Ohashi_Jouzu*
Registered User
Sure, fans and viewership of the NHL is up. Participation on the other hand, is down, at least in Canada. It is a trend that Hockey Canada has made attempts to address. Lots of prohibitive factors: cost; other sports; injuries; violence.
You're right that hockey's image has always included goals, hits and fights. I don't entirely agree that those three encapsulate perfectly what hockey is all about. Either way, perhaps a change of that image would aid in increasing participation, and help keep the product that is gaining viewership and fans at its most skilled and entertaining.
Maybe you can sell that snake oil to an American marketing manager with an agenda, but you can't play the "societal aversion to fighting" card when participation, viewership, and general interest in sports that involve nothing except proving who is a better fighter are sky rocketing.
The only real barriers to participation rates in Canada (in particular) are access to ice time and affordability of fees and gear, and everyone knows it. It's the impetus behind just about every community-based endeavour the league is involved in (Kraft Hockeyville, or whatever it's called, for example, the NHLPA Goals&Dreams program for another). The TV/media deals suggest interest in hockey isn't just "fine", but still growing, btw.