Will ESPN leave the NHL?
Eric at Off Wing Opinion found an article where ESPN analyst Bill Clement said the following:
“Absolutely,” he said in a telephone interview. “What’s there to like about our sport? The entertainment value has atrophied to become tedious to watch. Where’s the marquee value in the way it’s been played? We had only three 40-goal scorers in our last season. Remember, the record is 92.”Â
I’m very worried about the NHL keeping ESPN playing their games. In Detroit, it doesn’t really matter because FOX Sports Net plays almost all of our games. However, in the regions where hockey needs some serious life support- people won’t be able to watch hockey on TV. While hockey is so much better in person, I still enjoy watching games on TV. How will the NHL be able to draw more fans after this disastrous time off if somewhat interested fans can’t even watch on TV!?
Bill Daly, the league’s executive vice president, said: “We had a session with ESPN last week, and the homework is in their court. They’re looking at other possibilities, but they have an option at $60 million with a certain package, and we’ll see what they say.”Â
I was reading Save the NHL! and it asked the question: what would you do to save the NHL? That is such a loaded question with so many possibilities and things that the NHL needs to do. First of all, bring hockey back! Things are only going to get worse as time goes on without hockey. Detroit itself is starting to leave its hockeytown roots and head towards the “dark side” of basketball. I enjoy watching basketball, but it saddens me to see this become the staple sport of Detroit because the Red Wings have vanished for now.
Secondly, when hockey does come back- please advertise! I don’t want to see Shania Twain explaining “changing on the fly” and comparing it to her wardrobe changes (and I like her music). I don’t want Michelle Kwan weakly attempting a shot on a hockey net. Those commercials were pathetic- you need to show the wonderful aspects of the sport. Slick goals like Datsyuk’s duke on Turco or smooth puck handling or a really hard check or passionate hockey brawl (I’d glady suggest Lemieux as he tucks into his turtle shell). Show commercials that show how challenging the sport can be to play or I mentioned in the fall- compare different aspects of hockey to other sports.
I’ll finish this list hopefully sometime this weekend. At the page I just linked, you can read some of my suggestions close to the start of the lockout. Bring hockey back please!
Update on Red Wings wristbands
The Detroit Red Wings and Ilitch Charities for Children brought you those red BELIEVE wristbands this past winter at Joe Louis Arena, Hockeytown Authentics, and Hockeytown Cafe. As of April 18, you can now purchase them at any Belle Tire location for $2 apiece.
“I feel very strongly about this project because I feel it’s important to continue to contribute to the community,” said Donald Barnes, Jr., President of Belle Tire. “I am extremely proud of the long-standing partnership between the Red Wings and Belle Tire and especially of all the wonderful things we have been able to accomplish together in the community.”Â
So far over 23,000 wristbands have sold internationally. Aside from purchasing the wristbands at stores, you can also download an order form on detroitredwings.com and fax it to JLA. Most of the wristbands will help kids dealing with cancer and AIDS in southeastern Michigan.