it will be the crosby show

[bduff54]

i expect the outdoor game to be 100% about crosby, i expect the refs to give numerous brutal calls against the sabres to get sid the PP time. i am going to bet money on pitt and i expect you all to the same, the sabres are better than the pens and we all know that but i think this game will be a joke and will be geared towards the kid.

[beTough54]

http://images.wikia.com/uncyclopedia/images/1/15/CaptainobviousChooseOption.jpg

I do think they will talk up the community a bit, but yes, most of it will be Crosby. I won't hear it, I'll be at the game.

[Carl J. Ironsides]

No question. You can bet NBC's coverage is going to be terrible all around. I'll be rotating between NBC and CBC, which has far better announcing and coverage but unfortunately doesn't have HD here. That is NBC's sole advantage.

Jim Hughson is God.

[anEinherjer]

So what if it's all about Crosby? This is a league event. A huge chance to show off.

Poor ref work will just dampen the whole thing.

The best thing for the league would be for Crosby to get a few points but the Sabres to win it late (or even in OT) - keep interest up, keep the fans into it...

Man it's gonna be HUGE.

[bduff54]

So what if it's all about Crosby? This is a league event. A huge chance to show off.

Poor ref work will just dampen the whole thing.

The best thing for the league would be for Crosby to get a few points but the Sabres to win it late (or even in OT) - keep interest up, keep the fans into it...

Man it's gonna be HUGE.

it is a great event, but it won't be "huge". most americans won't watch because the bowl games will be one. It will make little to no difference in the grand scheme of things but for fans like us it will be great

[JLB]

i expect the outdoor game to be 100% about crosby, i expect the refs to give numerous brutal calls against the sabres to get sid the PP time. i am going to bet money on pitt and i expect you all to the same, the sabres are better than the pens and we all know that but i think this game will be a joke and will be geared towards the kid.

:rofl:

You are gonna lose your arse. :D

[Papaduke]

If the game goes like duff says I hope it devolves into a 1970's style brawl that embarrasses the Buttman.

[bduff54]

:rofl:

You are gonna lose your arse. :D

lol, i hope not. but i am betting the pens no matter what. i just see it going that way.

[two4trippn]

I'd bet Crosby gets a penalty shot attempt since the league should have National exposure and Cindy is their poster child of youth and promise.

[billsfan69]

i expect the outdoor game to be 100% about crosby, i expect the refs to give numerous brutal calls against the sabres to get sid the PP time. i am going to bet money on pitt and i expect you all to the same, the sabres are better than the pens and we all know that but i think this game will be a joke and will be geared towards the kid.


No thank you. I don't bet against my teams.

[Meathead]

oh come on stop exaggerating

even with skates on i bet crosby makes it out to the parking lot to save those burning puppies

[charbs]

It will be the Ryan Miller show. Sorry to burst your bubble.


Leafs suck too. As usual.

[Fallsnative]

The league I'm sure has directed NBC to focus on Crosby because the NHL is narrow sighted when it comes to marketing its players. Crosby is certinaly a great young talent, however both teams have other talented players. If the NHL had a decent idea of what it ultimately wanted for its organization to begin with, they focus on both TEAMS and the caliber of players onboard. They tell the refs to focus on holding and obstruction and yet these two young exciting teams FLY! Open the damn game back up. I believe these two teams where chosen for this event because they can fly and will.
As for nobody watching, well, that may happen. The NHL and NBC have done a terrible job of marketing the game. I havent seen but a couple commericals about the game, and those were on NBC's Sunday night football. I've heard no radio spots, scene no newspaper stuff either. It could of been a major event, however the NHL once again has proven it does not know how to market its own product.

[mosuavea]

As for nobody watching, well, that may happen. The NHL and NBC have done a terrible job of marketing the game. I havent seen but a couple commericals about the game, and those were on NBC's Sunday night football. I've heard no radio spots, scene no newspaper stuff either. It could of been a major event, however the NHL once again has proven it does not know how to market its own product.

You cant market to customers who don't have any interest in your product

[bduff54]

You cant market to customers who don't have any interest in your product

spot on, who are they supposed to be marketing it to. anybody that cares is going to the game. just thinks about this for a second, how often do you see Hockey on the front of SI, or how often do you hear it on the rome show?

