From time to time, you have heard me rail against media pundits for their lack of criticality; original thinking; creativity; and basic non-understanding of what they are writing about.
Well here is another rant. This time against Ross McKeon and his blog post mentioning contraction of six NHL teams including the Washington Capitals. Read it here.
First, the throw away notion of shuttering six major league teams is just mean-spirited. Those six teams employ thousands and thousands of people and support tens of thousands of families. I guess Ross wants us to lay off all those people in the toughest economy ever. And those teams generate dollars for their cities in taxes and they generate dollars to hundreds and hundreds of small businesses as vendor/ suppliers. All of that would go away and the benefit and glow of a major sports team franchise would leave those cities marked as second rate for a long, long time.
Second, those teams in the aggregate are worth to their ownership groups - let us say in round numbers - $ 1.2 to $ 1.5 billion. Wow. Would the owners be compensated? What would happen to their investments? Would we just write that investment off? Why? Our teams are growing revenues, value and payments to players. We are essentially growth stocks.
Third, the cities that had built or supported building arenas for these teams would certainly have a say in the matter. Leases would be violated. Tax payments would be forfeited. Lawsuits would be filed. Buildings would be empty. Tax payers would be furious. Pretty non-pragmatic, huh?
Fourth, fans would suffer. Why would we punish the fan bases of any city with contraction? Why would we stop playing in cities that have started to fall in love with hockey generationally? Why punish kids and families that play youth hockey and come to games and have supported the teams and have fallen in love with all of the stars in these cities?
Fifth, last time I looked, Carolina had recently won a Stanley Cup; Tampa Bay too. When was the last time the San Jose Sharks won a Cup? Nashville is a good team. I believe the Caps will be a good team for a long, long time. These teams add to the competitiveness to the league and they have some of the brightest stars in the game playing for them.
Sixth, so we should just cut 150 players’ jobs? Put them out of work? I am sure the players union would love that notion. The average NHL player makes more than $ 2 million per season so there would be about $250 to $300 million less in payroll to players to be paid. They wouldn’t then pay taxes. They wouldn’t buy houses in their communities. They wouldn’t support local charities, etc. etc.
Seventh, the South is important to media buyers and the national TV contract. Trust me. Advertisers care about these markets even if Ross doesn’t.
Lastly - speaking for my own team - we play in the Nation’s Capital, the sixth biggest media market in the US. We are the fastest growing team in the league. We have the reigning NHL MVP on our team. We are a team that is built to last. We have a great and growing fan base. We will be a perennial playoff team for a long, long time. We intend to win a Stanley Cup. We are part of the fabric of our community. We love our fans and they love us back. We have built a franchise that is worth a quarter of a billion dollars with blood, sweat, tears and a major cash investment. I love this team. I have to defend it for the benefit of my partners, my family and our fan base.
I found this notion of contraction to be a slap in the face to hundreds of thousands of fans and to great ownership groups and to great cities. It is offensive to the NHL as a league and is just wrong-headed.
For the sake of being provocative on a blog, Ross - as a freelance writer - just put a big bulls eye on his back. His analysis was shallow at best. He doesn’t know what he is talking about. As my friends in Brooklyn would say, “Ross - contract this!?” 
Tags: Hockey, NHL, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
ninth—who the heck is ross mckeon anyway?
Ross McKeon is an idiot. I play in a fantasy hockey league each year on Yahoo Sports, and I have seen several editorials by McKeon that just left me shaking my head in disbelief that someone could be employed to write something so imbecilic.
Hear hear!!
Was all set to comment but your friends in Brooklyn said it best.
I agree with you Ted, Yahoo Sports and Ross have no business covering hockey with the garbage they put up. Sadly, there are few sites to turn to anymore that give a fair analysis of the NHL these days. We’ll make Ross eat his words when Washington does some great things this season. GO CAPS!!!
McKeon is the guy who edits the Yahoo Fantasy Sports “big board.” Honestly, I’d expect nothing less from a guy who gets paid to rearrange a fifty player list based on the week’s statistics.
you go Ted.
BRAVO! As a born and raised NY Ranger fan (even in the dark days of the Islanders 4 back to back cups) I appreciate living in DC the last couple of years and watching hockey have a coming out party here, gaining traction in the minds of sports fans in and around the beltway especially with the Frozen Four next year and a new season only a couple of months away. Coming from a town (NY) with at least major league sports teams for each sport I know for a fact taking teams away doesn’t make the game stronger and more watchable - great hockey play does. I watched in the Islanders - Rangers rivalries and in the 90s with the Devils across the Hudson. Great sport, makes for great spectators which in turn means everybody wins in the city. So even though I bleed Ranger blue, I am cheering on the Caps success.
