Draft Day Notes >>>

[vazman05]

maybe I can hook up with some of you Buffalo guys for that Jan 1st gane! Should be fun!

:beerbang: :beerbang:

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

Great point with the NBA..FF. Until the Bird/Magic thing in the 80's, the NBA was on par with the NHL in popularity...then their marketing machine went off, and they haven't looked back (Jordan helped!). The ironic thing was during that time, Bettman was the Assistant Commissioner of the NBA! lol.

Now the NBA product is the worst it has been during my lifetime, and it's popularity is at an all-time high (although I think the finals rating were real low this year). Maybe Bettman should offer to buy Sidney Crosby free spiderweb tattoo's, pressure Jarome Iginla to beat his wife, and get Joe Thornton to set off a gun at a San Jose Strip club??

Another point that is frustrating about this game's chance at gaining press is one of the player's participating...Sidney Crosby. This kid is the real deal, and the NHL has a star that it hasn't had since Wayne Gretzky. Not too many NHL players can transcend the sport in to US popular culture like Wayne managed too, but this kid has the talent, the personality, and the brain to do what Gretzky did in the 80's/90s, and even more in this media age. I just hope the NHL doesn't blow it with this gift they have receieved.

[FlyersFan]

Maybe Bettman should offer to buy Sidney Crosby free spiderweb tattoo's, pressure Jarome Iginla to beat his wife, and get Joe Thornton to set off a gun at a San Jose Strip club??

:beerbang: ......maybe Pacman Jones can be our special advisor to the NHL....i am sure he could get killer deals on SpiderWeb tattoos, free strip club passes and manuals on the correct way to beat up a woman (although if i am not mistakened, he usually recommends just shooting the person which may be a bit much at this early point)

Another point that is frustrating about this game's chance at gaining press is one of the player's participating...Sidney Crosby. This kid is the real deal, and the NHL has a star that it hasn't had since Wayne Gretzky. Not too many NHL players can transcend the sport in to US popular culture like Wayne managed too, but this kid has the talent, the personality, and the brain to do what Gretzky did in the 80's/90s, and even more in this media age. I just hope the NHL doesn't blow it with this gift they have receieved.

I completely agree. When you think about it, the NHL never markets any of its stars or its sport EVER outside of an NHL game. That is step one is just getting them out there so people say "who is that guy", then take the time to see who he is. Those who govern hockey are like our US government, it has no direction from any side, it is run by self serving people, and it is a complete mess with no forseeable improvement. It really is a great sport. Best seat i ever had for a game was literally right next to the Blues bench at a Ducks game (right on the glass). I sat next to Jamaal Mayers for like the whole game...lol. Everytime the coach pointed down the bench at the guys on my end i wanted to stand up and say me?????....lol.

[dananderson32]

man too bad im not a hockey fan otherwise i would def. be at the game in feb outdoors at the ralph! :beerbang: :beerbang:

[FlyersFan]

Hey JML- i think i told you this last year, but i have a site that i belong to that has the passwords for virtually all the ticket presale passwords in professional sports. Let me know (or anyone else who is a regular here) if you want that password. You usually can buy tickets when the first presale goes on for the regular season ticket holders to buy extra tickets. for instance the ducks have their regular tickets on sale on a Saturday. They will have a presale on Thursday, but they will have a prepresale starting like the Saturday before and it is for ticket holders. I have those passwords each year when they come available.

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

Yeah...I remember you talking about that last year. I actually wouldn't mind that...maybe I could snag a pair of Leafs seats for this year. They are generally impossible to get. I haven't gone to a game in 2 years...corporate Toronto has taken over the ACC...sad really. And I'm not prepared to waste 500 bucks from a scalper.

[chickameng33]

Hey JML- i think i told you this last year, but i have a site that i belong to that has the passwords for virtually all the ticket presale passwords in professional sports. Let me know (or anyone else who is a regular here) if you want that password. You usually can buy tickets when the first presale goes on for the regular season ticket holders to buy extra tickets. for instance the ducks have their regular tickets on sale on a Saturday. They will have a presale on Thursday, but they will have a prepresale starting like the Saturday before and it is for ticket holders. I have those passwords each year when they come available.

Are you serious that would be awesome..... you would be the man!

FF Anyways after much reading I cant disagree with anything you are saying at all..... Actually it is very pertinent and acurate to a T. I have actually done some research as well and if the game does commence as talked about it wont make national TV. Bettman the genius is doing it for the FSN or VS. Network only...... Obviously it has to be a treat for local die hards (which makes me happy) but will do zero for the booming markets of Kansas City, Las Vegas, Carolina, Nashville etc.

Is anyone sure if Bettman has any formal education???? Maybe he is from New Foundland (newfies, LMAO, just because West Virgina wouldnt do him justice).

Ohh and I know I am going to get tickets for that game if it happens so any Buf. fans out there ill bring the IC light :beer2:

[Angelus]

Good luck getting tickets guys. I hope you do get them...I just remember for the outdoor game here in Edmonton, they had hundreds of thousands of names entered into a lottery and only a lucky few were able to buy tickets...

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

Chickmeng....Actually, Bettman is an American from NYC. He has a Law degree from Cornell. Also...the game will be televised for sure, and not on fox or vs...it is slated to be on NBC nationally, and marketed as the "Ice Bowl".

