UPDATE: NHLPA votes for further negotiations on 24-team return to play format

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

You don't get a big TV deal by offering up a cut rate product to fill in air time for a few bucks.

The chance of an artistic failure , of making hockey appear to be a 2nd or third tier sport, is way too high compared the reward of covering a small portion of what Rogers has paid for.

You're on about bull****. No network is looking at this season as anything but a salvage job for sports leagues. If there was any judging going on by networks towards sports leagues right now it would be "Wow, you decided to not even attempt a season, hey? I guess this could happen again during a new contract with us and you'd again not do anything to recover revenue? Wow?".

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

You don't get a big TV deal by offering up a cut rate product to fill in air time for a few bucks.

The chance of an artistic failure , of making hockey appear to be a 2nd or third tier sport, is way too high compared the reward of covering a small portion of what Rogers has paid for.

Definitely forward your memo to all the major sports leagues who are looking to put product out there.

Artistic failure? They are doing what every single business should be doing. Coming up with the best business plan given the circumstances. I see no way that sitting out the next year helps you get a better TV deal next time and you lose hundreds of millions in the interim.

[Jbo]

It’s not comparing apples to apples, given the different logistics, but UFC showed me sports without crowds could be done, and done well! I’m not a big UFC fan but hungry for live sports and it was good. If anything I kind of liked the crowd not being there.

[jg13]

I also watched the UFC fights tonight and although I do think the home crowd advantage disappears immediately it is definitely possible to continue professional sports at the highest level without a crowd.

[Jiggy_12]

Yeah count me on the side of those that really don’t see why not having fans makes such a difference, TV wise.

As a TV watching experience, the fans who are present make up maybe 1% of what I pay attention to and care about.

The only factor is maybe how it’ll impact the players not playing in front of people. But for me, the viewer? Why should It matter?

[Weitz]

I’m still surprised there isn’t more talk about what is probably the most talked about thing behind the scenes - how the nhl continues as is after a year and a half of no gate.

I’ll be surprised to see 32 teams after next season. No gate for the top 10 teams next year will bankrupt a few teams.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

You don't get a big TV deal by offering up a cut rate product to fill in air time for a few bucks.

The chance of an artistic failure , of making hockey appear to be a 2nd or third tier sport, is way too high compared the reward of covering a small portion of what Rogers has paid for.

All of the sportsnets are absolutely dying for content right now. That doesn't mean you will gt a "big TV deal" out of it, but you are completely out of your mind if you don't think everybody wants to see sports return - even if only in some bastardized form. And you are absolutely insane if you think attempting some kind of restart will make the NHL look like a "2nd or third tier sport" when nearly every single pro league is looking to do the same. You really need to do a better job of thinking things through, dude.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I don’t get the asterisk talk if you play a 70 game regular season and then emerge from a 24 team playoff.

Hell with the absence of travel and players and teams rested and healed up, I’d say we could be primed for some incredible hockey. No fans is a huge downer but you play the cards you’re dealt.

Cancelling the season does nothing to improve next year, or bring it any closer.

I agree.

My ONLY quibble would be with adjusting the actual playoff format to something other than the establishdd standard of 16 wins in games played 5 v. 5 until a winner has emerged. I can get on board with a pre-tournament play-in for bubble teams, but once the playoffs start I want the sixteen top teams playing in four seven-game series to determine a champion. This is a system that has been in place for 30 years, which sets it among some of the most long established traditions honoured by the NHL.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

All of the sportsnets are absolutely dying for content right now. That doesn't mean you will gt a "big TV deal" out of it, but you are completely out of your mind if you don't think everybody wants to see sports return - even if only in some bastardized form. And you are absolutely insane if you think attempting some kind of restart will make the NHL look like a "2nd or third tier sport" when nearly every single pro league is looking to do the same. You really need to do a better job of thinking things through, dude.

No. You are wrong. Not 'nearly' every single Sports League is looking to re-start.

All of them are. Every. Last. One.

And Semi-Pro, and Amateur. And feeder Leagues, the list could go on ad infinitum.

Sports are widely enjoyed and their return would really help bring back a semblance of normalcy and help people escape the daily drudgery of Isolation and Pandemia.

Oh...and theres also an unthinkable amount of money at stake.

[direwolf]

I'm still of the opinion that they should just scrap this season and start making plans for 2020/21. Watching playoffs without fans in the buildings would be so weird. Fans play a big part in the excitement and intensity of a game, and can have an effect on momentum swings. Watching games without fans would feel like you're watching a scrimmage or some bizarre exhibition match. It wouldn't be anywhere near as exciting or interesting as a normal playoff game.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by direwolf

I'm still of the opinion that they should just scrap this season and start making plans for 2020/21. Watching playoffs without fans in the buildings would be so weird. Fans play a big part in the excitement and intensity of a game, and can have an effect on momentum swings. Watching games without fans would feel like you're watching a scrimmage or some bizarre exhibition match. It wouldn't be anywhere near as exciting or interesting as a normal playoff game.

