SAVE NHL SIM HOCKEY! - Theme League Classifieds

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I am posting this here because this is the only section that gets visits.
We are down to perhaps 35 regular users and maybe 15 more who play 8-10 times a year.

Obviously WIS is NOT interested in making this thing go. They have done NOTHING to indicate otherwise
I just KNOW that between us, we can devise ways to bring in another 2-300 Hockey nuts. THIS IS A COUNTRY OF 35 MILLION, and that's just Canada.

Do you honestly believe that in a small hockey mad city of 330,000 like Saskatoon, there aren't at least a thousand who would love this thing??

I know this thing can fill to 200 or more owners who play like Kidsims, Chuck, me and other guys who have as many as 5 - 10 teams going at once. THAT'S just for the fanatics. There are at LEAST 500 more who'd play a team a month

Guys, we can let this thing drown, or get it rolling. Talk to me.. post your ideas here. The product isn't perfect, but it is a ton of fun.. Leagues ought to take 3 days for an open, and 4-5 days for a Theme to fill. Right now, it's 3 weeks, and that is only if you do some promo work.

CHUCK, you are a self employed business owner who obviously knows something about finding customers. You are the VP of marketing in this thread. Help me?

11/26/2016 9:35 PM (edited)

chuckinrlp

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Just saw this now Glen.
Don't remember when, but we were all asked about the best places we thought of to market this. We all made suggestions and it kind of fell by the wayside. It has been obvious to most of us here for a few years now that FOX has zero interest in keeping this thing alive. No updates in the hockey sim for years. We were told years ago a dynasty was on the way, (2010 or so I believe was the initial start of questions), only to be forgotten.
The ONLY developer I've dealt with that actually cares about hockey, Mike Welch, is pulled away to work on other gaming portfolios for Fox. The work he is able to do he does on his own time, likely unpaid, because of his love of the sport and the hockey sim. He is only one man and isn't able to put the necessary hours in to build the dynasty on his own time. If not for Mike, we probably wouldn't even get the new players every year (that used to come months before they do now). I was told a long time ago that FOX money crunchers looked at the income generated by WIS and determined that hockey was just a losing proposition. I asked someone (don't remember who) a long time ago about doing improvements or updates on the hockey sim and was told when we got more users in the hockey sim, they would make some adjustments and improvements to the game. I mentioned then and will mention now, that is akin to a restaurant having lousy food and telling its patrons they will hire a new chef and improve the food when they get more people to eat there. So basically, if you are looking for an update or hockey dynasty, it isn't going to happen.
As far as getting new users, it would not cost much at all and the returns would be substantial. A few dollars targeted in the right places would bring in loads of new users. Offer a free team to give people a taste. Give them a tremendous knowledge base FOR NEW PLAYERS. (I say this because I took advantage of the free hoops dynasty and actually read pages of stuff. I took a team with 5 scholarships available, thinking I can build my team the way I wanted. After the team finally appeared, I come to find out recruiting is over and the sim signed 5 scrubs. My team is 0-11 and my next game I am a 46 point underdog with no hope in sight). A small ad in a few local papers, or, cheaper yet, an ad in different local blogs such as DK on Pittsburgh Sports or Kuklas Korner to name a few. I personally even thought of spending my own money and contacting WIS to allow me to split profits with them with any new players that signed up and bought teams. Since it wouldn't cost FOX a dime, why not try it? Why? Because it makes too much sense. They just aren't interested in hockey. We need to realize that. I've brought more than a few users to this site, and have watched MANY, MANY MORE just walk away. It breaks my heart that we are just watching this thing die on the vine, but not much we can do about it. When it does end, I'll gather my money and find another hobby that I can do at work all day to take my mind off being here all day every day. WIS offers me a break in the day and a blast from the past, as I have always loved reading box scores of games and reminiscing about players I've seen from 1967 to present. I've also met some great people on this site, and even met up with a few in real life. I've said it before and I'll state my belief again, hockey fans are the most passionate, nicest fans of any sport out there. We are fiercely loyal to the teams and players we love, and that's ok by me. Hockey is the greatest sport in the world, and if FOX wouild take their heads out of their collective butts, they would see that.
After saying all this, I'll probably never win another cup again, and that's ok. Truthfully, I don't know how much longer I will stick around either in all honesty. I've cut my teams wayyyyyyyy back from where they once were, and the leagues I'm joining are fewer and farther between. It's been a fun ride though and I'm honored to have gotten to know a bunch of you guys (and a few girls) out there. I know I'm privileged to call a bunch of you friends.
I guess the bottom line in what I'm saying Glen is that with a budget of $0, there isn't much we can do other than tell a few more buddies.

