Will Fans Boycott the No Hockey League?

I received an email from the Toronto Maple Leafs telling me that the NHL has cancelled regular season games until October 24th, representing the first two weeks of the season. Ah shucks, what am I gonna do now? The answer: stop watching the NHL if and when the owners come to their senses. I was hoping to make the Winter Classic the centerpiece of my December sports road trip but with uncertainty like this, it is not worth booking the airline tickets, which I need to do quite soon, before prices rise even more. So I'm cancelling the 2012 Winter Trip entirely. The NFL season is tainted after the replacement referee debacle, the NHL is a joke, and although I enjoy the AHL, it isn't worth the 24-hour trip each way to see a few games in Providence and Hershey. Suddenly I have three free weeks and I'll be finding something more exotic to do here in Asia or maybe the South Pacific.

That is the short-term solution, but in the longer term, I don't think I will spend a dime on this league ever again. I have three NHL arenas to see as part of my Quest for 400 and I will visit those, but will be getting tickets from your friendly neighbourhood scalpers. I will avoid parking, concessions, and any other revenue stream that will see money go to the owners. Even the NHL's signature Game Center Live package will not be spared. Failure to do so will confirm that I am a stupid fan; the type that the NHL hopes will return without complaint when this fiasco finally comes to an end.

I wonder though about other fans. I think the league will return in a month or two, in time for the 24/7 series to be filmed and Winter Classic to be played. Will hockey fans again forgive a pointless work stoppage? I'm hoping that fans begin to realize that they are being played for saps by Bettman and his owners. Similar scenarios will continue to play out after every CBA expires. The NHL is being poorly run but those responsible have no reason to improve the business model, because fans keep spending their money without complaint. All I can do is be one of those fans that says "Enough!" and start spending my money elsewhere. So I am. I hope that at least one reader can do the same.

Next Up

After a sparkling three-day trip to Sri Lanka where I saw lots of Twenty20 cricket, I'm off to Japan this weekend. A friend was kind enough to offer me a sponsor's ticket to the Japanese Grand Prix, so I will be spending Sunday traveling from Tokyo to Mie to watch the race. Check back for recaps of both trips next week.

Best,

Sean

Read More

NHL's Looming Lockout Affects Road Trip Plans

The braintrust that runs the NHL are yet again steering the league towards a labour stoppage. Despite handing out long-term contracts worth tens of millions of dollars, the owners cry poor. The players suggest revenue sharing to help those clubs losing money which makes sense to me as the league is only as healthy as its poorest teams, but the richer owners will have none of that. I'm so tired of these shenanigans that a glimpse of another headline on the topic sends me into a narcoleptic collapse. Still, these negotiations have an effect on me as I am planning my next big sports road trip during the upcoming season.

The Winter Classic in Ann Arbor is supposed the centerpiece of that journey, and I hoping to complete all 30 NHL rinks with stops in Boston, Raleigh, and Buffalo as well. Without a season, those destinations would fall by the wayside. Fortunately, other leagues have labour certainty, and the AHL has an outdoor game scheduled for Detroit on December 30th with the Marlies the visitors. That afternoon sees the Bears visit the Lions in a week 17 NFL tilt. So I've decided to go ahead and plan a trip based around the Detroit area at New Years, with that two-sport doubleheader as the centrepiece. If the NHL comes to its senses, I'll see the Winter Classic two days later; if not, then those three NHL rinks will remain unvisited as I will be boycotting the league for a very, very, long time.

What I expect to happen is for the NHL to follow the NBA model from last season: a relatively short lockout to scare everyone, a hasty agreement when they realize that fans have many more entertainment options these days, and a shortened schedule that begins just in time for the Winter Classic. If that scenario happens, the new schedule will leave me with little time to change plans, so I'll have to see how things work out, but regardless, once I have finished visiting all 30 NHL rinks, I'm going to leave the league in the rear view mirror. Two major work stoppages in eight years shows how little they care about the fan and I'll gladly spend my sports dollars elsewhere.

Anyway, here's the plan so far, with lots of time left for changes:

Fri, Dec 14    Albany Devils at Connecticut Whale (AHL) 7:00
Sat, Dec 15    St. John's Icecaps at Springfield Falcons (AHL) 7:05
Sun, Dec 16    St. John's Icecaps at Providence Bruins (AHL) 3:05
Sun, Dec 16    San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots 8:20
Mon, Dec 17    Los Angeles Kings at Boston Bruins 7:00
Tue, Dec 18    Utah Jazz at Brooklyn Nets 7:30
Wed, Dec 19    Albany Devils at Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) 7:00
Thu, Dec 20    Florida Panthers at New York Rangers 7:00
Fri, Dec 21    Albany Devils at Norfolk Admirals (AHL) 7:30
Sat, Dec 22    Anaheim Ducks at Carolina Hurricanes 7:00
Sun, Dec 23    Oakland Raiders at Carolina Panthers 1:00
Fri, Dec 28    Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators 7:30
Sun, Dec 30    Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions 1:00
Sun, Dec 30    Toronto Marlies at Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL Outdoor Classic) 7:00
Mon, Dec 31    Rockford Icehogs at Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) 6:00
Tue, Jan 1     Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings (Winter Classic) 1:00
Tue, Jan 1     Sacramento Kings at Detroit Pistons 7:30
Wed, Jan 2     Washington Wizards at Indiana Pacers 7:00
Thu, Jan 3     Florida Panthers at Buffalo Sabres 7:00
Fri, Jan 4     Reading Royals at Elmira Jackals (ECHL) 7:05
Sat, Jan 5     Tampa Bay Lightning at Buffalo Sabres 7:00

I still have a month or two before I need to book any tickets or hotels, so here's hoping by then that we have a sudden burst of intelligence in the NHL's head offices and the season proceeds as scheduled.

