NHL selling naming rights for divisions

[JC1]

NHL selling naming rights for divisions.

NHL sells naming rights for 2020-21 divisions

The league gets creative when trying to lessen financial losses from last season.

www.tampabay.com

I think I've seen it all now in terms of silly naming rights in my opinion.

What do you guys think?

 

[Ignatius]

I have been a huge hockey fan my entire life but the NHL has been a joke of a professional sports league in so many ways for a long time. I was not surprised at all when I saw this.

 

[JC1]

I stopped being a maple leafs fan around the age of 12 which was 40 years ago. I joke and say stop watching them, because if the leafs ever win again they'll sell commemorative dvds for you to buy. Gary Bettman is a joke in my opinion in terms of being a commissioner. Toronto is such a large hockey market, we could support two teams like NY and LA does.

 

[SevenBizzos]

All of the professional leagues took a hit when fans were no longer around. The NHL probably depends more on ticket sales than the others. I know locally, the lower bowl seats are about $240 a game. So they are trying to generate revenue anyway they can. Good for them. Have everything sponsored.

 

[propuckstopper]

NHL selling naming rights for divisions.

NHL sells naming rights for 2020-21 divisions

The league gets creative when trying to lessen financial losses from last season.

www.tampabay.com

I think I've seen it all now in terms of silly naming rights in my opinion.

What do you guys think?

I think that naming rights have become a part of everything in the sports world these days. Try to find an arena or stadium, or even a section inside of an arena or stadium, that doesn't have a corporation attached to it. I am not sure why selling naming rights for divisions would be any different.

It is simply another revenue stream. If a corporation is willing to open their wallet, why would you not sell the spot?

 

[propuckstopper]

All of the professional leagues took a hit when fans were no longer around. The NHL probably depends more on ticket sales than the others. I know locally, the lower bowl seats are about $240 a game. So they are trying to generate revenue anyway they can. Good for them. Have everything sponsored.

+1

 

[propuckstopper]

I stopped being a maple leafs fan around the age of 12 which was 40 years ago. I joke and say stop watching them, because if the leafs ever win again they'll sell commemorative dvds for you to buy. Gary Bettman is a joke in my opinion in terms of being a commissioner. Toronto is such a large hockey market, we could support two teams like NY and LA does.

Who are these Maple Leafs, you speak of?

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

I stopped being a maple leafs fan around the age of 12 which was 40 years ago. I joke and say stop watching them, because if the leafs ever win again they'll sell commemorative dvds for you to buy. Gary Bettman is a joke in my opinion in terms of being a commissioner. Toronto is such a large hockey market, we could support two teams like NY and LA does.

A lot of people did then and to this day there are a fair number of Sabres fans from the Toronto metro area. That was a particularly bad and controversial time for the Leafs as they were basically fielding shamelessly bad, basically AHL level teams on the cheap while still charging a premium and getting it from corporate seats and boxes...

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

I don't have a huge problem with it as the NHL gets nowhere near the TV revenue sharing that the NFL, NBA, and MLB get. I just hope this is temporary for a season that a lot of the owners reportedly didn't even want due to losses they might incur. I'm just glad to be able to watch hockey at this point and it is honestly the only reason I do not "cut-the-cord" of the local cable company....

 

[daves87rs]

As much as I hate to say it, it’s simply not worth being open right now. No fans =‘s no money.

Sports in general are really going to change in the next few years.....

 

[JC1]

I know NHL lags behind in revenue and viewers. Stadium naming rights we are used to, but when these team win a conference and raise a banner to the rafters, it it going to say "West Division Honda Champions"? I find that silly IMO.

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

As much as I hate to say it, it’s simply not worth being open right now. No fans =‘s no money.

Sports in general are really going to change in the next few years.....

I think the counterpoint to that is with Covid lockdowns in parts of the country, the only game is on TV. In the end, the NHL may benefit from this. I think there is also hope that by late spring they may be able to bring fans back in...

 

[SeaJay]

All of the professional leagues took a hit when fans were no longer around. The NHL probably depends more on ticket sales than the others. I know locally, the lower bowl seats are about $240 a game. So they are trying to generate revenue anyway they can. Good for them. Have everything sponsored.

Maybe I am old school. I could afford go to a bunch of games at those prices without to much stress on the family budget. But to me, the viewing of any sporting event live at a cost of $240 (in addition to overpriced refreshments and parking) is so outrageous as to prevent me from attending. I realize there are cheaper seats, but the cheaper you go, the worse the viewing experience.

Back in the day, prices were much cheaper even after factoring in inflation. Also, sporting events weren't as popular and if you knew folks in the business world, corporate seats (usually the better seats) were often free for the asking. A completely different ballgame today.

 

[JC1]

Toronto ticket prices are nuts and you cannot even get a ticket. Scalpers make a killing. A lot of Toronto fans will drive to Buffalo to see the games cheaper even when US dollar conversion is factored in.

In sure a lot of leafs fans go to Vegas when the leafs are on the road. Even in other Canadian cities (except Montreal) you'll see a sea of blue and white leafs jerseys in the crowd when the leafs are visiting.