Canadiens announce RBC as first official game jersey partner

[417]

It's a meaningless thing. No team really benefits from a higher cap. It just makes it easier to do lazy thinking. If the cap dropped by 50%, you'd have the same odds at the cup. Work more efficiently with the same constraint everybody has, because if you can't do that now, you won't do it with a higher cap.

It's a meaningless thing to have league revenues increase?

Nah this Royal Bank thing has sent some of y'all.

 

[Lshap]

Why? I was happier when there was no cap, salaries weren’t as high, when I could walk to the forum and buy a ticket for 10bucks and the Habs were winning cups. You sound like Bettman.

I remember getting standing-room tickets for $8 to watch the 1970s Habs! Times were cheaper, but were they really better? A different topic for another message board. But in the broad conversation about inflation/standard of living, I see advertising as the effect, not the cause.

 

[haseoke39]

It's a meaningless thing to have league revenues increase?

Nah this Royal Bank thing has sent some of y'all.

Yeah, absolutely. Did the game or your experience get better as the cap went from $50M to $90M? No. You still had 1/32 of the dollars to spend on the same pool of players. I'd take a new CBA at a $50M cap without batting an eye. All you'd need is some soft landing mechanism for teams to restructure their existing deals.

 

[Runner77]

Is nothing sacred anymore?

Nope. This is the day when Habs jerseys became just clothes.

 

[417]

Why? I was happier when there was no cap, salaries weren’t as high, when I could walk to the forum and buy a ticket for 10bucks and the Habs were winning cups.

So you want to go back to a time where league revenues and player salaries weren't linked?

So you want to go back to a time where players were getting a sliver of the pie and owners were getting the rest?

Hey, i'm not about stanning for millionaires, but I'm firmly on the player's side when it comes to earning what they're due.

To each his own though,...just kinda ironic to see you complain about the RBC logo and then turn around and have this take.

P.S. in the mid 90s Joe Sakic was making over 15M a season, more than any player is today.

Rich teams could afford to pay the best players whatever wanted while 80% of the rest of the league couldn't compete financially.

Sure...let's have the Bruins, Flyers, Rangers, Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning run the NHL while the rest of the NHL's franchises fight for the scraps

That's what you want to go back too?

If it wasn't for the cap...there would be no NHL, unless it was contracted to like 12 teams.

You sound like Bettman.

I sound like someone who knows how to make money?

Oh no...please stop or I will report you.

 

[haseoke39]

Is nothing sacred anymore?

Nope. This is the day when Habs jerseys became just clothes.

This is the day when Habs jerseys became less than clothes. They became an ad.

 

[Andy]

It's been an emotional day man

I even forgot we got a new captain

I’m so shook I forgot to eat. Darkest day in world history

 

[417]

Yeah, absolutely. Did the game or your experience get better as the cap went from $50M to $90M? No. You still had 1/32 of the dollars to spend on the same pool of players. I'd take a new CBA at a $50M cap without batting an eye. All you'd need is some soft landing mechanism for teams to restructure their existing deals.

It's not about me, I just watch hockey.

But yes, I did enjoy watching player's salaries increase. I've always thought that those who lay their bodies on the line and entertain us, are the ones who should benefit the most.

So yes...absolutely.

 

[Frankenheimer]

I'm sincerely curious what power RBC – or any advertiser – gains by displaying their logo? I see passive brand-awareness; you obviously see something more insidious since you used the term "Corporate overlords".

The latter part was said in jest, to be honest, to underline the emptiness of saying “corporations will be corporations” as any kind of meaningful point.

I don’t understand the first point you’re making. I’m not really thinking about what RBC stands to gain only what we all stand to lose, which is an unspoiled jersey and the symbol of our team/history.

 

[Toene]

People ITT trying to be le smart by being so above things. Yawn. Have a pulse, my dear NPCs. Caring about things is not a weakness in one's character. On the contrary.

Also, let's forget the blasphemous aspect of this move for a second, it's also ugly as f***.

 

[Frankenheimer]

So you want to go back to a time where league revenues and player salaries weren't linked?

