Stupid NHL marketing...again

[Screw_Michigan]

So, of course, eveyone's seen the god-awful Winter Classic commericals that feature "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" sung by Haray Caray in the background. Since when did the Winter Classic become about being played at the Urinal ERRRRR Wrigley Field and not about an outdoor extravaganza of hockey to celebrate the great sport we've all grown to love? Did they show Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas scoring touchdowns in front of 70,000 fans at Rich Stadium? Of course not. If anything, the commericals should have audio highlights of Pat Foley doing play-by-play from the Stanley Cup run in the 90s or Grimson-Probert fisticuff throwdowns or Ken Kal and Mickey Redmon during the 97 or 98 Cup winning games, not audio promoting Wrigley Field. Yeah, let's play a baseball song in the background of a commerical to promote an outdoor professional hockey game. Fucking idiots. Suspend Avery another six games in your infinite fucking wisdom, league.

Just another reason they should have had it at Soldier Field: The fucking Urinal is overshadowing the game.

FUCK THAT SHIT.

[MuchoBulls]

RACK!!

[Shoalzie]

They aren't marketing the Wings-Hawks rivalry as much as they are marketing the fact they are playing at Wrigley Field...I don't see the problem with it. Hockey fans know what the rivalry is about...you don't need to give us a reason to watch the game. There probably aren't nearly enough people aware of the Winter Classic so they were smart to start showing those ads during Sunday Night Football and the fact they are playing off the Wrigley Field angle might intrigue non-hockey fans to check it out.

[Shoalzie]

TV ratings for the Winter Classic up from last year...

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=261811&src=149

[JD]

they are playing off the Wrigley Field angle might intrigue non-hockey fans to check it out.

Well exactly. If they struck a chord with guys like Screw and the rest of us, they completely whiffed.

Fact of the matter is, baseball is an American pastime/sport and it's something the vast majority of Americans can identify with and might pay attention to. That'll catch their attention more than an ad with a bunch of hitting and scoring and other stuff hockey fans like.

But on the other hand, if they're trying to capture the non-hockey fans, why do the outdoor game on the same day as all the college Bowls?

One thing's for sure, they play this thing too early in the day. I'm just crawling out of the bed wondering what my head got with before I realize the outdoor game is on and I've already missed half of it.

[Screw_Michigan]

One thing's for sure, they play this thing too early in the day. I'm just crawling out of the bed wondering what my head got with before I realize the outdoor game is on and I've already missed half of it.

Since you live west of Chicago, nobody gives a fuck. Sorry you had to find out this way.

[Left Seater]

Got to agree with JD on this one. Put this game on after college football is done and before of the NFL conference title games. Prolly the Saturday of the Conference Title games.

Screw,

I don't think they are trying to reach those of us in this forum. We knew about this game and were going to watch anyway. The marketing is towards the casual fan. Studies in our market show that if we can get people out to a game they will return for 2.6 more games a season. Granted that is for H-town where hockey isn't as "known" as it is east of Chicago.