Those who can, do…those who can’t, become journos.
Ted,
I thought your response was passionate and literally “spot-on”. Moving the Capitals out of Washington? Say what? Did the writer witness the last 2 months of the season in person, on television, or did he interview any of our fans? Did the writer talk with Caps management and a sampling of our players? Did the writer speak with local chamber of commerce? Does the writer understand how to conduct economic analysis and impact of major league sports franchies on the local economy? Does the writer understand the size of the National Capital Region and the socio-economics of many parts of our fan base? (Note: this ain’t a poor part of the country). Did his research include a historical analysis or recent trend analysis?
Nope. Didn’t think so.
I’ve always hated that guy, mcpeon. He’s a clueless idiot who refuses to do his homework or do a decent story.
Consider the source. He’s an idiot. I take most of what these blogging “experts” say with a grain of salt.
I congratulate Ross because he clearly succeeded in his goal which was to get people angry and create conversation. If you’ve been reading Puck Daddy, he’s asked alot of people this question and all the original ideas have been spoken. So Ross clearly tried to be different and came off stupid and ignorant. And people in the mainstream media wonder why the blogosphere is growing while newspapers are dying?
[...] late on that, though: Ted evidently though that it deserved a response. Gave it both barrels, too, I might [...]
Ted, Stupid people say stupid things. Not only does his freelance writing efforts showcase the terrible journalism skills he possesses- it also shows that he writes before he thinks. The rest of us LOVE our team.
I love my Caps so much I’m considering moving my family back to Maryland so my son can be a member of the Little Caps instead of an Atlanta Fire player.
Thanks for your dedication to the greatest hockey team on the planet
Best Regards
Dave Inkeles
I assumed that McKeon was joking, but it was still mean-spirited and just plain stupid. I doubt many people laughed.
Ted, bravo!
It’s nice seeing an owner stand up for his team and wear their jersey proudly as you did last year in the Playoffs. The Caps are doing great. The series against the Flyers was one of the most entertaining series of the past few seasons. I went to a couple Caps games back in the days of Peter Bondra, Adam Oates and the MCI Center and I have to say you guys have done a terrific job turning this team around. Keep up the good work! Hope to see a Caps vs. Wings Stanley Cup Final rematch in the near future!
Sincerely,
Carl “RedWings22 from the Desert of Phoenix”
Puck Daddy should have made the inquiry of a hockey fan and not a cyber blogger that doesn’t understand the passion of a true fan. The Caps are here to stay - it’s Ross that should go away.
Yahoo Sports is an oxymoron.
I almost cried??? This is the difference, to me, between the Caps and other teams, especially in the Southeast. Ted is a fan as much as he is an owner. He believes in his players, his philosophies, and his team. I believe in the organization because of that. Thank you, Ted.
“We intend to win a Stanley Cup”
I got all tingly reading that sentence
Next summer you’ll be saying, “We intend to repeat”
Right on, Ted! I couldn’t have said it better. McKeon is a flippin’ idiot!
Who could we - being the fanbase - found to have said it better than Uncle Ted?? NOBODY!!!! Slainte to the greatest NHL owner EVER!!!!! WE LOVE YOU TED!!!! Now let’s strap Ross and Huet to opposite pipes in net and let’s have target practice - Ovie’s up first…
Contraction will make the league better. I’m not for Washington going, but there are too many teams now and too many bad hockey players with jobs in this league.
Wow, talk about a guy digging himself a shallow grave…I feel that some teams need to be moved but eliminating an entire division…not so much…Carolina, Tampa and of course Washington go nowhere, these are all teams with tradition…Atlanta and Florida, well I don’t know how bright those teams futures are in their current market, but I still would rather not see any teams move or retract. If anything, I think the league should add two teams!
I agree that Ross’s article was idiotic but are you suggesting that teams who recently won a Stanley Cup should be excluded from contraction? And what about your argument that San Jose hasn’t won anything? Minnesota hasn’t won anything, should we get rid of them? Contraction sucks no matter how you spill it, but don’t “pass the puck” (forgive the pun) to teams that have legitimate fan support because your team got named. Winning a cup isn’t a guarantee for fan support. Just look at the Ducks. It seemed like everyone in California was a Ducks fan two seasons ago and now where are they?
