Jun 03 2008
Trip Down Memory Lane…
Oddly enough, the Stanley Cup Finals are amongst my most memorable sporting events. Primarily because I worked for four years for the New Jersey Devils. In that time, they won two Stanley Cups and lost in game 7 of another finals.
Unfortunately for the NHL, the sport is struggling to capture the casual fan. Hockey has probably one of the strongest core sets of diehards. However, they also have the smallest set of fans who tune into games on TV. The NFL and Nascar have managed to turn every game or race into a major event. Baseball has had over 100 years of tradition carrying itself. The NBA has successfully marketed it’s players and done very well outside North America.
Hockey has tried everything over the past 10 years to garner the attention paid to other sports. Problem is, there just isn’t enough time for sports fans to watch. Hockey has easily the most exciting playoffs, as most games are close, and it isn’t unusual to see sudden death overtime. But, by the time playoffs rolls around, the NBA is also in playoff mode, and MLB has started it’s season.
Back to my experience for a moment. A few years ago, I knew most NHL rosters, and followed the league closely, even before I joined the Devils. However, after I left, I could care less. Why? The league went on strike. MLB, NBA and NFL have all had seemingly vicious strikes, but none were as bad as the NHLs. The league needed it from a financial standpoint, but losing an entire season turned into a nightmare. Fans, much like myself, moved on. Have the arenas remained relatively full? Sure, but that was never really in doubt. As I referenced before, many hockey fans are diehards and continued to attend games. However, they lost the TV market, and no longer is the NHL on the sports flagship ESPN.
ESPN is a key media outlet for all sports. Everyone generally speaking has ESPN, and turns to it first for sports coverage. When ESPN has an event on, they cover it like no one else. Just think for a moment how heavily reported the NFL draft is. Ever since ESPN dropped the NHL, their coverage has likewise faded.
In 2000, the Devils faced off against the Dallas Stars in the finals. The Devils sprinted to a 3-1 series lead, with game 5 at home. I was there that night and into the next morning, as the game went to triple overtime knotted at 0-0. It was an exhilarating and exhausting night. The crowd was tense and ready to explode. Tonight’s finals between Pittsburgh and Detroit is so reminiscent of that night. The NHL needs to find a way to get these spectacular moments to the sports fan. The NBA rarely has a series clinching, overtime, last minute shot. The NFL has had the late field goal, and the occasional last minute TD. MLB has had some moments with walkoff home runs. But the NHL seems to have these type moments yearly, but no one watches.
The Stars won that game, on a goal by Mike Modano. You’ve never heard anything as quiet as 20,000 fans were that night. The emotion for about four or five hours just evaporated. The Devils would win the next game and the championship. How else? Double overtime on a goal by Jason Arnott, silencing 20,000 fans.
Tonight, the Penguins players silenced the Red Wings fans as they staved off elimination in triple overtime. Petr Sykora who earlier in the game said that he would score the game winner did just that. Sergei Gonchar was injured in the second period, and barely played in the 3rd period and most of the three overtimes. Gonchar managed to jump back on the ice for the game winner. The NBA would pay for a moment like that. The NHL would pay for someone, anyone to watch.
