The NHL Doesn't Want Fans. It Wants Customers

The NHL has never been bigger or richer. So why are hockey fans increasingly feeling like customers instead of fans? In this episode of Mid-Ice Crisis, we look at the NHL's corporatization and whether the league is losing what made hockey special. Players are increasingly media-trained. Teams have enormous PR and social media departments. Every nook and cranny of the fan experience is being monetized, from broadcasting and sponsorships to gambling, merchandise and the entire arena experience (This parking lot is brought to you by Bet365). And while the league constantly talks about growing the game and making hockey accessible to more families, the cost of simply being an NHL fan, let alone playing the game, continues to climb.Are you still an NHL fan — or are you starting to feel more like a customer?Mid-Ice Crisis is brought to you by Cwench Hydration.  Go to: www.cwenchhydration.ca/SECONDSTORYPOD to get a 15% discount.  www.cwenchhydration.com/SECONDSTORYPOD in the U.S.  Use promo code SECONDSTORYPOD at checkoutFollow Josh Cybulski at:Insta: https://www.instagram.com/authorjoshcybulski/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJCybulski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfactor12 Buy Josh’s Book: https://www.amazon.ca/Second-Story-Work-Josh-Cybulski/dp/B08JF5M3MN/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706931882&sr=8-1 Listen to Josh’s Audiobook Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/second-story-work-the-novel/id1712487814#nhl #nhlhockey #nhlteam #hockey #hockeynews #hockeyfans #NHL #Hockey #NHLFans #HockeyCulture #NHLNews #HockeyPodcast #MidIceCrisis #HockeyTalk #SportsPodcast #NHLDiscussion