Lack of atmosphere

[Angusdevil7]

I put this on another thread last week but I think people have rosey memories about the bbt sometimes, games against Sheffield, Nottingham Belfast and Coventry were generally pretty good games so the game fed the crowd but the games against Edinburgh, hull, Newcastle, etc were pretty garbage and just descended into a few people in blocks 2,3 and 4 chanting back and fore to each other and no one paying attention to the game. I suppose I think that atmosphere all comes from the game and can't be forced.

I wonder if there is any scope to enclose IAW a bit more with walls being built in between the steel girders behind the back rows, just to enclose the rink and seats a bit more and keep the sound in closer like the tent, I think IAW struggles with how much open space there is to fill

 

[Mazzoak]

Is there much point chanting “Let’s Go Devils” or “Devils duh duh duh” when your 5 goals ahead and barely in 3rd gear. The more often that happens the less likely any kind of atmosphere will. I guess it’s a trade off between securing titles or being competitive and exciting.

 

[jimmy snels]

we barely hit and apart from louis stick up for our team. We have a very good roster. it plays great hockey 90% of the time. but we do miss a plan B and considering Lords first season was the most entertained i had been in years his teams have progressively become more and more passive. i might be in the minority but im getting almost a bit bored at times. ive missed all the "additional" CHL and friendly games as i have fallen out of love a bit with the way we play at times. Ive noticed almost sarcastic cheers if a hit is thrown at some games.
for me our style of play will never draw a hugely engaged crowd chanting all period. fans here grew up on blue collar hockey and we rarely see that style if at all.

im ready for the backlash for this one

 

[Ocko]

we barely hit and apart from louis stick up for our team. We have a very good roster. it plays great hockey 90% of the time. but we do miss a plan B and considering Lords first season was the most entertained i had been in years his teams have progressively become more and more passive. i might be in the minority but im getting almost a bit bored at times. ive missed all the "additional" CHL and friendly games as i have fallen out of love a bit with the way we play at times. Ive noticed almost sarcastic cheers if a hit is thrown at some games.
for me our style of play will never draw a hugely engaged crowd chanting all period. fans here grew up on blue collar hockey and we rarely see that style if at all.

im ready for the backlash for this one

I can't disagree with your points, for me that was my favorite season too. However I think there is good reason for the lack of blue collar grit we are so used to. Blue collar teams are usually not particularly successful, we have grown from that and are now the hunted rather than the hunter.

The biggest problem in drawing an atmosphere from the fans is how good we are. Comfortably beating teams means it is, whilst for the purest maybe good hockey, on the whole a little boring when we are 5+ goals ahead - there is no contest. I see it like a boxer, no one cheers if someone is beaten up for 12 rounds, but if it was a toe to toe slug fest everyone would be on their feet.

The reason our games are not that physical I dont think is directly down to Lord's game plan - I just cannot believe that Andrew Lord wouldn't be preaching to his team before a game that we need to be physical and finish our checks. But again, because of our ability we are such a high puck possession team and dominate the O-Zone, if you have constantly have the puck it's difficult to finish your hits and get physical. Team's are also giving us too much respect; Manchester, one of the most physical teams in the league, came to IAW and played a 1-4 forecheck, which is so passive for a team built like that. Then once we are ahead they dont want to risk penalties and then after a few goals there's no contest and little point starting something.

 

[DevilDom]

I agree with both Jimmy and Ocko to an extent, however we weren’t dominating on Saturday and the crowd didn’t get into the game until the last 10 minutes when the players on the ice upped it. That was a game where we should have trying to lift the players earlier.

I also miss the blue-collar style of hockey and think that we have perhaps gone too far the other way in pursuit of European success. As much as I love the European games we need to remember our bread and butter comes from the EIHL and that is the style of hockey the vast majority pay to see.

 

[Earnie]

Surely atmosphere at the Arena is a two way thing. The fans feed off the player action and then the players feed off the fan reaction and encouragement.
Sometimes it just doesn't happen. So be it- that's sport.

 

[punks]

The impression I get is that all that 90% of the crowd want or have been sold on is to watch two goons have a scrap.

Always gets the loudest cheer of the night and the crowd turn into a gladatorial blood-baiting mess.

And so, it has markedly changed in the past few seasons in that refereeing and play-style has turned it into a rarified occasion to see a brawl.

Though, working shifts as I do, I don't get to as many games as I'd like so I may be way off the mark.

Also, when you win game after game and score goal after goal the crowd tends to sit on their hands. Think back to playing footy on the yard back in your school days; it gets a bit boring after you score the 9th goal in the Year 9 vs Year 8s game...