[bduff54]

No thank you. I don't bet against my teams.

thats cool, i bet against the leafs all the time, me cheering for them is not going to prevent the inevitable.

[daschuck77]

I do think they will talk up the community a bit, but yes, most of it will be Crosby. I won't hear it, I'll be at the game.

It's going to be like the Bills-Dallas monday night game where they placate the city where all the network can think of is to praise their chicken wings and then the true agenda of the show kicks in. RBK and the NHL will be featuring their cash cow marquee player and as marketers say, will try to develop brand awareness of the NHL and RBK play-crap Edge uniform system.

I hate to agree, but this is going to happen.

[GrapeDRINK]

If the NHL wanted this game to be Crosby-Centric they would have put the game in Pittsburgh. I don't think the league wants 70K angry and drunk Buffalonians to deal with. This game will be called the same way as any other.

[Fallsnative]

spot on, who are they supposed to be marketing it to. anybody that cares is going to the game. just thinks about this for a second, how often do you see Hockey on the front of SI, or how often do you hear it on the rome show?

So now Jim Rome and SI are the barometer for sports adverstising? Please. Rome is a jerk and has a limited audience. SI has never featured hockey. NBC and the NHL have dumped alot money into this event, so you go out, put advertisements in papers across the country, put ads on competing TV stations, make an effort. If you dont attempt to reach the masses, then your not going to bring in new fans. I dont buy that argument that you cant advertise to people who dont want to see it. You put it out there to people who may not even know about it. And you might get lucky and draw in someone who's always wondered what the NHL was all about. I get your argument, but dont agree that you dont advertise because most people dont care. You have to start somewhere.

[mosuavea]

So now Jim Rome and SI are the barometer for sports adverstising? Please. Rome is a jerk and has a limited audience. SI has never featured hockey. NBC and the NHL have dumped alot money into this event, so you go out, put advertisements in papers across the country, put ads on competing TV stations, make an effort. If you dont attempt to reach the masses, then your not going to bring in new fans. I dont buy that argument that you cant advertise to people who dont want to see it. You put it out there to people who may not even know about it. And you might get lucky and draw in someone who's always wondered what the NHL was all about. I get your argument, but dont agree that you dont advertise because most people dont care. You have to start somewhere.

No but there is a reason national shows don't talk hockey at all, its because their audience will flip the channel as fast as possible.

You think some guy in Alabama is going to see an ad for the NHL and go out and buy the
CI pack so he can catch his favorite team every night? Or try and find VS on a Monday or Tuesday to watch a game?

The fan base has limited potential for growth in the US. They've tried moving teams to cities to garner support, that didn't work. There are a limited number of cities that actually have lots of interest in the NHL, we happen to live in one of them.

I really think you are over estimating the impact of advertising in general on the product. For the sake of argument, lets say you are not a Nascar fan ( I am not). Do those ads they run all the time on ABC, FOX (when they had it), ESPN ever make you turn on the channel to watch a race? Highly doubtful since you don't have interest in the sport to begin with. People need a vested interest to become fans, a favorite player, a star player (preferably American born) in order to tune in, a team in your city (which as mentioned has not worked in non-traditional markets).

The NHL should just embrace itself for what it is, a niche sport that will never rival the national spotlight of the NFL or MLB.

[bduff54]

So now Jim Rome and SI are the barometer for sports adverstising? Please. Rome is a jerk and has a limited audience. SI has never featured hockey. NBC and the NHL have dumped alot money into this event, so you go out, put advertisements in papers across the country, put ads on competing TV stations, make an effort. If you dont attempt to reach the masses, then your not going to bring in new fans. I dont buy that argument that you cant advertise to people who dont want to see it. You put it out there to people who may not even know about it. And you might get lucky and draw in someone who's always wondered what the NHL was all about. I get your argument, but dont agree that you dont advertise because most people dont care. You have to start somewhere.

Rome is a massive syndicated show and SI is probably the biggest sports mag in the world. And who are these people in the US that have always wondered what the nhl is? The sport has been around forever, they simply don't care. the idea that hockey will one day be huge in the states is hilarious to me. it will never happen

[Scary Good]

There is a lock for crazy stuff tomorrow. Whether or not he gets hammered on, maybe 5 on 3, penalty shot... Peters-Laraque has to be a 100% lock as well, I would think.