3.5 billion offer for NHL teams

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Impressive offer.. not that I can see it really happening. I wonder if the deal is an all or nothing deal?

That would be hilarious.

Want more people interested in the sport? I suggest teaching people about hockey and how things work and get rid of the violence in the game. I understand that some physical contact within the game is going to happen but these brawls are ridiculous. If you want the sport to be more widely recieved then make it so a family can watch it. Like football.

I know I would never let my son watch hockey because of the violence in it and that just makes him think it's okay to do it because these grown men are doing it.


Those are my thoughts anyhow. Take or leave them :)

Yeah make it so a family can watch it like football where girls are taught to be cheap whores and boys are taught to break each other's legs off. You know what I was taught in high school football? Go for the guy's weakest points in his body. Kill da bitch. Yeah football's so much better.

Please.

Want to permanently KILL hockey for good? Get rid of fighting.

It's no different than boxing.

Of all the hockey fights I've ever seen (hundreds?) I've only seen about 5 where either of the guys was even bleeding. Most of the "fight" is the two guys making sure they don't get hit.

Anyway.

this 3.5 billion dollar deal will never happen. It would be a dream come true for teams like Nashville....Florida etc. But teams like the Red Wings and the Rangers will NEVER EVER do this. They operate in the black, and are doing so even now through merchandise. Why would they want to sell a money maker?

Dude It's already dead. Wake up! Why do you think they're trying to salvage it.

If you want more interest in a wider audience your best bet is going to be changing your target market and making it marketable to that market.

hockey isn't hockey without the fighting and hitting. it's pussy figure skaters with sticks

That's very untrue. If you look at any other league below the professional league you are not allowed to fight. It's a way to attract some people to the sport and they didn't succeed.

Hockey's not dead. It may not be mainstream in the US, but its thriving in other markets.

Quote:

---

It's a way to attract some people to the sport and they didn't succeed.

---

Maybe thats a good indication as to why its not a good idea?

Hockey is a contact sport, end of story. I would much prefer if they cracked down on the dirty playing, though. And thats part of what fighting is about, ensuring that things don't get too dirty.

But taking away the contact? Might as well put a blue aura around the puck.

Sheesh.

You misunderstand me.

I understand the sport is contact by checking. I don't mean take that away. I mean the damn fist fighting. Football is a contact sport too and they do everything to keep them from getting into fist fights. I'm not saying it's not going to happen but it seems to me that hockey promotes the brawls and encourages it.

When it comes to 'violence' in hockey, I find it's easiest to break it down into three distinct categories:

1) Fighting
2) 'Clean' contact
3) 'Dirty' contact

The fact is that any contact sport is going to have a bit from each category. As much as I think the visceral joy of hockey fights is great, I don't think the game would be doomed without them. However, I believe clean contact is absolutely essential. I've watched and played in games where checking was prohibited, and honestly it sucked. It's like hockey + roofies, or making the NFL into a touch football league.

When it comes to toning down NHL violence, I think the only category that qualifies is 'dirty' contact, best exemplified by the Todd Bertuzzi - Steve Moore incident. Keep the fights, keep the punishing body checks, but stop it somewhere short of causing disability :P. (Since Bertuzzi was suspended for the rest of the season, I'd say the keep-it-clean message came across pretty clearly)

I really have trouble believing that hockey has lost popularity because it is too violent. A hockey hit is like a football tackle, it just looks cooler because the guys are moving faster and often slamming into a wall :P. There are several proposed rules changes that intend to speed up the game and increase offensive production when/if the league returns. While this is a case where the damage has already been done, I think those types of changes would do much more good than trying to crack down on violence.