Gauging fan interest from last season to next season

[Nineteen67]

NHL supports pure trash:

Tiktok, Huawei.

Hard to take the whole shebang seriously.

This is what could break my streak.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Meh, I'll watch but like others, my interest level is at an all-time low. I really expected a change. Either in the core or the coach (nothing against Keefe, it's just an easy change that would have major impact). But that's not what we're hearing. I don't see how they can just run this exact same team back and expect different results after all of these years (and yes, we can now say "after all of these years"). Who knows what the next couple of weeks will bring, maybe something is coming.

 

[justashadowof]

If this team wasn't such an automatic to qualify for the playoffs over the past 7 seasons I suspect many of us would put more stock into the regular season. Home ice advantage means little as well as this team is just as likely to win games on the road in the playoffs. So some of this indifference is the product of the routine success of the NHL regular season. We'll miss it when it's gone and it may be gone as soon as next season (Buffalo is rising fast, Ottawa and Detroit seem to be a few savvy offseason moves away from playoff contention).

 

[Anthrax442]

It's just entertainment, I don't live or die with it. I'll watch because I enjoy it, if there is something else going on I'll do that, same as always.
I don't plan my life around it.

One thing I can say is I don't think I will attend as many games live as I use to.

*** what I don't understand is the crowd that will watch every game and just complain that it's meaningless until the playoffs start.

Same. I used to go more often, but the ticket prices, performance and just generally getting downtown and back is such a bother that it turns me off from going.

 

[namttebih]

Been losing steady interest since the pandemic. It is nice to watch my team win, but I have other hobbies that take up my time, and lately I have been very disappointed with the direction of the NHL overall.

I'd go even further and say that it also has to do with Sportsnet's unwatchable product.

I'll watch most games when home, but rarely on the road as I travel to the US for work. In the past I would find bars with NHL packages - which was rare, or a crappy stream in my hotel. These days I can't be bothered to make the effort for this unlikeable team.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

I'd go even further and say that it also has to do with Sportsnet's unwatchable product.

I'll watch most games when home, but rarely on the road as I travel to the US for work. In the past I would find bars with NHL packages - which was rare, or a crappy stream in my hotel. These days I can't be bothered to make the effort for this unlikeable team.

Absolutely, cannot stand their woke coverage.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Treliving needs to prove it isn’t about the core 4, then maybe I’ll care.
So far the talk is about signing Mathew’s and Nylander, the NMC kicking in, Marner’s next contract and JT not waiving.
Add to that we are constantly trying to build a team of UFAs around a core not getting it done, sure seems like it’s all about 4.

Are you excited for the draft? What picks?
Are you excited for trades? What trades, there’s nobody if relevance to trade.
Core 4. Same as always.

This!
A core 4 who have been given everything including undying loyalty, that can't step up their game in the playoffs for more than a game or 2. And watching AM get rag-dolled and smile, JT get plastered and face-washed and eveyone pretends they didn't see....... gutless, unlikeable team right now

 

[the Mighty Oak]

If the new gm fills the lineup. with just fillers like Doobis did. My interest will drop way down.

 

[1specter]

I've cut back pretty significantly on watching regular season games the last few years, quite frankly just don't have the time I used to and it seems like regular season matters less and less each year and is also just a huge slog especially in the second half. If it's another 'run it back' season, then honestly I will have very little to no appetite to watch regular season games anymore. Maybe Saturday nights cause HNIC is a pastime/tradition, but hard to get invested in the same thing again knowing how it'll likely turn out come playoffs.

The NHL as a product is honestly kinda broken, these last playoffs for example were truly horrible after the first round, and everything I thought I knew about hockey kinda went out the window seeing the teams that actually made it deep. The inconsistencies in the product itself don't help at all.

 

[mehavecable]

I'm 62 and a life long Leaf fan. I even had season tickets back in the 80s (MLG). If they run back the same core 4 and Keefe... I'm tuning out.

 

[-DeMo-]

it hasn't changed for me, and I find it interesting when people say it has had an affect on there viewing. especially because we went essentially 10-12 years of missing the playoffs and that didn't waiver peoples attention only now that were a playoff team are people seeming saying there losing interest. and I get it with the team we have the regular season is boring in the sense that we all know were making the playoffs vs before every regular season game had meaning because we were just trying to make the playoffs. but just seems weird.

 

[therealkoho]

You guys are true die hards. I'm finding of my friends that are hockey fans, it's 50/50.

There are some that are basically checked out and need to see something to be interested and then I have the others that won't miss a game, they will PVR etc.

I love my Leafs and have for 60 plus years of the 69 I've been on the planet, I can find no reason to stop now.

I have no power nor any way to influence what the team does or how it conducts its business. I have been with them through thick and thin and will stay with them now whatever the outcome.

I don't like the fact that the idiot Dubas handed over all the power to Matthews and his agent and in the process managed to alienate and demonize Marner with the fan base. It almost seems like that's what he was trying to do.

Luckily they still find themselves in a position with the ability to avoid what is likely to be be an overpayment to a player who while quite valuable has zero leadership skills.

If I had my way Matthews would be shopping for a new house somewhere south of the border.

 

[Dekes For Days]

As a fan, I'll obviously continue to watch every game I possibly can. Not sure how there could be any other answer.

 

[Suntouchable13]

The interest in the regular season to me boils down to whether teams like Buffalo and Ottawa can actually threaten for a top 3 spot in the division. Can they? If not, it will be another snoozefest of a regular season. Thanks Gary and the owners!

 

[JT AM da real deal]

There is gonna be a bit of a long winded question so please read it all;

How engaged were you with the team this most recent season, did you watch all of the games? Most? Some games? Less than usual? and why?

