Hockey Teams: Time to Meet the Blogs
Kukla’s Korner posted a story today of a phone interview he did with Washington Caps owner Ted Leonsis. An interesting read (well done, Paul!) but also a great endorsement of the new “importance” of hockey blogs. And a great endorsement of Ted Leonsis as well.
Here’s our own story, recently dealing with the Canucks’ franchise:
A few months ago we sent a formal request to a Canucks Assistant Media relations person by the name of Stephanie Maniago, asking if we could forward a questionnaire-type email interview to any player on the team. To anybody at all. (Frankly, we would have been perfectly happy to interview the equipment guy! He’s probably got ALL the secrets!)
[Much more on this subject after the jump.]
It’s a bit longer than our standard fare. But we hope you’ll find it worthwhile…
Ms. Maniago sent back a polite but discouraging response. In part it read:
“Please be advised that due to the demand of player interview requests we receive on a daily basis, we limit interviews to accredited newspapers, magazines, wire services, radio stations, television stations, and electronic media outlets.”
Did you catch that word…? Accredited.
Now, we’re not stupid. We know Vancouver’s team gets plenty of media attention, and has to be selective about the time of its players and personnel. But ignoring the blogs - not necessarily this blog, but blogs in general - is incredibly short-sighted.
Non-traditional media is positively relevant, and will only become more so every season. Even the mainstream media comprehends that issue, reaching out to bloggers like ourselves (either by engaging in email debate, or simply linking to blogged articles) to press an opinion and encourage links to their own work.
Some, like Chris Young’s general sports blog JABS, have been very successful by simply cross-linking with blogs, generating traffic for bloggers, as well as return traffic from those blogs to his paper, the Toronto Star… who then get to sell more advertising.
And it costs them nothing but a couple of links, and the efforts of a conscientious writer and blog-reader like Young.
This blog (Vancouver Canucks Op Ed) receives anywhere from 500-1000 visits every day, depending on many factors (ie. the day of the week, links to current articles, time of the season, etc.) The average is probably around 700/day or so, which is obviously peanuts compared to the subscription base of the Vancouver Sun, or listeners to Team 1040 radio. But we would argue that this li’l ol’ blog - and others out there - are still quite relevant.
First, our readers ALL care about hockey. It’s a very targetted market (*sorry to call you a “market”, just trying to make a point!). Then those same readers will go on to share information they find on this site with their friends, on their own web pages, through emails, etc. Whether they like our bias or hate it, many are still curious about it, and stay tuned. (I can’t even count the number of angry emails we’ve received from Calgary and Edmonton fans in the past! But it’s all good in hockey, right?)
Finally - and perhaps most importantly - many, many readers look to blogs to decide what news articles they should bother reading. This is not to say blog writers are any smarter than the readers, but there’s so much hockey media out there, blogs help people decide which journalism might be worth their time; what’s relevant to their interests and their team. Increasingly, it is blogs who are filtering the mainstream media, and that is incredibly important.
Which is why a writer like Chris Young, mentioned above, (may his former Toronto Star project “The Hockey Page” rest in peace) has had such success generating online buzz for his newspaper, outside Toronto: he willingly interacted with the blogosphere, and the blogosphere enjoyed it and responded. We read his page religiously for insights and observations (and the links!) and passed them on to readers that may not have bothered checking out the Star otherwise.
Everyone wins.
So, while the mainstream media is showing signs of understanding the importance of blogs (even in Canada, where there’s already so much other hockey coverage), some NHL teams simply close their ears and hope that the latest Tony Gallagher column isn’t too nasty. Or they wish they could change the hockey-hatred of Tony Kornheiser (whose latest column was titled “He Shoots, He Scores, America Snores” [sub.req’d] Give me a break, Tony.)
And why even bother with a guy like that, anyway? Kornheiser doesn’t preach to potential hockey fans, he preaches to the never-to-be hockey fans - those who already dislike hockey, and need someone like T.K. to legitimize their dislike. If Kornheiser changed his mind tomorrow and embraced hockey with enthusiasm, not ONE SINGLE PERSON would care. No potential fan is sitting around waiting for his endorsement before they buy a hockey ticket.
Forget the Kornheisers. Why not reach out to the readers who love hockey? Those who WANT to love hockey even more, and persuade their non-hockey loving friends of the wonders of the game?
Writers like Kornheiser are only relevant to the NHL because the NHL’s teams allow him to be. Reach out to the people who love hockey, and you’ll generate exactly the PR you’re looking for: positive buzz, even greater interest in the sport, and an incredibly loyal fanbase that will love you even more if you just spoke directly to them.
That means it’s time for the NHL as a whole to Meet the Blogs. Just ask Ted Leonsis. He doesn’t even seem to care what Tony Kornheiser thinks anymore.
