A Proposal For NHL Hockey

(Click on pic for full view) 

Since the addition of Minnesota and Columbus for the 2000-2001 season, the NHL has achieved a decade of hockey without losing or moving a franchise. Not every team has thrived during this period, but the less successful ones have stayed put thanks to new buyers. Stability is key when it comes to making a business work.  In order to build a good team and make it a profitable business, it needs time to grow into its market and into the collective heart and mind of its potential fan base.

 

That being said, the bleak economic picture over the past few years has done little to boost the financial security of the league's less successful teams. Phoenix, a franchise that began in Quebec, avoided another move last year when the league took control of the Coyotes until a suitable owner could be found.  The atrocious attendance records for Phoenix, along with the Thrashers and New York Islanders are seriously jeopardizing the future of those respective franchises under their current business models.  In order to sustain the overall prosperity of the league, it may finally be time to make the change.

Despite a storied history and some great championships, it's time for the Islanders to move on. Here's the plan:

-The Isles would relocate to Kansas City and join the Central division.

-The Nashville Predators would be moved from the Central division to the Southeast Division.

-The Washington Capitals would be moved from the Southeast to fill the vacancy left in the Atlantic division by the Islanders.

 

This shift in the league's alignment is the perfect opportunity to reinvigorate multiple markets.  Kansas City, looking to bring a professional sports tenant to its new Sprint Center, is in a prime location to build rivalries with other Central division cities.  Sharing the state with St. Louis, the club would instantly have a nearby rival to contend with and attendance at the Sprint Center would be strengthened by the close proximity each time the two squads face-off.  Kansas City would also have the benefit of playing two sturdy franchises in the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks on a regular basis. The talent of these two squads each year is enough to attract considerable attention on the road. Lastly, Kansas City would develop a rivalry with the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

 

While Columbus has struggled with attendance since it's inception in 2000, the team has the potential to make serious strides forward.  Signing forward Rick Nash long-term, and developing young goalie Steve Mason, Columbus needs to go out and resign the underrated but always steady Jan Hejda for defense when his contract expires at the end of this season.  If GM Scott Howson gets active in the off-season and uses some cap space to add a top d-man to the roster,  the Jackets can edge their way into the playoff picture of the always competitive Western conference.  As it solidifies it's faithful fan base at Nationwide Arena, the Jackets can develop a rivalry with the Kansas City club and turn Columbus into a hockey hotbed.

 

Similarly, the introduction of the Predators into the Southeast, along with Florida, Tampa, Carolina and Atlanta would stimulate rivalry through geography more than Washington could. Tampa, under the direction of Steve Yzerman, is quickly shaping up as a serious force in the East with young shooter Steven Stamkos and a supporting cast of vets like Martin St. Louis, Vinny Lecavalier and Simon Gagne.  A bright future seems to be in store for the Hurricanes as well, with Jeff Skinner as one of the front runners to take home this year's Calder trophy for the league's best rookie.  While Florida has struggled to stay competitive in the Southeast, a wealth of speed at forward and some promising goalie prospects highlight a team with plenty of raw talent to begin rebuilding. The Predators, although often overshadowed by the West's current powerhouses, have consistently maintained a great hockey team while competing in one of the league's toughest divisions.  Moving Nashville to it's most appropriate geographic category would generate the rivalries every team in the division needs to thrive and give the Preds more exposure to the league community at large. The main beneficiary in the Southeast of this switch would be the Thrashers.

 

With the current financial state of hockey in Atlanta looking dismal, the Thrashers are getting significant attention from Canadian cities.  Still, I contend that the league should, and more importantly, the sport should continue its growth in the United States, through a proactive and very aggressive attempt by the NHL to strengthen the game's presence in non-traditional markets.  Atlanta's early years were marked by the dynamic duo of Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa, but with only one playoff appearance in their brief history, fans were hard to come by. Since the departure of Kovalchuk, Atlanta has refocused its efforts to make the playoffs by assembling an explosive stable of young forwards such as Evander Kane, Andrew Ladd and Aleksandr Burmistrov along with an equally impressive core of offense-minded d-men including Dustin Byfuglien, Tobias Enstrom and Zach Bogosian.  Picturing this young team on the rise doing battle with the likes of Pekka Rinne, Shea Weber and Patric Hornqvist six times a year has all the makings of a marquee match-up in tomorrow's NHL.

 

Finally, Washington's addition to the Atlantic is a no-brainer in terms of geography and league marketing. Since the first battle between the Great 8 and Sid the Kid, the league has done everything in its power to play up the rivalry between Washington and Pittsburgh.  A six-game season series would make that rivalry a fixture in the schedule and turn up the intensity one more notch.  Washington would also have six dates with Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York, making for some excellent match-ups all season long. This proposed Atlantic grouping, given the current status of its five teams, would do wonders for the Devils, who could use some help on the attendance front compared to their division rivals.  

