If the NHL misses actual regular season games will you come right back?

[Phillygrump]

Will you as fans come running right back? Or will you take a year off? Will you come back at all? Will you care as much?

This is the 2nd lockout in this struggling league in the last 5 years. This is ownership's kneejerk reaction to not getting exactly what they want. Who's to say it won't happen again the next time there is a negotiation for a new CBA?

Can we as fans just keep coming back to the NHL like dogs to a plate of scraps every time these jokers hold the sport hostage?

I'm curious what you will do after the lockout ends if games are missed. Please share.

[Bertmega]

I wish I had the disciplined to walk away from the NHL, but it is the first sport to catch my full attention and the only one that I would call in sick for should the Flyers win the cup.

With that said, I am upset as to what is happening. I am upset that the owners can't control themselves and spend out of control and need pig vomit Bettmen to come in and lock the doors on the players.

I think it is a joke what we "fans" spend to watch this crap.

If a viable league were to step in, I would leave this all behind, but since that probably will never happen. I will die rooting for the O&B

[jackhole]

I used to catch the Flyers when they came to Boston. 10 years ago, tickets weren't bad and we'd usually win. Simple fact is, I won't pay $75 to sit in the balcony with a real posibility of a bad loss, + parking, food, city driving stress = waste of time.

No, I will catch some ECAC and AHL action in Portland or Manch-vagas at a reasonalble price, not be attached to the outcome, and enjoy some good hockey.

[radoran]

I love the sport. I'll watch the games.

Can't afford to go, anyway.

Haven't bought merch for a few years and won't put more into their coffers for a bit.

[Vanflyer]

Can we as fans just keep coming back to the NHL like dogs to a plate of scraps every time these jokers hold the sport hostage?

Since I live on a remote island, I of course will watch as I am addicted to hockey. If I was living in Van or outside Philly, I would still attend. The ONLY people that can really sway their dissatisfaction are the season tix holders and the time to do it is now by canceling. To do it once everything has been settled doesn't mean much.....as time goes by....it will fadeaway and have minimal to no impact.

[Poulin20]

I will be extremely pissed but will attend and watch games as I already invested more than a grand into my season tix for this year and I chose the interest option rather than the refund option so yeah I'll be back. I want to see the Flyer win the cup so bad and I want to attend the ensuing parade. If/when that occurs if these lockouts keep proceeding every so many seasons I may then decide to cut bait and find a new area of interest but for now they still have my attention.

It makes me feel like part of the problem as Uncle Garry knows I am coming back and has no fear about locking the players out time after time after time. The fact of the matter is that if I leave to make a statement or out of spite for the league who suffers the most? I do as I will be sitting there forcing myself not to watch games and not to attend and being miserable about it. The NHL will move on without me and I will be the one who is cutting off my nose to spite my face and being miserable about it. Sorry to those who favor boycott, but I have to say I am all in (at least until the cup comes home).

[idahophilly]

I'll watch since it is a long ride back to Philly!

[Spinorama]

I voted yes I will watch but not attend games. I'm not boycotting going though because of the lockout, the cost of going is what keeps me from going. I can afford it, but I don't think the prices they charge to go, PARK, eat and drink there is worth it. My TV at home is a good one and I can buy a REALLY nice case of beer and quadruple the amount of food to enjoy it at home. Plus I don't have to deal with the commute and traffic, which is especially painful when they lose. I miss it for sure, used to have partial season tickets about 10 years ago, but now I don't agree with the prices so I don't go.

when they get back to playing I will watch. It sucks they are going through this but I understand business is business. I also don't expect either side to compromise their stance because they feel bad for the fans and nor would I expect them to, if they did that would be HORRIBLE negotiating. I'll let them sort it out and when they get back to playing, I'll get back to watching.

[Jam1986]

Just watch if they miss a few games anymore none at all! This will be the year were I don't care and the Flyers win the cup

[flyerrod]

Well I have cancelled my CenterIce package this season and will only catch the nationally televised games (if there are any). I will purchase NO merchandise this season either. I guess I should send them a thank you note for driving me away and saving some money and time for other stuff this season. :unsure:

[flyercanuck]

I live near Toronto, so I'd pretty much already stopped attending. The highest priced tickets in the league with the worst on-ice product doesn't exactly make for a match made in heaven...at least to this non-Leaf-cattle-brained fan.

[fan4ever]

I'd love to say I'd boycott completely but I love the game and our team and know I won't do it. I know I'll be watching as soon as they come back but I can say that I won't be spending any of my hard earned money by attending games, buying NHL related merchandise or anything of that sort. A drop in the bucket, sure, but it'll make me feel better.

[jammer2]

There is a sucker born every minute, I should know, I am one. I will go right back to watching, but I never really got into going to many live games. More comfortable at home with the 72 foot plasma...lol. I will however, not buy jackets/jerseys/hats etc for a long, long time. Screw those richy rich owners. Screw Ed also!

[Mad Dog]

I am too addicted to the sport - and more importantly to the Flyers - to just walk away, although my inner voice is telling me I should. The league is effed up beyond help, and that is the saddest part. The situation is so dismal that there would have to be a revolution for things to change in the NHL so this league stops being a total joke and a laughinstock of all major sports in North America.

Edited October 4, 2012 by Mad Dog

[sarsippius]

Like @Poulin20 says, I'll be in because I'll be twice as miserable having the games go on without me there. Hell I was miserable the one year out of 30 that I cut from a full season down to a partial plan. Here in South Jersey there no other hockey alternative, save for Trenton, and I'm not bringing the kids to that place. So I'm one of the dumb a**es that makes it possible for Buttman to hold the hockey world hostage. It's like that crazy chick that you know is just bad for you, but every time she calls you know you'll tell her to come on over....

