NHL losing fans

[NJD Jester]

You have to sell the brutal mayhem just as much as the speed and skill. A game can incorporate ALL of it, it once did!

Amen to that. I've said for years that one of the most crippling decisions the NHL made was trying to market its star system in a defensive era instead of selling its violence and physical play. So while millions of young fans were being drawn to the NFL, extreme sports and professional wrestling in the mid-1990s, Bettman and his marketing geniuses were pimping Peter Forsberg spinning around like a dreidel with Yanni music playing over the highlights. Is that hockey?

<JESTER>

[Jamie Langenbrunner]

In Italy,I am sure,Nhl has losing a lot of Italian Fan because three year ago,we had the possibility to watch two matches every week,but after the lock-out we cant watch the match.

[LucifersDog]

It all starts at home. If the Devils don't know how or care to maket then why should the NHL market?

Hockey is local.

There are mamny excuses as to why fans don't go to home games of the Devils but the basic fact is that tjhe Devils don't market their team or players. There is zero identity for the most part with the Devils players and the team. Any Devils player can walk down the street and not be recognized. Probably the same for the Rangers except the Ranger big name stars.

Marketing has to begin at home.

[Devils731]

I think Marty and maybe Elias would get recognized walking down the street. How many NY Jets at the moment would get recognized walking down the street? Obviously NFL and NHL are different but I think player street recognition is a by product of popularity, not the cause of popularity.