11/28/2016 5:54 PM

BlueBladeAce

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I hate FOX. They are typical of the 'my way is the only way' think tank. Or should I say 'Stink tank?'
Did you post this before game five??

I think we will have to stick ads in places like a hockey arena, a sporting goods store, and etc. I won't pay a nickel to do this, as WIS have enough of my money already. Truth is, I can live just fine without sim hockey, but it's so much fun putting a team together. If they can't make money with hockey, then they are in the wrong business or just have incompetent people at the helm.

HOW MANY YEARS SINCE ADMIN HAS EVEN MADE A COMMENT IN NHL HOCKEY?? Kind of tells the story.

I refuse to play Basketball, Baseball, or football.

They could allow newbies to do 4 exh leagues in a row. In fact let them do as many as they want.. without the 3 weeks wait. In time, many would play 6-7 leagues and join up

They are quite happy to toss us $4.95 apiece to try a Hoops league. They can stuff it.

'Yeah, we will serve cooked food once we have enough customers. Meanwhile, enjoy the cold soup.' Proof that you can be stupid and still prosper

I would buy this site and fire them all, except for M Welch... and we would be HOCKEY SIM first and foremost, with 2 thousand Canadians in the first 6 weeks. . With goalies that actually stopped pucks. All I need is lots of money and to lose my mind; with the latter being the most probable

11/28/2016 6:27 PM

zero1940

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Well said Chuck and Glen, exactly my thoughts. Thanks for reaching out.

11/29/2016 9:29 AM

slimebot

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I never had any interest in a hockey dynasty game, personally I don't see the appeal of scouting and developing fictional players.

I have always wanted however, for the hockey sim to have more features added. For example, normalize the stats. I hate Alex Ovechkin but he is the greatest goal scorer to ever play. That can be mathematically calculated and this type of sim appeals to stats/numbers people. The fact that he scores as much in this low offense era is very impressive. With normalized stats, players would be compared to their era.

Alsi, anyone else hate how the defense formula was changed about 8 or so years ago and since then it appears that guys like John Carlson and Dan Hamhuis were better than Bobby Orr or Brad Park? Or John Klingberg is one of the all time best? I remember when I started here in like 2004 or something and Larry Robinson, correctly tipped the best defensive players list. Now, every year new guys are rated 96 and above. This will never be fixed though because since not many people play, this site isn't going to put the money into it. Hockey is a fringe sport, it only appeals to a certain type of person. I live in Pittsburgh and most people care more about the NBA around here than hockey even though there has never been an NBA team here.

Another awesone twist that the baseball sim has that would be easy to implement, would be a leagues based upon career averages. There are certain niche guys that are often selected for one outstanding season, ie Par Boutette or Dennis Hextall. In a league based on career stats, you might actually see guys like Gordie Howe or Ray Bourque used more often.

Enough rambling. If I had friends in real life I would tell them to olay, but then again, if I had friends, I wouldn't spend my time playing hockey simulators.

12/2/2016 3:33 PM

sabrewolf

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Hockey is not all about Goal , Pass and DF , an NHL champion team must have a lot of differents players like players with : can Check , can Hits , with Speed , Intensity , withs Hands . All theses factors should be use by the sim and not just Goal - pass and df.

Also Goalthender is maybe the Most important position !!!! here not very effective...

12/2/2016 3:48 PM

slimebot

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Saberwolf, not trying to pick an argument but now that hockey is utilizing advanced stats, data has indicated that the goaltender isn't that important. Teams obviously need someone competent but above a certain level anyone be be plugged in and with the right system and good players in front of him, the team can win. Sort of a diminishing returns concept. This isn't really my opinion, its just what I have read about winning in the era of salary cap and advanced statistics.

12/2/2016 7:23 PM

donaldjl

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I have an idea. How about WIS puts some kind of time or effort into this product. Why would new people want to stick around when most of the regulars have cut way back or left altogether. I left for a few years before returning this past summer and I'm already losing interest again. I won't **** and moan about the discrepancies in the numbers of RL players versus their sim-league outcomes because the numbers are skewed due to different eras and each season of each player. What that gives us is a bunch of leagues with a bunch of similar rosters. That doesn't appeal to me personally which is the reason I mostly play in progressive/regressive leagues and specific themes.

