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Post by Zoom Waffles on Jan 26, 2009 12:48:26 GMT -5
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Post by Wolfpack on Jan 26, 2009 13:02:07 GMT -5
Nice effort Zoom. I have a few thoughts.
1. TO and Rodman were/are asses. They drew attention to themselves for the wrong reasons. They may have been talented players but they are unstable head-cases. AO is different. He gets the game. He understands marketing of the product and rarely puts himself above the league or the team. He draws attention by having fun with the game. As he should. His love and excitement for the game is an awesome thing to see.
2. The league jumped on the Crosby bandwagon because he is from North America. Because he has been tagged as the next Gretzky since he was a kid. He had a built in following, why not continue with it. My sense is that the NHL views the Russian players a s a little more difficult to market. They have no real built in fan base when they join the league so you're pretty much starting from scratch.
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Post by Zoom Waffles on Jan 26, 2009 13:05:01 GMT -5
I agree with you on Rodman... TO, is a little different... most of his publicity is (or at least was) based on on-field antics (endzone celebrations, etc.) It could be argued that that's just 'having fun with the game', right?
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Post by kingsfan24 on Jan 26, 2009 15:37:57 GMT -5
One thing that AO has and Wolfpack mentioned it. It's the fact that Ovechkin truly enjoys what he does and his celebration are genuine. He's a kid out there and regardless of what the NHL doubts him I say market him as much as possible because it's VERY rare to see players out there enjoying what they do day in and day out.
Now I see where you are coming from as far as looks James cuz AO doesnt have the prettiest of mugs, but his on ice performance will exceed that and people will eventually look past that. For example, in Brazil and Barcelona for awhile all you saw was Ronaldinho and not the prettiest of mugs also. Sure won't draw the ladies but you tell them he's making about 10 Million a year he sure as hell looks way better.
On a side note, I did actually meet Rodman when I was younger. Interesting character hah... but hot damn he is tall. He was actually really nice, but regardless his shenanigans he pulled brought him down cuz he was actually a damn good player.
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Post by Zoom Waffles on Jan 26, 2009 16:38:30 GMT -5
One thing about AOs looks... I wonder if it's almost BETTER to market an ugly hockey player. Maybe the NHL should do everything they can to get back to hockey's USA hey-day (i.e. put bobby clarke style 'hockey faces' everywhere.)
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Post by Zipper14 on Jan 26, 2009 17:28:31 GMT -5
I don't see why all the rising stars can't be poster boys. Why take away from guys like Kane, Toews, Parise, Kopitar and Malkin just to promote one guy? I think the NHL sohuld focus on promoting this entire generation of guys, they have the raw skills that lots of today's stars didn't acquire until they had played in the league for a few years. I like what you said there Zoom. Ovechkin might be more marketable as ugly. Though he's not ugly really, he's just rough around the edges, which might appeal to the blue collar football fans out there (IMO Malkin is uglier than Ovie, Malkin is tooo ugly to be marketable ). I do think there's a huge difference between Ovechkin and TO/Rodman. Ovechkin is fun to watch because of his enthusiasm and pure love for the game, I don't think I've ever seen an athlete with a combination of so much skill and enthusiasm, it's great to see. Most stars are whiny and self absorbed (TO/Rodman), but Ovechkin is just pure fun, and it's refreshing.
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Post by Zoom Waffles on Jan 26, 2009 17:33:11 GMT -5
There's an idea... promote the generation as a whole. really heavily advertise the NEW NHL... we all talk about it all the time, but has the NHL ever used it as a marketing slogan?
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Post by idiopathic on Jan 26, 2009 19:13:35 GMT -5
I think the posterboy should be Mike Richards....I think you"ll see a shift in fan fair over the next few seasons.
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Post by The Hockey Hitman on Jan 27, 2009 5:06:18 GMT -5
AO is the best thing to happen to hockey in quite a long time...dare I say since Gretzky. I don't think that is an exaggeration either. Theres really not many, if any fans who dislike Ovechkin...simply because theres not really anything to dislike. And so many more fans absolutely love the guy...they don't care about the Capitals, they love Ovechkin. I'm one of those fans. And my favorite team is the Lightning, remember that.
The great thing about Ovechkin is you can tell, its not an act. Thats the way he is. He comes across as such a genuine person, good hearted and friendly in nature. Not only that, but hes goofy. He'll poke fun at himself...he seems like "one of the guys." His personality shines through...and thats something so many NHLers lack, personality.
Jeremy Roenick said something about that a couple weeks ago...I can't find the quote. But basically, at some point players can't be afraid to let some personality come through. Sidney Crosby, I don't have a thing against the guy, but one thing he lacks is personality. Maybe its just me I don't know.
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Post by Zoom Waffles on Jan 27, 2009 12:55:28 GMT -5
Crosby seems like he's trying SO hard to be that professional grownup that he's sacrificed personality. Again, I blame the league for putting so much pressure on him to be that camera-friendly guy, but what can you do.
The only reason I used to dislike Ovechkin was the whole Malkin thing. If he's going to turn into the kind of player who is taking cheap shots on another team's star, that's not a good thing. It's nice to have a player who is different, but not so different that he starts breaking the unwritten rules of the sport.
But, it seems like that malkin/ovechkin feud may be over. And if it is, the guy has my vote.
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Post by fukufuji on Jan 27, 2009 13:00:58 GMT -5
Good article. I'm am probably a good target for the article because having known little to nothing about crosby I read the marketing material and was expecting the next Gretzky. I have to admit I am somewhat disappointed. I take nothing away from how good Crosby is because he is good, damb good! But everything about him was just so forced that without him being 80 points ahead of the pack every year and having a highlight on ESPN every game I'm left to consider what I am missing.
I just don't see Crosby asbeing head and shoulders above the leauge. Heck one even wonders if he is the best player on his team let alone world hockey. To make matters worse I don't enjoy listening to his off ice comentary. He litterally puts me to sleep when he talks. I often wondering if he says what he thinks he is supposed to say, or what he really feels. I even think his team made him capitain premature. All this leads to a silver spoon resentment by many hockey fans. We want a true hero not a manufactured one.
Ovechkin has 100% won me over. And more importantly he has done it naturally. With his talent, personal charm, and love and passion for the game and winning. On top of that one could seriously argue that he is the undisputed best player in the game today.
I am not sure if it is good for the game or not. I don't see him being like a TO or rodman becuase Ovechkin antics are not freakish, they are more just fun and goofy. He does not have a marketable mug by today's standards and his English is very limited. Am I off base saying if Ovechkin married a famous American or Canadian Actress or some other personality it would do wonders because it would create an entertainment jugernaut. Immagine if AO married say Charliese Theron. It would be akin to David and Victoria Beckham. Even Gretzky Married a famious olympian.
Anyways to summarize I don't think N.A. is ready for a russian hockey spokesperson, and Crosby offends hockey fans and bores everyone else. I like what was sais above about guys like Richards, Kane, Towes, Kopitar, Parise, and crew. Market the next generation of Hockey talent, not just one player because there is no one player who can ligitimatly claim that crown, and if there is he is Russian and would not be accepted in an English speaking mass market.
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Tomcat
Second Liner
Posts: 465
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Post by Tomcat on Feb 1, 2009 13:57:44 GMT -5
Hell yes! He's becoming my favorite player.
He's much better than that prissy looking Sidney, "Betman is my bitch" Crosby. That joker needs to step aside, and take big daddy with him.
AO IS the man. Like the others said: he's not only the best, but he has passion and personality -- and it's all REAL, not some manufactured Betman bull sh*t.
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