The NHL does a horrible job marketing itself

[PlayersLtd]

Not unless they can give where those numbers are from. The question in hand was about marketing themselves, mostly towards newer fans and to expand.
If the numbers are from expansion teams and lets say from teams who have been bad but become better and their original fans come back, and other reasons not related to new fans, isn't really getting much bigger is it.

Marketing is not exclusively to win over newer fans, it is to also get existing fans to spend more on your product. I drive a Ford and all the ads I see, including sponsorship at races I go to, definitely help me to stay loyal to Ford.

Also, I don't know if you're theorizing or basing on data. Are you telling me the revenue increase is just from expansion fans and old fans who have come back or is this just a hypothetical scenario you're drawing?

I have never dug into the data on that level. I saw a commercial that was clever enough and I assume some targeted ads on the TV broadcast is not a waste of money. But admittedly, I'm not privy to the very complex algorithm that would justify that 30 second segment or not.

 

[Soundwave]

People just need to let go of the fantasy that the NHL will/can be as popular as soccer (globally) or NFL football, college football, the NBA, MLB, etc. etc.

It's not happening, just give it up already and accept the product for what it is. If it was going to happen you'd have seen far bigger signs of it happening.

The NHL is a winter sport played on ice which automatically disqualifies it as a the no.1 sport for a lot of people, it's like asking someone in Winnipeg to give a crap about the pro beach volleyball circuit.

Secondly even without that, Americans like superstar oriented leagues and the NHL is the only major pro sport that actively goes out of its way to handicap its star players. Scrubs are allowed to hang off superstar players and only get called for it maybe 1/4 times.

That's not an appealing product to Americans who want to see Mahomes/Steph Curry/LeBron/Ohtani etc. etc. kick ass and take names. Hockey is a sport where the refs actively try to go out of their way to "manage" games and not even the odds between high skill and lower skilled players ("we can't make all the calls, that's not a penalty in the 3rd period, etc. etc.).

"TV commercials make a league popular!" is also an outdated thought process to begin with, maybe if it was the 1990s or 2000s still, but the impact of TV marketing is no where near the same any more.

The NHL, barring a miracle, will always been a no.4 kind of sport (really below that as college football and things like that are far more popular than the NHL in the US). Best to make your peace with that.

 

[SirKillalot]

Marketing is not exclusively to win over newer fans, it is to also get existing fans to spend more on your product. I drive a Ford and all the ads I see, including sponsorship at races I go to, definitely help me to stay loyal to Ford.

I would think you're experience with the car/brand gets you to stay loyal than any ad, the ad is just if you are looking for a new car. Would think you don't change car every year.

Also, I don't know if you're theorizing or basing on data. Are you telling me the revenue increase is just from expansion fans and old fans who have come back or is this just a hypothetical scenario you're drawing?

I was asking for what is the data showing. Just data of increased revenue isn't telling so much where it comes from other than increased. Was just asking about the reasoning behind the increase.

My point is as a European, NHL is absolutely terrible at marketing themselves. Of course I get Europe isn't their main target audience as we are far from the arenas and what not, but as a league wanting to expand and reach new areas/get bigger and better reputation, there isn't any valid evidence telling their doing a good job at that.

 

[Rorschach]

People love superstars and larger then life personalities. The NHL tries is best to squash any of that nonsense. Instead they throw out commercials with shy, awkward every day looking dudes that most non sports fans couldn't tell if that was their neighbor Bob or a professional athlete.

Problem is if people showboat like in other sports, they'll get punched in the face in hockey if they're lucky. If they're not, they'll get bladed, get clubbed to the head or gutted, or they will get knee on knee-ed or have someone do a flying charge to the head.

 

[Praetorian Caps]

By sheer coincidence, this popped up in my YT feed earlier.

To summarize it isn't an easy sport to play; it's expensive to get kids into it; it's only popular in cold weather climates and it's stars aren't marketed to the extent that NBA and football players are. But considering how NBA viewership has dropped maybe the basketball points don't apply in this argument?

 

[BB79]

I'm far from an expert on NBA viewership numbers but I think part of it being down is due to political burnout towards the players views.

That's part of it, but beyond that the game got lazy. 50 attempts at 3 pointers every game, etc. I really lost my love for the NBA in the mid-90s personally. The 1960s-1980s NBA was their golden age, especially the 80s.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Dana White is right in the case, but we must also aknowledge the fact that he's a f***ing moron, and he's on tape beating his wife

 

[PlayersLtd]

I would think you're experience with the car/brand gets you to stay loyal than any ad, the ad is just if you are looking for a new car. Would think you don't change car every year.

I don't change cars every year no. But marketing is about building on brand loyalty and the theory is that simply driving a car (and liking it) is not the only factor that builds brand loyalty. People want to see their brand held above others because it helps validates their purchase or values, interests etc...