P.S. Our intention is not to overestimate our own importance, or to stomp on mainstream media. The newspaper articles we read every day are informative, inspiring, entertaining and irreplaceable. We would be lost without them. We’re just saying that there’s a role for blogs to play in hockey journalism as well. And we think that role will only get bigger.
tags: nhl, hockey, vancouver, canucks, washington, capitals, ted+leonsis, media, newspapers, sports, blogs, blogging, fans, kornheiser, journalism
April 5th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
[…] UPDATE: Vancouver Canucks Op Ed gets bitchy on the subject (and rightfully so!) of NHL teams and personnel’s attitude towards bloggers. Don’t worry, I’m sure the Canucks organization will have plenty of time once the regular season ends. […]
April 5th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
Well said! Inspired by Paul’s efforts with Ted Leonsis, I put in an inquiry to Doug Wilson, since he’s told fans in chat sessions that he is always willing to discuss the team with them and that is part of his job. We’ll see if he follows through on that!
April 5th, 2006 at 2:29 pm
All hail the wisdom of the Vancouver Canucks Op-Ed! Really saying the things which need to be said.
Ergo …
Those who adhere to ‘traditional’ media, clinging to the secret handshakes and sanctioned business cards of the cynical old hacks, will soon perish into the morass they created.
Yet, those who evolve and embrace the ‘new’ media will be rewarded with love, fame and glory and more cool content beyond the whiny schlock from the pulp media.
To stir up some more progressive thinking from the Nucks’ brass, i’ll send along a letter requesting some accreditation (likely “managed” by the AP or some soon-to-be redundant organization no doubt).
The Nucks official medai guy TC Carling looks young-ish which (gingerly avoiding any age-ism here) might suggest a knowledge of new media and the potential benefits for building and servicing a fan base.
Bet ya if you were asking a few years ago when the rink was drawing far fewer fans, and fan support was low, the response might have been different and you’d have scored your Jason Strudwick interview. But, alas, the Luddities jealously guarding access to the lads are missing the point. It’s about the fans, (duh) and we just want to conduct an interview which goes beyond the normal 5 questions, geeez… we’re not stalkers.
Cheers (and thanks for re-directing my grumpiness from the recent debales on ice),
davey canuck
PS I finally moved Canucks Outsider to a blog saving me massive time from handcoding xml file but don’t worry, i am not planning to go intot he blogging business
. See www.hockeynw.com for the somewhat clumsy, yet intriguing, Canucks Outsider feed (feed name and iTunes listing remain unchanged but updated).
PPS Hey, how do i get a big podcast affiliate button on your site?
April 5th, 2006 at 3:27 pm
Cupchasers: Thanks for the link! But don’t call me “bitchy”, you schmuck!
Mike: Good luck with Wilson. My guess is you’re probably (*cross fingers*) going to have some luck there. He seems to be a very “available” GM. Then again, so does Dave Nonis, and yet we continue to toil in the netherworld…
Dave: I hope you have luck with Mr. Carling at Canucks HQ. We’ve never gone further than Ms. Maniago. And if you DO have luck, you’re obligated to put in a good word for us!!
Regarding the podcast affiliate button, just send us a button, we’ll make it work.
(See, NHL? This is how it works in bloggerland… Hockey blogs work together! Give us an interview, 10 bloggers will reprint/link it, okay?!)
April 5th, 2006 at 7:16 pm
What you should try and do is contact 50 people from the Canucks.com forum (ask the moderators, or guys who have 1000+ posts), email them an interview, and post the results here.
Or, try and get a hold of Michale Kinghorn, the webmaster for Canucks.com, and get an “exclusive” with him.
You gotta start small and work your way up. Getting Kinghorn would certainly turn some heads. The guy is on every single Canuck PPV, promoting the website.
April 5th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
dont feel bad guys, it’s not just blogs they turn down.
Working for an accredited community paper that will remain nameless, I was turned down for a media pass to a Blue Jackets game earlier this year.
I had a legit reason for going - some local hook I’d concocted, but got the same response.
I could maybe understand if it was a Leafs or Habs, or Flames game, and the press box would be jammed. But this was an early-season game against Columbus for cryin’ out loud..
really makes you wonder if the Canucks want any publicity at all.
April 5th, 2006 at 8:51 pm
pat o’neill is the equipment guy. a great canadian kid from victoria, who worked under a legend ( who my name escapes me, sorry).I am sure he would not tell the tales of the room any more than any on the team. But keep trying, maybe next year when the top line is gone you may get some reponse.
April 5th, 2006 at 8:51 pm
Thank you very much for writing this, guys. It needed to be said.
I tried to get in touch with the webmaster at the beginning of the season with not even a response. (To be fair, my blog was only a couple of months old at the time.) I’m gonna give ‘er another try through my account rep and see what I come with.
April 6th, 2006 at 3:44 am
Thank you to everyone, for your ideas and support.
There are so many great things about writing a blog - but mostly it’s just been a perfect spot to meet other hockey fans who share our enthusiasm. And we’ve gotten to know so many really nice people over the years as a result!
I guess the thing that really bothers me about all this is that organizations like the Canucks (and other teams) don’t seem to recognize this opportunity to reach out to the same people: fans who love the game.
I’ll probably dwell on this more later. For now, just know how much we appreciate your interest in this topic.
