Author: Chris Ostrander

Reflections from the Basement Party: The Sabres and the Webster Block

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With only a few days remaining until the City of Buffalo awards the winning bid to those who put in an RFP for the Webster Block, it seems as if the Buffalo Sabres are hoping for another off ice victory.

While Ted Black didn’t show his hand during yesterday’s New Media Summit, he certainly indicated that the Sabres do have a vested interest in the development of the area right outside their front door. After briefly discussing Terry Pegula’s $120,000 gift to complete the lawns at Canalside, Black pointed to the organization’s interest in potentially being involved in developing the Webster Block.

There have been plenty of rumors floating around the internet about what the Sabres may be doing down near the arena, but this certainly backs up what had originally been reported by the News and Business First. With the RFP slated to be announced on the 15th, I expect the Sabres will be holding their breath in hopes of having the winning bid.

Personally, I would imagine that Pegula’s donation was done as a first step of the Sabres’ full interest in that part of the neighborhood. I would imagine that the Sabres have to be the front runner for this RFP simply because I would imagine their proposed project would offer the most return for the neighborhood and city as a whole.

One other thing that was brought up by Black and the Sabres is their involvement in potentially earning the right to host NHL events like the Draft or an All-Star Game. He made a comment that not only pointed to their interest and influence (whether direct or indirect) in the area around the arena.

When addressing the Sabres’ interest in these special events, Black made an indirect reference to some comments made by Emerson Etem and European reporters who made disparaging comments about the city and the lack of activities. Black said that the team and city want to make sure they’re putting their best foot forward and leaving visitors with the best opinion of Buffalo possible. He then said that having a large construction pit right outside the arena would not be ideal, especially if an All-Star Game is on the way.

Based on the conversation with Black, the next possible All-Star Game the Sabres will make a run at will be in 2015, giving three more years for Canalside, the Webster Block and the Donovan Building to be built out and develop. From where I’m sitting Black and Pegula are fully aware of how difficult it is to get anything done by the water and they don’t want the same embarrassment that was suffered during the World Junior Tournament.

While the forum in which Black’s statements were given may not get the most publicity, they should certainly carry a lot of weight to those who make decisions in Buffalo. Continue reading →

The Instigator Podcast 1.13 – Basement Party

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After taking in the third Sabres Blog Summit, Eric and I broke down a few of the finer points of the evening’s festivities. For the first time in a while we did not play plus/minus, so we will bring that back next time.

Editor note, the din you hear in the background are the soothing play-by-play tones of Pat Malacaro at the Bisons game.

Big changes in store for 2012-13 Sabres season

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Ted Black certainly knows how to open. The third #BasementBrigade blog summit had a very interesting start with Black breaking the news on a number of very interesting pieces of information pertaining to a number of media-related additions for the 2012-13 Buffalo Sabres season.

The bombshell came with the announcement that the Sabres will lead the charge for a new two-hour radio show called Sabres Hockey Hotline airing on WGR at 10:00 am Monday through Friday. This is a year-round show which means that Colin Cowherd will no longer be heard on Buffalo’s air waves. Thank God.

From the Sabres:

We are very excited to add yet another platform for our fans to get original Sabres content,” said Buffalo Sabres President Ted Black. “Sabres Hockey Hotline will give fans an additional 350+ hours of Sabres programming each year that we know fans will love. It’s an ambitious undertaking for our organization and that’s why we put Kevin in charge of producing and hosting the show. He brings an important level of experience and passion for Sabres hockey that will make the show a great success. Continue reading →

FC Buffalo, get them a stadium

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After a couple seasons, I was finally able to make my way up to All-High Stadium to catch an FC Buffalo home match.

The final result was less than favorable in a game tainted by officiating so terrible you had to wonder if they were on the payroll. However, I really enjoyed taking in the game with a few hundred other fans on a very nice Thursday Friday evening. Based on what I saw, FC Buffalo has a small and loyal following that is allowing the team to start getting its fingers into some more curious and casual soccer fans. The product is adequate for the level that the team is currently at. This is a semi-pro league with some very good athletes who are capable of putting on an entertaining live game. Lastly, the Blitzers’ royal blue kits are a thing of beauty that wouldn’t be out of place when comparing kits from the MLS.

In talking to a few people at the game, it certainly seems as if there is a continued upward trajectory with this club. As of right now they’re making slow improvements, but it certainly seems as if there is a noticeable upward trend to what is going on with the club. As someone who is very much a casual soccer fan, I wouldn’t dare speculate or try to draw conclusions about the club, but from seeing one game it is obvious that there is a solid foundation to build on with FC Buffalo.