Tag Heuer (the watch company) advertises extensively in Formula 1, the pinnacle of sports advertising. They don't only do this to win over new clients, they do it to reinforce to their old clients that they are wearing the creme de la creme on their wrist. In doing so, those clients get a little ego boost, they feel special and they are more inclined to stay loyal to that brand, and thus spend another $10,000.00 on a watch from them, perhaps one they don't even need. There was nothing new in terms of the experience with the product but they got that client to double down and spend $10k that they didn't need to.

Marketing is a very elaborate field, one that I won't pretend to have mastered because I didn't major in marketing. What I do know however, is that there is way more to it than just trying to attract new consumers.

I was asking for what is the data showing. Just data of increased revenue isn't telling so much where it comes from other than increased. Was just asking about the reasoning behind the increase.

My point is as a European, NHL is absolutely terrible at marketing themselves. Of course I get Europe isn't their main target audience as we are far from the arenas and what not, but as a league wanting to expand and reach new areas/get bigger and better reputation, there isn't any valid evidence telling their doing a good job at that.

What degree of NFL or NBA marketing is noticeable in Europe?

 

[SirKillalot]

I don't change cars every year no. But marketing is about building on brand loyalty and the theory is that simply driving a car (and liking it) is not the only factor that builds brand loyalty. People want to see their brand held above others because it helps validates their purchase or values, interests etc...

Marketing is a very elaborate field, one that I won't pretend to have mastered because I didn't major in marketing. What I do know however, is that there is way more to it than just trying to attract new consumers.

True, part of it is customer retention and brand recognition and customers being "proud" or feeling good about using or supporting particular brands. Its also brand/business related, whether its watch/cars or every day purchase stuff. NHL falls under both depending on where you are from and what access you have to it in what way.

What degree of NFL or NBA marketing is noticeable in Europe?

Don't know. Don't follow it. In my country in general way to little for someone wanting to increase the brand. NBA is behind a newspaper+ subscription which they do market a little bit, but as a brand or merchandise not really anything. Which isn't so surprising.

Obviously its more in bigger countries and bigger cities, but idk if there really is a red thread behind any of it besides being present. They could do a lot more engagements and try getting a lot more exposure.

NFL is just Super Bowl for the most part. You have to find your way to and through American sources.

 

[bv29]

By sheer coincidence, this popped up in my YT feed earlier.

To summarize it isn't an easy sport to play; it's expensive to get kids into it; it's only popular in cold weather climates and it's stars aren't marketed to the extent that NBA and football players are. But considering how NBA viewership has dropped maybe the basketball points don't apply in this argument?

Hockey is the fastest team sport and NBA, and especially MLB and NFL are like WW1 trench warfare compared to hockey(NHL).

 

[DarrylshutzSydor]

They should get the bruins to climb over the glass again and fight the fans at Madison Square Gardens

 

[westc2]

If you're not making money off the NHL's marketing....you should have ZERO concern about this.

 

[The Panther]

Honestly, I rather inside jokes then when they pretend like some 18 year old from Sesketchuan's slang is going to resonate with an American audience.

Is it really that hard to look up correct spelling on Google?

And how's the weather in Brukelinn?

If you're not making money off the NHL's marketing....you should have ZERO concern about this.

Thank you. Yes, this is correct.

I wish the NHL would stop trying to market itself. We wouldn't have atrocities like the winter classic or gambling ads.

The NHL's profile was perfect back in the early-90s. It wasn't broke and didn't need to be fixed.

I don't want to grow the game. I want it to shrink, if anything.

 

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

Do you honestly think that the NHL -- a multi-billion dollar business -- has not looked into how to maximize its broadcasting profits? This is basically what the MLS did with Apple TV and I would say the first year of that experiment has been average to disastrous depending on who's numbers you trust.

The NHL under bettman has only ever prioritized growing short term profits. Backing out of established broadcasting deals with partners like NESN and TSN might simply not be possible, or would cost a lot in the short term.

Getting the league onto an accessible anywhere streaming platform would absolutely grow revenue long term. Gary lacks the vision and committment for this.

 

[Martin Skoula]

As a Gen Z, I liked the Gen Z ad. Albeit, it's tough because several of the players are awkward and not good on camera, but I thought it was a fine commercial.

I think people have to temper expectations with marketing. The MLB and NFL don't do a good job marketing themselves (it doesn't matter for the NFL because they don't have to). And the NBA is only so good at marketing because of 1) the sneaker and clothing aspect, which is unique to basketball and black culture; 2) they have lots of dumb, selfish players who play into "all publicity is good publicity."

It’s ok in theory but the punchline requires you to know who Crosby is and that he was called Sid the Kid, and the fact that he is no longer a kid despite looking like he could easily be an elder Gen Z at 28 or so. It’s an ad that only people who are already into the sport will appreciate.

 

[qc14]

The NHL under bettman has only ever prioritized growing short term profits. Backing out of established broadcasting deals with partners like NESN and TSN might simply not be possible, or would cost a lot in the short term.

