Friedman- Players hate going to cold weather cities for ASG, NHL possibly reducing the eligible host cities

[LOFIN]

Want to make the all star games meaningful to the players, so that they want to go and actually PLAY there? Pay them up. There are what, 24 all star players selected? Pay each one of them 500k for getting nominated and participating, and say 50k, for the players of the winning team. And I guarantee you, players want to go and will try.

 

[93LEAFS]

Why? You think those fans are going to stop following those teams if the All-Star game isn't held there every 10 years?

I'd wager the All-Star game isn't a revenue machine. It's a marketing event. The markets you listed don't need an all-star game to boost interest.

The fan events, viewership, and ticket sales will bring in more revenue in those markets and it allows an interesting fan events which help increase interest among youth. I have great memories of meeting legends like Ted Lindsey at the fan events related to the ASG as a kid in Toronto, and in those markets you are likely to have more parents taking their kids who are passionate about the game meeting and having those experiences.

 

[Primary Assist]

Very simple solution if you're a player and the ASG is somewhere cold, just play horribly for the first half of the season

 

[Sheppy]

Want to make the all star games meaningful to the players, so that they want to go and actually PLAY there? Pay them up. There are what, 24 all star players selected? Pay each one of them 500k for getting nominated and participating, and say 50k, for the players of the winning team. And I guarantee you, players want to go and will try.

You'd have to get rid of fan voting which the NHL seems to not want to do.

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Not a huge surprise. The ASG really is just a schmooze-fest. Enough sponsors get whined and dined that it'll keep on going. I expect this limited list WILL include a few other spots - Toronto/Montreal/New York - if they want in on those weekends (and reportedly Toronto was considering an ASG bid in the near future) I doubt Bettman shuts them out.

 

[tfwnogf]

those poor millionaires

 

[UrbanImpact]

Want to make the all star games meaningful to the players, so that they want to go and actually PLAY there? Pay them up. There are what, 24 all star players selected? Pay each one of them 500k for getting nominated and participating, and say 50k, for the players of the winning team. And I guarantee you, players want to go and will try.

I gurantee all the players have a bonus clause in their contract regarding making the All Star Game.

Its more about spending time with their family and getting an actual vacation/week off rather than the money,

 

[wonton15]

NHL should now turn around and host the next 3 of them in cold cities as a f u to these soft players

 

[norrisnick]

Not a huge surprise. The ASG really is just a schmooze-fest. Enough sponsors get whined and dined that it'll keep on going. I expect this limited list WILL include a few other spots - Toronto/Montreal/New York - if they want in on those weekends (and reportedly Toronto was considering an ASG bid in the near future) I doubt Bettman shuts them out.

It honestly makes more sense to put the ASG in non-NHL cities than it would Toronto/Montreal/NYC.

Have it in New Orleans, Houston, Charlotte, Memphis, Atlanta, etc... If the league can make sure there is NHL level ice outdoors in Cali they can put a rink in any big enough arena.

The fans will travel. Locals will check out the oddities and maybe become interested. It's all ad money. Doesn't make sense to spend a bunch in cities where the fans are already invested.

 

[UrbanImpact]

Not a huge surprise. The ASG really is just a schmooze-fest. Enough sponsors get whined and dined that it'll keep on going. I expect this limited list WILL include a few other spots - Toronto/Montreal/New York - if they want in on those weekends (and reportedly Toronto was considering an ASG bid in the near future) I doubt Bettman shuts them out.

ASG is going to Toronto next year

 

[AKL]

It's so weird to criticize the players for this. They don't want to go to the ASG because it's an old and tired gimmick that they have to attend and go through the motions of while their teammates get a two week vacation to somewhere nice. When asked what the NHL could do to make the ASG better, they said "at least hold it somewhere warm", which like, yeah obviously, because again, their teammates are all on vacations to somewhere warm.

Imagine if the company you worked for shut down for two weeks every February, but the top performers all had to attend a work conference instead of just getting the two weeks off, and the conference was in Winnipeg. You'd probably be less than thrilled about it too.

 

[UrbanImpact]

NHL should now turn around and host the next 3 of them in cold cities as a f u to these soft players

HUH??

The NHL is the one making a lot of money from the ASG.

They are the ones that want to bend over backwards to make the players happy thats why they met with the players yesterday to ask them what they can do to make it more desirable.

Why would the NHL want to punish the players for going to an event that the NHL is setting up?

 

[bleedgreen]

Oh my god, eff these guys. There should be a clause in the contract that says if you don’t do cartwheels when they put you in the all star game the first four times you get named you forfeit a percentage of your contract.

 

[Transplanted Caper]

It honestly makes more sense to put the ASG in non-NHL cities than it would Toronto/Montreal/NYC.

Have it in New Orleans, Houston, Charlotte, Memphis, Atlanta, etc... If the league can make sure there is NHL level ice outdoors in Cali they can put a rink in any big enough arena.

The fans will travel. Locals will check out the oddities and maybe become interested. It's all ad money. Doesn't make sense to spend a bunch in cities where the fans are already invested.

Well, sure, but if Toronto or New York or Montreal want to host one, they've got enough pull with the league to get one.

 

[norrisnick]

Well, sure, but if Toronto or New York or Montreal want to host one, they've got enough pull with the league to get one.

They can host "location" ASGs at neutral sites. It's like those silly weddings. Bride's family is from Boston, Groom's from Boise, wedding in Miami.

 

[BHD]

Have a good might, Winnipeg.

 

[beowulf]

So the game is not for the fans then...

I mean can you blame them

Yes the are whiny little babies.

 

[DearDiary]

0 chance the NHL cancels the ASG.

Its a huge revenue machine and apparently Sponsors love it!

you cancel the ASG then you better be also in favor of the CAP going way down.

The topic is about area choices for All Star Games... not cancelling it

 

[UrbanImpact]

The topic is about area choices for All Star Games... not cancelling it

Eh look at this thread, i was responding to half the posters saying just cancel the ASG

 

[Tobias Kahun]

I gurantee all the players have a bonus clause in their contract regarding making the All Star Game.

Its more about spending time with their family and getting an actual vacation/week off rather than the money,

I guarantee you they dont.

 

[DickSmehlik]

I get it.

There's a reason why the Super Bowl is in states like Florida, California or Arizona and the Pro Bowl was in Hawaii every year.

I live in New York where it is currently 7 degrees out. As much as I would love to see the All-Star game in person, I wouldn't want players to have to come here for a superfluous game, this time of the year.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Makes sense, it is their break as well I can imagine they’d want to relax when they can.

 

[Voight]

Its never going to be in a city like Winnipeg for example so this seems premature.

Do they not realize the leagues breadwinners are in mostly cold markets?

 

[Jozay]

Yeah no kidding. These guys miss out on a vacation to show up to this useless event, least they could do is put it in a warm place.

 

[innitfam]

Why do some people have such visceral reactions to this?

Obviously they would prefer the warmer weather. A good majority of the league play in cold weather climate cities. It's not rocket science.

Some of you act like players should have no opinions whatsoever.