Recently in NHL Category
StratBridge Inc. has just developed ground breaking software that should undoubtedly help professional teams in every sport to make better managerial decisions. StratBridge Inc. is a company that has developed software for both ticket sales (StratTix), and player analysis (StratEdge). The company was founded in 1999 by Mr. Matthew Marolda and made a name for themselves in 2005 with their ticket selling software. StratTix can be used in a number of ways to help teams gain valuable information about their ticket sales, as well as the people buying them. This software can help the team view up-to-the-minute seating charts to see which seats are selling, and which ones are not. It will provide the teams with information about the people purchasing the tickets such as their geographical area, what source they used to purchase them (Ticket Master, Stubhub etc.), and helping to predict attendance. This will help lead to teams to finding the best time to market, when the best time is to promote, and will help their yield management strategies to become more effective. The company's newest software breakthrough, StratEdge, will ultimately give an "edge" to teams that are scouting and looking to draft, or sign specific players. It provides teams with detailed information about trades, contract extensions, and how they match up to other athletes at their position. This company is in a niche of its own, and one of the best at what they do. These new tools that are now readily available for any team will help them make smarter business decisions that everyone knows will ultimately affect their franchise for years to come. StratBridge Inc. already has more then 100 deals with professional teams in the NHL, MLB, NFL, MLS, AFL, and minor league baseball. They hope to continue to build bridges with and for various sport franchises around the world.
Is it time to give the NHL a second chance? Has the heartbreak of the "Lost Season" finally subsided in all of us? The league seems to think so. When the league reopened its operations in 2004 a major decision had to be made on how reaching back the spectators who were deprived of their sport. The league realized they had lost fans, but at the same time wanted this change a "New Face" for the rebuilding sport.
In 2006, the executive producer of NBC Sports, Dick Ebersol believed that hockey needed an opportunity to get back in the national coverage. With that, NBC agreed on rights to broadcasting regular season games, however were not required to purchase broadcasting fees. But, in return, NBC Sports would pay all production costs, including the Winter Classic held every New Years. With networks such as Versus, TSN and CBC (Canada) who are required to pay millions of dollars for coverage, one can only imagine how long until the league asks for a broadcasting fees from NBC. The contract between NBC and NHL ends this season , and talks with FOX (who televised games up until the late 90's) would attract an offer to the NHL for broadcasting rights.
Within the past few seasons, the NHL has put on a game on New Year's Day labeled the "Winter Classic" in which two teams would come to a home local city but in a larger venue. In 2009, Wrigley Field was host of the classic between Detroit and Chicago, for NBC it scored with over four million viewers watching on television. (An NHL viewership record broken after 34 years) After all the ticket sales, merchandise items and other items were counted for, clearly Gary Bettman, has a strong item here to sell on New Year's Day. However, the big picture is to translate the viewership throughout the entire hockey season. The viewership is there, but will broadcasting companies take the risk of investing money to the still re-growing process of the NHL?
And if they do, Bettman can continue to rub his magic genie lamp knowing he will continue to prosper the league as he has for the past six years. Only time can tell, but something tells me the NEW NHL is ready to grow its viewership further.
http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=sbd.preview&articleID=127241
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090112/SPORTS0103/901120431/1361
Viewership for the CBC's Hockey Night In Canada (HNIC) has "grown in all time slots" this season. The first game of the HNIC doubleheaders is averaging 1.348 million viewers, up 13% from the same point in the 2007-2008 season. The second game of the double header is averaging 763,000 viewers, up 19% from last season.In late September the NHL instituted a new rule in which owners,who usually keep their
business private and to themselves, will have to disclose it. In response to some unknown finacial arrangements between owners, now owners will have to disclose all business and financial relationships between one another. The league has said all 30 teams have complied with the new policy and that the rule also applies to all potential new owners. Which means all potential owners must disclose all their relationships with other NHL owners at the time of the potential
purpose.
From:http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/60609
With the passing of this rule, I feel the league will be more financially better. With the league aware of all business relationships, maybe they can prevent another unneeded lockout and stay financially safe. This also prevent secrets and so the league will not have any surprises. This will help the league regain status and flourish for more years to come.
In This week's edition of the sports business journal there is an article on a new rule in the NHL. This rule though is for the owners and not the players. The new rule requires all NHL team owners to disclose any business deals that are made with other team players. The rule was written in September because of a loan that was taken from AEG (who owns the LA kings) by the former Predators owner that had to list the loan when he filed for bankruptcy. The league never knew about the loan.
