Friday, July 21, 2006
Hockey Newspaper Reporting in Jeopardy
From Eklund's site - just doing my part to spread the message.
A Call to Action
One of the best things about having a successful site like this is we have the ability to be a major voice and help the sport en masse when it needs it. Well hockey fans, it needs it badly again. All of you on here visit several websites and message boards throughout the hockey world, and I am asking that you spread this message today and over the next week. What is happening directly effects every hockey fan and could deeply damage the way the sport is covered and enjoyed by all of us.
The LA Times has quietly announced that they are cutting back on their hockey coverage again. They are not sending their reporters to cover away games for either the Kings or Ducks and they are eliminating Hockey Hall of Famer Helene Elliott's weekly NHL report as well. Helene is the top of the top of hockey reporters in North America. She is the most celebrated female hockey writer of all time and has served as a source of inspiration for scores of women hockey writers everywhere including Hockeybuzz.com’s Sunaya Sapurji and Kat Stein.
Obviously, this is a huge deal to our LA and Anahiem fans, and hockey fans in the LA Metro Area. There are some great California Hockey fans for both teams and something you may not know: There are over 600,000 Canadians working and living in the LA Metro area. Sometimes LA is referred to as Canada’s 5th largest city. Not to mention the great moves made by both of these up-and-coming franchises could really invigorate hockey in California. And California is a real and true hockey state. 10% of traffic for Hockeybuzz.com, second only to New York, comes from California. 60% of those are from the LA area. And to be honest, my coverage of hockey in California is still in its infancy. In other words I need to get a lot better and when I do report more on the California teams I am quite certain they could challenge NY as my top hockey state in the US.
As fans we relate to the writers that we read every day. When our team goes away, they go for us. We can experience it through them. As writers we get our best stuff on the road, when players and coaches tend to open up more- away from the distractions of home. All this will be gone soon. We will still get good, solid game reporting, but we will miss out on the everyday soap opera of a team gelling and coming together over the course of a long season.
I personally don’t write game stories, because I truly don’t read game stories or find them very interesting. I know most die-hard hockey fans feel this way as well. I don’t need to hear about the goals that were scored. I saw them myself, right? I want to hear the behind-the-scenes stuff. The stuff I couldn’t see. The stuff that a team’s beat writer can get from a team that, love him or hate him, are always around him. Because when you talk to a player or coach or GM it is all about respect and trust. You earn that through familiarity and over time. It means something to all involved with the team that the media outlet found it important enough to pay to fly you, feed you, and house you. They can’t avoid talking to you. I saw this firsthand this year when I traveled with the Flyers to a few away games. A different attitude exists on the road.
Do not ignore this. Once the ball starts rolling downhill it rolls faster and gets harder to stop. This isn’t about the writers, this is about you. They are your eyes and ears and they are the ones who put everything inside the inner circle in your hands or on your computer screen. If this is allowed to happen your hockey experience will suffer greatly this year. Make your voice heard and get the word to the others. Remember, it is far easier to destroy something than it is to build something. And re-building doesn’t usually occur.
STOP THIS!
For the LA Times, email your displeasure and copy these four decision makers:
Dean.Baquet@latimes.com
John.Arthur@latimes.com
Doug.Frantz@latimes.com
randy.harvey@latimes.com
I ask that we each help each other out here, because hockey fans in Canada and the US are all the same. We are hockey fans, and we are getting screwed by this.
A Call to Action
One of the best things about having a successful site like this is we have the ability to be a major voice and help the sport en masse when it needs it. Well hockey fans, it needs it badly again. All of you on here visit several websites and message boards throughout the hockey world, and I am asking that you spread this message today and over the next week. What is happening directly effects every hockey fan and could deeply damage the way the sport is covered and enjoyed by all of us.
The LA Times has quietly announced that they are cutting back on their hockey coverage again. They are not sending their reporters to cover away games for either the Kings or Ducks and they are eliminating Hockey Hall of Famer Helene Elliott's weekly NHL report as well. Helene is the top of the top of hockey reporters in North America. She is the most celebrated female hockey writer of all time and has served as a source of inspiration for scores of women hockey writers everywhere including Hockeybuzz.com’s Sunaya Sapurji and Kat Stein.
Obviously, this is a huge deal to our LA and Anahiem fans, and hockey fans in the LA Metro Area. There are some great California Hockey fans for both teams and something you may not know: There are over 600,000 Canadians working and living in the LA Metro area. Sometimes LA is referred to as Canada’s 5th largest city. Not to mention the great moves made by both of these up-and-coming franchises could really invigorate hockey in California. And California is a real and true hockey state. 10% of traffic for Hockeybuzz.com, second only to New York, comes from California. 60% of those are from the LA area. And to be honest, my coverage of hockey in California is still in its infancy. In other words I need to get a lot better and when I do report more on the California teams I am quite certain they could challenge NY as my top hockey state in the US.
As fans we relate to the writers that we read every day. When our team goes away, they go for us. We can experience it through them. As writers we get our best stuff on the road, when players and coaches tend to open up more- away from the distractions of home. All this will be gone soon. We will still get good, solid game reporting, but we will miss out on the everyday soap opera of a team gelling and coming together over the course of a long season.
I personally don’t write game stories, because I truly don’t read game stories or find them very interesting. I know most die-hard hockey fans feel this way as well. I don’t need to hear about the goals that were scored. I saw them myself, right? I want to hear the behind-the-scenes stuff. The stuff I couldn’t see. The stuff that a team’s beat writer can get from a team that, love him or hate him, are always around him. Because when you talk to a player or coach or GM it is all about respect and trust. You earn that through familiarity and over time. It means something to all involved with the team that the media outlet found it important enough to pay to fly you, feed you, and house you. They can’t avoid talking to you. I saw this firsthand this year when I traveled with the Flyers to a few away games. A different attitude exists on the road.
Do not ignore this. Once the ball starts rolling downhill it rolls faster and gets harder to stop. This isn’t about the writers, this is about you. They are your eyes and ears and they are the ones who put everything inside the inner circle in your hands or on your computer screen. If this is allowed to happen your hockey experience will suffer greatly this year. Make your voice heard and get the word to the others. Remember, it is far easier to destroy something than it is to build something. And re-building doesn’t usually occur.
STOP THIS!
For the LA Times, email your displeasure and copy these four decision makers:
Dean.Baquet@latimes.com
John.Arthur@latimes.com
Doug.Frantz@latimes.com
randy.harvey@latimes.com
I ask that we each help each other out here, because hockey fans in Canada and the US are all the same. We are hockey fans, and we are getting screwed by this.
Hockey
Step 1: Learn how to skate (check, started in January 06 with a new pair of hockey
skates, lessons completed in April and July)
Step 2: Buy hockey gear (check, have full pads, couple of sticks)
Step 3: Attempt to play hockey (check, took part in an open hockey game in June)
Step 4: Sticks and pucks class (check, taking it right now)
Step 5: Play in league (not yet, signup is in the August)
So, for the past 7 months I have been preparing myself to start playing hockey. Come September I should be on a team and actually playing.
And now I guess it is obvious why I haven't been posting here -- too much time spent learning how to skate.
skates, lessons completed in April and July)
Step 2: Buy hockey gear (check, have full pads, couple of sticks)
Step 3: Attempt to play hockey (check, took part in an open hockey game in June)
Step 4: Sticks and pucks class (check, taking it right now)
Step 5: Play in league (not yet, signup is in the August)
So, for the past 7 months I have been preparing myself to start playing hockey. Come September I should be on a team and actually playing.
And now I guess it is obvious why I haven't been posting here -- too much time spent learning how to skate.
