Leafs Off HNIC/CBC for first time since 1972 and ACC attendance

[sgupca]

The Leafs survived the Ballard era, im sure they will recover from this. We just need to find this era's Wendel Clark for people to rally around.

This is different though, and i'm not just saying this because "i'm a sour leaf fan"

Stats prove that the leafs have been losing the younger generations.

For example, i grew up in Halifax and have actually moved back within the last year. When i was growing up everyone in the Maritimes was a Leafs, habs, or Bruins fan.

Now it seems like a lot of the newer generation is a Pens fan (because of Crosby) or an Avs fan because of Mackinnon. Kids have no desire to follow the leafs anymore because they haven't provided any entertainment.

I'm not suggesting people from Ontario wont grow up and still cheer for the leafs, i'm saying this is a new stage in the NHL, with more teams and more stars across north america. The leafs have lost fans and this year at a higher rate than ever before.

I'm not suggesting the leafs will become a bottom 15 NHL team (fan base). But their rate of growth is on the down-swing Canada Wide.

I will continue to be a leaf fan myself, and as much as i try to convince my children as they get older, i'm not sure the desire will be there for them. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Stephen]

Daisy, I think it's actually a bit of a disaster.

Brendan Shanahan gave a speech about how watching the Leafs was one of those things that brought his family together on Saturdays in the 1980s, which is pretty typical of a lot of Canadians. Even though the team wasn't good, the Leafs have always been an institution. It feels sad to me that this current team has been so disgraceful that they've been kicked off of the television broadcast the franchise basically invented.

This feels like the end of an era, end of an empire, what have you.

CBC is casting the Montreal Canadiens as the headliners of HNIC and kids will grow up cheering for them even in the GTA. Outside of Ontario, the Leafs will fade from relevance entirely.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

This is what happens when you're absolutely pathetic as an organization for a decade. No kid wants to cheer for a loser. A lot of us on here grew up during the height of the Sundin days, or even the Gilmour days. Some even older.

What has been memorable in the past 10 years? Biggest game 7 collapse? Giving away top draft picks? Wallowing in mediocrity? Who have been our stars? A one dimensional socially awkward winger? A defenseman who gets no respect at all from the rest of the league?

The franchise has been an absolute disgrace. If I had had a kid during this era there's no way I'd make them be a Leafs fan. I couldn't subject them to such disappointment.

 

[theaub]

CBC is casting the Montreal Canadiens as the headliners of HNIC and kids will grow up cheering for them even in the GTA. Outside of Ontario, the Leafs will fade from relevance entirely.

One Saturday out of like 2,000 off CBC and the Leafs are fading into oblivion? Sure...

 

[Babcocks Marner]

This is different though, and i'm not just saying this because "i'm a sour leaf fan"

Stats prove that the leafs have been losing the younger generations.

For example, i grew up in Halifax and have actually moved back within the last year. When i was growing up everyone in the Maritimes was a Leafs, habs, or Bruins fan.

Now it seems like a lot of the newer generation is a Pens fan (because of Crosby) or an Avs fan because of Mackinnon. Kids have no desire to follow the leafs anymore because they haven't provided any entertainment.

I'm not suggesting people from Ontario wont grow up and still cheer for the leafs, i'm saying this is a new stage in the NHL, with more teams and more stars across north america. The leafs have lost fans and this year at a higher rate than ever before.

I'm not suggesting the leafs will become a bottom 15 NHL team (fan base). But their rate of growth is on the down-swing Canada Wide.

I will continue to be a leaf fan myself, and as much as i try to convince my children as they get older, i'm not sure the desire will be there for them. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Agreed.

Ballard did way better than the last 20 years of the Leafs. Guy took majority ownership in 1972 until he died in 1990... Lets look at those years.

71-72 - Playoffs
72-73 - Missed
73-74 - Playoffs
74-75 - Playoffs
75-76 - Playoffs
76-77 - Playoffs
77-78 - Playoffs
78-79 - Playoffs
79-80 - Playoffs
80-81 - Playoffs
81-82 - Missed
82-83 - Playoffs
83-84 - Missed
84-85 - Missed
85-86 - Playoffs
86-87 - Playoffs
87-88 - Playoffs
88-89 - Missed
89-90 - Playoffs

Made the playoffs 14 of 19 Season as majority owner. How many playoffs have we made last 19 years? 8.... Once in last 10 years.

He was part owner from 61-71 in those 10 years, we won 4 cups.

Think people are bitter that the Leafs like to get knocked out early

 

[ACC1224]

Agreed.

Ballard did way better than the last 20 years of the Leafs. Guy took majority ownership in 1972 until he died in 1990... Lets look at those years.