 

In looking at the current map of NHL teams, this move just makes sense. With 24 of the league's 30 teams based in the U.S., special attention should be paid to the cultivation of those markets in the midwest and southeast with franchises operating under the shadow of the east coast. Providing teams in these areas with the ability to generate ticket revenues through a more geographically relevant schedule will enhance the quality and intensity of the game as viewed by new fans in these areas. Over time, as these areas earn a loyal fan base and improve their hockey operations, they will cement the existence of the sport in the future.

The Next Winter Classic(s)?

With the undeniable success of the Winter Classic in recent years, it's time for the NHL to take a bold step forward.

More is better.  In a country that worships at the altar of overindulgence and pageantry with events like the Super Bowl and World Series, staking a substantial claim on the sports landscape is not done with subtlety.  It's time for the league to go big or go home and it can be done without going over the top.  Let's face it, the Super Bowl is rarely a "great game," the commercials have become less funny each year and the half time shows have been just as disappointing. When the NHL takes it outside,  it's still competitive, it's exciting and it's probably one of the best pieces of programming you can find on New Year's Day.  If you build it, they will come.

For the 2011-2012 season, the league needs to pull out all the stops and offer two American games outdoors.  First, New Year's Day will kickoff with the Devils hosting the Rangers in the New Meadowlands stadium.  Immediately following that, NBC will send it over to Ohio where the Red Wings will face the Blue Jackets in the Horseshoe at Ohio State.  Now I'll be the first to admit my bias, being a fan of New Jersey and Columbus, but these games make sense and here's why:

Both matchups feature an original six team with a very strong fan base facing a divisional rival with talent that could use some help in the attendance department.  You give these less financially successful franchises the chance to host with two extremely popular venues and they will attract new fans.  As the Devils have assembled a team with the star power of Brodeur, Parise and Kovalchuk, it only makes sense for them to be recognized on a grander stage.  They are too good to not be hyped up the way the league does so with Washington and Pittsburgh.  With the likes of Nash, Mason and Hjeda, Columbus also has the makings of a stellar club worth watching.  Showcasing these lesser known stars against Zetterberg and Datsyuk makes for one hot ticket.  If the league wants all of its franchises to prosper, it needs to give them a shot at the big events.  The smallest markets need to get those all-star games and host those drafts. Both these matchups are extremely marketable and have the potential to be very good contests.

So I put the question to you: If you ran the league and had to put together a New Year's Day doubleheader for the Winter Classic, what matchups would you choose and where would they be played?

Health Care--Debate or Shouting Match?

I'm sick of hearing about all these town hall meetings held to discuss health care. There's very little footage of intelligent questions being asked, but plenty of finger-pointing and chanting. Are there people out there worried that health care is going in the wrong direction? Sure. I generally support the President and his general idea of reforming the system, but even I have my questions and concerns. Why are conservatives dreaming up and handing out false information about "death panels" when they could do this country a great service by asking about things the proposed bill actually calls for?

It scares me that people out there can be so uninformed to deny that any of these protests are being led by lobbyists, special interests groups and other groups with their own agendas. What's even more alarming is the fact that these groups aren't trying to get answers, but intentionally trying to sabotage an actual discussion of the issue. The same tactics were used in Florida during the 2000 election and signaled a conservative-led abortion of democracy. They approach a situation thinking subconciously, "I don't care if I'm wrong, I'm going to raise my voice and say the same thing over and over again until my opponent agrees or stops talking."

The larger issue here: a conservative thought-process controls the media. If the mainstream media was doing it's job, it would take every opportunity to point out that similar town hall meetings held under the Bush administration were screened to intentionally keep out members of the public who would challenge conservative speakers. The Obama adminstration deserves credit for opening up the floor to both sides. If the media was doing it's job, it would jump on critics like Rush Limbaugh for his comparisons between Democrats and Nazis, pointing out how conservatives don't understand the political spectrum. They accuse the left of embracing an ideology, while failing to acknowledge how their own points of view are embraced by white supremacists and other extreme groups.

The media doesn't do it's job. It allows ultra-conservative critics to deride anyone who would dare accuse them of anything and refuses to speak out and call right-wingers on their bullshit. Liberals are constantly labeled as un-American while conservatives refuse to offer real solutions to any of the country's problems. Then outspoken members of the right call people on the left socialists. Are they seriously trying to scare people in to believing Democrats are further to the left than they are to the right? Sounds like McCarthy-era tactics to me. Thank God some journalists back in the 50s were paying attention and actually fought such idiotic attacks. I'm particularly concerned about people today, because so many people seem to fall for anything that comes out of any political officials' mouth-- on both sides of the aisle.

