Two weeks ago the the National Hockey League announced that it would restructure it's team brackets to that more conform to geographical constraints of the teams. The change was billed as way to create deeper rivalries and a stronger fan base. Sound familiar, 4 brackets, 4 regions, double the meetings of teams that play in your bracket, and more team loyalty. Yep its the same here in the Northwest, but will the NHL's plan work?
For ten years now, the smattering of WHL teams has remained somewhat the same. A few teams have expanded and few have bounce around , but the attendance (the ultimate factor) has also remained nearly the same since 2000. Yet the quality of the product that the WHL offers has improved drastically for 3 reasons.
First is Ownership. The US division teams ownership have restructured their teams away from just wealthy men looking to own a piece of the community. Now the focus is on the General Managers and Coaching Combination finding the space franchise skaters need to bring the right talent, image and accolades to the fans.
Second is quality of the experience. If the team dose not have the cash to update their arenas, they generally seek out community support, and the evidence is clear. If a fan shows up 40 minutes before the game or stays 40 minutes late, there is usually a contest or giveaways to keep the fans coming back.
Third is a winning record. Where the WHL can excel, is in the Subway Series the U18 and the U20s and at the Memorial cup. The Whl can measure itself vs the worlds best which always draws a crowd.
Yes, the WHL is guiding the way for the bigs. If the NHL teams place more emphasis to integrate more into the fabric of the community, bring more players into the franchise player role, and play a few preseason games outside of the league.
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