“The message the NHL has sent is that ‘we are stupid'”

[ink]

“The message the NHL has sent is that ‘we are stupid,’” he says. The NHL cannot possibly have any other opinion, he says, because the league has previous proof – two earlier lockouts – that the league can treat its fans in a cavalier way and they will always come back.

“That is the calculation they make,” Richelieu says. “When they say ‘We have the best fans in the world’ the presumption is that the fans will come back. That is the best example of insult and marketing myopia I know.

“From a sports-marketing point of view I think the NHL is about to realize that the last word is what the fans have. It is consumer power. When the consumers decide to act, to send a message to the organization, then the organization has no other choice but to change things.”

That message, however, has yet to take full form. With each passing day that shows no signs of resolution the fans’ anger will build, Richelieu says.

He says the NHL and its players should be even more concerned about what he calls “the Superfan” than about the so-called “casual fans.” Many observers are saying the casual fans will drop off, especially in weak U.S. markets.

“When you are a Superfan,” Richelieu says, “you are so involved, because it is a love-hate relationship. You love it. You love it to the extreme. You will support it. You will buy, consume, spend. But when you are upset you hate it. What we do not know is how long this kind of ‘upset’ situation will last for the Superfans and how it will translate, because definitely the trust has been broken.

Even if the league does come back before losing the entire season, Richelieu believes there will still be significant fallout – including a change in leadership at the league level – from what has already transpired.

“It will be interesting to see what the NHL will do in order to rebuild this trust,” he says. “I don’t think they can reinvent the game again. Remember last time they just wrote on the ice, ‘Thank you, fans’? Well, that will not do.

“Both sides showed that they didn’t care about the fans, and that’s the worst part of it. Fans feel betrayed. And because the trust is broken, there is a distance now between the fans and the league, the fans and the teams. How are you going to bridge this gap?

“I strongly believe that, even in Canada, the fans will not come as strongly back as they did after the last lockout, and they will not come back in the same state of mind. They will know, in the back of their heads, that they can be cheated and betrayed by the league – and it seven years it may very well start again.

“So why should I commit that much toward a product, a team, a league that doesn’t care about me and will take me hostage again in seven years.”

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/sports/...service=mobile

[ccugrad1]

the problem with the lockout is that both sides want the same thing--a bigger slice of the pie. When that happens, you are going to have bickering and nothing will get done.

[fingerbang]

“The message the NHL has sent is that ‘we are stupid,’” he says. The NHL cannot possibly have any other opinion, he says, because the league has previous proof – two earlier lockouts – that the league can treat its fans in a cavalier way and they will always come back.

Well, then they're not just treating the fans like they're stupid. The fans are actually delivering, lol.

The article is stupid. He acts like this lockout is being used as a marketing strategy. Obviously, it's not.

[ink]

Well, then they're not just treating the fans like they're stupid. The fans are actually delivering, lol.

The article is stupid. He acts like this lockout is being used as a marketing strategy. Obviously, it's not.

Or maybe you didn't read very closely. Obviously the article is not saying the lockout is used as a marketing strategy; he's saying that it's insanely bad PR. World of difference.

[fingerbang]

The Hostess analogy was actually damn good but you don't like the truth to it so you deleted it

He's spinning the situation into something it's not. Obviously, a lockout is a bad PR move. We didn't need a fancy Canadian Professor to tell us that.

I'll re-post.

Hostess Strike!

"The message hostess workers have sent is, 'we are stupid. They know we'll keep buying the product,' he says"

[ink]

The Hostess analogy was actually damn good but you don't like the truth to it so you deleted it

He's spinning the situation into something it's not. Obviously, a lockout is a bad PR move. We didn't need a fancy Canadian Professor to tell us that.

I'll re-post.

Hostess Strike!

"The message hostess workers have sent is, 'we are stupid. They know we'll keep buying the product,' he says"

The analogy wasn't the problem. Glad you reposted it this way. It's still weak though. It had nothing to do with being "the truth".

He's talking about losing super fans who you wouldn't expect to lose. Surprisingly we're seeing that everywhere. Last lockout (which one, I've lost track with Bettman) we heard a lot of fans saying they wanted the game back. This one we see more and more posts all over the web saying "**** them". Surveys are also confirming that very few people in the most diehard markets give a damn about the NHL.

Your twinkie analogy is just facile. Unless of course you think Bettman's NHL has been reduced to the nutritional value of a twinkie, which I'd actually agree with 100%.