I am not sure about this rule for the NHL; this will just help to make sure that something like this doesn't happen again. It really doesn't do anything other than that, some would say that this relates to collusion, but it doesn't. You have to remember that collusion is illegal so I am pretty sure that owners wouldn't make it a public document. It does however show which owners are having business relationships which could relate to something like that if a collusion case was ever brought up in the future.
It's no secret of the financial situation that has taken over the globe. It's also probably no secret that this very situation that has ruined many jobs is also affecting the sports world. One aspect of the sports business world that has truly started to suffer is the naming rights to various stadiums and future stadiums that have plans to be built. With the economy in a mess it's difficult for many big name companies to take over the naming rights of the stadiums. With some teams holding out on choosing a partner until after the economic crisis it's hard to say how this problem will be resolved.
In theory, waiting for the economic crisis to end truly isn't the best solution to this problem. With no real end to this recession in sight, people may need to start thinking of a real solution instead of just waiting. Stadiums are getting more and more expensive whenever they are built, so now it has come down to either finding a reliable partner for naming rights or taking on this burden yourself. Whatever teams decide to choose, hopefully it will be the right one, but for now all the fans can do is sit back and watch as their teams fight through the economic crisis.
Could this be the very picture we will be looking at February 1st 2009? Could it be the biggest story in New York since...well last year?
Sure.... any New York Football fan (besides the Bills at this point) would love to see the cover of their NY Post, Daily News and Newsday fluttered with previews of Manning vs. Favre II, Jets vs. Giants, The Champs vs. Champions of 40 Years ago.
Or perhaps might I even say the biggest sports story in New York's History?
This past Monday, the NHL and Bridgestone, (the primer sponsor for this year's All-Star game) have developed a contest on who truly is the greatest NHL captain of all time. The contest entitled "Greatest Captain Contest" gives fans the chance vote in a 32 player tournament bracket, to determine the greatest captain ever to don an NHL jersey. The NHL will be providing prizes throughout each week to determine random winners, ending with a grand prize winner of course will receive tickets to the 2009 All-Star Game in Montreal, Canada.
Quickly, we'll look back at just a few of the modern day greatest captains, some still active in the game today.
For Stevie Yzerman, his career accomplishments are unique and long; over 1700 points, over a 1000 assists to establish his role of being an unselfish player and a plus/minus at nearly an overall 200. A great captain for two decades and true leader in the locker room, as Scotty Bowman once placed it "I never had to go in the locker room for player grievances, because I knew Stevie took care of it".
One of the greatest folk stories you will ever share with your grandkids, is the story of "The Messiah", aka Mark Messier. 
For Messier, his "peak time" will always be remembered by "The Guarantee". We've all heard the stories and seen it with our own eyes. It is possibly, one of the greatest inspirational stories you will ever hear in sports and most importantly in New York. As-then ESPN commentator Gary Thorne once said in reference to "We'll Win Tonight", "You say that in New York... the whole world knows". Not just a leader in New York, but before that in 1988, Messier was donned the "C" and skeptics were unsure of his leadership capabilities. For the first time as a sole leader, Messier propelled his team from the brink of elimination(s) and won two Stanley Cups as captain for the Oilers. Before long, he looked for more opportunity and a move to New York helped the Rangers win their first Stanley Cup in 54 years, true excellence from the one known as the "Messiah".
Before Chris Neil, Phaneuf, Malone and the eventual Luke Schenn, there was an original "human eraser" of the 90's that bulldozer, being Scott Stevens.
games online. The subscriber
base for live online games has increased nearly 270 percent. Sales of
merchandise have also heavily increased. Shop.NHL.com has increased 27 percent
in October compared to last year.Due to slowing economy and the threat of a shortfall in NHl revenue, the NHL Player'
Association has been pushing a proposal that would have the players pay 13.5 percent of their paychecks into escrow. This would be the largest since escrow was established in 2005 as a part of the current collective-bargaining agreement. Players pay into escrow accounts throughout the season in case salaries. They pay for over 57-percent of hockey revenue over the course of the season, but anything over that 57-percent is returned to owners from the escrow account.
From: http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/60389
With this poor economy it is important to not just sit around and do nothing. If this proposal goes through the NHL and its revenue can keep flourishing and keep trying to gain the respect it had before the lockout. If we take this too lightly it could cost the NHL revenue and even more fan support. It is pivital that this proposal goes through. If it doesnt and they have to go to members and cut the checks to the owners. The players have the money another 1.5 percent of their already 12 percent they pay to escrow will be more helpful for them to pay then not to.
