Slim Majority against fighting in the NHL

Interesting read.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2009/01/27/hockey_fight_survey/

The most important quote here is...

"Still, 68 per cent of NHL fans who follow the NHL closely say the gloves should continue to drop."

We have tried to sell the game to the dainty american mass media with no results. Now we should change our game, that we love, for the potential of luring these unattainable TV contracts and people that don't follow hockey. Thanks but no thanks. Boy this debate makes me mad.

It is like me saying I would like to have body checking in figure skating. If you do that I may watch. Go change that and maybe you will get my set turned on.

Lets try to be confident in the product that is produced rather than thrashing about trying to figure out how to get more interest. There is enough interest as far as I am concerned. They can pay million dollar salaries and attendance in hockey markets is strong. The product is not the problem. The problem is non-hockey markets diluting the talent pool and making room for marginal players to play with elite players.

I didn't look at the banning of fights as a marketing tool. I just wonder if it's worth the risk to the players. Don't get me wrong I still jump to my feet when there's a fight and I cheer but is it worth it?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I didn't look at the banning of fights as a marketing tool. I just wonder if it's worth the risk to the players. Don't get me wrong I still jump to my feet when there's a fight and I cheer but is it worth it?

You really have to quantify the risk. How many NHL players have died due to a hockey fight? The answer is none. I think one senior player has died and there is no taking that back. I feel very badly for his family and in no way would I ever belittle that. The reality is that the chance of that happening is slim.

How many more players are hurt from big hits? The answer is WAY more, do we want to eliminate those? No.

What about stick infractions? Hitting from behind? Kneeing? All of those things are more devastating than fighting. They are illegal but still present

I wonder how much of the statistics would depend on how the survey was worded, and who/where/when it was conducted.

Conduct a survey on the day after a serious injury or death, and you're sure to get a different answer than on the day of or after Crosby's last fight.