So you want to go back to a time where players were getting a sliver of the pie and owners were getting the rest?

Hey, i'm not about stanning for millionaires, but I'm firmly on the player's side when it comes to earning what they're due.

To each his own though,...just kinda ironic to see you complain about the RBC logo and then turn around and have this take.

P.S. in the mid 90s Joe Sakic was making over 15M a season, more than any player is today.

Rich teams could afford to pay the best players whatever wanted while 80% of the rest of the league couldn't compete financially.

Sure...let's have the Bruins, Flyers, Rangers, Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning run the NHL while the rest of the NHL's franchises fight for the scraps

That's what you want to go back too?

If it wasn't for the cap...there would be no NHL, unless it was contracted to like 12 teams.

I sound like someone who knows how to make money?

Oh no...please stop or I will report you.

Sorry I momentarily forgot you post a lot and make little sense.

I remember getting standing-room tickets for $8 to watch the 1970s Habs! Times were cheaper, but were they really better? A different topic for another message board. But in the broad conversation about inflation/standard of living, I see advertising as the effect, not the cause.

Yup you could get standing room for 10bucks even in the 90s. I don’t think this was a necessary reaction to anything. It’s more like, if we can do it, let’s do it. They’re testing it right now. Reacting negatively could provoke a change. It’s happened before.

 

[haseoke39]

It's not about me, I just watch hockey.

But yes, I did enjoy watching player's salaries increase. I've always thought that those who lay their bodies on the line and entertain us, are the ones who should benefit the most.

So yes...absolutely.

Okay, if you enjoy watching other people get rich, more revenue is good for you.

But, I mean, from the perspective of self-interest, doubling league revenue isn't going to make the Habs better, or the fan experience better, or anything like that.

Although , to be circumspect, I'm doubtful this is going to produce more revenue for the league in the long-term. For a pittance, they've undermined the core product. Fans cheer for the jersey. Fans are represented by the jersey. Jerseys are the most powerful piece of subnational iconography in North America. People associate the jersey with their civic identity. You can't find more than a handful of people who even recognize the flag of their city, and yet people wear the jersey coast to coast because it represents pride in their community. A literal century of faithfully keeping the symbol of jerseys has led to a pretty unique sense of civic identity in that piece of cloth that is probably unmatched by anything short of the flag of the country. And it has been very, very lucrative, compared to leagues where there's no pride in the symbol.

They just made that symbol a medium for advertising. In a world getting sicker and sicker of and savvier and savvier to pernicious advertising nipping at our eyeballs every second.

I don't know if they'll realize it even when it happens, but that has the potential to strongly dilute fan identification with their team in the long run. So $150M a year for advertising across the NHL, in a league worth $30,000M, might take a lot of the luster off the product.

 

[Treb]

This is the day when Habs jerseys became less than clothes. They became an ad.

Technically, they have always been an ad.

 

[Theosis]

You can't find more than a handful of people who even recognize the flag of their city

Not going to lie, I had to google the Montreal flag to remember what it looked like exactly

 

[haseoke39]

Technically, they have always been an ad.

... for themselves? I'm finding more than a few people who seem unwilling to understand what an ad is today.

"HeY, My FAce iS an aD FoR MYselF, RIte? WHo CarES?"

 

[Lshap]

The latter part was said in jest, to be honest, to underline the emptiness of saying “corporations will be corporations” as any kind of meaningful point.

I don’t understand the first point you’re making. I’m not really thinking about what RBC stands to gain only what we all stand to lose, which is an unspoiled jersey and the symbol of our team/history.

Okay, I get it. It sounded like you were sounding an alarm against corporations; I was curious what your concerns were in this specific case.

If we're talking about visuals, I agree the RBC logo is a zit on a classic face. But I'd rather see our beloved jersey with a small logo than suffer those ugly barbershop-pole retro jerseys. It's all relative.

 

[Chadstudsky]

Not a fan of the look. I see both sides. One one hand, we've increased our scouting department, increased our player development department, added a co-GM, buying first round picks for 6.5m, spend up to the cap, had two years (especially in Canada) of horrible ticket sales etc.

