The Ditch part deux

Good points and thanks for your opinions. When my headache goes away I'm going to respond to this... especially the Network switching to the NBA in Toronto. I nearly fell out of my chair when I read that.

 

Skinny are you sure that wasn't just on one of the many TSN channels? They probably switched to basketball on 1 or 2 of the channels when it started and kept it on the Leafs on the other ones.

 

It could be, but I find that the younger generation is taking more to the raptors than the leafs. They have to make the star players more visible, try to make them household names.

 

I remember when I was a kid, a name like Salming or Sittler were big, not sure that nylander or marner will get that recognition, I don't even see it with matthews. A name like lowrey has more star power, it seems.

 

Basketball has always been more about the stars than the game. Plus the Raptors got good again before the Leafs. Just wait.

 

The problem now is that you have a whole generation that grew up without the leafs ever making the playoffs, except for 2011 and last year. I find myself cheering a goal sometimes and the rest of the place it will be crickets.

 

These things shouldn't be happening to the Toronto Maple Leafs... maybe they are just being taken for granted for now, which is a shame. Hell, hockey may not be the 'Canadian thing' anymore because of all the global stuff infiltrated into the game.

I just cant wrap my head around BBall being a better draw than the Leafs, wow. Maybe its just temporary also until the population in Ontario realizes whats happening in the hockey realm in Toronto, which is something special, in my opinion. The Leafs are Cup Contenders right now in my book and should draw more excitement and attention.

On the other hand, I wonder how multi-team cities throughout North America are doing also? Maybe there is a marketing problem. Interesting stuff to think about. Hockey always took a back seat to other Major sports anyway and we might just be putting too much emphasis on the game because we are part of the minority that really love it, I don't know.

 

Hockey is the most strongest with the over 35 group, no problems there. The problem hockey has, and will only get worse, is with the millenials. It's not just basketball, it's soccer too, mls and european.

 

The NFL and the NBA dominate social media. The NHL doesn't. That's not the whole piece, but damnit if it's not a huge part. If you're not part of the discussion, you're nowhere.

 

The squeeky wheel gets the grease.

 

^^how are the ratings ? do they need a bigger network to televise games? maybe eliminating some dead teams and expanded or relocating to new cities? look at Vegas in it's first 2 months? showcasing more of the tier II players. everyone knows crosby or mcdavid. that's easy. how showcasing the elite but not super elite as well? everyone hates the All-Star Game. Well if you remove it completely - you lost exposure of East Coast and West Coast fans seeing players from the other Conferences. In the 80's I used to know at least 5 players from the Campbell Conference per team. I may know 2 now. In some cases 1. I don't get exposure to the other conference teams like i used too. more nhl or player commercials. nba has a ton of them on TNT, TBS and ESPN. Peyton Manning in retirement is still everywhere. Where is Crosby or McDavid doing a TV ad? Kane and Toews? Brent Burns? Never see them. And if you're going to shitcan the players and the Olympics and the AS game, you better find another avenue quickly to showcase your players bc you just took 2 main venues away from the fans.

 

Sticking to the pay per view satellite cable companies is killing the sport long term.

Basically they're saying, hey, listen PRESENT fans, if you want to watch, you have to pay up. This is greedy and short sighted, the teenager in the US will never get exposure to the sport, unless his dad pushes him there.

 

Wow, I figured all of TO would be bananas for the Leafs..... especially now.

I might have told this story here, not sure, apologies if you’ve already read it. So a longtime friend of mine gets called up from Providence to play for the Bruins (Joe Thornton got his face smashed up thanks to a bout with Lindros) so they call up Carl. His 1st NHL game is in Buffalo and 2nd is in Toronto. There was a day off in between games and they stayed in Toronto. So Carl goes out solo for a walk around Toronto on the off day and is stopped by multiple people and congratulated on playing in his 1st NHL game. He had played in 1 game and people knew who he was, it’s insane, people in our own hometown of Framingham didn’t even know who he was but here he is in a different city and country and people knew him. Always thought that was really cool and goes to show how informed the fans are there. That was in the early 2000s though.

 

They don't push their star players, they don't have any gameplan for conquering markets.

Bettman will capitalize on expansion fees, lockouts for short-term wins and revenues the internet gives him.

You need new blood looking into the 2020's, bettmans done.

 

I can guarantee you that right now, zach hyman wouldn't even be recognized unless he was with matthews.

 

Babcock lives in a condo up the street from the ACC, he said the only time people asked about the leafs in his building, was when they made the playoffs.

 

Mind you, the small towns around the city might be a little different, the city has changed. There's more competition than there was in the 90s for the leafs.

The leafs are still the biggest thing in the city, especially if they win. I'm just comparing it to how it once was.

 

Don Cherry for commissioner, eh?

 

You need a real smart, ambitious and real tech savy person for the job. They should look for the best person available, dump the old boys club approach.

The last thing the nhl needs is to appoint a Chelios or Schneider as the commish.

 

thats sad