[Bramaca]

Thats a good article. I really wish the backlash by the fans was more substantial though. In times like these (strike or lockout) fans can have such a huge impact on what happens but unlike owners and players who negotiate as a group the fans don't have that group that can send a really strong message.

Should be a call for a fan union.

[fingerbang]

The analogy wasn't the problem. Glad you reposted it this way. It's still weak though. It had nothing to do with being "the truth".

He's talking about losing super fans who you wouldn't expect to lose. Surprisingly we're seeing that everywhere. Last lockout (which one, I've lost track with Bettman) we heard a lot of fans saying they wanted the game back. This one we see more and more posts all over the web saying "**** them". Surveys are also confirming that very few people in the most diehard markets give a damn about the NHL.

Your twinkie analogy is just facile. Unless of course you think Bettman's NHL has been reduced to the nutritional value of a twinkie, which I'd actually agree with 100%.

What's the difference? I could use his, "They think you're stupid" comment to portray one side of ANY labor dispute."

It's just a spin.

[ink]

What's the difference? I could use his, "They think you're stupid" comment to portray one side of ANY labor dispute."

It's just a spin.

You could and you would but it still wouldn't necessarily be convincing.

Thats a good article. I really wish the backlash by the fans was more substantial though. In times like these (strike or lockout) fans can have such a huge impact on what happens but unlike owners and players who negotiate as a group the fans don't have that group that can send a really strong message.

Should be a call for a fan union.

Roy McGregor is one of the best columnists out there, so yeah, I liked the article too. I totally agree there should be a fan union. This is really a 3 way relationship between owners/fans/players, but the fans are completely taken for granted.

Imagine having the clout to knock back gouging ticket prices or veto expansion to Arizona, not to mention having a share-holder's say in how long it takes to bring in a ****ing arbitrator.

[fingerbang]

Didn't say I'd be convincing. In fact, I'd sound stupid trying to pull that spin, which is my point.

[kevin13697]

The Hostess analogy was actually damn good but you don't like the truth to it so you deleted it

He's spinning the situation into something it's not. Obviously, a lockout is a bad PR move. We didn't need a fancy Canadian Professor to tell us that.

I'll re-post.

Hostess Strike!

"The message hostess workers have sent is, 'we are stupid. They know we'll keep buying the product,' he says"

what is the hostess analogy?
Bankrupt the NHL to return without a union
move it to a red state & pay the players minimum wage?

[kevin13697]

Hostess pay raises approved.
Brian Driscoll, CEO, around $750,000 to $2,550,000.
Gary Wandschneider, EVP, $500,000 to $900,000.
John Stewart, EVP, $400,000 to $700,000.
David Loeser, EVP, $375,000 to $656,256.
Kent Magill, EVP, $375,000 to $656,256.
Richard Seban, EVP, $375,000 to $656,256.
John Akeson, SVP, $300,000 to $480,000.
Steven Birgfeld, SVP, $240,000 to $360,000.
Martha Ross, SVP, $240,000 to $360,000.
Rob Kissick, SVP, $182,000 to $273,008.
They first filed bankruptcy in 2004. Then after Driscoll helped himself to his 300 percent raise, Gregory Rayburn was appointed CEO, the Sixth CEO in the past ten years. He immediately reduced the salaries of the four top executives to $1 per year. A day late and a dollar short.

Even without the pension costs, which the company quit paying this year, experts have been commenting on the company's struggles and dim outlook for the future. They emerged from the 2004 bankruptcy more in debt than when they went in. Combine that with bad sales and poor, greedy management eating up all the profits. It's no wonder Twinkies are now extinct.

[Bramaca]

Imagine having the clout to knock back gouging ticket prices or veto expansion to Arizona, not to mention having a share-holder's say in how long it takes to bring in a ****ing arbitrator.

Or even having concessions taken out as a full share for the players in the cba and so that food/drinks can be dropped to a reasonable price and the influence to make sure the owners do it instead of just pocketing the difference.

Not really sure where to start in making a fan union though.

[fingerbang]

So hostoss spent too much on salaries and went out of business?

[Pfeifer]

We just want the game back but it seems like a little bit of the game dies every lockout. I'm a diehard fan but I even get soured with each passing day. I miss the old game, but I guess any game will do at this point. This is a big pissing contest and when it's done there might not be anybody watching anymore.