On the other hand that Jersey is sacred, and once they're there the ads will never go away, they will always sell out to the highest bidder everytime the contract expires. I wonder if there were other revenue streams to explore before doing this. What kind of money could they even be pulling from this? 5m per year? Doesn't seem like it's worth it. Make no mistake though every team will eventually have these, everyone has a price, be it PGA golfers or the owners of last house on a residential street needed by a developer to build a condo building

 

[WeThreeKings]

Technically, they have always been an ad.

If the Habs jersey was really sacred, they wouldn't have mass produced them for us to buy and wear.

 

[ReHabs]

Deeply cynical to present this at the same time of Suzuki’s announcement.

And of course Montréal media don’t have a single critical word or question about the necessity of this jerk move.

We can get used to this but we don’t need to approve of it. And if enough people voice their disapproval, the club can change it.

 

[HostileCapSpace]

 

[417]

Sorry I momentarily forgot you post a lot and make little sense.

I hit a nerve I guess...you be aight lol

 

[417]

Okay, if you enjoy watching other people get rich, more revenue is good for you.

I enjoy watching players get fairly compensated for the amount of sacrifice they put in. They're the product.

Yes, 100%.

But, I mean, from the perspective of self-interest, doubling league revenue isn't going to make the Habs better, or the fan experience better, or anything like that.

Again, are you actually arguing that higher revenues isn't good for the league and fans?

I never argued that higher revenues = Habs get better, this the second time you're intentionally misrepresenting what i'm writing to fit your narrative.

Just take what i'm writing at face value, I don't need you remixing it.

Although , to be circumspect, I'm doubtful this is going to produce more revenue for the league in the long-term. For a pittance, they've undermined the core product. Fans cheer for the jersey. Fans are represented by the jersey. Jerseys are the most powerful piece of subnational iconography in North America. People associate the jersey with their civic identity.

I certainly don't lol.

You can't find more than a handful of people who even recognize the flag of their city, and yet people wear the jersey coast to coast because it represents pride in their community. A literal century of faithfully keeping the symbol of jerseys has led to a pretty unique sense of civic identity in that piece of cloth that is probably unmatched by anything short of the flag of the country. And it has been very, very lucrative, compared to leagues where there's no pride in the symbol.

I think this kind of stuff sounds real nice and all, but I really don't believe that's why people cheer for their sports team.

An NHL team represents pride in your community?

Come on man lol

They just made that symbol a medium for advertising. In a world getting sicker and sicker of and savvier and savvier to pernicious advertising nipping at our eyeballs every second.

You realize you cheer for the Montreal Canadiens (not sure if you're a Habs fan, don't recognize you from the regular members here, if so, please accept my apologies for not knowing), who play in the National Hockey League, right?

I don't know if they'll realize it even when it happens, but that has the potential to strongly dilute fan identification with their team in the long run. So $150M a year for advertising across the NHL, in a league worth $30,000M, might take a lot of the luster off the product.

I don't believe that no.

Maybe i'll be wrong, but in 2 months from now when/if this is just a footnote amidst the latest drama affecting the Habs, we'll see I suppose.

 

[_habsfan9]

It started with just a small helmet ad, then one small front crest ad, and then by 2030 we look like this boys lol

 

[Yep]

I've been in the brand management business a while ago. Sharing your identity and leasing it to lesser brands will usually weaken your brand long term (unless its for a good cause - e.g. kids, breast cancer...). Not a good way to manage your brand capital.

Plus, it's eye-bleeding ugly.

 

[417]

People ITT trying to be le smart by being so above things. Yawn. Have a pulse, my dear NPCs. Caring about things is not a weakness in one's character. On the contrary.

Also, let's forget the blasphemous aspect of this move for a second, it's also ugly as f***.

I care about the Montreal Canadiens not sure how any of this changes that for me personally, and I don't think that's trying to be above things.

I think I understand why some folks are against this, I don't share those sentiments but to each his own.