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Sponsors ready to ditch NHL?

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08:31 AM ET 10.31 | According to marketing experts, the fallout from cancelling the Winter Classic would go beyond merely losing a highlight on the NHL calendar and straight to undercutting the league's efforts to make business partnerships. "One of the bigger problems the NHL has with its sponsors is a lot of people remember the last lockout [2004-05] and if they go through another year like that, people won't be as forgiving," said Bob Stellick, the head of Stellick Marketing Communications Inc., a Toronto firm which handles marketing, communications and media relations for major corporations and sports groups. "If there's another year without hockey, they may ask, 'Why am I a sponsor?'"

The Globe and Mail

Gary Bettman, Getty Images Gary Bettman, Getty Images
October 31, 2012  08:35 AM ET

"If there's another year without hockey, they may ask, 'Why am I a sponsor?'"




And fans may ask, Why am I a fan?

October 31, 2012  08:38 AM ET
QUOTE(#1):

"If there's another year without hockey, they may ask, 'Why am I a sponsor?'"

And fans may ask, Why am I a fan?

Happy Halloween everybody.

October 31, 2012  08:55 AM ET
QUOTE(#1):

And fans may ask, Why am I a fan?

I'm asking myself that very question.

October 31, 2012  09:27 AM ET
QUOTE(#3):

I'm asking myself that very question.

Same here. Every day ...... several times a day!

October 31, 2012  09:44 AM ET

Its hard to even look at a picture of that weasel face.

October 31, 2012  09:53 AM ET
QUOTE(#5):

Its hard to even look at a picture of that weasel face.

The Fehrer's picture is just as hideous. Looks like the NHL and the NHLPA have been wearing their scary Halloween costumes for a couple of months and, no sign that they'll be taking them off any time soon, not even for Christmas.

October 31, 2012  10:00 AM ET
QUOTE(#6):

The Fehrer's picture is just as hideous. Looks like the NHL and the NHLPA have been wearing their scary Halloween costumes for a couple of months and, no sign that they'll be taking them off any time soon, not even for Christmas.

they will change to the "Grinch" in a couple of weeks.....no joy in Who Ville.......or any 'ville that has hockey fans.......

October 31, 2012  10:05 AM ET
QUOTE(#6):

The Fehrer's picture is just as hideous. Looks like the NHL and the NHLPA have been wearing their scary Halloween costumes for a couple of months and, no sign that they'll be taking them off any time soon, not even for Christmas.

at least his speech is more eloquent; and he makes sense.

The Bettman just sounds like the fat kid who cant keep up and just whines all the time.....

October 31, 2012  10:10 AM ET
QUOTE(#1):

"If there's another year without hockey, they may ask, 'Why am I a sponsor?'"And fans may ask, Why am I a fan?

Very well said

October 31, 2012  10:13 AM ET

The fallout is just beginning. Irreparable harm is being done to the fans, sponsers, owners and players.

October 31, 2012  10:15 AM ET

Quickest way to end this lockout is for the sponsors to ditch the teams and players to lose endorsements.

October 31, 2012  10:18 AM ET

Sponsors will leave now and come back with low ball offers later.

Count on it.

October 31, 2012  10:19 AM ET
QUOTE(#10):

The fallout is just beginning. Irreparable harm is being done to the fans, sponsers, owners and players.

Isn't it ironic that both Fehr and Bettman are driving NHL fans by the droves over to their previous employers in the NBA and MLB?

October 31, 2012  10:20 AM ET

Okay Donald and Gary , now your really ticking me off !!! This is starting to smell like my much beloved HBO 24/7 is not gonna happen this year..............enough is enough already !!!

October 31, 2012  10:22 AM ET
QUOTE(#12):

Sponsors will leave now and come back with low ball offers later.Count on it.

They may not leave Hank but you can bet your sweet Bippie, (ha, L.I reference) that they certainly will be driving a harder bargain to hang in there.

October 31, 2012  10:26 AM ET
QUOTE(#14):

Okay Donald and Gary , now your really ticking me off !!! This is starting to smell like my much beloved HBO 24/7 is not gonna happen this year..............enough is enough already !!!

Seeing that the Leafs were in the WC I'm calling this a silver lining.

October 31, 2012  10:27 AM ET
QUOTE(#14):

Okay Donald and Gary , now your really ticking me off !!! This is starting to smell like my much beloved HBO 24/7 is not gonna happen this year..............enough is enough already !!!

Mike Ilitch is not pleased either Harry. This is just not one hockey game, it is an entire festival for a week in Detroit ...too much preparation to do in a short space and I hear that Mike and the Red Wings are not about to put some half baked show on without the proper time they want to market the events.
As Mickey Blue eyes would say...The HBO series and the Classic,
"Foggeddaboutit.

October 31, 2012  10:29 AM ET
QUOTE(#15):

They may not leave Hank but you can bet your sweet Bippie, (ha, L.I. reference) that they certainly will be driving a harder bargain to hang in there.

Sock It To Me.

October 31, 2012  10:34 AM ET

Bettmans genre is "negotiations by lockout". Totally absurd for the continuity of the NHL. When I found out the owners were trying to not honor existing contracts I immediately withdrew support. Now I hear rumblings of a "alternate" league to the NHL. Absolutely the owners and players should lose sponsorship during the lockout! Then maybe the owners and players would listen. And if the season is lost then I'm going elswhere.

 
October 31, 2012  10:38 AM ET

The Mayan calendar didn't project the end of the world in December, but actually it denoted the end of hockey.

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