- Error
The NHL has never been much of a trend setter when it comes to major sports leagues in North America. They weren't the first to enact a cap system.. They weren't the first to adopt instant replay... They weren't the first to have a draft (it was actually the NFL in 1935) or free agency (MLB).
In fact the only thing I can think of that they were the first to do was to become the first professional sports league in North America to cancel an entire season.
In short -- they have been more followers than leaders.
Which brings me to the NFL and the point of this post. The NFL is proposing to reduce their preseason schedule from 4 games to 2 while extending their regular season from 16 to 18 games.
What? You mean the NFL is actually listening to it's fans?
I've long argued that the NHL's preseason in its current form is a complete waste of time and money.
#1 - Despite what the team says publicly 98% of the team is decided before any skates are laced up and any ice is frozen. 1-way guaranteed contracts make it extremely difficult to change your roster by the time camp rolls in.
#2 - Holding season ticket holders hostage and charging them full season prices for games that mean absolutely nothing quite frankly is a slap in the face to those who pay the bills. Why should fans pay 100% of the ticket price when the product 50% at best? Look around at any team across the league and you'll see loads of fans dressed up as empty seats at these games.
#3 - Injuries, injuries, injuries!! Again everyone knows who is going to make the squad and to see a key player go down in a meaningless game is a complete waste of resources. Injuries can and will happen but who wants a star player injured because some prospect or AHL tweener is trying to make a point in game 3 of 8 in the preseason?
#4 - An 82 game grind is long enough as it is.
Look I understand there has to be a camp to get a read on where prospects are and to shake the rust off the rostered players but are 20+ days for camp and 8+ preseason games really necessary?
The answer is an absolute and unequivocal no!!!
These are professional players who are expected to report to camp in shape. The AHL is there for development and nobody but the bean counters cares about preseason games.
A week to 10 day camp should be plenty to fill out the few holes that are left on the roster and for players to prepare themselves for the season.
Let's call the preseason for what it is which is a money grab at the expense of season ticket holders.
That's it.
Put it this way - how many people to do you know that rush out to buy preseason tickets when they are announced?
I know a lot of hockey fans and I can't name one.
The NHL must follow the NFL's lead and trim the preseason down to 4 or less games. Whack that sucker like a hit in the Sopranos. If they can't stand the loss of that revenue then extend the regular season by another couple of games even though the regular season is long enough as it is.
I don't know about you but I'd rather pay full price for another home game than blow it on a couple of pointless preseason games.
A benefit to the players would be less overall games which should also result in a shorter season.
The NFL is listening to their fans -- it's time the NHL, its owners and players to do the same!!!!
The improvement shouldn't stop with just reducing preseason games either. I think there is a lot more that can be done with these preseason games as the value clearly isn't there.
STOP RAISING THE DAMN PRICES!!!! CUT! CUT! CUT! I've never understood why the bean counters would rather charge full prices for a quarter full building instead of drastically reducing the prices and taking the opportunity to promote it to schools/businesses/communities as a chance to really sell this game to potential new fans.
Think about this - the Jackets have what - the equivalent of 7500 season ticket holders? Say on average those tickets sell for $30 a piece.
7500 X $30 = $225,000
Now what if the Jackets reduced every ticket in the preseason to $5 and sold the place out to capacity?
20,000 (which is what they packed in for the playoffs) X $5 = $100,000
The tag line?
Bring a family of four to watch the Jackets in preseason for just $20 bucks!
Now on paper the loss looks like $125,000 right? Now take into account 20,000 people showing up and the revenue that would be generated from parking, concessions, merchandise and MOST IMPORTANTLY the exposure of this team/game to potential new fans and that $125,000 quickly vanishes. Even if they do lose $$ on the preseason games you can't put a price tag on the exposure. The key being to get these folks to come back during the regular season!
We all know that seeing a hockey game in person is the key. Once you get those butts in the doors chances are that person will be hooked like Jan Hrdina.
You may think that since this team has been around for 10 years that just about everyone in this market has been exposed to this great game but I think we'd be surprised how far this is from the truth. I think there are a lot of folks here that have yet to see a game live.
Packing 20,000 in for a preseason game may be pie in the sky but why not try it at least for a game? It's certainly better than the status quo. Let's change it up. Try something new. Take a chance.
I market the hell out of this.
I visit every company and every not for profit organization with promotional literature. I cross promote at sporting events from youth to the pros. Every fire and police station is made aware of this. I spam every concert, fair and parade. Hell, rent a plane and do some fly overs with a banner before an Ohio State football game. Every day care and summer camp gets a visit from Stinger. I partner with every school in Columbus and its suburbs and market this as a "Back To School" campaign and make sure every kid and family in this town knows about this event.
I tell you what as well -- I don't stop in Columbus. Ohio has one professional hockey team and this franchise has done a horrible job at promoting themselves outside of the Columbus market. There are fans to be made in places like Cinci/Cleveland/Toledo/Dayton/Akron and all of the cities in-between. Running commercials isn't enough -- there needs to be a major push at the grass roots levels with ticket deals that will entice people to make the trip to central Ohio and give this team a look.
This all takes $$ and commitment and it's easier to type than execute. I get that *but* pulling up a list of current/former season ticket holders and making some cold calls isn't going to accomplish squat. Those people are already interested -- what this franchise needs is to generate new interest.
No doubt icing a winning team would help more than anything but more can be done.
The current season ticket holders have been milked for every last drop - instead of squeezing them harder it's time to find some new cows.
FIRE AWAY in poll question - does the NHL preseason need to be revamped?
-LTL
