13 replies to this topic

[Norm]

An open letter to Gary Bettman (CC Don Fehr)

Dear Gary

While I realize that many fans are accusing the NHL and the NHLPA of not caring about the fans during this lock out, I am not one who thinks thats a primary concern. After all, here in Toronto, we have watched the Leafs flounder year after year and still most of us would kill to go to games no matter what. Here in Toronto, you can still see many still wearing their Maple Leaf Blue.

No, sir. I don't think you need to worry much about us. Corporate sponsorship and Corporate seating at the ACC will be as strong as ever here in the Big Smoke. When you guys eventually figure out how to divide the pie up, I'm pretty sure there will be a slice for everyone.

The problem is, Gary, I am convinced that the pie will be much more the size of a tart when you and your compatriates finish ruining this league. And I think you know that. You see, while in Toronto we will buy all that is NHL and Toronto will welcome you back... the southern US cities, Gary, are a hard sell at the best of times. Are you going to be able to sell the NHL to them again after the THIRD lockout under your leadership? You couldn't sell it to them while the NHL was playing. You got a HUGE break in the playoffs when the Rangers (a strong Northern US team) did well in the playoffs and the other large market team, the LA Kings with its ability to attract publicity through attendance of Hollywood stars won the Stanley Cup. But you squandered the good that did for you with the first cancellation of games in September.

During your tenure, your leadership (and I use that phrase loosely), has based itself on ignoring the strong base of hockey markets to the North while trying to shove hockey down the throats of non traditional markets in the US. And while everyone understands the big $$$$ in the US, none of us up here could or can understand your insistance to treat northern hockey markets (particularly in Canada) like they don't exist. And I can tell you from personal experience, hockey does not take up a lot of time on the sports pages in many cities in the US.

Corporate sponsors here in the rich hockey mad city of Toronto are, as you know, starting to make noise about their impatience with this League. Kraft has already stuck its mid finger up at you and Coors is starting to make some racket here too. If they go, and others follow, you may have nothing here to come back to. Companies with Corporate seats at ACC are finding other ways to entertain their clients and they are not losing sales over it.

No sir, Gary, I don't think the fans are the ones that are necessarily the ones you need to start considering. If you don't start paying attention to the big money, it will soon be gone. If its gone, there is nothing left.

I thought I'd write this to let you know whats going on up here in Toronto...paying attention to a hot market city has never been your thing, so I can only assume you don't know how we feel here.

My point is this: if you can't sell hockey here, how can you sell it in Phoenix, Carolina or Florida??? Or maybe you just DON'T CARE.

Think about it.Then (before there is NOTHING left) GET A DEAL DONE!!!!

Norm

[jockdent]

Great letter Norm!

I, personally, wouldn't have been as diplomatic with Mr. Big Ego; but great letter, all the same.

[Seer]

Good post, Norm..!

[aws1]

That letter should appear in every paper and sport show in Canada and the USA.

[howiegethere]

I don't think Gary or Don Fehr are in controll they are just reps for the players and owners who have the agenda set for them on what kind of deal they can accept . Not that I give a damn for either of them but in the end it is the players and owners that need a reality check .

[Sonny_l_Styles]

Well written, but I have read a million of these with the same basic sentiment and commentary, and many started with "an open letter to Gary Bettman".

The funny thing is, as it builds, it reminds me of those Molson Canadian commercials from a few years ago. I AM CANADIAN!

I guess the irony would be that the wallpaper on this site says, Molson Canadian - Proud sponsor of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

[CrazyCanuckEh]

Well written, but I have read a million of these with the same basic sentiment and commentary, and many started with "an open letter to Gary Bettman".

The funny thing is, as it builds, it reminds me of those Molson Canadian commercials from a few years ago. I AM CANADIAN!

I guess the irony would be that the wallpaper on this site says, Molson Canadian - Proud sponsor of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Even more ironic since Jeff Molson is the owner of the Habs too! The Leafs need to get a real Canadian corporate beer sponsor, I'd recommend Alexander Keith's, their beer is way better then that urine water garbage that Molson pumps out anyway.

[MaximumTaco]

Even more ironic since Jeff Molson is the owner of the Habs too! The Leafs need to get a real Canadian corporate beer sponsor, I'd recommend Alexander Keith's, their beer is way better then that urine water garbage that Molson pumps out anyway.

Owned by Anheuser-Busch.

If you want a real Canadian beer, your best bet is probably Moosehead. It's one of the only big brewers that actually still is Canadian owned and operated.

[Sonny_l_Styles]

Even more ironic since Jeff Molson is the owner of the Habs too! The Leafs need to get a real Canadian corporate beer sponsor, I'd recommend Alexander Keith's, their beer is way better then that urine water garbage that Molson pumps out anyway.

I don't mind Molson or the Habs

Owned by Anheuser-Busch.

If you want a real Canadian beer, your best bet is probably Moosehead. It's one of the only big brewers that actually still is Canadian owned and operated.

Always with the facts! What about Sleeman's or Brick?

Talk about derailing a post! I am guilty as charged

[MaximumTaco]

I don't mind Molson or the Habs

Always with the facts! What about Sleeman's or Brick?

Talk about derailing a post! I am guilty as charged

Sleeman was bought by Sapporo back in 2006.

Not sure about Brick, are they the ones that make Laker? I think they're still independent.

[MaximumTaco]

I don't mind Molson or the Habs

Always with the facts! What about Sleeman's or Brick?

Talk about derailing a post! I am guilty as charged

Sleeman was bought by Sapporo back in 2006.

Not sure about Brick, are they the ones that make Laker? I think they're still independent.

[CrazyCanuckEh]

Not like it matters, Sleeman is pants and it's not good to get drunk off of at a game, which is probably why I'd sooner go to the pub and watch the Guelph Storm games then go to the Sleeman Centre

Besides, they don't have that kind of money for a corporate sponsorship.

[Norm]

LOL...wow you guys have a short attention span.

Posting the letter was a way to inspire discussion on the damage the lockout is doing to the Corporate Sponsorship and the loss of income to the NHL and what it would do to their buisiness. I don't care if Coors, Sleemans or Alexander Kieths was bought out or who bought them out. Nor (for purposes of the discussion about this post) does it matter whether Molsons is Canadian Beer or not.

What matters, is that currently their Corporate sponsors (whomever they are) are starting to jump ship and that the NHL wont survive without them.

Geez, do I ever miss talk about hockey!!!

[CrazyCanuckEh]

Well, the problem is that many corporate sponsors are Americans, it would be hard just to get them onboard in the first place. Look at the NFL, Nascar and the NBA, all have massive corporate sponsors from pretty much every American company that advertises services or products. The NHL has very little of that by comparison and I think it is because those companies don't view the investment of sponsorship with the NHL as being a very lucrative deal for them. What sponsors the league has now, are going to evaporate and hopefully that speaks volumes to the owners that money is the only language humans and businesses speak these days. Good luck attempting to get them back if the league is going to constantly lockout the players every several years because the owners are a bunch of weasels who would rather try and shaft their employees and everyone who works for the teams in the process, over a couple hundred million dollars.