I still maintain that a level-headed approach to government and media coverage will be based in a centrist approach. You can't adopt a true watchdog role and maintain a government system of checks and balances unless you truly distance yourself from the rhetoric of both parties. Most think to be centrist is to soften arguments between right and left and try to be the peacemaker. Good centrist approaches show both sides of the story and actively hold those sides responsible for their actions. In covering these town hall meetings, good centrists will not only keep both sides on the record, but will ask why intelligent discussion is not taking place. The media must fulfill its role as facilitator in the marketplace of ideas. It should encourage the healthy dialogue on all issues, not the shouting matches and competitions to drown out sensible speech. Will someone please go to their local meeting and ask a good question?

Obama, Gates, Crowley

There's been a lot of media coverage dedicated to the Cambridge, Massachusetts incident between black Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and police officer James Crowley. I find this story particularly interesting because it serves as one of the first major events in race relations to occur during the Obama administration. The incident takes on a decidedly different tone with a black man in charge of the country and Obama's decision to personally address the situation is a unique change of pace itself.



Obama's initial statement saying Crowley "acted stupidly" was a bit disappointing. After spending nearly an hour discussing health care and the economy, one quick comment took the focus off the important issue at hand. However, the president's later actions have demonstrated a desire to correct the issue and settle down the controversial matter. By downplaying his comments and choosing to bring both parties together for a drink, Obama fulfills the role of mediator in a situation that really could have been resolved if cooler heads had prevailed.



While it's a shame that our country must still deal with the disease of racism, Obama's handling of this particular incident is a great step forward in opening up the topic of race relations to significant dialogue.

The Episcopal Church: In The News Again

I've been an Episcopalian all my life and I must say I'm disappointed in the Episcopal Church for forcing the issue of gay and lesbian clergy at General Convention this year. I myself have no problem with gays and lesbians being elected as clergy, but I don't see why the church needed to take a definitive stance on the matter.

The Episcopal Church has distinguished itself from other Christian denominations through progressive thinking and an acceptance of open discussion on controversial topics. By taking a stance that clearly puts the community at odds with the larger Anglican Communion is no way to maintain that standard. In taking a specific stance, we move closer to the Catholic Church with an inflexible and clear-cut statement of beliefs. While the community adheres to a belief in God, Episcopalians find comfort in acknowledging they don't have all the answers. They see the experience of faith as a journey not a destination that requires specific directions. We agree or agree to disagree, but we keep talking and we allow both viewpoints to exist without issue.

While the move towards a liberal church did provide a more inviting atmosphere towards the LGBT community, it further isolated current parishioners who have expressed their displeasure over the inclusion of that group. If the decision was a move to bolster attendance, it merely attracts one group and repels another. The governing body of the church knew the problems the issue would raise, but proceeded regardless. Now, a number of dioceses are threatening to leave and the possibility of being cut off from the Anglican Communion remains.

On the other hand, I take issue with conservative members who complained about gay Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire's presence at General Convention and at previous major gatherings of church leaders. They fail to respect the generally inviting nature our church has attempted to maintain and label the man as a villain leading the liberal revolt. I've had the distinct honor of meeting the controversial figure a number of years ago and was able to speak with him openly about the subject. He acknowledges his position in the church and in various media have brought a lot of unwanted attention to the church. However, in the end, he is primarily focused with the needs of the diocese he serves. Like every other Bishop, he needs to explain to his parishioners why churches are closing and where the money will come from next. He is attempting to do the job he was elected to do without shaking the boat too much.

Gene Robinson is a gay man who is in a faithful committed relationship holding an office within the church. People may consider his homosexuality as a serious sin. I disagree, but if it is a sin, it is a minor one compared to the way people have treated this man. Robinson was ordained wearing a bullet-proof vest and surrounded by a security detail for protection from death threats. The church he was ordained in had metal detectors posted at the entrances for fear of an attempt on the man's life. What kind of a country do we live in when people have to live in fear for who they are or what they believe? I was under the impression that we lived in America, and I was under the impression people who believed in God also valued the protection of life and the promotion of peace.

I certainly don't know the answer to resolving all this, but I firmly believe the Episcopal Church should never have banned gay and lesbian clergy in the first place. I think the decision to lift the ban will do more harm than good in the end. If a diocese wants to elect gay clergy, so be it. If it doesn't, so be it. Each diocese should decide for themselves. Each member of church should decide for themselves. That's my sermon for today...