No complaints from me though, it's been a joy to watch and long may it continue. All hail Lordo.

 

[jimmy snels]

we have built a squad where in reality we dont have a rink rat annoying the hell out of the opposition and we dont have a forward of any size that can hit. That has a huge reflection on the way we play and as a crowd get entertained. I was disappointed that bordy didnt get involved more but some of his hits were unreal and drew you onto the edge of your seat as he started charging around because you thought something MIGHT happen. Thats what we're missing imo. a real character, physical player. we're never going to win in Europe in reality. I want to see entertaining competitive hockey at home all year.

 

[RTfarty]

I agree with both Jimmy and Ocko to an extent, however we weren’t dominating on Saturday and the crowd didn’t get into the game until the last 10 minutes when the players on the ice upped it. That was a game where we should have trying to lift the players earlier.

I also miss the blue-collar style of hockey and think that we have perhaps gone too far the other way in pursuit of European success. As much as I love the European games we need to remember our bread and butter comes from the EIHL and that is the style of hockey the vast majority pay to see.

We're not the only team or league that is moving towards the European style of hockey though. The NHL has also changed considerably in the past few years, with a much greater emphasis on teams playing fast, skillful hockey over the blue-collar style of old. You only need to look at the suspensions and reactions on social media to plays that would've been cheered in the past to see this. You could argue that the game has gone a little soft in the pursuit of improved player safety, but teams and coaches have also realised that if they want to be successful they need to adapt instead of relying on 'old school' hockey. Why do you think we have had so much more success than every other team in the league the past 2 years?

Hockey in the 90's and 00's was what it was, arguably the most entertaining era of the sport and part of the reason a lot of us became Devils fans. But the game is about speed and skill now and teams won't win trophies if they focus on entertaining the fans with big hits and fights.

Right now we are dominating teams with our speed and skill. Once the rest of the league catches up, even if it takes a few seasons, I think we'll begin to see games on a par with the excitement we've experienced in CHL fixtures. But right now, we are too good for most of the league and that is why I think some fans are finding our 'brand' of hockey boring.

 

[davew]

I find watching players who can skate, stick handle and who generally have good game vision far more exciting than games in which you may see a few hits thrown but players lose puck possession and struggle to dominate on the bigger ice.

A physical game suited the smaller ice pads of the WNIR and BBT. Don't get me wrong though, as there still is a time and a place for the physical aspect of the game, but it will not be a major part of the game that we saw in the past. The rule changes the IIHF and NHL have introduced have been made to allow the skilled skating style to flourish.

 

[Wannabe2]

Like as has already been said, myself and many others were brought up on the blood and guts that was hockey, the thrill of the huge mid ice hit, 2 guys dropping the gloves, no one slept or left the building when this happened, no other sport had these thrills and we were hooked big time. However as much as I do miss those days, I sit in my seat at times now, and am amazed at the pure poetry in motion skills that I see, that is also a huge buzz a different buzz maybe, but a buzz indeed,so entertaining to watch speed, skill with the best ticket in town. If there is anything i miss more though, it’s a character, like has been said, a rink rat, someone who just does it, like a Sacratini, the nearest we have to that is probably Faryna. Skill we have in abundance, bit more nastiness wouldn’t go adrift, but this is still the best sport on the planet.

 

[pjj365]

Some people did not like the Oles the other week BUT I saw it as a tribute to the passing skills and puck movement of our team

That was an atmosphere reflecting the joy in skilled hockey taunting the opposition from the crowd - it was just not what you got with "old time" hockey

 

[Kevlar68]

I am so focused on watching the game that i don't even notice anybody else around me or the atmosphere, the only sound i really hear is the outcry for a penalty call, the cheers for a big hit, the dismay when a goal conceded and the roar when a goal is scored.
I sometimes find the music in a break in play isn't that inspiring to create an atmosphere either, maybe that's just me.

 

[Wannabe2]

I am so focused on watching the game that i don't even notice anybody else around me or the atmosphere, the only sound i really hear is the outcry for a penalty call, the cheers for a big hit, the dismay when a goal conceded and the roar when a goal is scored.
I sometimes find the music in a break in play isn't that inspiring to create an atmosphere either, maybe that's just me.

My thoughts exactly, except I quite like the music that’s played. I also am so focussed on the play that atmosphere is neither here nor there. Obviously when the red army are in full voice it’s a thing of beauty, but other than that I am there for the game.