Everybody needs to calm down, the caps aren’t going anywhere nor is anyone from the Southeast and everyone needs to all do themselves a favor and stop reading McKeon’s articles. You all might live a little longer.
It’s fascinating to me that there is an element of hockey fans that have some weird weather fetish and don’t believe hockey should be played in warm weather localles. Taking that logic forward you could say that they shouldn’t play baseball in Boston, Toronto, Chicago or Seattle. There would be no basketball either. Or no football in Texas, Miami, Tampa etc. It really is stupid, and kind of bigoted as well. Thanks Ted! At last someone who actually knows what he’s talking about speaks! Wonder of wonders!
- HckyFght!
(Proud Resident of Section 417!)
What an ass. Why do so many people get their jollies bagging on the Caps and their fans. I just don’t get it.
But, this is yet another example of how bad for the Caps and their fans being relegated to the Southleast Division was. We got hosed and they haven’t stopped kicking us since dissolving the old Divisions.
Hey Ted! I have a question for a fellow entrepreneur. If you own a chain of stores in 30 locations and several are struggling in their markets and hemmhoraging money, what do you do? I will remind you these stores are based in a capitalist society with no handouts from the government.
Well, keep Washington, Carolina and eliminate Nashville and Atlanta.
Relocate the Tampa team but keep Florida there because Dara Torres needs their trainer there.
I thought it was too many when the NHL went to 16 teams…seriously there are too many teams now in cities that dont deserve them.
I agree with the idea of contractions. I dont think the CAPS should be a team to go though. Having less teams just makes the teams their already are more competitive.
Ted,
I understand the financial aspects and you raised a lot of good points. I do not think that contraction is the answer but I do want a better product. Washington is coming around and it is nice to see them get back to the glory days of the early 90’s. My question is, if shortening a season to 78 games and a league to 24, doesn’t that provide a better product? Last year for example was the first time Sidney Crosby played in Western Canada. Do you think its fair to fans that they have to wait every couple of years to see Ovie or Sid? I am not saying that getting rid of the teams is the answer but I would like all fans to have the same courtesy of seeing raw talent
Ted, you say you care about the fans but coming out of the lockout most owners said ticket prices would be lowered. In fact, all but a few increased ticket prices. Defend this?
I’ll tell you what, until March of last season watching the Capitals was as about enjoyable as reading your blog.
Yes, contraction is a good idea. You make many good points for your franchise, but the notion it is not a good idea is crazy.
Cities like Pittsburgh whose population is contracting won’t continue to support franchises when the population decreases so dramatically. Yes, hockey teams employ many people but when there are no jobs to be found for the other hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people no one will be there to attend.
Many people may get a laugh out of naming Pittsburgh after they went to the Finals but seriously, this city will be in trouble 10-20 years down the road when the population is half of what it was in 2000 and the jobs available can’t handle the burden of season ticket prices.
The same could be said about other old time industrialized cities. Look at Detroit. The best team in the league can’t sell out because of economic woes. HOCKEYTOWN can’t fill its stadium? Obviously Detroit wouldnt be contracted since its a draw in every other city and seems to be handling the economic times quite well but when you add disinterest to economic issues, its a cause for concern.
In the D.C. region where the average income is pushing 6 figures, contraction may not be a good idea. But in areas where the economy and growth is actually retracting, hockey is ranked as the 3rd or 4th sport of interest, and theams have local cities paying for team investments with tax money such as new stadiums is ashame.
But you go ahead, brush off the idea. Raise your ticket prices, ignore the fan base like Gary, and continue to eradicate the American hockey fan.
-28-
Well put Ted. I’ve long been a proponent of considering contraction, based purely on improving the skill level of the game and getting back to where it was in late 80’s.
You make some exceptional points though, a cpl. of which I hadn’t considered.
um…. fold San Jose…!! Are you high. Serioulsy. The Sharks are one of the ELITE teams in the league. They consistentently have large attendance numbers and have a VERY loyal fanbase. I can tell you have never experienced a playoff game at the tank.
