NHL Marketing and Fighting

[SnowblindNYR]

I'm opening myself up to attacks here because this will be an anti-fighting thread and hockey fans clutch their pearls anytime someone dares question the holy practice of hockey fighting.

There are two problems with fighting from a marketing standpoint:

1) It's this super quirky part of a beautiful sport that defines the sport for many people. Some people who aren't fans like it (only thing I like about hockey is fighting), but they're not serious fans. But overall it makes the league not look serious. Every other sport there are real repercussions when it comes to fighting. As is it makes the league look bush league. It's like your friend that says silly things all the time. He's lovable but no one takes him seriously.

2) 99% of fighting is clean and these guys respect each other. That said when you promote fighting it creates a culture of violence where dirty plays end up being overlooked because it's not that much of a leap to dirty play. Kind of like in politics things tend to go into extremes more and more, even if they start center left or center right. And that's what creates the DOPS giving a guy a $5k fine for dangerous actions. Once again bad marketing, makes the league look completely bush league.

Oh and fighting doesn't deter anything, these guys that are dirty fight for a living, what will it actually do if they fight and even lose a fight. They've done that their entire lives.

If you want the NHL to grow you need to get rid of unnecessary violence and promote tough physical forechecking hockey instead. Because that's actually part of the game.

Flame away...

Click to read more...

 

[tarheelhockey]

I mean, it's pretty much the truth. Look at the Fighting forum on this website. Crickets. Yet it's still there, year after year.

The NHL deliberately cashed in on fighting for a long time, even if they will never admit that was what it was about. But that day has passed and it's pretty clear that the vast majority of hockey fans would rather have a healthy superstar on their team than the odd scrap between 5-goal goons.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I mean, it's pretty much the truth. Look at the Fighting forum on this website. Crickets. Yet it's still there, year after year.

The NHL deliberately cashed in on fighting for a long time, even if they will never admit that was what it was about. But that day has passed and it's pretty clear that the vast majority of hockey fans would rather have a healthy superstar on their team than the odd scrap between 5-goal goons.

It's moving that way, but I remember getting into an argument with someone how he doesn't like hockey because it loses its credibility with fighting. But he's right. Old people that would rather see a good scrap than a nice goal are being phased out of the league anyway and people are far more likely to think that it's bush league and not watch than not watch because fighting isn't a thing. The NHL is so slow to adapt. The only thing they've tried to remedy is the lack of diversity but it's had very slow results, but has had results nonetheless.

 

[gwh]

Campell obviously wants fighting to return, despite the massive billion dollar lawsuit potential. The Wilson debacle is a rerun from the earlier battle of alberta beef, where Campell tried to instigate series of brawls.

This doof needs to get sacked and someone with an actual brain to lead the NHL hockey ops.

 

[CartographerNo611]

I mean, it's pretty much the truth. Look at the Fighting forum on this website. Crickets. Yet it's still there, year after year.

As a huge fight fan this is just flat out not correct. The sub forum on here was created when hockeyfights.com was at the tail end of its peak and it had its own popular forum. Hfboards has always had a very poor reputation in regards to fans who like the physical aspect so why post on site where your going to get hated on?

Fight fans got phased out with the hockey culture change and most fights today really aren’t worth talking about. Most fights are sloppy and very dangerous since most players don’t know how to fall down properly these days due to strict fighting rules in juniors not allowing teens to learn how to properly fight.

The huge decline in enforcers and just players that fight a lot has played a huge role in the “crickets.”

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Fighting is banned. Then, two players fight. Another fight happens in a different game.

Now what?

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Fighting is banned. Then, two players fight. Another fight happens in a different game.

Now what?

You do what's done in other leagues and suspend players that fight.

 

[PensPlz]

There is a difference between 2 consenting players agreeing to fight and what Tom Wilson recently did.

One is perfectly okay to have in the sport and the league and the other needs to be gotten rid of.

If you can't see the difference then idk what to tell you.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

As a huge fight fan this is just flat out not correct. The sub forum on here was created when hockeyfights.com was at the tail end of its peak and it had its own popular forum. Hfboards has always had a very poor reputation in regards to fans who like the physical aspect so why post on site where your going to get hated on?

Fight fans got phased out with the hockey culture change and most fights today really aren’t worth talking about. Most fights are sloppy and very dangerous since most players don’t know how to fall down properly these days due to strict fighting rules in juniors not allowing teens to learn how to properly fight.

The huge decline in enforcers and just players that fight a lot has played a huge role in the “crickets.”

I guess what I don't understand why "liking the physical aspect" is a euphemism for liking fights? This is a league where body checks are allowed, other than the NFL and rugby it's the most physical sport there is WITHOUT fighting. I can't really think of any other sport that has a completely unrelated side show so central to its identity, even if it's going away nowadays.

 

[ItWasJustified]

MMA is probably the fastest growing sport for young people today. And you people want to grow hockey by removing fighting?

Lol.

 

[SotasicA]

Oh and fighting doesn't deter anything, these guys that are dirty fight for a living, what will it actually do if they fight and even lose a fight.

It limits dirty plays by players who are afraid of fighting and unwilling to do it. An actual enforcer does not play dirty, you must be confused. Well, unless the other team doesn't dress one, then that team is free game.

