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Ways the NHL Can Fix Its Game By Joe Turk Even with this year’s super exciting playoffs under way, the NHL has many problems looming ahead. The current collective bargaining agreement is almost up and the NHL looks like it’s heading towards a devastating strike or lockout in the near future. If that wasn't bad enough, most of the play quality throughout the league is getting worse every year and fan attendance has dipped the past four seasons. Still, the game of hockey is very exciting, and there are some things the NHL could do to help fix itself and improve its image. Here are a few ideas. 1. Better Collective Bargaining Agreement Well let me just start off by saying, duh. The salaries for NHL players are insane, especially with revenues for most teams razor thin. If you want to make a profit and keep small market teams competitive, this is the way. This is a total no-brainier. 2. Lower Ticket Prices There are many people in cities with an NHL team that are interested in following hockey, but are turned off by the $80 per ticket pricing structure (caused by high salaries, of course). They would rather commit that money to their favorite NFL or MLB team, which they usually have more of a history following. One of the things that dooms teams in cities like Nashville, Atlanta, Florida and Tampa Bay early in the season is if those cities’ football teams make it to the playoffs. Sports fans there don’t think twice about spending $200 for a NFL playoff ticket, which usually doesn't leave much left over to catch an early NHL game. If tickets were cheaper more people on the fence would be able to go and find an appreciation for the game of hockey. 3. Move Teams Back To Canada, Eh Okay, this may sound strange since the Canadian dollar is almost worthless now and the economy is doing bad, but come on. Hockey is, after all, CANADA'S NATIONAL GAME. I mean, that's what it’s all aboot, eh? It's sad that hard-core Canadian cites like Winnipeg and Quebec had to lose their teams to American cities like Denver and Phoenix. Moving teams like the Lightning, Thrashers or Coyotes back north would increase Canadian interest in the league. Canadian interest = more hard-core fan support. More Canadian fans = more rivalries between American fans. More rivalries = more fun had by all and riots. Fun riots… eh. Read More... |
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