April 6th, 2006 at 9:00 am
Thanks–clearly you get it–and I appreciate your support and love of hockey.Citizen media–and the blogosphere -are way more important to sports franchises than petroleum based–newspapers– you link and tag and activate passion and conversation–you show up high in relevance on search engines–you are the present and future–newspapers are the past.I care more about what you think as a fan–than any columnist..that is paid to do their job. Keep up the great work. Co Caps!Ted Leonsis
April 6th, 2006 at 11:28 am
Thank you very much, Ted. Your words mean a lot, but your actions are even better. A great many non-Washington fans (us included) never paid much attention to the Caps until your interaction with the blogosphere really spurred our interest.
Now, granted, Ovechkin doesn’t hurt either (!) but it’s still refreshing to see a team that really wants to communicate directly with the fans. I just don’t understand why your example doesn’t lead to more of the same from other teams.
Maybe, if you get a chance, give Dave Nonis a call for me…
Cheers!
April 7th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
A couple thoughts.
J & A: I take small issue with the line “Increasingly, it is blogs who are filtering the mainstream media, and that is incredibly important.”
I read Canucks Op Ed and a handful of the other usual suspects’ material religiously. I write my own material. In my opinion you (we) express opinion that leads the ‘accredited’ media. For example, on January 30th you wrote “Just say goodbye to Eddie, Canucks fans. Wish him well, then put him out of your head. Pretend he never existed.” Your insight to the fact that we had perhaps seen the last of Jovo in a Canucks’ uniform. Yet on April 5th Gordon McIntyre writes in the Province that “one or two games could be all GM Place fans may see of Jovanovski in a Canucks uniform.” This is one of many examples where Bloggers actually lead the mainstream media coverage. We see and say things far faster than the accredited media can ever hope.
JJ: When searching through the game recaps over on Canuck’s dot com I found and error in one of the scoring summaries. The area that Kevin Klinghorn calls Ice Pack. I mailed Kevin and alerted him to the problem. Within a few hours Kevin had responded politely and fixed the error. Seems like a good guy to me.
Temujin: Nothing personal dude. Just my observation. I used to read that stuff on the message boards at canucks dot com. After a few months of the colour of the Cayenne Cloutier was driving and endless announced trades for Luongo one has to ask isn’t there a better way to waste my time? So I started my own blog – at least, I feel my content is relevant. At least, I feel Canucks Op Ed, Tom Benjamin, JJ, Mike Browne, Todd contribute to my understanding of the games and the team. Suggesting assistance from the 1000+ message board posters, in my opinion, only furthers the lack of credibility of quality blogs like Canucks Op Ed.
April 7th, 2006 at 4:07 pm
Hi Terry,
I appreciate your kind words, and your confidence in us. You’re right that blogs break stories or unique opinions quite a lot. But, if I can play devil’s advocate for a moment, I’d say this…
When VCOE makes a comment like “say goodbye to Jovo” like we did back at the time of his injury, I think it’s fair to say we were being pretty off-the-cuff about the whole thing. I mean, sure, I was pretty certain the guy was toast for a long while, but I didn’t have any proof, or contacts to verify that.
And let’s face it… if we had been wrong, who really cares? A couple people seem to keep close track of what we say, and will point out our mistakes (and we enjoy it, we do!) but you can be sure that Gord McIntyre is held to a much higher standard for his opinions than we are.
Even though we criticize his business - and the horrendous behaviour of some of his colleagues - I think what they do is also limited by its very nature, as you pointed out. Which is why some mainstream media DO reach out to blogs. For those that are smart enough to realize it, it’s a mutally beneficial relationship.
I think the media will continue to work with blogs - in some way or another - more and more in the future. What worries me, however, is that NHL teams (like the Canucks) don’t seem to get this. They worry only about what the Vancouver Sun thinks, and forget that plenty of readers never bother venturing onto canada.com and paying for it’s online articles.
Teams like the Canucks need to recognize the relevance of blogs, as both commenters on hockey and filters of the media. This doesn’t mean treating us to the same access as the conventional media, but there have to be other ways…
They could just ask Ted Leonsis!
April 8th, 2006 at 8:38 am
Guys, I totally agree. Tongue n Cheek.
The symbiotic relationship between Canucks and the print media involves mutual beneficial success. The Sun sells advertising space to the Canucks. The Sun’s Canucks coverage sells newspapers. Canucks’ ‘buzz’ sells tickets and attracts corporate sponsors. Perhaps the successful approach would be to employ this traditional model. Offer to sell to Orca Bay adspace on VCOE. If you can make that case then you’re in. With Orca Bay having a stake in your success certainly the access to content (read players) will follow. To me it smacks of a distasteful dance with the corporate devil.
They are a little hard to find but see the Vonage and Sierra Blue ads on the Canucks home pages at Yahoo and ESPN .
For those of us who didn’t know Ted Leonsis is the owner of the Washington Capitals and has an active Blog here.
April 9th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
Excellent post. As someone who has dealt with media and pr reps before (in the music industry) it can be frustrating when you don’t get the time of day from some people, all because of perception. It is extremely short-sighted of them to not give consideration to bloggers, especially one with significant traffic like this one.