THE OFFICIAL Matt Rempe Fight Club

[ismelofhockey]

Tbh only the VERY VERY online crowd thinks fighting should be slowly removed from the game. You walk into an arena or a rink anywhere and 99% of fans want more fights. Very few people go to hockey games to see figure skaters

Funny how all the sports that are more popular than hockey have banned fighting. Yes, hockey would lose some fans if they removed fighting altogether. But they've been tamping down on fighting for years, and the sport is more popular than ever as proven by increasing revenues, youth participation rates...etc. So the question is, if they removed fighting altogether would they lose more fans than they would gain? You've yet to make a compelling argument that shows why fighting is key to the NHL's success. Meanwhile, I can point to every other major sports league having banned the practice, an increase in popularity since tamping down on fighting, the fact people love playoff hockey even though fighting is almost absent, and the popularity of international hockey tournaments where fighting is banned. What've you got?

 

[HersheyBob27]

Tbh only the VERY VERY online crowd thinks fighting should be slowly removed from the game. You walk into an arena or a rink anywhere and 99% of fans want more fights. Very few people go to hockey games to see figure skaters

Says the online tough guy

 

[Flan the incredible]

First of all how do you know it wasn't an issue with him before? Just because he thought McSorely was necessary for his safety doesn't mean he believed that's how it should have been.
Second of all, we've learned a lot about the devastating effects of fighting on players' health, so it wouldn't be all that surprising if he had changed his stance after receiving new information. That's also what happened to me.

Its not just fighting, checking probably isn't good for your health either. Football has plenty of players who also had health problems and they don't fight. Football should be flag football right? Hockey is supposed to have harder hits than football correct? Are we going to pretend that the guys who fought didn't hit the crap out of everything on the ice when they played? NHL should ban checking too right?

People like you want to soften up the game to make it unwatchable. All star game is terrible, playoff hockey when it gets even more physical is the best and most exciting hockey product there is. If you can't handle 2 guys who want to actually fight well go find your safe space or watch golf. Stop trying to ruin a sport because its too violent for you.

 

[HersheyBob27]

Honestly rempe doesn’t realize what he signed up for yet. He was mostly flailing away today while on the receiving end of some experienced bombs. CTE is not fun

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

Funny how all the sports that are more popular than hockey have banned fighting. Yes, hockey would lose some fans if they removed fighting altogether. But they've been tamping down on fighting for years, and the sport is more popular than ever as proven by increasing revenues, youth participation rates...etc. So the question is, if they removed fighting altogether would they lose more fans than they would gain? You've yet to make a compelling argument that shows why fighting is key to the NHL's success. Meanwhile, I can point to every other major sports league having banned the practice, an increase in popularity since tamping down on fighting, the fact people love playoff hockey even though fighting is almost absent, and the popularity of international hockey tournaments where fighting is banned. What've you got?

Hockey has gotten less popular as the fighting has become less and less fyi. The fans want the fights and the tenacity.

Youre gonna have to remind me when baseball, basketball and football had fighting.

And yes, hockey would lose fans if they banned fighting. I wouldnt watch. Figure skating isnt entertaining

 

[PavelBure10]

What a beautiful scrap, thanks for posting this. Best fight in years forsure. Call me old fashioned but I honestly miss this.

 

[ismelofhockey]

Its not just fighting, checking probably isn't good for your health either. Football has plenty of players who also had health problems and they don't fight. Football should be flag football right? Hockey is supposed to have harder hits than football correct? Are we going to pretend that the guys who fought didn't hit the crap out of everything on the ice when they played? NHL should ban checking too right?

People like you want to soften up the game to make it unwatchable. All star game is terrible, playoff hockey when it gets even more physical is the best and most exciting hockey product there is. If you can't handle 2 guys who want to actually fight well go find your safe space or watch golf. Stop trying to ruin a sport because its too violent for you.

This argument is akin to saying we don't need seatbelts because we can't make driving perfectly safe.

If taking fighting out of the game makes hockey unwatchable for you, my answer is that you prefer MMA to hockey. Playoff hockey actually supports my position not yours. Fighting is very rare in playoff hockey, yet you agree it is more exciting.

 

[luiginb]

Funny how all the sports that are more popular than hockey have banned fighting. Yes, hockey would lose some fans if they removed fighting altogether. But they've been tamping down on fighting for years, and the sport is more popular than ever as proven by increasing revenues, youth participation rates...etc. So the question is, if they removed fighting altogether would they lose more fans than they would gain? You've yet to make a compelling argument that shows why fighting is key to the NHL's success. Meanwhile, I can point to every other major sports league having banned the practice, an increase in popularity since tamping down on fighting, the fact people love playoff hockey even though fighting is almost absent, and the popularity of international hockey tournaments where fighting is banned. What've you got?

They'd lose fans and win wusses

 

[ismelofhockey]

Hockey has gotten less popular as the fighting has become less and less fyi. The fans want the fights and the tenacity.

Youre gonna have to remind me when baseball, basketball and football had fighting.

And yes, hockey would lose fans if they banned fighting. I wouldnt watch. Figure skating isnt entertaining

This is simply wrong. Revenues are up, social media interaction was up 224% in 2023, youth participation is up, the Rangers-Islanders Stadium Series game was the most watched game since 2021, through the first 25 games this year, the NHL on ESPN/ABC is up 41 percent in total viewers and 29 percent in the 18-49 demographic year over year.

 

[Flan the incredible]

This argument is akin to saying we don't need seatbelts because we can't make driving perfectly safe.