 

[Chips]

Fighting is banned. Then, two players fight. Another fight happens in a different game.

Now what?

Real punishments. Brief suspension means real money, especially to 4th line guys

 

[Chips]

It limits dirty plays by players who are afraid of fighting and unwilling to do it. An actual enforcer does not play dirty, you must be confused. Well, unless the other team doesn't dress one, then that team is free game.

Not really, we see players do dirty stuff and avoid fights anyway pretty regularly

didn’t dirty shit happen in the past anyway? They just fought after so okay you “answered for it”.. then it happens again, fight again... I feel like that just means more fights and not much else. It’s a really romanticized idea

 

[BruinsBtn]

Ask yourself what the ratings will be for Wednesday's rematch compared to what they would be if nothing had happened on Monday....

 

[SnowblindNYR]

It limits dirty plays by players who are afraid of fighting and unwilling to do it. An actual enforcer does not play dirty, you must be confused. Well, unless the other team doesn't dress one, then that team is free game.

You think Tom Wilson is afraid that someone fights him? He's a big dude and fights plenty. This seems like fantasy to me. There were more dirty players when fighting was more prevalent.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

hockey fans clutch their pearls anytime someone dares question the holy practice of hockey fighting.

Flame away...

Since you invited it - don't you think you're setting this up to be contentious just by the way you phrased the above?

 

[BruinsBtn]

The reality is that people like violence.

Hockey is a game best played when the intensity is the highest. The inevitable manifestation of that is a fight and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. You just do your best to make sure it's a fair fight.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

MMA is probably the fastest growing sport for young people today. And you people want to grow hockey by removing fighting?

Lol.

Fighting has been around in hockey forever and it's an also ran sport. And if you can't tell the difference between side shows in a sport and sport actually centered around fighting I don't know what to say. Boxing and MMA are sports where fighting IS the sport. Much different from it being a side show. And if someone watches hockey due to the fighting because they like MMA fighting then they're probably watching a couple of games a year. It must be boring hating goals but watching just in case someone drops the gloves once every 5 games.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Since you invited it - don't you think you're setting this up to be contentious just by the way you phrased the above?

Not really just bracing myself because last time I dared make a thread about fighting I had people say I don't know what I'm talking about. So I'm getting ahead of the insults.

 

[Sheppy]

Fighting is good, I for one love the intensity of these games when you're seeing teams much more.

 

[Chips]

I'm opening myself up to attacks here because this will be an anti-fighting thread and hockey fans clutch their pearls anytime someone dares question the holy practice of hockey fighting.

There are two problems with fighting from a marketing standpoint:

1) It's this super quirky part of a beautiful sport that defines the sport for many people. Some people who aren't fans like it (only thing I like about hockey is fighting), but they're not serious fans. But overall it makes the league not look serious. Every other sport there are real repercussions when it comes to fighting. As is it makes the league look bush league. It's like your friend that says silly things all the time. He's lovable but no one takes him seriously.

2) 99% of fighting is clean and these guys respect each other. That said when you promote fighting it creates a culture of violence where dirty plays end up being overlooked because it's not that much of a leap to dirty play. Kind of like in politics things tend to go into extremes more and more, even if they start center left or center right. And that's what creates the DOPS giving a guy a $5k fine for dangerous actions. Once again bad marketing, makes the league look completely bush league.

Oh and fighting doesn't deter anything, these guys that are dirty fight for a living, what will it actually do if they fight and even lose a fight. They've done that their entire lives.

If you want the NHL to grow you need to get rid of unnecessary violence and promote tough physical forechecking hockey instead. Because that's actually part of the game.

Flame away...

This is very true, especially the part about so many people knowing nothing about hockey other than “that’s the sport meatheads beat the shit out of each other”

especially illustrated in non-hockey movies that feature hockey sequences, often very brief and emphasize fighting or some guy getting crushed into the boards with 0 context

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Ask yourself what the ratings will be for Wednesday's rematch compared to what they would be if nothing had happened on Monday....

Probably not that significant difference and this is bigger picture than one game. I know I won't be watching because the Rangers will have half their team out and I'm not going to be sitting there hoping that Brendan Smith drops his gloves in a dog and pony shot for 2 minutes.

 

[chauron]

Look at UFC if you have to see fighting, they’re so much better and the fights are much more intense and technical. I’ll rather watch good stuff with the puck than abysmal wrestling.

 

[thethirdhockeyman91]

Ask yourself what the ratings will be for Wednesday's rematch compared to what they would be if nothing had happened on Monday....

Stupid point to make, if Panarin got injured the ratings would be low.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

This is very true, especially the part about so many people knowing nothing about hockey other than “that’s the sport meatheads beat the shit out of each other”

especially illustrated in non-hockey movies that feature hockey sequences, often very brief and emphasize fighting or some guy getting crushed into the boards with 0 context

Wish I could like this. People comparing it to MMA are completely off base. One is central to the sport with professional fighters, one's a side show with amateur fighters that are barely professional hockey players (with some players being the exception).

Since rap music is popular we should have a designated freestyle rap session in the middle of each game. Players will roast their opponents to get rid of their aggression.