurt while participating in a non-NHL related activity though, they still get their money.

If the players would forgo the money they would get while they were injured, I wonder if the NHL would then say ok? Or, maybe, the Olympic level star that gets hurt at the Olympics pays the owner of the team some amount of money to sort of make up the difference in lost revenue in 2 home playoff games? Since there's no guarantee of more than 2(right Tampa Bay?) Although at this point, it might be an ego fight between the NHL and IOC more than anything else.

 

[Machinehead]

Having a useless all-star game isn't unique to the NHL.

It was a novelty before the internet when you didn't see every guy. They've run their course.

 

[sandysan]

because their employees want to do it. I understand the NHL’s position, but this is one I think they should give in on. See if they can work a deal with the IOC, it’s a shame that greed from both sides is keeping the players from playing in games they actually care about.

As to the all-star game.. maybe make it at the end of the season? Doesn’t work great for the NFL, but maybe if hockey combined it with the awards ceremony and stuff it might work better? Still tough to manage given that playoff participants will be banged up and everyone just wants to go on break at that point, but I gotta think there’s a period where it’d slot in nicely

Wait how is it greed on both sides?

The NHL has not asked for all revenues, as long as the owners get SOMETHING for allowing their players UNDER CONTRACT to participate, the owners would likely consent.

The IOC's counteroffer: " not one red cent to anyone but us". When asked for a second offer, they said " ok, you pay for the insurance as well"

 

[Sugi21]

Well the league has much to gain from ASG and more to lose at Olympics! Bettman doesn’t care about growing the game outside North America... I mean the USA!

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Sure, because there's almost zero downside for players. The worst that happens is they get hurt, and the team they're on either misses the playoffs, or they're too hurt to play come playoff time. Even if a player gets hurt while participating in a non-NHL related activity though, they still get their money.

If the players would forgo the money they would get while they were injured, I wonder if the NHL would then say ok? Or, maybe, the Olympic level star that gets hurt at the Olympics pays the owner of the team some amount of money to sort of make up the difference in lost revenue in 2 home playoff games? Since there's no guarantee of more than 2(right Tampa Bay?) Although at this point, it might be an ego fight between the NHL and IOC more than anything else.

I literally said I understand the NHL’s position, maybe I shoulda clarified that to make it clear I include the owners in that concern.

Wait how is it greed on both sides?

The NHL has not asked for all revenues, as long as the owners get SOMETHING for allowing their players UNDER CONTRACT to participate, the owners would likely consent.

The IOC's counteroffer: " not one red cent to anyone but us". When asked for a second offer, they said " ok, you pay for the cord yet the insurance as well"

And for me a love of the game and a desire to grow it should trump that, but that’s why I’d be a crap businessman.

 

[sandysan]

Well the league has much to gain from ASG and more to lose at Olympics! Bettman doesn’t care about growing the game outside North America... I mean the USA!

For 20 years they tried.
It never worked.
So they should keep doing the same thing and hope for a different result?

The NHL isn't insane.

 

[sandysan]

I literally said I understand the NHL’s position, maybe I shoulda clarified that to make it clear I include the owners in that concern.



And for me a love of the game and a desire to grow it should trump that, but that’s why I’d be a crap businessman.

The Olympics ( despite having the best players on the planet for FREE for 2 DECADES) hasn't successfully grown anything except graft.

How in the hell does participation "grow the game" when the NHL is contractually prevented from using Olympic footage?


Psst the answer is it cannot and has not

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

The Olympics ( despite having the best players on the planet for FREE for 2 DECADES) hasn't successfully grown anything except graft.

How in the hell does participation "grow the game" when the NHL is contractually prevented from using Olympic footage?


Psst the answer is it cannot and has not

Not really sure how you measure the Olympics’ impact on the growth of the game. That data just doesn’t exist. So it’s anecdotal, but I’ve had non-hockey fan friends go off about how great the gold medal game was and such. It seems to get viewers the NHL might not have gotten. Meanwhile I’d think the relative success of a team like Switzerland helps grow the sport in those countries not considered powerhouses.

 

[Hatfield]

As an NHL fan, I don’t care about the Olympics either, especially when I can’t watch the games live. I would much rather have no breaks at all.

 

[saffronleaf]

ASG needs to be abolished, ideally by law. US and Canada should both abolish it.

 

[Shakey Rustie]

Having a useless all-star game isn't unique to the NHL.

It was a novelty before the internet when you didn't see every guy. They've run their course.

They should still hold it, just send the all-star players to a bar and have cameras follow them. What could go wrong?!

 

[Breakers]

The contrast between the NBA and NHL is insane

NBA players are holding these big parties and some players were almost crying at being named to the all star game today.

If you did a live shot of NHL players they would be breaking sticks and cursing anybody within vicinity and calling their agent thinking of possible ways to get the hell out of it.