The NHL gets no respect, and they don't deserve it

[OpIv37]

the NHL is the WORST professional sport when it comes to marketing and publicity.

I was in the mall last night and I was pleasantly surprised to see a whole rack of Reebok EDGE jerseys, including both home and away Sabres jerseys (I'm in the DC area so Sabres merch is practically non-existent in retail outlets around here). I was disappointed when I saw the price tag: $114 for a BLANK REPLICA JERSEY. That's insane- I don't know how the NHL thinks they can get away with having the most expensive jersey of the 4 major American sports leagues (NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB) when they're the LEAST popular.

Fast forward to a few minutes ago- I was looking through my DVR guide to find the game tonight, since the Sabres are playing the Capitals. It's not on- both Comcast SportsNet and HDNet went with the DC UNITED ****ING SOCCER GAME over the hockey game. That's how bad the NHL is at marketing- pre-empted by SOCCER in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. That's just insane. We don't play or watch soccer here, but somehow it's more of a draw than hockey. WTF?

This is, of course, a "chicken or the egg" problem. Hockey's not on TV because it's not popular, but it's not going to get more popular if it retains such low visibility that it's pre-empted for ****ing SOCCER.

I don't know how the NHL expects to win new fans of even keep the current ones when they can't afford the merch or even watch the local team's games. Bettman is the WORST commissioner in pro sports and he could learn a lot from Stern, Tagliabue, Goodell and Selig. He better learn fast before the league goes under- the other 3 sports are constantly growing while hockey remains stagnant.

[Philagape]

Hockey just needs to go back to being a regional sport.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Hockey jerseys include a lot more material and labor than any other sports jersey, they've always been much more expensive. I think the new Edge ones are even slightly pricier.

Oh, and just because you're one of those DIRECTV/Sunday Ticket guys ALL the time...

2 words:
CENTER ICE

[OpIv37]

Hockey jerseys include a lot more material and labor than any other sports jersey, they've always been much more expensive. I think the new Edge ones are even slightly pricier.

Oh, and just because you're one of those DIRECTV/Sunday Ticket guys ALL the time...

2 words:
CENTER ICE

maybe so, but the mark-up on those things is ridiculous. If they're selling it for $115, it probably costs Reebok $20 to make and the stores $40 to get it on the racks. It would be a good idea to forfeit some profit for the added visibility and publicity. The demand isn't high enough for them to get away with that price tag, as they'll find out soon enough.

And yes, I should buy Center Ice. Although, if you bought Center Ice already, you may have gotten ripped off. The first two games were included in the free Center Ice, the last game was on HDNet, I thought tonight's game was going to be on locally, and they have a VS game later this week. So I can buy it later for the pro-rated amount and only miss one, maybe 2 games.

[JD]

$125 a year, for center ice.

not bad at all.

bettman is burrying the league, still

[OpIv37]

even if I do pay for the Center Ice, it doesn't solve the problem of trying to win back fans without even showing the local games on TV. DC is a huge market and there's absolutely no reason why every game shouldn't be televised locally.

When was the last time a Sabres game wasn't on local TV (not counting blackouts)? Granted, I know hockey is more popular in Buffalo than it is, well, pretty much anywhere outside of Canada, but there are a lot more people and a lot more money in DC. If the NHL wants to go into these markets, they can't just put a team there and think it will be enough. They have to PROMOTE the team, starting by getting the games on television.

[JD]

oh wow, i didnt even realize u were in dc...ok yeah that is REAL ****ed up

[BlackMetalNinja]

And yes, I should buy Center Ice. Although, if you bought Center Ice already, you may have gotten ripped off. The first two games were included in the free Center Ice, the last game was on HDNet, I thought tonight's game was going to be on locally, and they have a VS game later this week. So I can buy it later for the pro-rated amount and only miss one, maybe 2 games.

How do you figure??? The price goes up $20 after the free preview... Not to mention, I actually watch other games outside of the Sabres here and there as well.

