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The All-Star weekend - are you in or out?

January 31, 2023, 8:08 PM ET [23 Comments]
Jeremy Laura
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Hockey is a unique game amongst North American sports. There are stars, to be sure. However, it’s a sport where the players are typically on ice for 30 seconds to a minute (unless they get stuck due to really good pressure by the opposition). It takes so many skills just to get on the ice and play at the pro level. Skate, stick handle, shoot, posture, timing, aerobic recovery, etc. You don’t think about it until you’ve tried it. To do all of that and try and make an impact in under a minute is part of what makes Hockey my favorite sport.

I first really started watching hockey in the 90s. Even then, it was hard to tell what players really looked liked when you’re getting a Canadian feed through rabbit ears (usually with aluminum foil at the end). My parents never had cable, and so it was whatever you could tune to via antenna. Events like meet and greet sessions, all star access and realistic video games (remember blades of steel and ice hockey for NES?) weren’t really prevalent. Social Media didn’t exist. The internet was still an experiment between Universities (including U of M) and the military. No websites. The best “view” of players came via VHS or Hockey Night in Canada interviews (if you could get them).

All of a sudden, it’s not shocking to see players from different teams interacting. And now, with tracking technology in player jerseys and pucks, we know how fast a shot is (when the stats are listed), and the league knows exactly who has skated the fastest so far this year. Those were my 2 favorite events. The All Star game seemed to lack “intensity” and seeing pro athletes compete for free cars and millions of dollars seems to leave a bad taste for some fans. In some ways, the All Star weekend has gone the way of the shootout. Exciting at first, but less over time.

I’m going to start by saying that there are people who definitely benefit from the weekend. First, the host city. Restaurants, vendors, hotels, transportation, etc. Especially after a shut down, some extra $$ is a big deal for many businesses. Second, new fans can really benefit from the time. They see players in a different light, maybe for the first time. It can be used as a “fan recruitment” weekend. There’s something about getting your first autographed jersey or 8 x 10 that will always be special. Third, first time all stars. Dylan Larkin’s first appearance was certainly memorable in the speed skating competition. He looked like a kid having fun. Seeing an 18 or 19 year old out on that ice, smart phone or go pro in hand recording everything shows you how special it is to them.

There are 5 female contestants being included in the competition this year as the NHL partners with the leagues to bring more national and international attention to some of the stars. That is something very special for Alex Carpenter, Hilary Knight, Sarah Nurse (also on cover of NHL 23) Rebecca Johnston and Emily Clark. You can bet there will be young girls pointing at the ice saying, “I want to do that”. The more children that feel inclined to join the sport, the more it will grow.

Now, here’s the flip side. After you’ve watched several, the weekend seems to lose some of its appeal for veteran viewers. The debate on players who were or weren’t sent becomes the focus of interaction. The skills competition just doesn’t hold the same place when you see players in 4K or HD on a nightly basis doing insane feats of athleticism during competitive play. We have ref cams, ankle cams, goalie cams, zip line cams, twitter fans who upload insanely well timed video from their seats. There is no lack of accessibility to make watching a red carpet special or skills competition the same peak event it used to be.

On to the game itself. Players have a good time, but for many fans it’s a bit like pond hockey on a professional stage. No player wants to get hurt or hurt someone else during a weekend like this (nor should they want to). The competitive nature is inadvertently affected and doesn’t appeal as much to the “veteran viewer”.

With more than 80 games and 32 teams, there’s no lack of hockey once the season starts. I typically see the most enthusiasm in the first 20 and the the last 20 games as people are excited for the return and as teams fight for playoff spots. I don’t know what the league can do to make the weekend more “must see” for the older fans. They continually add and make changes, to their credit. There are new competitions, new personnel and new formats.

So, where are you at? Is this year’s all star weekend something that will have your undivided attention, or is it more of a “weekend off” of hockey viewing? Are you making the trek to see it in person? And, if you’re not going to be viewing, is there something that could make this more of a “must see” event? Let me know in the comments!
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