Personally, I’d love to see them play their home games at a better venue. Not to say All-High Stadium is inadequate, because it is actually an ideal venue for the size of the current crowds, but I think that tying FC Buffalo to a multi-use venue somewhere in the city would be a wise move. Continue reading →

Last game of the year, can’t hold anything back now

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If there is one common trend that I constantly hear Sabres fans complain about, it is that the Sabres are mentally weak and don’t show up for big games. Whether it is a team complaint, a criticism of Ryan Miller or Thomas Vanek or even Lindy Ruff; fans (and some media members) like to point to mental fragility and the lack of that big game mentality with this roster.

Now, I am not debating the mental toughness – or lack thereof – of the Buffalo Sabres’ roster. In fact, it is something I have felt has been an issue since Chris Drury departed in 2007. The lack of mental toughness is surely a culprit for a number of losses over the past few seasons and the early playoff exits that have plagued the team recently.

However, it is the concept of showing up for big games or when it matters that most seem to misunderstand. The reason this is misunderstood is that every game is a big game. Every shift and every save is equally important. In fact, the only “must win” games are those when you’re on the verge of elimination or victory (see: playoffs). Otherwise, every other game is of equal importance. (Even the playoff example is flawed because one player could be the reason a series was extended to six or seven games.)

This is probably a difficult concept to grasp, especially for those who like to point at poor performances of many players as evidence for their assumed shortcomings. The fact of the matter is that there are truly only a handful of games that could be considered more or less important than any other game during the year. Aside from the games that come down to the wire at the end of the year (and playoff games), each game carries the same level of importance. There is a reason every game is worth two points.

The difference of a game’s perceived importance is due to how much a team has succeeded or struggled during the year. Tonight’s game six is the biggest game of the year for the Devils, just as it is for the Kings. However, tonight’s game wouldn’t be happening if the Devils hadn’t won on Saturday, their last biggest game of the year.

I’d like to tie in the simplest example to prove my point. Since goaltenders are easily the most scrutinized players in hockey, they often are easily targeted as showing up or disappearing in big games. To connect that to Sabres Nation would be the opinion that Ryan Miller doesn’t show up in big games. The fact of the matter is that you always need your goaltender, star player and team to show up on a consistent basis. So, while the evidence is ultimately flawed, the argument is valid. Continue reading →

NHL awards should improve with actual celebrity presenters

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Maybe the NHL was listening to me after all. The better money is on the fact that the league was already aware that they could leverage their growing impact on the celebrity community to draw some attention to the sport.

Who is better looking? You can decide at the NHL Awards.

The 2012 NHL Awards show will be rife with celebrity presenters this year and hopefully getting more A (and B) list celebrities will prevent things like this from happening. The announcement came out on June 5 and includes an impressive list of presenters.

Notice how the NHL describes Andrews as a sports broadcaster? Apparently the league doesn’t have much respect for ESPN either. Bristol can go shove it.

Aside from maybe Vartan, each of these guys are pretty well known actors. Andrews has been loving all over the playoffs on Twitter and I wait for the day that she leaves ESPN to take over between the glass on NBC’s hockey coverage. Connolly is a well documented Islanders fan, Perry and Monteith have been seen at many a game this spring and Vince Vaughn is a Blackhawks super fan.

The NHL also said that Will Arnett, Tracy Morgan and Kevin Smith will be making appearances during the night. I’m assuming that Smith will probably drop a few [Gretzky’s] and that the inclusion of Arnett and Morgan has to do with their day jobs on NBC shows. Perhaps Arnett can explain why his show appeared on network TV over game four.

Your run-of-the-mill presenters will include PJ stock, Barry Melrose, Andi Petrillo, Pierre McGuire and Eddie Olczyk. Let’s just assume that Olczyk will telestrate his presentation while McGuire will tell us all about the junior and high school career of the award winner.

The good news is that Kathryn Tappen will be appearing as well in what one can only hope will be a joint hottie broadcaster presentation with Erin Andrews. Maybe the NHL could find a brunette to toss in as well to create a Golden Oreo of hotness. Continue reading →

NHL needs more network respect

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Old people, an inevitably shitty sitcom and a two episodes of whichever Law & Order spinoff airs on Wednesdays. That is what will be appearing, nation-wide, on NBC tomorrow evening. Meanwhile, on NBC Sports Network, you can potentially watch the Los Angeles Kings end a franchise-long Stanley Cup drought with a series sweep of the New Jersey Devils.

Who wouldn’t want to watch an old people version of Punk’d?

In case, you haven’t heard, ratings for this year’s Cup Finals are down compared to the last few seasons. There are plenty of determining factors here. New Jersey has fallen behind fast, the Kings are a tough draw for anyone East of the Mississippi and the Devils are also far behind that of a team like Boston in terms of market share.  There has also been the arguments made for the lack of star power in the series. While that isn’t inaccurate, I don’t think it is a primary reason for the lack of attention. Think about it, the Bruins and Canucks don’t have any stars that register on a national level in the US either.While there isn’t one thing to blame, you could certainly point to the lack of access for those who do wish to watch the series. Starting on a weekday and then transitioning to the weekend opened a big game between games one and two and with games three and four being shown on NBC Sports Network, there isn’t much room for improvement.