Ang....I don't think tickets will go like they did in Edmonton, it will most likely sell out eventually, but they surely won't need a lottery system like the Heritage Classic. That had a lot of different elements with Gretzky, Messier, Lafleur and all the oldtimers coming back to play for the first time in years...which was almost the main event instead of the actual NHL game! The stadium in Buffalo is also alot bigger than Commonwealth (Heritage classic had 57,000 people...Ralph Wilson Stadium holds 74,000).

Anyway...hopefully the Buffalo game isn't as cold as the Edmonton game! lol. I am actually pretty excited for this game...my friends and I talked about it on Saturday during my CFL party, and there are 4 of us committed to go already....and it might turn into a van trip party with 8+! Sweeet.

[chickameng33]

Chickmeng....Actually, Bettman is an American from NYC. He has a Law degree from Cornell. Also...the game will be televised for sure, and not on fox or vs...it is slated to be on NBC nationally, and marketed as the "Ice Bowl".

Appreciate the heads up there. Would have never guessed he went to Law school. And that would be nice if they did do it on fox.... would promote a little more ratings (Not a ton but some).

And the tickets become available tomorrow to the public right? I know that they go on sale tomorrow here and release the promotions for the Pens any how.

How far is that to Wilson Stadium for you JML???

Ice Bowl, at least they thought of a game that fits the time of year and other big sporting events going on..... if nothing else the not so smart/unavid college fan might mistake his TV guide and watch the Hockey Game instead..... You never know.

I believe we have a group of about 4 committed with 10 potential road trippers ...... Including my Leaf Fan Wife!

[CuseFan10]

I have actually done some research as well and if the game does commence as talked about it wont make national TV. Bettman the genius is doing it for the FSN or VS. Network only......

No NHL games are on national TV on Tuesdays (which is what New Years Day is this year). They barely get playoff games on national TV, nevermind a Tuesday in January against the Rose Bowl early and Sugar Bowl late.

Also, I'm guessing Bettman went to school maybe once or twice in his life time, you know considering he's a lawyer and all. Cornell undergrad and NYU law school do anything for you? Pretty good schools, eh?

[CuseFan10]

I think my main point about this is that Bettman and the NHL are just flat out inept at marketing their game, and their new star. They have a gift from god in Sidney Crosby, at a time when they need someone to be the so-called "savior". If they are going to do this game (which is a GREAT idea that the local people will absolutely love, and good hockey fans would tune into in droves as well if it's done at the right time), then they picked almost inarguably the worst possible day to do it.

The NHL hire-ups just don't seem to get it. Maybe FlyersFan can run the league and JML can be the director of marketing. Crosby's agent and marketing director must look at Bettman and be like, "What the **** is wrong with you?"

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

I think it will be National, Cuse...I'm reading it's sort of a joint venture between the NHL and NBC. The NHL will agree to anything that gets them on US network TV, but from NBC's standpoint...I think they're saying..."well, we're going up against College Bowls, we don't have the rights to any bowls...why don't we try this gimmick, call it the ******* Ice Bowl, and try and get a couple million viewers away from the bowls, instead of running a Jim Carrey movie? Hell, it's not going to cost us much, why not. (they will pay nothing for the rights, and only share advertising with the NHL in the deal!)

[chickameng33]

I think my main point about this is that Bettman and the NHL are just flat out inept at marketing their game, and their new star. They have a gift from god in Sidney Crosby, at a time when they need someone to be the so-called "savior". If they are going to do this game (which is a GREAT idea that the local people will absolutely love, and good hockey fans would tune into in droves as well if it's done at the right time), then they picked almost inarguably the worst possible day to do it.

The NHL hire-ups just don't seem to get it. Maybe FlyersFan can run the league and JML can be the director of marketing. Crosby's agent and marketing director must look at Bettman and be like, "What the **** is wrong with you?"

Cuse it makes you wonder if anyone with half a brain outside the forum looks at this stuff. I think if you got the Bob's from Office Space to come in to NHL and evaluate performance from just the marketing department/Bettman then you are going to see Bettman and the marketing department saying "I am a people's person I am ******* good with people" then security escorting the fabulous group out the door! I think everyone will agree how dismall the marketing of the sport is and seriously not being just a homer but come on Sidney Crosby, he has been in the league two years and you arent trying to put him on every bill board 300 miles near a hockey city and on any commercial Reggie Bush, King James, or Derek Jeter isn't already hired for(and i mean on behalf of the NHL not Crosby and signing endorsement deals). And Come on lets be real if you are trying to market the game to its fullest why doesnt crosby have his agent sign with Nike IMO. I am not saying it is a quality hockey product but come on the power Nike has Across the world to market anything..... they could sell ketchup popsicles to people in white gloves IMO.

JML I hope they go National with it. It will be the only way they can compete. I am/would be curious to look at the rating numbers if it does pop up on US national TV. Where the heck do you get all the insight to. I am just curious since we dont get the press coverage or it seems like links to half the information that is readily provided for Ontarians. Any helpful sites to would appreciate JML or anyone else!

Michel Therrien to the Pens until the end of 2009.... nothing notable but good stepping stone for the Pens in the right direction

[vazman05]

How far is that to Wilson Stadium for you JML???

:beerbang: :beerbang: 15 minutes for me!