According to atttendance stats via ESPN… http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2008
the sharks have averaged a 97% attendance record over the last five seasons. That places them around 10th in the NHL for attendance. They have a slightly smaller arena at 17496, so attendance in terms of total tickets is slightly lower. However, they consistently sell out more than the Islanders, the Bruins, the Capitals, the Devils, the Oilers, the Blackhawks, the Kings, the Predators, The Ducks, and the Penguins.
the Sharks aren’t going anywhere so can your canadian arrogance and accept the fact that the NHL no longer revolves around Canada and the east coast…
Ted, just admit it…
You claim that you want what’s best for the fans and that your investment meant a lot, not only to you and your investors, but to the community. Did you think of the fans and the community when you locked out the players? Did you think of your employee’s lives when you took away their employment for a full year? Comparing your team to “normal” businesses and their place in the community is a reach, to say the least, especially when raising ticket prices. You’ve never won the Cup, and you only have Ovechkin to market because the NHL rewards failure with the first overall draft pick. This is a “capital”ist society, supposedly, and your business and it’s existence is only secure because the NHL operates under “communist” rules with salary-caps, draft-rights, revenue sharing, and exclusivity in competition. You can’t even lose your place in the league.
I’m not in favor of Washington being contracted, but your arguements are rhetorical and propagandist. Why don’t you let us all know how you feel, and vote, about Bettman rather than getting into dogfights with sports journalists?
im a huge flyers fan. *sorry caps fans* and i just was transfered by the other collum and ted, you both have legitimate claims to your points of view. however, some teams like the blue jackets, thrashers, teams that are pernially bad and just suck up high draft choices these teams that have sucked ever since there inception in the NHL. dont u think these teams should be contraced? the players that suffer this could go into a special draft to boost other clubs depth. and while washington has had some great strides towards improvement and HAVE BEEN AROUND for a while, *and have a great chance at the cup with all the tallent u have* why create teams that dilute the talent pool, and create teams that are lame ducks and have never, or only played in the playoffs just once? why not get rid of those teams…just a suggestion. lets go FLYERS!!!!!!
I like the dig at San Jose (Ross McKeon’s old beat gig). When was the last time the Caps won a cup either Ted????
Contraction may not be practical, but the quality of play would be better with fewer teams. Nashville and Florida are really the only two teams that “deserve” contraction.
What a bunch of idiots posting responses here. Just because the Caps happen to have a decent team at the moment doesn’t mean that they are a good hockey market. Just like the Pens, they need a superstar to draw fans. They will go back to losing money to second that Ovechkin is gone.
As for claiming hockey shouldn’t be played in warm cities, I don’t think anyone is suggesting that. People are fine with hockey in Dallas because they actually support their team. Most people who say that hockey made a mistake expanding into the South are referring to the teams that are all near the bottom of league attendance every year: Florida, Atlanta, Carolina etc.
With that being said, Washington isn’t the worst market in the NHL. They are below average, but wouldn’t be on my contraction list.
thanks ted for eloquently rebutting ross’s column…. i had the tenacity to just say it was a terrible idea, but you responded with actual figures (several) that prove its a bad idea. personally, i live in nashville, so i was in the defensive as well. im a big supporter of the preds. anyway, best of luck to the caps, ill be watching your team any chance i get!
Erik,
Where are the Ducks fans? We’re getting ready for our 78th straight sellout of the Honda Center on Oct 12th. Think (and do your research) before you type.
The NHL should be Tiered like european soccer is. If you finish in the bottom 3, you get bumped to the AHL next season. If you finish in the top 3 of the AHL, you get bumped up to the NHL for the next season. This would solve many issues in the NHL today. Sure, it would create a few issues, but those could be worked out.
Saying Washington should be contracted is completely stupid.
Saying this is the “the toughest economy ever” is equally stupid. Great Depression? 70’s Stagflation?
First off, let me say that I like the Caps. Ovie is the man and he has made my day many of times on my fantasy teams over the last few seasons. And that goal he scored over his head as he was falling to the a few seasons ago just left me speechless. I will remember that until the day I die.
My team, however, is the Sharks. Year in and year out, they disappoint me. But they are always there in the playoffs and that makes me happy.
That said, I’m against contraction. But I agree with McKeon that there are players in the NHL who don’t particularly deserve being there.
Perhaps if ownership throughout the league focused more on the exposure of hockey to the masses, and not so much about a writer’s attempts to at least keep some semblance of hockey news going during the off season, the player pool would increase as US kids got more interested. As those kids grew and matured, contraction wouldn’t be necessary.
I love hockey. It’s my favorite sport. But hardly anyone I know agrees with me. Heck, I know some people who think the fights are staged (like wrestling) just to increase the ratings.