One thing that isn’t different is the impact being made in the participating cities. While New Jersey has dwindled with their team, LA is building more steam as the Cup gets closer to their grasp. My argument that individual success in big markets is drumming up interest in the sport hasn’t changed. It is just the impact nationally that hasn’t improved this season. Perhaps if the NBC family realized that bumping a potential deciding game to a cable network only a fraction of the country has would be a major mistake. What is particularly pathetic is that the Finals will be pre-empted on the main network by yet another silly lineup of network shows.

After American Ninja Warrior and Grimm kept their slot on Monday, Off Their Rockers, Up All Night and a pair of Law & Order episodes will remain on NBC tomorrow evening while the potential clinching game of the Stanley Cup will be played on cable. It is no secret that the NHL still has a ways to go in order to reclaim part of the national spotlight, but things like this aren’t helping. Continue reading →

Finding a way to expand the NHL’s marketing

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Allow me, for a moment to jump on the bandwagon. I never want to come across as someone who jumps on the coattails of a national story for easy content. Truthfully, it isn’t fair to the person who originally covered the topic. However, Puck Daddy questioned why ratings are down for this year’s Cup finals despite the inclusion of Los Angeles and the New York/New Jersey markets.

Greg Wyshynski cited columns by Adrian Dater and Steve Lepore which each make their own argument for why the NHL’s TV ratings seem to linger in the neighborhood of average reality shows. Lepore’s column is in response to Dater’s. While Lepore doesn’t find much to agree with Dater on, I feel like they’re both on the right track.

Whether you think Dater’s player-driven or Lepore’s league-driven marketing is the right course of action, the answer at the end of the day is that the NHL needs to find a way to bring more spotlight to those playing in each game.

Dater’s argument is basically that the players in the NHL aren’t outlandish enough to draw consistent attention to themselves. According to Dater, operating on the team-first attitude has eliminated the potential for explosive personalities. Dater also points to the general lack of star power in this series as a major reason for lack of interest.

As a counterpoint, Lepore argues that the onus is on the league to promote their players over the game itself. More specifically, the NHL should promote their players without the need of marketing polarizing personalities. I have to say I completely agree. Continue reading →

Big market success is bringing back the NHL

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This originally appeared on Buffalo Wins.com.

Slowly but surely, the NHL is making a serious comeback on the national sports landscape. Even though ESPN continues their ignorant stance of pandering to sports in which they hold the rights to, the NHL is indeed becoming more relevant by the day.

After winning the 2011 Sports League of the Year award from Sports Business Journal, the NHL has enjoyed a calendar year of exciting games and some must-see events. Wise marketing put big ticket teams in the Winter Classic in consecutive seasons and the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals saw a winner from one of the largest cities in the US.

Things could get even better this summer as the Los Angeles Kings prepare for their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since 1993. The Kings will never own the city of Los Angeles. That would be a foolish assumption to make. However, they’re one of two teams left playing (Dodgers) and have the opportunity to bring a championship to the city.

This is one of those things that you want to root for as a hockey fan. Not as a Sabres fan, but a hockey fan. It is the same concept as understanding that Sidney Crosby’s health and success is good for the league, no matter how much you hate him. Right now the NHL is becoming a sexy ticket in Los Angeles, celebrities are taking notice and the team has a real chance at winning a title. A great majority of the people buying seats for the Finals are likely to ditch the bandwagon pretty quick, but there is going to be some serious interest drubbed up in LA for this team and the sport. Continue reading →

How to improve the NHL Combine

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Slowly but surely, a number of off-ice events in the NHL have become increasingly popular with fans and the media. New events like the All-Star Fantasy Draft have brought relevance to the All-Star weekend and the Draft Lottery has suddenly become a half-hour TV event.

One thing the NHL has done a terrific job with is making their product TV-ready. Whether it be revamping the awards, instituting an All-Star Fantasy Draft; the NHL has realized their product is marketable and they have taken full advantage.

One event that could use a little updating is the NHL Combine. The Draft’s scope and popularity is continuing to grow and the Combine is following suit. However, the Combine is not growing in terms of entertainment value in the way that the Draft has.

With top-10 prospects growing more NHL-ready on a yearly basis, the draft is becoming more of an important event. No longer is it like playing darts with a drunk girl – hit the board and hope that your team scores points. Now players are more talented and capable of jumping to the professional ranks immediately. This obviously gives a greater vested interest in the Draft itself. However, the NHL combine continues to be more of a fitness test versus a skills test.

Considering the NFL Combine is a week-long television festival, why not have the NHL follow suit? I’m not proposing that these guys get suited up and scrimmage, that is what the Top Prospects Game is for. What I’m saying is create a few hockey specific events that will televise well. It could be fun.

Here is a list of some serious and not so serious (emphasis on the latter) ideas I came up with: Continue reading →