Predators raise a "Regular Season Western Conference Champions" banner....

[Quid Pro Clowe]

The Sharks unveiled a "Western Conference Regular Season Champions" banner as part of the Presidents' Trophy banner ceremony after 08-09 season. From what I recall, similar situation after the 09-10 season with a Division banner ceremony. I always HATED those banners. The "Regular Season" was in such small font that it seemed like an asterisk on a mock WCF banner. Thankfully they've been taken down.

I remember all the crap Wings fans talked about it until someone posted a pic of Joe Lewis with the exact same banner.

 

[triggrman]

That's all fine and good that it helped them make a bunch of money, but it was exactly what you said, a Marketing tool. It was still hilarious for me to watch it unravel. Pittsburgh on their way to their 5th Stanley Cup and 2nd in a row going about their business vs. Nashville, just happy to be there, inviting every country music industry tool (who mostly couldn't care less about hockey) to sing the anthem, drinking beer out of a catfish, etc.

I said Preds fans don't seem to understand the sport because I spoke to many Preds fans throughout the series who didn't understand basic principles of the game. I understand that success brings new fans, but if someone is a new fan and they argue about the game as though they're a life-long watcher it's kind of comical to me.

In my comparison to San Jose fans who had just been to their 1st Stanley Cup in their franchises existence the year prior, Nashville was laughable. It wasn't a rant, it was more of a musing than anything.

Edit: Please excuse me for finding it funny that a franchise who made it past the 2nd round for the first time in almost 20 years didn't "act like they've been there", and now ceremonially raised a (mostly) meaningless banner.

If only we could file for bankruptcy and get the league to gift us a generational player, twice

 

[playasRus]

If I were a team owner, I'd be rich!

And then, if I were a team owner, I'd only have four types of banners:

1) Individual Cup banners - they get their own pregame ceremonies at the first home game of the season after.

I never got this. The team iced the following season is sometimes drasticalyl different, and almost always has some notable faces missing.

Everything you just complained about has been a huge success for the Preds (besides the banner). Only markets like MTL and TOR can sustain success business wise focusing only on hockey as their product. The Preds have done a great job marketing their product both on the ice and off the ice. How do Preds fan not understand the sport? Because the franchise's success has driven more corporate support and new fans? Welcome to any franchise ever. Your rant is ignorant.

Not to mention, this is probably why this person's not in marketting. Nashville has/is doing an amazing job in getting their team and the sport to become of interest to people. This is in an MLB/NFL rabid state. Mike Fisher getting traded there was a blessing for their PR. Country singers talking them up sells tickets.

This is coming from a fan of a team who could use a makeover. I'd take boots and hats as the team theme over crazy Eugene any day.

 

[Whileee]

Getting trolled hard, here....

 

[TheSenator]

Quality post

 

[tony d]

Seems a bit overboard to me.

 

[mouz135]

Edmonton takes the cake for most useless banner with their fan voted banner. That was hilarious

 

[Dustin]

I guess its just a difference of opinion. Honestly I do not like any of the division banners or conference banners at PPG Arena. I wish we just had the cups and retired numbers. That's its. So 7 total. Again, this is just my opinion but anything else is like hanging a participation ribbon up.

Again though, you're a team that has had success. Nashville has been in the league for 20 years now and nothing. When you think about the droughts teams like Chicago, New York Rangers, St Louis and Toronto have or had, I can understand why a newer team would want to celebrate a successful season like that. Teams aren't going to want to wait around for 40 years to raise a banner.

Let's not pretend that Nashville is some lock now as a hockey market either. Like any of the newer teams, they still have to work hard at keeping fans while attracting new fans. Having a great team is one way to get fans but once that team starts to struggle they may have a hard time keeping up the same interest. Imagine having a team for 20 years, having some successful seasons but no championships and then they leave because the interest isn't there. If I was a manager of that team I would much rather celebrate what we did even if it's with a banner, then hope someday my team gets lucky enough to win.

As a Leafs fan I want nothing in our rafters but retired players and cups (hopefully some more of those soon). I could care less about banners for President Trophies or Conference Finals but again we're a team that has had things to actually celebrate even if they were in the past.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

I don't get how the Central division banners are given out? with the playoff system, and NSH's loss to WPG, that has to be a hollow raising.

 

[trick9]

Hang whatever you want up there but these ceremonies are cringe-worthy.

 

[hatedandproud]

 

[Rodgerwilco]

If only we could file for bankruptcy and get the league to gift us a generational player, twice

Yeah... then there might be a banner in Nashville that isn't embarrassing to raise.

 

[CDN24]

I expected to see the Carey Price quote in here somewhere

They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here

 

[Its a Trap]

Getting trolled hard, here....

Interesting take from a team with...zero banners of any kind?

 

[Kale Hulls]

Winnipeg: the land of championships.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Not to mention, this is probably why this person's not in marketting. Nashville has/is doing an amazing job in getting their team and the sport to become of interest to people. This is in an MLB/NFL rabid state. Mike Fisher getting traded there was a blessing for their PR. Country singers talking them up sells tickets.

This is coming from a fan of a team who could use a makeover. I'd take boots and hats as the team theme over crazy Eugene any day.

Again... That's all fine and good that they're marketing their product. It's exactly what I would expect. I don't see how that's supposed to stop me from thinking it's funny that they totally didn't "act like they've been there". I always find it funny/cringey when brands, let alone sports teams, use celebrities (who couldn't care less about hockey) to market their product. Added on top of that the number of fans that I interacted with that just didn't seem to have any idea what they were talking about. (I admin a fairly large NHL Facebook group as well as being around here and am pretty active in talking with fans around the league.)

Like I said, I used SJ as a comparison since they're similar in that they'd been around for a long time and had just been to their first Finals the year prior. San Jose fans came across as humble, and seemed to actually know what they were talking about when discussing the game.

 

[triggrman]

Yeah... then there might be a banner in Nashville that isn't embarrassing to raise.

You got me chief, if we could all live in a town like Pittsburgh.....

I mean you do admin a large facebook group, so your standards must be high...

 

[ThirdManIn]

Oh no! My day will be ruined now that I have this information!

 

[Rodgerwilco]

You got me chief, if we could all live in a town like Pittsburgh.....

It's a pretty great city. Twice voted most livable city in the USA.

 

[triggrman]

It's a pretty great city. Twice voted most livable city in the USA.

Nice, well you got that going for you...

 

[Engebretson]

It would make more sense if they hadn't also won the President's Trophy. Adding the Regular Season Western Conference Champions banner just seems unnecessary.

Who knows, maybe they had a "Buy 2 get the 3rd Free" sale at the banner store?

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

I want to see an NHL team raise a "Playoff Contender" Banner...or someone like the Oilers "NHL Draft Champions".

 

[Royale With Cheese]

That's all fine and good that it helped them make a bunch of money, but it was exactly what you said, a Marketing tool. It was still hilarious for me to watch it unravel. Pittsburgh on their way to their 5th Stanley Cup and 2nd in a row going about their business vs. Nashville, just happy to be there, inviting every country music industry tool (who mostly couldn't care less about hockey) to sing the anthem, drinking beer out of a catfish, etc.

I said Preds fans don't seem to understand the sport because I spoke to many Preds fans throughout the series who didn't understand basic principles of the game. I understand that success brings new fans, but if someone is a new fan and they argue about the game as though they're a life-long watcher it's kind of comical to me.

This didn't really happen, did it??

 

[Kevs Security]

What the heck were they thinking? Is this their Cup now? Plan the parade for rs awards... Makes it seem like they don't have the hunger to win.

 

[vanarchy]

Useless banners for the win.

- Canucks fan