71-72 - Playoffs
72-73 - Missed
73-74 - Playoffs
74-75 - Playoffs
75-76 - Playoffs
76-77 - Playoffs
77-78 - Playoffs
78-79 - Playoffs
79-80 - Playoffs
80-81 - Playoffs
81-82 - Missed
82-83 - Playoffs
83-84 - Missed
84-85 - Missed
85-86 - Playoffs
86-87 - Playoffs
87-88 - Playoffs
88-89 - Missed
89-90 - Playoffs

Made the playoffs 14 of 19 Season as majority owner. How many playoffs have we made last 19 years? 8.... Once in last 10 years.

He was part owner from 61-71 in those 10 years, we won 4 cups.

Think people are bitter that the Leafs like to get knocked out early

Many more Teams in the league now = harder to make the playoffs

 

[Babcocks Marner]

Many more Teams in the league now = harder to make the playoffs

Yes. Not saying Ballard was great, just that as a Fan, you had more to cheer for, regardless how crappy your team was.

 

[ACC1224]

Yes. Not saying Ballard was great, just that as a Fan, you had more to cheer for, regardless how crappy your team was.

Yeah tough to compare the era's.

 

[Stats01]

Daisy, I think it's actually a bit of a disaster.

Brendan Shanahan gave a speech about how watching the Leafs was one of those things that brought his family together on Saturdays in the 1980s, which is pretty typical of a lot of Canadians. Even though the team wasn't good, the Leafs have always been an institution. It feels sad to me that this current team has been so disgraceful that they've been kicked off of the television broadcast the franchise basically invented.

This feels like the end of an era, end of an empire, what have you.

CBC is casting the Montreal Canadiens as the headliners of HNIC and kids will grow up cheering for them even in the GTA. Outside of Ontario, the Leafs will fade from relevance entirely.

so dramatic. I'm pretty sure the Leafs/Canadiens both created HNIC. The Canadiens have been much much more relevant in the sport than the Leafs have. They basically ran roughshod over the entire league in the 70's, while the Leafs haven't been anywhere near contender status since 2001-2002. Think about that...one measly playoff appearance in a decade. The Leafs don't deserve national attention/coverage right now, their season was over months ago. It's actually unfair if this team continued to get special treatment over teams that are actually relevant this season! Montreal is easily the most popular team right now in this country and based on that CBC have made their decision. It has nothing to do with an empire falling or being kicked off! Once the Leafs get back to their winning ways they'll be right back in the spotlight. Everyone and their mother knows how massive this fan base is, that hasn't changed. But for this season the Leafs from a competitive standpoint have been off the map and irrelevant for months and it's reflecting on the ratings. People don't want to watch this garbage. It's just simple as that.

 

[diceman934]

If being off CBC/HNIC means we get Bob Cole, I am perfectly fine with this

It was nice to hear Bob Cole call the game....

 

[Stephen]

This is what happens when you're absolutely pathetic as an organization for a decade. No kid wants to cheer for a loser. A lot of us on her grew up during the height of the Sundin days, or even the Gilmour days. Some even older.

What has been memorable in the past 10 years? Biggest game 7 collapse? Giving away top draft picks? Wallowing in mediocrity? Who have been our stars? A one dimensional socially awkward winger? A defenseman who gets no respect at all from the rest of the league?

The franchise has been an absolute disgrace. If I had had a kid during this era there's no way I'd make them be a Leafs fan. I couldn't subject them to such disappointment.

I think there's also been something very damaging with having handed the keys to the franchise to a bunch of whiny American college boys. The way Kessel and friends have represented the Leafs has been a bit of a disgrace, adds to the sorry state of the team.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Am I the only one viewing this as making an issue where there really isnt one?

Leafs were still on 'HNIC' on Saturday. HNIC is not just CBC any more, its whatever games are national broadcasts on CBC, City, Sportsnet, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet 360, FX and any other channel Rogers put a hockey game on.

It was not a regional game even though it was on Sportsnet.

Considering the amount of younger people cutting the cord on cable, this stuff is not as big a deal as it may have been 10 years ago if a game was moved from OTA to cable.

The Leafs game vs St. Louis had awful ratings on CBC, some of the worst ever. But why the Leafs at that point were still on CBC when playoff contenders had bigger games tells you that even when they've hit rock bottom the Leafs are still arguably a bigger draw to the casual fan.

If the game was unavailable, or regional only, I could understand the hype and discussion. But moving 1 national game to another national channel is a hell of a lot less of an impact then it being a game only available on CBC Toronto and the Ottawa Valley like the last cable deal would have had that game end up being.

 

[Jack Bauer]

I think there's also been something very damaging with having handed the keys to the franchise to a bunch of whiny American college boys. The way Kessel and friends have represented the Leafs has been a bit of a disgrace, adds to the sorry state of the team.

