Matt Puzio is a sophomore Drexel Sport Management student.
After
119 days, NHL hockey is back. This past weekend marked the start of the
truncated NHL season with inaugural game being played by the Chicago Blackhawks
and the Stanley Cup winners, Los Angeles Kings. The season, which was
originally slated to start in October, has been reduced to a mere 48 games.
Although the start of the season brings good news to hockey fans, teams’ front offices
must learn how to adapt to the shortened season.
In a recent Sports Business
Journal article, “NHL team presidents: Time to move forward”, a number of team
presidents, including Flyer’s president, Peter Luukko, commented on the aftermath
of the new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement.
When asked what does this new
agreement mean for his team, Luukko noted that it was certainly “meaningful”
for the Flyers as it provides financial stability league-wide, ideally giving
teams an equal opportunity to compete.
David Morehouse, president of the
Pittsburgh Penguins, elaborated by specifying that the 10-year dispute-free
agreement would allow for corporate partners and fans to build upon their
relationships with NHL teams without having to worry about the possibility of
another labor stoppage. Already the third stoppage in 18 years, many of the
team’s presidents interviewed noted that their biggest concern surrounding the
abbreviated season is to ensure that their team’s fan base has been maintained
throughout the lockout.
Additionally, they would like to use the excitement
surrounding the return of the NHL as a springboard in attracting a broader fan
base. Although a lot remains unknown regarding how this particular NHL season
will unravel, what is known is that teams must seek means of mending lost time
on the ice. The general consensus amongst team executives appears to rank
customer relations at the top of their priority. President of the Columbus Blue
Jackets, Mike Priest, sums up the current situation, “take care of your
customers and then get back to growing the game.” For the time being, one thing
is for certain: NHL hockey is back.
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