Impact of the NHL Lockout: I have not written much about the NHL labor dispute, mostly because there has not been that much to report. The luxury tax has become a real sticking point and it does not seem that we are any closer to hockey now than we were six months ago. This season seems lost -- how about next season?



The impact of the stoppage is being felt all over. Obviously, Canada feels it the most, with marketers wondering where to advertise without Hockey Night in Canada. While many of the players have gone to Europe to play, this article examines what the coaches are doing. In addition, the off-ice workers have been strained by the lack of work.



Finally, this article wonders how the lockout will ultimately affect the non-traditional hockey markets, mostly in the Southeast. Will fans in Nashville, Atlanta, Raleigh and Tampa remember hockey when it comes back? In my opinion, the team losing the most is Tampa. The stoppage means that the team is unable to ride the way of its Stanley Cup championship and loses all of the momentum from its play-off run. The team even had to resort to giving the team its championship rings in a private ceremony in the arena basement.



But I am not sure how the other cities in the South will react. If anything, I think hockey may not be affected all that much. Many fans in southern cities view hockey as a novelty: if it is here, great; if not, no big deal. I don't think this will change much once hockey resumes. Because hockey is not a part of daily life, there is not the same sense of betrayal as when baseball cancelled the World Series. Thus, when play resumes, fans may be more willing to return.



Does this mean that teams in hockey-crazy areas will be more affected? Not necessarily. There will be some sense of betrayal, especially if the Stanley Cup play-offs are cancelled (which is increasingly likely). I think attendance will drop off more in hockey towns simply because it has farther to fall. But, like baseball, the NHL will ultimately be fine because people love sports and have short memories. There may be fewer franchises, but many people in southern cities will not even notice if their hockey team goes away.

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