[jammer2]

@sarsippius " It's like that crazy chick that you know is just bad for you, but every time she calls you know you'll tell her to come on over.... "

Hilarious analogy!

[Phillygrump]

I'd love to walk away from the sport for locking out again and I am going to try my best to do so. It wil be difficult because I love to watch hockey and my dad and I watch the games together.

Still, I am going to try to walk away from it. I will absolutely not attend a game this season unless Claude Giroux or Scott Hartnall stopped by my house and invited me personally to attend on their dollar. But I'm sure I will break down and watch the NHL if they come back.

[Phillygrump]

One disclaimer: If Gary Bettman gets canned or dragged into the street and beaten I'll come back eagerly.

[idahophilly]

I voted yes I will watch but not attend games. I'm not boycotting going though because of the lockout, the cost of going is what keeps me from going. I can afford it, but I don't think the prices they charge to go, PARK, eat and drink there is worth it. My TV at home is a good one and I can buy a REALLY nice case of beer and quadruple the amount of food to enjoy it at home. Plus I don't have to deal with the commute and traffic, which is especially painful when they lose. I miss it for sure, used to have partial season tickets about 10 years ago, but now I don't agree with the prices so I don't go.

when they get back to playing I will watch. It sucks they are going through this but I understand business is business. I also don't expect either side to compromise their stance because they feel bad for the fans and nor would I expect them to, if they did that would be HORRIBLE negotiating. I'll let them sort it out and when they get back to playing, I'll get back to watching.

I agree Spim. Take out my location as a consideration and I'd go back to my 4-5 games a year like I did before I moved and enjoy the rest at the pub or at home.

The ticket prices are ridiculous because of the greedy players who insist on being paid to play in Sniders arena! (sarcasm)

[Adamflyers]

I'll be back without question. I look forward to hockey season every year and this lockout sucks! When it comes back, I'm not going to lock myself out. What can I say, Flyers hockey is my weakness!

[Howie58]

Greetings:

I hope the gang is well. It has been a long time since posting but this strike dampens my enthusiasm.

Frankly, I am disgusted with both sides. I even wonder about getting NHL Center Ice.

I believe this is going to be a lost season. Bettmann-Fehr is big ego, big stakes and both will play chicken. Financially, you have owners who probably don't care and players who are either fairly well off or earning money elsewhere.

The fact that serious negotiations started so late, and that neither side seems to want arbitration, makes me angry. We have dwindling wages and 8 percent unemployment, and these a-holes operate as if we can all go to hell. Perhaps we should tell them to go there.

Best,

Howie

[FlyersFan4Life]

i love the nhl I grew up playing ice-hockey fand still play today, but i am really done with all pro sports. I will continue to follow the flyers but not as hard core as I have been since the late 80's and up till last year. i will watch college hockey on tv and go to college games at the local rink near me and pick up a few HS games as well, and watch kids who play for the love of game.

The NHL will never recover from this lockout. All the new fans they gained will be lost. They do not have the TV /sponsorship marketing like baseball football and bball to keep having lockouts.

[Polaris922]

My tickets are largely paid for. I refuse to lose the time I spend with my sons enjoying the sport because of one rich guy spanking another. My not going or surrendering my season tickets will accomplish nothing but hurting myself and my boys. Anyone who thinks their walking away matters is kidding themself. You need tens of thousands to do it to have an impact, and that won't happen. If you walk away, someone else simply buys your tickets. The teams don't care, they just mail your envelope to a different address.

Something to remember about this poll... How many who say "watch but won't attend" did the same thing before the lockout? Is it really a change for them?

Edited October 9, 2012 by Polaris922

[radoran]

My tickets are largely paid for. I refuse to lose the time I spend with my sons enjoying the sport because of one rich guy spanking another. My not going or surrendering my season tickets will accomplish nothing but hurting myself and my boys. Anyone who thinks their walking away matters is kidding themself. You need tens of thousands to do it to have an impact, and that won't happen. If you walk away, someone else simply buys your tickets. The teams don't care, they just mail your envelope to a different address.

Something to remember about this poll... How many who say "watch but won't attend" did the same thing before the lockout? Is it really a change for them?

It's not the fans in the hockey hotbeds - or even bandwagon places that almost lost their team, like Pittsburgh ;-) - it's the "non-traditional hockey markets" that the Bettman strategy is trying to "grow the game into."

No other major sports league has lost an entire season to this sort of CBA nonsense. No other major sports league has locked out their players three times in the past 15 years.

People in Philly, Montreal, New York, Boston, etc. will certainly be coming back to their teams. They have lived with these teams for, in many cases, their entire lives.

People in Phoenix? Columbus? Miami? Tampa? Anaheim? Carolina? - they were playing to 85% or so houses before these shenanigns.

[Polaris922]

It's not the fans in the hockey hotbeds - or even bandwagon places that almost lost their team, like Pittsburgh ;-) - it's the "non-traditional hockey markets" that the Bettman strategy is trying to "grow the game into."

No other major sports league has lost an entire season to this sort of CBA nonsense. No other major sports league has locked out their players three times in the past 15 years.

People in Philly, Montreal, New York, Boston, etc. will certainly be coming back to their teams. They have lived with these teams for, in many cases, their entire lives.

People in Phoenix? Columbus? Miami? Tampa? Anaheim? Carolina? - they were playing to 85% or so houses before these shenanigns.

I can see it having an impact on tv viewership, but it takes one if two types of people to do season tickets. 1) those who love the game and/or team and aren't abandoning them regardless. Or 2) those that do it for ego or business purposes, and neither ego or business schmoozing will stop them either.

I think viewership will suffer. Merchandising as well. But we're small fish in a big ocean, and not a single school will be big enough long enough to matter.