[RockStar36]

Jerseys have always been expensive. It's $150 here for an Afinogenov jersey and $100 for a blank. When I bought the red alternate blank like 6 years ago I paid $75 for it. I think it's because the logo and everything are actual patches sewn on to the jersey which makes them overall nicer. I even think the local OHL team in Erie has jerseys that are right around $100 each.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Jerseys have always been expensive. It's $150 here for an Afinogenov jersey and $100 for a blank. When I bought the red alternate blank like 6 years ago I paid $75 for it. I think it's because the logo and everything are actual patches sewn on to the jersey which makes them overall nicer. I even think the local OHL team in Erie has jerseys that are right around $100 each.

Yup, my old black replica which was blank on the back was $75, the customized home replica my dad got me last year was $175 I think. They hold up far better than any of the other sports jerseys I own though. I've had that black replica since I was like 16, which was 9 years ago and it's still in decent shape.

[pjw]

yeah the mark up on them is crazy i paid $30 for my hockey jerseys in Korea. all custom made and not blank. they all come from there anyway, import taxes must be a mother.

[Meathead]

while i generally agree with you ive got to give the league credit for FINALLY THANK GOD ALMIGHTY that they clamped down on clutching and grabbing and allowed a skill game to emerge. took them damn long enough but they finally got a freakin clue

and although id like to see them be even harsher they are doing a somewhat better job at punishing extreme goonery. another thing they should have been doing a couple decades ago

oh and btw for not being able to get the game :lolpoint: op :loser:

[SABuffalo786]

Fast forward to a few minutes ago- I was looking through my DVR guide to find the game tonight, since the Sabres are playing the Capitals. It's not on- both Comcast SportsNet and HDNet went with the DC UNITED ****ING SOCCER GAME over the hockey game. That's how bad the NHL is at marketing- pre-empted by SOCCER in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. That's just insane. We don't play or watch soccer here, but somehow it's more of a draw than hockey. WTF?


DC United is very popular in DC. They draw about 20k fans a game. You'd be surprised how popular soccer is getting....

[churchinski]

the NHL is the WORST professional sport when it comes to marketing and publicity.

I was in the mall last night and I was pleasantly surprised to see a whole rack of Reebok EDGE jerseys, including both home and away Sabres jerseys (I'm in the DC area so Sabres merch is practically non-existent in retail outlets around here). I was disappointed when I saw the price tag: $114 for a BLANK REPLICA JERSEY. That's insane- I don't know how the NHL thinks they can get away with having the most expensive jersey of the 4 major American sports leagues (NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB) when they're the LEAST popular.

Fast forward to a few minutes ago- I was looking through my DVR guide to find the game tonight, since the Sabres are playing the Capitals. It's not on- both Comcast SportsNet and HDNet went with the DC UNITED ****ING SOCCER GAME over the hockey game. That's how bad the NHL is at marketing- pre-empted by SOCCER in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. That's just insane. We don't play or watch soccer here, but somehow it's more of a draw than hockey. WTF?

This is, of course, a "chicken or the egg" problem. Hockey's not on TV because it's not popular, but it's not going to get more popular if it retains such low visibility that it's pre-empted for ****ing SOCCER.

I don't know how the NHL expects to win new fans of even keep the current ones when they can't afford the merch or even watch the local team's games. Bettman is the WORST commissioner in pro sports and he could learn a lot from Stern, Tagliabue, Goodell and Selig. He better learn fast before the league goes under- the other 3 sports are constantly growing while hockey remains stagnant.

they are very poorly marketed

their nhl online is ridiculous

how can you attempt to sell a online package for $150 a season , give a free preview , only to expose the fact that on most night they have only one game running ?

the rest are blacked out !

that's how effed up they are

here check out nhl online we have as many as 14 games a night....but...13 are blacked out .......LOL

[DraftBoy]

Soccer isnt that bad Op you need to embrace change

[OpIv37]

Soccer isnt that bad Op you need to embrace change

I'm not trying to knock soccer- if other people want to watch it that's fine, but I prefer hockey. And regardless of whether or not people want to watch soccer, the NHL still needs to ensure it has TV contracts that get the games on the air. There is no excuse for the NHL allowing soccer to surpass it in popularity- the NBA and the NFL would never let that happen.