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Sean Avery thinks NHL, Bettman doing poor job of marketing game


2008-10-02 21:42:40

The NHL’s most famous mouthpiece is at is again, this time taking shots at the league and commissioner Gary Bettman over the marketing of hockey.

“I mean it would certainly be good for the game if we marketed the game, but the NHL does a terrible job of marketing,” Avery told Rachel Nichols of ESPN’s E:60. “They just, they haven’t figured it out that villains and heroes are what sells. Our commissioner hasn’t realized that he needs to probably do a better job of marketing the game and certainly some of the players in it. But I don’t think that’s ever going to change unless they hire me to run their marketing stuff.”

The full E:60 Avery interview will air on ESPN Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. EST.

Avery, who signed as a free agent in Dallas after playing last season with the Rangers, appeared on CBC’s The Hour on Wednesday and talked about personality Don Cherry.

“He's a staple as far as Canadian hockey goes,” Avery said during the interview. “And I grew up watching Coach's Corner, and he serves a purpose. But he really does not know s--t about hockey. He knows, like, unnecessary facts about putting Sears catalogues on your shin pads.”

He also added: “He says a lot of things. He calls people by their wrong names. And it's just, like, enough of this guy.”

The entire interview can be view on The Hour website.

COMMENTS (48)

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Joe Posted
(2009-04-30 07:45:55)



Sean Avery is one of the better things that has happened to the NHL. I don't agree with what he said about his "sloppy seconds", however, he is putting NHL in the news. He is the villain that everyone loves to hate and every sport needs that. Terrell Owens in the NFL, Ron Artest in the NBA, any one who has done steroids in MLB. Without these characters to ruffle the feathers of sports, don't you think it would be a very boring thing to talk about? Sean Avery is giving people a reason to talk about the NHL. Even though people may not see it now, the NHL needs Avery, just as much as Avery needs the NHL. Anyone who thinks Avery should be banished from the NHL doesn't see the good he is actually doing for the sport as a whole. Enough with these goody-goody scorers. We need some fighters that will bring the NHL back to the old days. When people actually cared and SportsCenter spent more than 5 minutes a week on highlights. Sean Avery is helping the only way he knows how. He is an incredibly smart person and knows exactly what he is doing. He is willing to sabotage his own legacy and career to save a sport. Even though the acts may not be honorable, the thought behind it is.
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Shane Posted
(2009-04-30 07:24:48)



Sean Avery will try whatever it takes to stay out of arms reach of Phaneuf. Ofcourse he knew he would be suspended and not have to face the Calgary Flames. If Avery was to leave the NHL tomorrow... no one would remember him after a week. Chicken sh1t that thrives off the attention because when push comes to shove he knows that he is a complete idiot that real people just shake their head at.
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GAM Posted
(2009-04-30 07:18:23)



If you call putting NHL on TSN (Toronto Sports Network)then yes Bettman is slipping these announcers have NO clue about the game and i cannot stand to listen to them. As far as Avery goes he is a chicken sh#! and i cannot wait to see someone give him a Mouthfull of Knuckles that is if he has the Balls to stand up and put them up TURTLE
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J H Posted
(2009-04-30 07:18:13)



I dont think Marketing a sports league is not as simple as changing the rules and spending money. Sometimes it is things that happens within a league organically that will get people intrigued. Competition, storylines, personalities, etc.
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Alyssa Posted
(2009-04-30 07:18:10)



Hey, I agree with the guy. Sean Avery is right. Bettman SUCKS at marketing the NHL. I agree with him on that. Bettman is no marketing genius at all.
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TOM COTNER Posted
(2009-04-30 07:06:09)



