Tuesday, August 28, 2012

NHL Lockout: Top 5 Ways Fans can get their Voices Heard


        It's becoming quite obvious that things are not looking good in the negations for a new Collective Bargaining between the NHL and the NHLPA. While these two parties continue to dispute about a new CBA, hockey fans all across North America are becoming uneasy because of the possibility of another lockout. Hockey fans have every right to be upset, as this will be the third lockout (if we have one) under the reign of commissioner Gary Bettman. It's just not right, and it's not fair to the fans, who spend their hard-earned money on a product  that locks down every time their is a dispute over money. Gary Bettman can say that "the NHL has the best fans in the world" all he wants, but that does not make it okay for the higher-ups in the league to continue to walk all over the fans for their own financial gain. 
        While it can be easily argued that fans have no say in the CBA negotiations, fans can make a difference in how fast the negotiation process takes. Here are the top five ways fans can get their voices heard by the two parties that will be responsible for a lockout, if we have one:

1. Boycott the purchase of all NHL merchandise

2. Boycott the purchase of all tickets to NHL games

3. Boycott the purchase of all items that are sponsors of the NHL

4. Unfollow/Unlike all pages ran by the NHL, NHLPA, or any player on social media

5. Join forces with other hockey fans on social media (groups, petitions, etc.)

        These five ideas can all show the NHL and the NHLPA that the fans are the most important part of the league, and we are not happy. By executing on these ideas, we, the fans, would show the NHL that we have the power to end the league if we wanted to. Obviously, we don't want to end the league, but by protesting and boycotting, we can show the NHL and NHLPA that the fans want hockey, and they want it now. By executing these ideas, the negotiation process between the NHL and NHLPA will go quicker, because of the fact that they will be losing money because of the boycotting and protesting of the fans. By doing this, we will be taking the NHL and NHLPA "hostage" (figuratively, of course), and they will have no choice but to resolve their issues quicker to stop the damage caused by the fans. The fans of the NHL are not being taken seriously, and it's a shame, because all we want is hockey. 

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