If taking fighting out of the game makes hockey unwatchable for you, my answer is that you prefer MMA to hockey. Playoff hockey actually supports my position not yours. Fighting is very rare in playoff hockey, yet you agree it is more exciting.

I am not trying to change a sport that has been played this way for 100 years you are. You logic is based on "health" and checking isn't good for your health. You have never watched playoff hockey if you think its less aggressive than the regular season. Physicality gets ramped up considerably in the playoffs. Its why soft teams get bullied right out of the playoffs. Fighting decreases because you don't want to take penalties.

Your lame excuse of "lets think of their healty" is a fake excuse because you couldn't possible support checking as it's just as bad as fighting. Tons of players have been forced to retire from concussion issues that don't fight.

 

[Killer Orcas]

That was the best fight I've seen in years if not over decade. These guys put on a show !

 

[My3Sons]

Fempe was fortunate he didn’t hit his head on the ice when Delaurier took him down. That’s a long way to fall.

 

[ismelofhockey]

I am not trying to change a sport that has been played this way for 100 years you are. You logic is based on "health" and checking isn't good for your health. You have never watched playoff hockey if you think its less aggressive than the regular season. Physicality gets ramped up considerably in the playoffs. Its why soft teams get bullied right out of the playoffs. Fighting decreases because you don't want to take penalties.

Your lame excuse of "lets think of their healty" is a fake excuse because you couldn't possible support checking as it's just as bad as fighting. Tons of players have been forced to retire from concussion issues that don't fight.

So you agree that fighting isn't necessary to make games exciting. And in case you haven't noticed, the NHL has also tried to remove checks to the head, which are also absent from exciting playoff hockey. Meaning the hockey you believe is the most exciting doesn't have the two elements you are arguing in favour of.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Man, an actual hockey fight that was not just noogies and sweater jabs!

I miss this in hockey. I understand why it can't happen with the frequency it used to, but the game would be much less interesting if it disappeared altogether.

Hockey needs the yin and yang.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

This is simply wrong. Revenues are up, social media interaction was up 224% in 2023, youth participation is up, the Rangers-Islanders Stadium Series game was the most watched game since 2021, through the first 25 games this year, the NHL on ESPN/ABC is up 41 percent in total viewers and 29 percent in the 18-49 demographic year over year.

Are revenues up because fighting is being tamped down?

Is social media interaction up 224% since when to when? Is this because fighting is being tamped down or because theres more social media accounts?

Correlation does not equal causation. If there was more rempes and fighting youd draw in the more casual fan

 

[Czechboy]

No idea who those 2 guys are. But that fight was insanely good! 1980's style.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

So you agree that fighting isn't necessary to make games exciting. And in case you haven't noticed, the NHL has also tried to remove checks to the head, which are also absent from exciting playoff hockey. Meaning the hockey you believe is the most exciting doesn't have the two elements you are arguing in favour of.

Hockey is a better product with violence and fights. Again, walk into any barn in the league and 99% of fans will agree. Its only the very online crowd like yourself that disagrees

 

[ismelofhockey]

Are revenues up because fighting is being tamped down?

Is social media interaction up 224% since when to when? Is this because fighting is being tamped down or because theres more social media accounts?

Correlation does not equal causation. If there was more rempes and fighting youd draw in the more casual fan

You have nothing but conjecture to make that argument. You've been asked repeatedly to come up with any kind of supporting evidence and you've come up with nothing.
If fighting were so essential to the NHL's popularity, surely we'd have seen a decline from the time the NHL started tamping down. But we haven't. We've seen the opposite. The evidence does not support your position.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

More violence like this in hockey, please!

 

[Bradely]

Deslauriers is a tough hombre.... got the best of this one.

 

[Grifter3511]

So you agree that fighting isn't necessary to make games exciting. And in case you haven't noticed, the NHL has also tried to remove checks to the head, which are also absent from exciting playoff hockey. Meaning the hockey you believe is the most exciting doesn't have the two elements you are arguing in favour of.

Idk man....if you talk to fans of 7 of the 8 metro teams, the only reason Rangers win playoff games is because Trouba headshots people.

 

[Folignos Helmet]

They should each get about 100 games for delivering 20 headshots

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

You have nothing but conjecture to make that argument. You've been asked repeatedly to come up with any kind of supporting evidence and you've come up with nothing.
If fighting were so essential to the NHL's popularity, surely we'd have seen a decline from the time the NHL started tamping down. But we haven't. We've seen the opposite. The evidence does not support your position.

1) fyi when you adjust for population changes over time, nhl ratings are WAY DOWN since fighting tamped down.

2) do you think the recent rise in nhl ratings has anything to do with games being carried on espn? Crazy huh?

You keep pointing to playoffs, so lets have some fun. The cup is a fair barometer of ratings since its on national tv

Lets look at the 4 years leading up to the 2012 lockout compared to the most recent 4 years Average viewership of the stanley cup.

2008: average viewship: 4.6mm US Population: 304mm
2009: average viewship: 4.9mm US Population: 307mm
2010: average viewship: 5.2mm US Population: 309mm
2011: average viewship: 4.6mm US Population: 312mm


2020: average viewship: 2.15mm US Population: 332mm
2021: average viewship: 2.43mm US Population: 332mm
2022: average viewship: 4.59mm US Population: 333mm
2023: average viewship: 2.6mm US Population: tbd

So…

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

 

[Monsieur Miz]

We love CTE now .