It doesn't happen very often but on occasion, we diehard car-nuts at the office do talk about other subjects than cars. Most of the time, it's about hockey; we are Canadian after all and yes, most of us have been rolling up rims daily and for many years.
If you're a fan of the sport, you'll have noticed that violence is on the rise. In the last few days alone, dirty hits resulting in fights or severe injury have made headlines. We're thinking of the Richards-Dubinsky brawl and the Pacioretty-Chara incident. Not to mention that Syd the Kid, the face of Hockey, the man, the dream, is out for the remainder of the season because of head injuries.
This makes the NHL not only look like a bad imitation of the UFC but that it is run by baboons.
The real calamity, the absolute disaster, is what has been taking place after these incidents: the NHL does nothing, indirectly promoting this type of behaviour. This is wrong.
The best news to come out of this, so far, is that Air Canada has threatened to pull its important sponsorship from hockey.
As reported by the Ottawa Sun, Air Canada's Corporate marketing executive Denis Vandal told Garry Bettman that his corporation has a social responsibility to take a stand against "irresponsible accidents". He also added that "Action must be taken by the NHL before we are encountered with a fatality. Unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries, Air Canada will withdraw its sponsorship of hockey''.
We say: "Bravo!"
Hence this thought: We think that the car manufacturers that also sponsor the league should follow suit. How can important companies such as these, always promoting safety, give money to an organization that condones such an unsafe environment?
They and you know who they are and the simple threat of annulling their involvement with the sport would push the NHL to sit down and dole out some serious justice. By the same token, they would be forced to insure that these types of incidents are limited or completely wiped from the face of hockey. How about following the NFL's lead?
Here's an example of the power of the sponsorship: A few years ago, something similar happened in international motorsports. After it was proven that Nelson Piquet Jr had deliberately crashed his Renault F1 car in the wall to manipulate the outcome of the 2008 Grand Prix of Singapore, team Renault sponsor ING (the Dutch bank and financial service company) decided to immediately end its multimillion dollar sponsorship of the French team.
We bet that Renault regretted their manoeuvre.
We bet the NHL would regret not fixing the situation.
**Update** Garry Bettman says that the NHL can find another sponsor and another airline to fly with.
If you're a fan of the sport, you'll have noticed that violence is on the rise. In the last few days alone, dirty hits resulting in fights or severe injury have made headlines. We're thinking of the Richards-Dubinsky brawl and the Pacioretty-Chara incident. Not to mention that Syd the Kid, the face of Hockey, the man, the dream, is out for the remainder of the season because of head injuries.
This makes the NHL not only look like a bad imitation of the UFC but that it is run by baboons.
The real calamity, the absolute disaster, is what has been taking place after these incidents: the NHL does nothing, indirectly promoting this type of behaviour. This is wrong.
The best news to come out of this, so far, is that Air Canada has threatened to pull its important sponsorship from hockey.
As reported by the Ottawa Sun, Air Canada's Corporate marketing executive Denis Vandal told Garry Bettman that his corporation has a social responsibility to take a stand against "irresponsible accidents". He also added that "Action must be taken by the NHL before we are encountered with a fatality. Unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries, Air Canada will withdraw its sponsorship of hockey''.
We say: "Bravo!"
Hence this thought: We think that the car manufacturers that also sponsor the league should follow suit. How can important companies such as these, always promoting safety, give money to an organization that condones such an unsafe environment?
They and you know who they are and the simple threat of annulling their involvement with the sport would push the NHL to sit down and dole out some serious justice. By the same token, they would be forced to insure that these types of incidents are limited or completely wiped from the face of hockey. How about following the NFL's lead?
Here's an example of the power of the sponsorship: A few years ago, something similar happened in international motorsports. After it was proven that Nelson Piquet Jr had deliberately crashed his Renault F1 car in the wall to manipulate the outcome of the 2008 Grand Prix of Singapore, team Renault sponsor ING (the Dutch bank and financial service company) decided to immediately end its multimillion dollar sponsorship of the French team.
We bet that Renault regretted their manoeuvre.
We bet the NHL would regret not fixing the situation.
**Update** Garry Bettman says that the NHL can find another sponsor and another airline to fly with.