If Sept 1st rolls around, the core 4 are here, Keefe is here, Rielly is here and we've changed things on the fringes...where do you see your level of interest / engagement in watching the team next season? Will you still watch every game? most? some? less? Why?

I know some people watch less as they get older with more responsibilities, kids, wife, job responsibilities etc so it's not because there is displeasure with the team or anything, you love the team but life is busy.

My answer:

I'll be in honest in that my viewing habits having been on the downswing for the last couple of seasons, I don't even know if I sat through 10 entire games last year, maybe the odd period etc but I just didn't care. I check in for the playoffs because at that point, that's what I need to see, playoff success.

I thought the series win would have re-invigorated me as a fan and then the way things ended with Florida...it felt like all that goodwill and optimism just went in the toilet.

Now seeing that this team could be more or less the same collection of losers next season? I'm thinking I am gonna be in the range of 0-5 games, Knies would be about the only intriguing to see at this point until the playoffs rolled around again, maybe Woll's starts too.

Where are you at as a fan?

I feel like you do but that said I renewed again for next season as i always do .. to me I don't like watching hockey on TV as I can't understand da intricacies of da game watching puck only and listening to game callers .. and it is always fun getting together with friends at Hot Stove which is really what makes it for a lot of us .. team will be fine again in regular season and i suspect we will get same results again in playoffs

 

[therealkoho]

Each successive regular season

becomes more meaningless than the last,

as the playoffs overshadow any success

and we are left to wonder if it will translate.

Almost haiku

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Like the line under my username, I wrote when I was 16...till I die. I'm not going to cry or lose sleep over it. Just gonna enjoy it and cheer for the best.

 

[NinjaKick]

7 out of 10.

10 being puppies and kittens. and 1 being 9/11.

 

[Jmo89]

I'm in my 30s and watched the least amount of game last year possibly ever.

To be fair, that's not entirely because of the team. Our family lost a couple people right before the season started and after that I just didn't have much interest in watching a full game.

The biggest Leafs related reasons for me are:

1. The team has not been battling for the division lead the past two seasons, after big seasons from Florida and Boston. Even though they have had good regular seasons, it's expected at this point (spoiled, I know.) It would be nice to watch them battle for the division down the stretch.

2. Lack of Playoffs success. It's hard to get too excited when it's the same old come playoffs.

Aside from that, life is just busy.

I probably only watched 10 full games this past season. Partially watched like 40, and followed the rest through the espn app and YT highlites.

Keefe staying as coach will probably have me watch less this season.

 

[myleafs]

I've cut back pretty significantly on watching regular season games the last few years, quite frankly just don't have the time I used to and it seems like regular season matters less and less each year and is also just a huge slog especially in the second half. If it's another 'run it back' season, then honestly I will have very little to no appetite to watch regular season games anymore. Maybe Saturday nights cause HNIC is a pastime/tradition, but hard to get invested in the same thing again knowing how it'll likely turn out come playoffs.

The NHL as a product is honestly kinda broken, these last playoffs for example were truly horrible after the first round, and everything I thought I knew about hockey kinda went out the window seeing the teams that actually made it deep. The inconsistencies in the product itself don't help at all.

I disagree. I thought the playoffs were pretty great myself. A little disappointed in the final but it happens...Panthers were banged up and had run out of gas at that point and Vegas is too good to overcome that but leading up to the finals I enjoyed all the other games.

it hasn't changed for me, and I find it interesting when people say it has had an affect on there viewing. especially because we went essentially 10-12 years of missing the playoffs and that didn't waiver peoples attention only now that were a playoff team are people seeming saying there losing interest. and I get it with the team we have the regular season is boring in the sense that we all know were making the playoffs vs before every regular season game had meaning because we were just trying to make the playoffs. but just seems weird.

Our expectations were so low back then but they are much higher now as they should be.

 

[Dave92]

Last playoffs were by far the least invested ive ever been in a Leafs playoff "run". But it would take a lot for me to care less about a regular season than i did in 2009-11

 

[ShaneFalco]

Keefe staying as coach will probably have me watch less this season.

Yeah a guy who gets out-coached on the playoffs every year, seems to be unprepared for their opponent and his plays the hell out of AM/MM even when they're terrible
So exciting

 

[namttebih]

Absolutely, cannot stand their woke coverage.

I didn't even realize that I was a bigot until they informed me of it. Thank you Sportsnet overlords.

 

[LeafGrief]

Last year was the least I've watched in a decade. I think it was a combination of the gambling ads and "more of the same" from the Leafs that drove me away. I've always loved watching hockey, but it feels like broadcasts are 50% ads nowadays and I cannot count the number of times I turned the TV off in disgust at the latest gambling ad and chose to do something else with my time. The NHL is a depth league and while we've got some guys who can lift you out of your seat, I don't care to watch 3rd lines filled with replaceable no-names slugging it out in between Kevin Weeks, Cabbie, and Jessie Pinkman segments telling me all the ways I can gamble my life away. I'd say I watched about 50% of the season and 75% of the playoff games.

If the team isn't substantially different next year, I figure I'll be around that 50% mark again. I watch most of the games against the old Atlantic division or other interesting teams, but I just cannot be bothered to sit through an hour of ads to watch the Minnesota Wild on a Tuesday night. The wild card for how much I watch will be how good of a season Matthews has. I'd have cut down on the NHL the year before last, but when Matthews is a threat to score 2g every night, that's worth sitting through the ads against teams I don't care about. If we do trade a core player and both Matthews and Knies are having good seasons, I'll probably just watch recorded games and fast forward the commercials.

Still a Leafs lifer, interest will wax and wane with time. Looking forward to when I'm passionate again, I think this last year I enjoyed the forums far more than the product.

 

[IPS]

Been watching less nhl in general the last couple years... the product is honestly devolving