Update: As you know, there is a dearth of intelligence at the NHL's head offices. Why did I think otherwise? I have cancelled the entire trip and will be visiting Texas in February instead.

Next Up

The Malaysia Cup is in full swing and Singapore has a team playing in the tourney, so I'll be heading back to Jalan Besar Stadium this Saturday to see Lions XII hosting a team from Johor Bahru. Check back next week for a recap of the game.

Best,

Sean

Read More

2012 Sports Road Trips Schedule Takes Shape

Yesterday was my last day at work. The main reason for quitting is that I am leaving Japan! Yes, after nearly 16 years here, it's time to move on. At this point, I'm not sure where I'm going or what I'll be doing, but you can bet there will be lots of sports involved.

Before I leave for good, I want to see some of the venues here in Japan that I haven't visited in a while, or seen at all. Most important is Sapporo Dome, which became a regular NPB home ground in 2004 when the Nippon Ham Fighters moved there from Tokyo. Over the eight seasons since, I have yet to see a single game there, a truly embarrassing admission for a sports road tripper. The dome is also home to the J League's Consadole Sapporo franchise, which regained promotion to the top level. I want to see this venue tricked out for both soccer and baseball, and there is only one chance to do so early in the season, when the teams play two days apart.

Nagoya is also on the list in mid-April as there are 3 games in 3 days there, one AFC Champions League, one with the Giants at the Dragons, and a minor league tilt at Nagoya Stadium.

I am also planning one more trip to Osaka to see the three ball stadiums there over a 3-day period. The Orix Buffaloes usually play at the Kyocera Dome Osaka, but they also have a few home games at Hotto Motto Stadium Kobe, the best old-style stadium in Japan. I'll also check out Koshien to see the Tigers one last time.

Despite departing Japan as a full-time resident, I'll be hanging around Asia for the better part of the year, with three trips back to North America for sports. The first trip starts next week with a few days in LA sandwiched around two weeks watching hockey on the Canadian prairies. Then in June, I'll be checking out the Jays in Atlanta and Miami, as well as all ballparks in the Florida State League and perhaps some NCAA Regional baseball playoffs. Before and after, I'll be checking out Rogers Centre to see the Jays, including a weekend set against the Mets, which promises to be another road trip convention as the boys from Royalty Tours and the Ultimate Sports Road Trip are expected to attend.

The final trip will be in December when I'll return home to finish up the NHL rinks (Buffalo, Boston, and Carolina) and check out the Leafs in the Winter Classic. There's also the outside chance of an NFL road trip, but that will depend on the schedule to be released in April.

Whatever the case, it will be a busy year. The schedule is updated regularly whenever I find a new game to see. As usual, if you are in a town I'm visiting, drop me a line and let's meet up for a game.

Best,

Sean

Read More

Maple Leafs in the Winter Classic?

It has been rumoured for a couple of days that the 2013 Winter Classic, to happen a mere 352 days from now, will take place in Ann Arbor, Michigan and feature the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. The venue will be Michigan Stadium, usually home to the University of Michigan's football team. Still, the stadium was used for an outdoor hockey game between the Wolverines and Michigan State in 2010, a game which set the record for most spectators at a hockey game with over 104,000 fans braving the elements. Naturally, when the NHL comes to town, that record will be shattered; estimates are that they will be able to sell 115,000 tickets. Even then, I'm sure demand will far outstrip supply and I'd guess an average price in excess of $300 for this one. Time to start saving!

Doubtless this game will be the centerpiece of a trip to Canada around Christmas. I'll also catch NHL games in Boston, Carolina, and Buffalo, thus completing all 30 active rinks, and if things work out, a few NBA and NFL games as well. Obviously finalized schedules are months away from being released, but I'm already excited. I expect a number of my sports road tripping brethren will make the journey so it will be good fun for all.

Update: Unless of course, the morons who run the league decide to cancel the whole thing. Buh-bye NHL. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Next Up

I've decided to check out a bj League game in Chiba next week as it has been a month since I last saw a live sporting event. The following weekend sees the Asia Ice Hockey League offer a couple of weekend doubleheaders in Tokyo, and I might try to catch one day of action. One week after that is the final weekend of the Top League Rugby season and 4 of of the top 5 teams will be in action at the Chichibunomiya Stadium in central Tokyo, so I'll pay another visit to one of Tokyo's best sporting venues.

Shortly after that, I'm off to my 2012 Prairie trip which sees over two weeks watching hockey in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, with two stops in Los Angeles on either end to keep warm. It's going to be a busy month, so check back often for updates.

Best,

Sean

Read More