Getting the league onto an accessible anywhere streaming platform would absolutely grow revenue long term. Gary lacks the vision and committment for this.

As I said the MLS tried this with their Apple deal and the results so far have been (and I'm being generous) extremely mixed. Almost every game is already on ESPN+ -- an extremely accessible streaming service a whole lot of people already own and pay for. The ability to watch any game you want has never been greater.

And there's a lot of very valid criticisms of Bettman but "only ever prioritized short term profits" is absolutely not one of them. This is the guy that singlehandedly kept hockey in Arizona for at least ten years longer than it "should" have in the name of seeking long-term profits and took a massive short-term risk by being the first league to go to Vegas because of the long term growth potential.

 

[Summer Rose]

Anybody remember this story? Or just generally remember what the dynamic was for the NBA/NHL in the 90s? I imagine that--at the time--NFL and MLB dominated American sports culture, and everything else fought for scraps. Except in the South where college football reigned supreme.

I remember this story, as my dad had (and probably still has) a subscription for SI as long as I can remember. I haven't checked out SI in years and years, but it wouldn't surprise me if they've gone the ESPN route of barely covering hockey at all anymore. The last time I watched SportsCenter during hockey season (and the NFL was over by that point), many years ago, it was something like 95% NBA coverage (with a lot of highlights of random dunks), then they briefly mentioned perhaps a single story about the NHL, and ended the episode.

 

[Bizz]

Bring back enforcers and fighting and the NHL's popularity will double without spending a single dime on an ad.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Let's look at these two commercials






Both these commercials are lazy, full of inside jokes and won't be understood by a non hockey fan and they likely won't gain a single new fan from either of them.


Does the NHL really think a non-hockey fan knows who any of those goalies are? How many non hockey fans can recognize a goalie with his mask off?
Do they really think a non hockey fan will get the tipping joke or would even think of a player deflecting the puck in front of the net as "tipping"?
Do they really think anyone non hockey fan knows who Brad Marchand is?


With the NFL season wrapping up the NHL should be doing a commercial directed at football fans. When the NFL season ends football fans have hockey or basketball to turn to and hockey coudl easily appeal to football fans with the right introduction.
They could do a parallel with big hits, exciting scoring plays, agile players carving through a defense, and celebrations.

But no, we get bad puns and inside jokes.

Dana White was right

‘They’re old dumb f—ing people that have no idea what’s going on.’ UFC president Dana White slams NHL’s marketing​

‘They’re old dumb f—ing people that have no idea what’s going on.’ UFC president Dana White slams NHL’s marketing

The comments come following the Stanley Cup Final, which drew historically low U.S. TV viewership.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

Go find another sport, because who gives a shit about sports commercials in general. Doubt any commercial of any major sport generates new fans in any meaningful numbers.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Well they have all of us hooked.

Why does any fan care if the NHL is marketing the league adequately.
I mean, are you looking for a job?
lol
The game is great , the league is great ......matters not to me one bit if a billion people are watching or only a thousand. Matters not to me how many jerseys and caps are selling.

Only place I ever hear this is on line. When talking hockey at the rink, office water cooler, local bar, dinner table......this never ever comes up.

Paul, you know as well as I do, that part of marketing the NHL is getting more active participation to grow the player pool, which helps grow interest.

 

[Juxta Position]

Anybody remember this story? Or just generally remember what the dynamic was for the NBA/NHL in the 90s? I imagine that--at the time--NFL and MLB dominated American sports culture, and everything else fought for scraps. Except in the South where college football reigned supreme.

Hockey had actually surpassed Basketball in popularity at this time, it was a product of the Gretzky trade effect.

The NHL became trendy, and going to Kings games is where people went to be "seen". NHL merch was everywhere, especially LA Kings gear. Gretzky was everywhere as well in the US, he was on cereal boxes, in cartoons, and doing appearances on SNL, it's why to this day, most non-hockey fans when asked to name hockey players, Gretzky is still usually top of the list.

Being trendy was the problem, though. It was a fad for a few years and then faded away. Growing the sport in non-traditional markets is exceedingly hard, as it is such an expensive sport with such a long list of special requirements to even play hockey. So, it faded back to what it was—a distant fourth in the four major sports.

 

[DrunkTurtle]

Hockey players have zero personality for marketing purposes. They are bland as f***, good luck making the normies care. Even most hockey fans can't be bothered with the cardboard media interactions.

 

[black99]

Hockey players have zero personality for marketing purposes. They are bland as f***, good luck making the normies care. Even most hockey fans can't be bothered with the cardboard media interactions.

but leagues like the NBA and especially the NFL go out of their way to punish players that show just an once of personality....... they get fined for endzone celebrations FFS!
I believe a player got fined for jumping into a prop oversize salvation army kettle after a TD!

if the NFL is popular because of personalities, why are they doing everything they can to mute them?