I BLAME THE RADIO ANNOUNCER ( not the color guy though he is great )

[eye4aneye]

Alot of you make outstanding points.
One point I would like to make is that as a society we have gotten spoiled. WE WANT MORE...or at least some people do. What happened to going to a hockey game for the game itself, not for the bucket of chicken or big mac? Big market teams are doing well especially if they have an NHL team because not everyone can afford to take their kid to an NHL game but the WHL provides a good value especially for the dollar. The WHL has gotten too big like the NHL and has watered down the talent. Admit it people the talent is not as good as it was 20-25 years ago,( the talent pool hasn't doubled with doubling the market) and that is why the marketing has become such a big player. It used to be that you went to the game to see a rivalry or a hat trick. Now we go to get a spongey puck? I kinda feel sorry for people that attend events for what they might get as opposed to the game itself. Kinda like how I feel sorry for kids that watch too much tv, video games or puter stuff, and latch key kids. I mean in a bigger market the marketing has other things to compete with for attendance, but a smaller market is now competing with satellite dishes, webcasts, movies etc. It used to be the only thing to do was go to a hockey game. But if you can watch a webcast for 5.00 and have it wired to your BIG GIGANTIC FLAT SCREEN... sheesh I wonder why attendance is faltering? Can you imagine what would happen if the CFL didn't have blackouts? YIKES WE WOULD BE OUTTA BUSINESS. WOW my common sense has really kicked in. I hope no one from the league office sees this and goes hmmm are we killing our teams with technology?

Oh and speedy creeks announcer ,,,should be toasted for belittling. What an idiot.

[rinkrat]

the talent pool hasn't doubled with doubling the market.

It may not have doubled but California has been a gold mine for up and coming players to the dub. There's alot of California players in the league now as well as some from Texas and Arizona. The league is doing a great job of promoting the dub to young players in those areas.

[rinkrat]

but the problem lies in vancouver, calgary, edmonton, the american franchises and even regina.

in the end corporate money isnt there, its all in regina and saskatoon and alberta.

Laughable comments, so the problem with the dub is the teams in Vancouver,U.S.,Alberta and Saskatoon and Regina?

Ya the other four teams would make a really strong league. haha

[ointhecreek]

But if you can watch a webcast for 5.00 and have it wired to your BIG GIGANTIC FLAT SCREEN... sheesh I wonder why attendance is faltering?

Have you seen these webcasts? The quality is really poor along with the camera work. I can't get a decent picture on my 19 inch monitor let alone my 42 inch TV. I order them when the Broncos are on the road but I certainly will sooner go watch live.

[Teddy_B]

C"mon Jon wake up! We are in the smallest market of the entire CHL and you are comparing us to 21 other teams in the dub alone and comparing how we run our organization compared to theirs.How do you know for a fact that it is the promotion of the night that is bringinging in the fans.
Demographically we do not have the youngest fan base in the league. I have no problem with this but there are consequences that go with this (ex.) musics to loud, kids blowing horns is to loud etc. Historically Swift Current fans sit on their hands and analyze the game more than enjoying a night out.
At the end of the day you're #1 form of advertising is win baby!

[eye4aneye]

Have you seen these webcasts? The quality is really poor along with the camera work. I can't get a decent picture on my 19 inch monitor let alone my 42 inch TV. I order them when the Broncos are on the road but I certainly will sooner go watch live.

And what happens if the quality does get better. How many people would rather stay home when it is -30, in the comforts of their home. Have a cheap beer and snack....even if the quality isn't the greatest. Suddenly a 30.00 night is 10 bucks. I am just saying that there are reasons for faltering?

And just how many kids from the southern states are playing in the dub right now vs others including euros. n. americans and canadian. It sure as heck isn't 10% let alone 40-50%. maybe the league will make a new rule 3 20year olds 2 euros and a surfer dude LOL jk being funny. I know those kids are talented!

[eye4aneye]

It may not have doubled but California has been a gold mine for up and coming players to the dub. There's alot of California players in the league now as well as some from Texas and Arizona. The league is doing a great job of promoting the dub to young players in those areas.

Which is telling me that the talent pool in canada is not what it used to be, why? I would have to blame the social stresses in our society. Hard enough to be hockey couple let alone a single hockey parent. Hard on the pocket book as well if you are a single parent. Not as much interest in younger adults in coaching, so we are relying on parents to coach in the younger groups who at best can open and close the gate. Kinda sad. I am sure there are alot of hockey mom's that would coach if they had played the game themselves.

[rinkrat]

Which is telling me that the talent pool in canada is not what it used to be, why?

Wardog said that the talent pool had been diminished due to the dub having teams in Vancouver,U.S.,Alberta and Saskatoon and Regina.

[eye4aneye]

Wardog said that the talent pool had been diminished due to the dub having teams in Vancouver,U.S.,Alberta and Saskatoon and Regina.

It is the mix of the types of teams. Someone I think thinks we are the NHL....we aren't

there are other reasons that the talent isn't able to support the size of the league.....besides the number of teams that are in the WHL. Those reasons are causing the teams to not be as talented.

Do you think that the NHL prior to the last expansion, gave away tee shirts? NOt on Harold Ballards grave they didn't. They didn't have to.

[wardog fan]

i never said such thing, re read my posts... the only point i said referring to vancouver and calgary and edmonton, was that they draw 8,000 to 10,000 people a game raising the bar in the dub for attendence and the small market teams are not going to be able to survive . we dont have the corporate sponsers as these big market have. and i know its easy for you guys to say well who cares. but the bottom line is the league ten years ago was just fine without the big markets and thats what i was getting at