Summer Projects--Movies

I've always been a fan of lists. They keep things orderly and you earn a sense of accomplishment when you can cross things off. A little over a year ago, I began embarking on a journey to complete a big, time-consuming beast of a list. I decided to tackle the American Film Institute's 1998 list of the top 100 movies of all time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI%27s_100_Years..._100_Movies#1998_List It began when a friend of mine told me she had seen more than 80 of the films. I realized I had only seen about 20 and felt compelled to do some catching up.

I've spent some late nights and lazy afternoons educating myself on these good movies. I started off buying the films on DVD, but that became a slow, expensive proposition. Thank God for Netflix. Working on the top 100 (while also watching some crazy ones that didn't make the cut), I've almost passed the big 5-0 halfway point. With plenty of down time during the late hours before I leave for work at midnight, I try and watch each Netflix movie as soon as I get it. Later today I'm expecting #84-Fargo.

As with most lists, there's always controversy surrounding the order and everyone has their own opinion. After looking at the list and seeing some movies I was previously unfamiliar with, I've developed some opinions of my own:

• Raging Bull has no business being 24th on the 1998 list and even less business being 4th on the 2007 list.
• Chinatown and Apocalypse Now all deserve higher spots.
• To Kill A Mockingbird deserves a higher spot. If AFI thought Atticus Finch was good enough to be the top hero of all time, the movie he was in should be higher than 34th/25th
• Probably one of the best updates from '97 to '08 was Vertigo, which jumped 52 spots from 61st to a much more appropriate 9th.
• As crazy as I may sound and despite the criticism I know I'm asking for, The Godfather wasn't that great a movie. Should it make the list? Sure. Should it be 3rd/2nd? No way.

Getting Young People Interested In News

I was at my Cleveland TV station internship one morning, attending a 2-hour meeting about studies of viewers in the area. TV stations are like high school girls---they are constantly concerned with their social status. Girls spend lots of money on clothes and accessories so they can hang out with all the cool people. The station spent lots of money to conduct a study that told them what people in the area want out of their local news:

• people care about weather more than any other item in a local newscast.


• people want to know a station is genuinely invested in their interests.


• people want more breaking news.


• the station's main viewers are older, and have little interest in the station's website or social networking connections.

The station was so concerned with the weather, its consumer awareness programming and creating a sense of urgency with more breaking news coverage. It has a presence on social networking sites, but it is viewed as a minor piece of the "product." I use this point to illustrate the news industry's distant relationship with younger information consumers. I know it's very hard to get people my age interested in the news. However, if there was ever a chance to get them interested, it's through the constantly expanding wave of hi-tech gadgets.

We're starting to see the early effects of twitter, facebook and youtube employed as sources of news. A number of my friends say they first heard about recent celebrity deaths on twitter before they heard it anywhere else. TV stations and some newspapers are posting on networking sites along with their regular websites. People are signing up for cell phone news updates on topics specifically tailored to their interests. While the excess of information can be overwhelming and annoying, I do see some benefits.

From a business perspective, a news outlet that seeks every available method of information delivery has a distinct advantage in the marketplace. The 24-hour news cycle's constant demand for content can be alleviated with a variety of ways to present that content. I think there are still methods that aren't being exploited.

I'm a big fan of video games. I grew up on Nintendo and grew into the Playstation brand. Playstation 3's online capabilities are nothing short of amazing. Living in an apartment with no TV channels, I spend a lot of time playing games online and watching DVDs. I also watch youtube clips right off of the PS3 web browser. By including a blu-ray player, Sony has repeatedly expressed its aims to make the system an all-in-one entertainment device. What if we take it one step further and make it a news info device.

If news outlets could establish programs for online video game systems, I think it would open up a whole new group of potential content consumers. News groups could create RSS-based news feed programs, package them like video games and offer bundles for specific types of news and expansions for additional news groups. The program would feature a constant stream of multimedia from around the world.

In terms of media philosophy, I've always been fascinated by Milton's marketplace of ideas theory. He asserts that through a diverse amount of sources, This theoretical marketplace is an essential concept to consider in a discussion on democracy and its relationship with free speech. If we apply this to the video game news program, we have some interesting possibilities to consider. The current Sony accessories like the EyeToy webcams and USB headset microphone could come in handy. People could use webcams and microphones to talk to each other about all the things they'd be seeing, hearing and reading. You could chat with just audio or see others in living color. The diversity of the sources could be magnified by the added input of the various consumers.

Such a program could facillitate more dicussion about current events among a group not known for having those kind of conversations. Perhaps as younger viewers mature, they will have more incentive to consume more traditional media. It might also encourage more technologically-friendly adults to get into gaming systems and their additional uses. This is a largely untapped market for the news business and it deserves serious attention and consideration.