Quote:
Originally Posted by suburbanite
If Goodell's recent hollow "nothing" apologies are any indication, I think the NFL is coming around to the fact that they may take a small immediate hit now, but they're going to be better off in the long run by at least putting on a progressive face.
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The NBA is a pretty good case study in this with their progressivism (except for when it comes to China...). They crush every other league in most metrics for fans under 30, including the NFL.
Quote:
Originally Posted by suburbanite
We've had this discussion before, but the idea that the NHL squandered anything (purely from a business standpoint) in regards their overall strategy over the last two decades is nothing but nationalistic egotism.
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It's essentially just Canadians moaning that the NHL doesn't praise them as fans at every turn and breath, despite there being fewer of them with their money being worth 25% less.
Quote:
Originally Posted by suburbanite
It also assumes the league is the sole reason for any rise or decline in interest/viewership and ignores the underlying demographic changes that are fueling the growth of basketball, soccer, and others.
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As i've said what feels like a thousand times on this forum: it's not the NHL's prerogative to grow the game of hockey, at least not initially. Their main goal is to maximize profits for their owners. That's it. If people have an issue with a decline of the sport of hockey in Canada they should look towards Hockey Canada. The NHL goes where the money and growth is and for the past thirty years that hasn't been in Canada.
Quote:
Originally Posted by suburbanite
The better analogy for hockey is the NBA, and to say that the league has squandered the opportunity to grow the game in Indiana as China fuels the most rapid growth any modern sports league has seen.
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Agreed, and this is a good analogy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Acajack
It's very noticeable to anyone who grew up in the 70s, 80s or 90s, how the impact and presence of the league in overall society is visibly diminished.
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It was quite literally the only game in town. Canadians had no choice really when it came to sports in Canada at that time (50s-70s) on a broad, national scale. It was the NHL or, like, the CFL maybe? I'm sure somebody over 40 will be quick to correct me on this. Either way, the options at that time, even leading up to the 90s, were far less than they are today.
The NHL's diminishment in Canada is less to do with the NHL and more to do with every other sport and league entering the country.
And I think it would be appalling to expect athletes to sit on their hands in a time of such turmoil when people like them are murdered and discriminated against on a daily basis in their cities and neighbourhoods. I guess Tommie Smith and John Carlos should have stuck to sports and kept their heads down. I guess Muhammad Ali should have shut his mouth and gone to Vietnam. I guess Carlos Delgado should have stood during every seventh inning as
God Bless America blasted over the speakers. I guess Canada should have gone to Moscow '80.
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NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ @naomiosaka
All the people that were telling me to “keep politics out of sports”, (which it wasn’t political at all), really inspired me to win. You better believe I’m gonna try to be on your tv for as long as possible.