 

[Ibbz9]

There are a few things at play here. Firstly, as mentioned, the Devils have far more puck time than most teams which means less need for physical players, and less time to be physical. Lord's season objectives are to win trophies, not to entertain.
When comparing the IAW to the BBT/WNIR people need to take into account the ice size. Throw in the changes to the offensive zone sizes and various rule changes and the on-ice product is vastly different. Games on bigger ice pads are, for the most part, far less physical.
It also takes two teams to create an atmosphere. The vast majority of visiting teams coming to the IAW will not be looking to play physical. They risk facing a great PP if they take penalties. It is also tough to play physical against a fast skating and great passing team. They risk getting carved open defensively if they do start stepping into hits.
If the make-up of the team is changed to add "grit", "rats" or guys willing to fight more often, there is no way of knowing if the teams win rate would suffer. I very much Lord will risk going down that route with the success they are currently experiencing.

 

[SteveKing]

This is a great debate and one that I have with myself as well. As I've said from the start, I adore old time hockey with big hits and fights. I'm afraid that that style of hockey is gone for good. The simple fact of the matter is that hockey players now are 50% faster and 20% stronger than players in "the good old days". That's why concussions and other bodily harm are so much more prevalent now. Add to the fact that we now know so much more about head injuries and we just can't knowingly bring in somebody with the goal of dropping the gloves or even predatory hitting. There is a moral and even legal dilemma with that kind of style given what we know about CTE and other mental issues associated with brain injuries.

In North America, former physical players like Daniel Carcillo and many others are actively speaking out about head shots and fighting. It's why fighting has all but vanished from the game in all leagues (except for the Quebec senior league!). The game will continue to go towards speed and skill but I do believe that there will always be a role for aggressive role players that can change the game and the atmosphere with good clean hits. Players like Justin Faryna, Matthew Myers, Josh Batch, Mark Louis and Benny Blood.

The love of that kind of player in our market is duly noted and I share that with you. The makeup of every team is a little different each year and sometimes takes unexpected turns (Charlie Linglet this year) but this is something that we'll keep trying for in the future.

 

[Kevlar68]

And lets be fair not many fights go on for that long, its usually a few glancing blows and someone on there back and the players like Ware, Macwilliam, Voth etc who could keep a player up while also trading blows are now a thing of the past. I like to see big hits and play continues. For me there is more of a instant "Ouch" reaction to a big hit than a boring shirt swapping handbag tussle.
In saying all that i did enjoy the big enforcer when that was the game but the fights I've seen over the past 3 seasons at IAW or "Viola Arena" have been pretty tame. Again this is only about the fights I've seen so i may have missed some fights through a season at games i couldn't make.

 

[august04]

Nobody wants to see a headhunter that’s for sure but a tough, physical player doesn’t have to be one of those lunatics. We can all agree to disagree on what Bordeleau did or didn’t bring to our team, but generally his hits were very hard but clean. During the Guildford game when we were down and looking clueless, I found myself thinking back to that Blaze game when we were in a similar position and Bordy turned the game on its head in 2 or 3 shifts, with some massive hits and we turned a likely defeat into a win, with the energy his play gave the building and the team. He put the fear of God into Coventry, they crumbled and we grew before our eyes and dominated the rest of the game. We have tons of skill this year but we don’t have that kind of player for me, which would make this team complete. And I disagree with the point someone made earlier about Lord ‘s job not being to entertain. I disagree totally with that. You don’t entertain and you risk dwindling crowd numbers, even when you’re winning. Ideally, you do both but you can’t ignore either.

 

[Kevlar68]

So the question then is would you prefer more entertaining games but maybe with a loss because of penalty mins and finish say 4th or boring wins with fewer penalties and win the league? Your in a top flight league to win titles and trophies.

 

[RedDevil17]

So the question then is would you prefer more entertaining games but maybe with a loss because of penalty mins and finish say 4th or boring wins with fewer penalties and win the league? Your in a top flight league to win titles and trophies.

Like he said, not all hits are dirty hits and as he stated, Bordeleau make big but clean hits. I’m all for throwing hits and mixing it up with skillful play. We have the team to do it, just make sure the hits are clean. I’m getting bored of hammering teams by 5-6 goals and it’s not getting me off my seat. During the Guildford game it was nice to see some competition finally, even though we lost we had a competitive and close game. We threw a couple hits here and there but my question is why can’t we do it more often? Panthers play a physical game so well but they lack the skill we have and the indiscipline. Time your hits right and for me, that’s an entertaining game. Every time a hit is thrown the majority of the crowd (including myself!) get off their seats, that’s a fact.