I mean, seriously. As an owner, should you really be spending your time responding to this? Don’t you think it is more in your own (and the league’s) best interests to be trying to get back some sort of contract with the World Wide Mis-Leader (shudder, ESPN covers the friggin’ hot dog eating competition and relegates NHL highlights to the end of the SportsCenter) and get the exposure back that hockey deserves?
Just a concerned fan voicing his opinion.
Carry on people, nothing more to see here.
Put aside your passion for your team and look at what he’s saying. I understand where you are coming from as I’m a huge Caps fan, and would be devastated if they ever folded.
That being said, contraction DOES make sense. In Washington? Absolutely not. Hockey is finally on the rise in DC and I am loving every minute of it.
And Ted’s reasons against it are reasonable from a “business” sense of things. But it’s more than a business. It’s a sport. Just because it puts a hot dog vendor out of work is not reason enough to keep a franchise. Yes, there are fans in every city, because hockey is great. But we all know there are at least a couple of cities where it just doesn’t make sense to have a team. I don’t agree with McKeon’s list but do think his reasons are valid.
Contraction will never happen, so relax. They are too worried about the dollar. But Bettman will do major detriment to the league by expansion. Let’s pray he at least realizes that. Bigger is not better and quality beats out quantity.
Come on, don’t deny that McKeon at least has a point. There are too many knucklehead teams in this league, and watered-down talent makes for watered-down product. Don’t take it so personally. None of you would be “so outraged” if he didn’t contract the Caps. Just admit it — we’d all like to see the Floridas, Phoenixes, and Anaheims just go away.
Ted,
while from a business and employees perspective, I can fully agree with your points here. Try for a minute to see things from a general NHL fan’s perspective.
contraction, putting your points aside, would benefit the quality of the on ice product. There’s simply no denying it. More teams means the talent pool is watered down. The NHL has a problem being able to handle schedules for 30 teams as it is.
As a hockey purist who grew up outside Detroit (and I realize to some this will sound shallow) I just can’t accept a hockey team in Florida, Phoenix, Nashville, or Southern California where there is no natural ice at any time of the year. These are markets where teams must struggle to gain fans because hockey is an unfamiliar sport to them.
Carolina may have a fanbase but its artificial. These fans don’t know what icing or offsides mean in hockey. I’ve heard it myself.
That said, theoretically If I were to make a list of teams to contract, Washington would not be on my list. With Florida having 2 teams and California having 3 teams I can’t see why McKeon would even suggest Washington.
I’ll leave you with one more remark. I fully believe McKeon was talking about a theoretical situation, a what-if type of article. This is something that will never happen and its something that sportswriters often do because it sparks controversy and increases readership.
I think you made a great counter-argument here in your blog, but there’s no need to blast McKeon personally for doing his job.
Ted,
He wrote you a reply and asked for your suggestions on how to grow the sport and sustain the growth over a long period of time.
Are you going to respond or are you going to let him “swiftboat” you?
just a side note, the “5 ways I’d change the NHL” is usually not serious and rather tongue and cheek.
besides he is only talking about quality of hockey and not the NHL as a business, and if you look at it that way, he is right.
Don’t get too upset over his “editorial”
the nhl is not going to contract. teams have gone chapter 11. crimminals have owned teams. idiots, morons and misers have owned teams in the past (i’m not refering to any current owners.) and yet teams do not fold or contract, they just move to new cities. the sport is on strong financial footing and the owners are making good long term decisions about the game. owners are listening to the fans, ticket prices are reasonable, the players are friendly, decent and hardworking. in short, there is no reason whatsoever to contract, nor is any franchise deserving of contraction.
however,
i have yet to meet a hockey professional, owner, player or manager who has said that hockey is more entertaining with 30 teams than with the original six. with the current dilution of talent, the game is less creative and less exciting. ovechkin is great but he plays against crosby 10% as often as gordie howe played against rocket richard. kovalchuk shoots against nabokov or loungo 1% as often as bobby hull faced plante. the greats rarely test themselves against eachother.
media people are often asked why the nhl is not as exciting as olympic hockey. the common answer is the talent dilution in the nhl prevents the league from being as exciting as tournament play.
there is no doubt that while contraction is not viable, expansion permanently diluted the entertainment value of the game. the challenge is to restore excitement and creativity to the game, without resorting to contraction. make the game more exciting to watch and the financial reward will be staggering