Same as so many on here, but this pile on needs to happen and hopefully folks around the league take notice if they're reading any of this kind of stuff on the internet.
The game of hockey is a contact game. The second that everyone decided that hitting and injuries were not acceptable because players were making too much money, and people didn't want their assets at that kind of risk, well, the emotion then drained from the game.
I think that the slow drain of physicality from the game has sucked all emotion and the result is watching millionaire dump and chase.
It sucks. The game is boring as #### now. That's just the reality. What they should have done, IMO, is tried to make ways to make the game safer. Things that have been publicly said for years. Things like modify the equipment. Instead they just decided to take hitting out of it, and now the passion is gone.
Ticket prices is another big one. The Flames have raised ticket prices for a decade and it's not like the team has really warranted it. NHL players and owners do not need ever increasing revenues. I think society is taking notice and they're at the maximum price point if not exceeded it. Expect a huge amount of season ticket cancellations next year. I know people that have been season ticket holders since 1996, who have grown to resent the way the team treats them. I'm sorry but 1 or 2 playoff runs after giving over $100k of money to a team, and then no real discounts or price freezes or even giveaways like jerseys or really ####ing anything, it's just greed.
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