HELLO MR. SEAN AVERY------------ HUMOROUSLY, OF COURSE, ONE MIGHT SUGGEST THAT YOU TURN ON YOUR COMPUTER AND WATCH THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF T.N.A. PRO WRESTLING WHEN STEVE BORDEN (STING) HAS BEEN DELIVERING HIS PROMOS OF THE YOUNGER STARS NOT PAYING HOMAGE OR GIVING RESPECT TO THE ELDERS WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR THE NEW BREED TO HAVE A JOB. WHERE IN THE BLAZES DO YOU GET THE BALLS TO DISRESPECT GRAPES FOR HIS ON AIR COMMENTS AND MULTIPLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SPORT ??? OLD FASHIONED ??? PERHAPS, BUT LOOK AT WHAT O.F. GETS YA. THE 70'S, LET'S SAY; WHEN NOTHING WAS BROKE UNTIL THE YOUNG PUPS DECIDED TO FIX IT ANYWAY. WE HAD STICKS MADE OF REAL WOOD, EQUIPMENT MADE OF A MATERIAL THAT DIDN'T CAUSE CONCUSSIONS, ONLY A FEW EUROPEAN PLAYERS, AND THEY DIDN'T BITCH EVERY TIME THEY GOT HIT, AND OH YEAH, LET'S NOT FORGET AFFORDABLE TICKET PRICES !!! DO NOT READ INTO THIS THE WRONG WAY !!! I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH EUROPEANS, ONLY THEIR STYLE OF PLAY FOR THE GAME; IT'S BORING PLAIN AND SIMPLE. THERE ARE PLENTY OF DECENT LEAGUES IN EUROPE FOR THOSE FOLKS TO STAY THERE WHILE ALLOLWING THE NHL, AHL, ECHL, AND JUNIOR LEAGUES TO STAY PREDOMINANTLY NORTH AMERICAN. HOW ABOUT A MAX. OF 3 NON-N.A. BORN PLAYERS PER TEAM IN THE ABOVE LEAGUES ?????? THE POWERS THAT BE WILL ALWAYS WONDER WHY HOCKEY CONSISTENTLY RANKS 4TH, OR 5TH IF YOU COUNT NASCAR, UNLESS THEY RECOGNIZE THE ERRORS OF THEIR WAYS, THEN RIGHT THE SHIP BEFORE IT GOES UNDER. JUST MY OPINON ??? I DON'T THINK SO !!! JUST THE OPINON OF THE OLD FASHIONED OLD TIMERS ??? OKAY, I'LL ACCEPT THAT !!!
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Adam Hutter Posted
(2009-04-30 07:06:08)



Bottom Line is that when Avery talks, he gets people's attention. Good or bad, smart or stupid, he gets people talking about the game. Same as Roenick did when he told the NHL, "just give the Rangers the first pick so they can draft Crosby". It was both stupid and smart. When people do outrageous things, it gets even the casual fan talking about the NHL. That can only be good. Except when people get hurt... I hope Chris Simon signs with Avantgaard Omsk.. or some other KHL team.
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SiD Posted
(2009-04-30 07:06:07)



Wait I got it! Implement the fighting rules from Konami's Blades of Steel! The loser of the fight gets the penalty, the winner gets to keep playing. Just messin, worst rule ev0r :P
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SiD Posted
(2009-04-30 07:06:06)



Waving your hands in front of the goalie is obviously unsportsmanlike. I am not a big fan of yesterday's rules, but just for that instance I would have loved to see Avery take a big dose of lumber to his back. Luckily for Avery he's not paid to think, otherwise he's still be in the minors acting as one of the teams pilons to assist with practice drills. Like switching to ESPN is as simple as making the choice to move, certainly no money, contracts and negotiations to cover right? Like Bettman hasn't considered this given that it is his job? As for Don Cherry, he is set in his ways, and Hockey moved away a bit from his opinionated point of view, but he is always right in his analysis of what players do on the ice. If Avery had half his wits, he wouldn't need to be an agitator to sell himself to teams. He could actually be a stellar player.
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Adam Hutter Posted
(2009-04-30 07:06:06)



Hockey Marketing 101. Coupons on NHL . com for the video games. Actually selling KID related hockey stuff on the websites. not JUST JERSEYS... but pajamas, action figures that are NOT "made in Taiwan" (no offense to the taiwanese) but in canada or the US. paying someone, once a year, to put out a movie about hockey that realeases somewhere around say OCTOBER ? when the season starts? (not in december when the NFL goes into playoff mode. More Stanley cup promotions across the countries, maybe every city once a year. Not just where the All Star Game is and who wins the cup. (those are promos unto themselves). But for instance, when was the last time the cup was in Columbus for a promo? Or Minnesota? And it does not always have to be about making money on each thing.... Promotions of the SPORT will eventually pay back ten fold.
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