I'd like to take the time to write a little, or a lot depending on how I feel, about the state of defense in the NHL, especially our Senators, today.
To quickly introduce why I'd do this; all my hockey playing career, which consisted mostly of minor hockey as a child, pond hockey behind my home in rural Newfoundland, and nowadays any type of putting a stick to a small object that I can be a part of. I was a defensemen. I've dedicated my time in the past few years to becoming schooled in the art of defense and all the theoretical and practical knowledge I can find on doing it effectively.
This year the Senators got a little bigger and, arguably, a lot slower on defense. I have no problems with this. I don't really care if any of our defense is potting any more than 10-15 points a year just as long as they are solid when keeping the other team off the scoreboard. Throw some body around, stick check, block shots, cover your man - or area - diligently, take your time and create space for yourself, and never take the puck before the man on a one-on-one.
I've come to a conclusion. I hate the moniker of offensive defensemen, I truly believe that this conflict of ideas, an abstraction if you will, and cannot actually exist. Alas, the term has persisted, and grows, each season to describe any defensemen who is; a little faster out of his own end, can score more than 10 goals or near 50 points a season, makes passes that cross the red line from behind their blueline.
Whatever...
These guys rarely do a good job as a defensemen, and have only vague dreams of being Bobby Orr as they sleep at night.
Defensive side
TSN kicks CBC Ass
A quick post about how much better TSN is getting at Marketing to me, as a part of the current generation of avid HOCKEY watchers, by creating campaigns like this "more Canadian content" commercial. Believe me its funny and makes you think all at the same time... as soon as someone, besides me, decides to put it on the internet I'll add it to the blog.
I've gotta say that this is something I'm looking forward to much more than an outdated dinosaur who seems more worried about sensationalism, fashion, and fighting then the game that is being played on any given night. I've always hated how "that show" has become a soapbox for a tired and outdated set of opinions without much care for the big picture of hockey.
I just wish TSN would do some more research about the AVERAGE Canadian hockey fan, because I'm pretty sure they are NOT Leaf fans.
Bored Ad's
Eventually the conversation led to how to replace the board ad's, without losing the revenue they bring, while providing entertainment for the fans. As opposed to increasing clutter near the ice surface; I'm looking at you LCD screen board ads.
The single question I asked myself over and over was; "Who are the board ad's aimed at in the first place?" -My marketing teacher would be very proud that I looked for the target market right off the bat.
And the answer to my question...
...the arena population
...the television audience.
It's not clear cut who the ad's are targeted at more, both these groups are exposed to the ad's pretty consistently, so I decided to ponder how to replace the board ad revenues as if they were targeted at both groups on the same levels.
Below are my suggestions for alternatives that allow the elimination the board ad's. Creating less clutter on the ice surface during the action, while increasing the fan experience and still retaining the revenue the ad's provided.
The Arena Population
It's all about the gathering of the individual. You sit down, grab a brew, push to the edge of your seat and cheer your head off when the ice sheet players meet your fancy. People near you feed off your emotion and the excitement, or tension, grows exponentially. You want to be able to push that puck a little to the right, so it squeezes between the goalies glove and the post, lighting the red lamps in overtime. Increasing the ambient crowd noise would provided that little something extra for the fans.
Repositioning of the board ad's in the arena and turning them into sound deflecting, amplification, dampening devices works to up the involvement, increasing the fan experience during the event at the same time. Imagine feeling your heart pounding to the crowds chants of "Alfie, Alfie, Alfie!"
It's either this or have microphones in the stands, like some sports arena's I've recently heard about, to increase the crowd volume.
The Television Audience
The only ad's I can stand, during a television broadcast of a hockey game, are those semi- transparent ones that usually float onto the screen for 10 to 25 seconds apiece during some stoppages in play.
Why? I think it's because they are the only ad's that break-up the action and only slightly remind me that I'm watching a television show. Watching a game on television is all about finding ways to get involved in the action, commercials that take you out of the arena and into a clothing store or hardware store are detrimental to that goal.
Increasing the number of semi-transparent ad's would provide this. Allowing for greater involvement of the audience by; showing panorama's of the arena busting with fans, close-ups of fans enjoying themselves, player intimates, interviews with coaches and players alike, more features like "McGuire's Monster" and the Team1200 going through the players hockey equipment. All of these things, which involve the audience more intimately with the progam, can only increase viewership and boost advertising dollars. Even if the ad's are see-through.
Where is the Gold?
I've been sitting here- near death from a nasty cold/flu/Ebola virus- and I have been thinking- (I can hear you groaning already.)
I still don't like the new uniforms. Why? I asked myself; the team looks faster, the players look less bulky, and its a great marketing tool.
I don't like that there is no GOLD incorporated into the uniforms. The socks are black, red and white. The Jersey (yes the hockey sweater is dead) is red, white and black.
No Gold. None except for the logo, which I do like. I wanna see this team have something all it's own - as of now were a shade away from being Carolina, and a loss of our basic black away from being Detroit.
I know it's basically a non-issue. People will argue that the way the stripes and lines are laid out will make the difference in the recognition of the other "Red-Drenched" teams. But hear me out... Give this team an identity all it's own, bring back the "GOLD" of the third jersey from years past and it will make a big difference. This team should be able "to make the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup then." ;)
