EA Saves the Day

Last week, I took a stab at suggesting an opinion on popularizing soccer in the United States. Well, that went over with mixed reviews. Some thought it was an insightful idea, while others were outraged. One reader actually went on a Premier League message board to apologize on behalf of all Americans. I’m not really sure why he needed to apologize for people in Brazil and Mexico, but whatever makes you feel good I guess. Anyway, I enjoyed getting the juices of debate flowing, so this week I’ll take a shot at NHL Hockey.

Unfortunately, the proposed solution to reinvigorate the NHL – and get the games on television for fuck’s sake – is not so controversial. The solution lies with EA Sports and it is obvious. They need to put out another NHL Hockey game that can draw in the younger generation of potential fans, like NHL ’93 and ’94 did for our generation.

During the years of the Sega Genesis, I went from being a kid who liked to play a little pond hockey and watch the Stanley Cup to knowing probably 300 players in the NHL and garnering up genuine interest in the sport. I could name every 100-power slap shot and easily every 100-speed player. I knew that Theo Fleury, though weighing in at about 175 lbs, was lighting fast and the best checker in the whole league. I knew that Don Sweeney was a third line defenseman for the Bruins, but he was fast and a good compliment to Ray Bourque’s snail-like skating, but sniper rifle slapshot. In fact, I even bought a goal for my driveway and practiced my slapshot every day with hopes of being a late bloomer and joining the high school team. This interest definitely started with EA Sports.

The question you are probably asking right now is, “How do you propose EA suddenly popularize the NHL series, since they never stopped making it?” Isn’t it obvious? The next one that comes out, you package the new game with an original version of NHL ’94, playable on the PS3, Xbox 360, PSP, or Wii. I would buy this in a second. The thought of setting up user records with my friends again on the new system with the original game and then on a true-to-the-original updated version.

The NHL really should not be struggling as much as it is. Granted the league has become more boring due to the Defense-first mentality that was popularized by the New Jersey Devils, but I do not see this as the primary reason that interested has waned for pro hockey. I am not suggesting that a video game is going to fix the deeper problems in the league such as the fact that all but the very worst teams make the playoffs. Doesn’t it make sense to reward teams who won all year with a trip to the playoffs? It isn’t even remotely challenging to make the playoffs. I mean, is it weird that the Rangers, Islander, and Devils are all in the playoffs? Talk about cannibalism. Congruently, the league has ballooned for no good reason. Every asshole city in the U.S. has hockey team. Expanding to 30 teams, with a bevy of teams in the tropics where hockey has never been very popular, is risky and dilutes the quality of play.

So, clearly there are larger issues than my gimmicky solution implies, but it is a place to start. Get the kids back, first. Then focus on the larger realignment issues and marketability with the media. Everyone wants to like hockey again. EA I’m looking to you to give us the reason.