Personally I still get excited watching empty building World Junior games, which used to be quite prevalent. Never made it less exciting for me. Fans are great, but it isn’t the main attraction.

[Jbo]

1/3 of the buildings are almost empty during the regular season and still people watch. I’m looking at you Florida, Tampa, Arizona, New Jersey, Ottawa, Islanders

[direwolf]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Personally I still get excited watching empty building World Junior games, which used to be quite prevalent. Never made it less exciting for me. Fans are great, but it isn’t the main attraction.

Yea, I'd probably still watch the games like everyone else, mostly because I'm curious to see what it'll be like. My interest and excitement level won't be anywhere near what it usually is though, especially once they get into playoffs. Even with a short training camp, players are gonna be rusty as hell when they come back, especially goaltenders. It wouldn't be at all surprising to see some garbage team like the Oilers or Canucks fluke their way to the Cup final due to the elite teams not being in game shape. Not sure I'm too keen on that possibility.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Jbo

1/3 of the buildings are almost empty during the regular season and still people watch. I’m looking at you Florida, Tampa, Arizona, New Jersey, Ottawa, Islanders

Yeah, and I hate those games, there's a huge drop off in atmosphere and it affects my enjoyment. I know it seems everyone is in agreement that fans don't matter on TV, but I guess count me in the opposite group.

[Strange Brew]

Is anyone saying fans don’t matter, or that the games will be as exciting without fans? I haven’t seen a single person say that.

The question is what’s the alternative?

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Is anyone saying fans don’t matter, or that the games will be as exciting without fans? I haven’t seen a single person say that.

The question is what’s the alternative?

What in the heck? I was pretty clear in what I was responding to. Just a simple addition of my opinion on a lack of fans after a bunch of posts saying it will be the same or even better, which you're oddly claiming didn't happen. You have the weirdest beefs sometimes.

Nothing to do with not wanting them to come back unless there's fans or thinking there's an alternative, just an innocent response to the other posts as per message board posting.

Originally Posted by Jbo

It’s not comparing apples to apples, given the different logistics, but UFC showed me sports without crowds could be done, and done well! I’m not a big UFC fan but hungry for live sports and it was good. If anything I kind of liked the crowd not being there.

Originally Posted by jg13

I also watched the UFC fights tonight and although I do think the home crowd advantage disappears immediately it is definitely possible to continue professional sports at the highest level without a crowd.

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Yeah count me on the side of those that really don’t see why not having fans makes such a difference, TV wise.

As a TV watching experience, the fans who are present make up maybe 1% of what I pay attention to and care about.

The only factor is maybe how it’ll impact the players not playing in front of people. But for me, the viewer? Why should It matter?

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Personally I still get excited watching empty building World Junior games, which used to be quite prevalent. Never made it less exciting for me. Fans are great, but it isn’t the main attraction.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

The complaints about teams making a playoff contention with a worse record than they would normally require only need to look at the playoffs until 1991 where a team was already guaranteed to make the playoffs it seemed by nature of existing as 16/21 teams made the playoffs.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by jayswin

What in the heck? I was pretty clear in what I was responding to. Just a simple addition of my opinion on a lack of fans after a bunch of posts saying it will be the same or even better, which you're oddly claiming didn't happen. You have the weirdest beefs sometimes.

Nothing to do with not wanting them to come back unless there's fans or thinking there's an alternative, just an innocent response to the other posts as per message board posting.

Just expressing an opinion that for the most part, the fans will be missed. In fact I believe even the posts you quoted acknowledged that. So I don’t agree with your rather broad assertion that “everyone is in agreement that fans don’t matter”.

Don’t call it a beef or get personal just because we don’t agree on something.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Dragomir

Whoever wins will always have an asterisk next to their victory, even if the Flames win I would feel the same way. Just cancel the season and focus on 20-21 with no fans in attendance.

Disagree. If my team won, they won under the same rules and in the same circumstances as everyone else.

It counts and I'd love it. Any "asterisk" situation is soon forgotten. Nobody cares about a shortened season in lockout seasons. Nobody cares now that an expansion team was guaranteed a spot in he final 50 years ago. Those cups have no asterisk.

One this year would count just as much as any other.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

The complaints about teams making a playoff contention with a worse record than they would normally require only need to look at the playoffs until 1991 where a team was already guaranteed to make the playoffs it seemed by nature of existing as 16/21 teams made the playoffs.

Right.

16 teams.

It must stay that way.