Part of following them now is the same reason people drive slowly past wreckage on the highway.

You really don't WANT to see the mess that may be present, but you can't help but slow down and take a look....

 

[Stephen]

One Saturday out of like 2,000 off CBC and the Leafs are fading into oblivion? Sure...

You think this is the last time that happens?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

I think there's also been something very damaging with having handed the keys to the franchise to a bunch of whiny American college boys. The way Kessel and friends have represented the Leafs has been a bit of a disgrace, adds to the sorry state of the team.

A total lack of professionalism with this team. Kessel, JVR and Bozak like you said are all college boys, Lupul's a former party boy turned fashionista more interested in his image and picking fights on social media. Phaneuf while he gives more effort than the aforementioned four isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, and isn't seen in a positive light.

Kadri and Gardiner have absolutely suffered. Kadri never had the mentorship to guide him out of his bad attitudes, and Gardiner hasn't had that veteran defenseman to look up to. These role models and leaders lacking is 100% on management. Why would they think it's a good idea to hand the captaincy to a 24/25 year old Phaneuf when he hadn't proven anything and is just coming out of a bad situation in Calgary where his character was questioned? Why blow the future on a winger without having a number one centre for him? Why has this team refused to teach these players a defensive system so they don't look like chickens skating around with their heads cut off half the time?

The total lack of effort and pride from this team is such a disgrace. I wanted to love this team, really. When we made the playoffs in 2013 I was on cloud nine. But time after time these players just continue to kick me in the gut as punishment for putting faith in any of them. It's so ******* disappointing.

 

[Stephen]

so dramatic. I'm pretty sure the Leafs/Canadiens both created HNIC. The Canadiens have been much much more relevant in the sport than the Leafs have. They basically ran roughshod over the entire league in the 70's, while the Leafs haven't been anywhere near contender status since 2001-2002. Think about that...one measly playoff appearance in a decade.

No, the Leafs created HNIC, as it started on the Canadian National Railway radio network in 1931. The Canadiens did their own thing in Quebec which started a few years later.

Point is, through all the lows before this season, the Leafs were still the Leafs on HNIC. And now that's all going to change.

 

[ACC1224]

Is this Phanuef's fault or Kessels fault or the all encompassing "rotten core's" fault?

 

[Stephen]

Is this Phanuef's fault or Kessels fault or the all encompassing "rotten core's" fault?

Why wouldn't it be their fault? If they showed the same growth as the Habs between when they drafted Galchenyuk and we drafted Rielly, do you think the Leafs would have been booted off HNIC as top contenders in the East? Stupid question.

 

[ACC1224]

Why wouldn't it be their fault? If they showed the same growth as the Habs between when they drafted Galchenyuk and we drafted Rielly, do you think the Leafs would have been booted off HNIC as top contenders in the East? Stupid question.

If the Leafs were top contenders, no they wouldn't have been booted off.
Agreed, that is a stupid question.

 

[ScottyHolden]

Have any ratings numbers been released on this saturdays CBC game?

Did they bring in more viewers than the leaf's would have? Was it simmillar? Below?


Just curious.

 

[buttman*]

Best news EVER. Not kidding -- this is the best thing that can happen to the Leafs. The in game attendance is way down and many need to be moved from the upper bowl to fill the lower bowl. Watch how many are in the lower bowl in period 1 compared to the 2nd.

Now we have a 20% reported drop in the TV ranking in Decemeber -- followed by what is surely another huge drop in the past couple months. People just aren't interested in this crap -- and that's the best thing that could ever happen to this franchise. They now need to get off their arses and build a team worth watching.

About time people stopped watching and paying for this crap.

 

[ACC1224]

Best news EVER. Not kidding -- this is the best thing that can happen to the Leafs. The in game attendance is way down and many need to be moved from the upper bowl to fill the lower bowl. Watch how many are in the lower bowl in period 1 compared to the 2nd.

Now we have a 20% reported drop in the TV ranking in Decemeber -- followed by what is surely another huge drop in the past couple months. People just aren't interested in this crap -- and that's the best thing that could ever happen to this franchise. They now need to get off their arses and build a team worth watching.

About time people stopped watching and paying for this crap.

That sounds made up.

I don't get why you feel this is good. Do you feel they weren't trying to win before but now will?

 

[Schenn]

i think his name is Conner McDavid

Actually, I think it is ConnOr McDavid there Dais!

 

[Swervin81]

That sounds made up.

I don't get why you feel this is good. Do you feel they weren't trying to win before but now will?

Tickets sold vs tickets scanned.

 

[ACC1224]

Tickets sold vs tickets scanned.

I don't follow?