A dynasty is/was something that had a lot of people excited but that was like 6,7,8 tears ago. We, the hockey part of this site, have been tucked away in the corner of the basement and all but forgotten. Until somebody comes trapsing around and trips over our lumpy mass, we're destined for the scrap yard.

12/2/2016 8:46 PM

damag

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Brothers, I don't know if this is sunny side up or sunny side down, take your choice... read any other board in here, everyone's complaining about the same things. There. Just. Are. Not that many of Us who want to play any sim sports. I knew it when I was a kid and my teacher introduced APBA baseball to the class, me and one other guy got into it.

When this was run by a bunch of people who were excited about experiencing something new it was fun to see it flourish. And I even came late to the party. Now we're the ones who are keeping the party going long past midnight, and Fox is just saying sure, we'll keep the bar open for you guys as long as you wanna keep boozing.

12/3/2016 11:04 AM

lostnfound74

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Posted by slimebot on 12/2/2016 3:33:00 PM (view original):
I never had any interest in a hockey dynasty game, personally I don't see the appeal of scouting and developing fictional players.

I have always wanted however, for the hockey sim to have more features added. For example, normalize the stats. I hate Alex Ovechkin but he is the greatest goal scorer to ever play. That can be mathematically calculated and this type of sim appeals to stats/numbers people. The fact that he scores as much in this low offense era is very impressive. With normalized stats, players would be compared to their era.

Alsi, anyone else hate how the defense formula was changed about 8 or so years ago and since then it appears that guys like John Carlson and Dan Hamhuis were better than Bobby Orr or Brad Park? Or John Klingberg is one of the all time best? I remember when I started here in like 2004 or something and Larry Robinson, correctly tipped the best defensive players list. Now, every year new guys are rated 96 and above. This will never be fixed though because since not many people play, this site isn't going to put the money into it. Hockey is a fringe sport, it only appeals to a certain type of person. I live in Pittsburgh and most people care more about the NBA around here than hockey even though there has never been an NBA team here.

Another awesone twist that the baseball sim has that would be easy to implement, would be a leagues based upon career averages. There are certain niche guys that are often selected for one outstanding season, ie Par Boutette or Dennis Hextall. In a league based on career stats, you might actually see guys like Gordie Howe or Ray Bourque used more often.

Enough rambling. If I had friends in real life I would tell them to olay, but then again, if I had friends, I wouldn't spend my time playing hockey simulators.

Thanks for the input, S bot

12/4/2016 8:38 AM

lostnfound74

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Fox is just saying sure, we'll keep the bar open for you guys as long as you wanna keep boozing.
Yeah, this

We gotta talk this thing up, get some more members. Even 100 new 2 six packs a year regulars would put this back on the map

12/4/2016 8:44 AM (edited)

lostnfound74

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I like being able to take Justin Faulk at $2.5m and with his D 80 he looks like Bourque on most teams

12/4/2016 8:43 AM

chuckinrlp

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Posted by slimebot on 12/2/2016 3:33:00 PM (view original):
I never had any interest in a hockey dynasty game, personally I don't see the appeal of scouting and developing fictional players.

I have always wanted however, for the hockey sim to have more features added. For example, normalize the stats. I hate Alex Ovechkin but he is the greatest goal scorer to ever play. That can be mathematically calculated and this type of sim appeals to stats/numbers people. The fact that he scores as much in this low offense era is very impressive. With normalized stats, players would be compared to their era.

Alsi, anyone else hate how the defense formula was changed about 8 or so years ago and since then it appears that guys like John Carlson and Dan Hamhuis were better than Bobby Orr or Brad Park? Or John Klingberg is one of the all time best? I remember when I started here in like 2004 or something and Larry Robinson, correctly tipped the best defensive players list. Now, every year new guys are rated 96 and above. This will never be fixed though because since not many people play, this site isn't going to put the money into it. Hockey is a fringe sport, it only appeals to a certain type of person. I live in Pittsburgh and most people care more about the NBA around here than hockey even though there has never been an NBA team here.

Another awesone twist that the baseball sim has that would be easy to implement, would be a leagues based upon career averages. There are certain niche guys that are often selected for one outstanding season, ie Par Boutette or Dennis Hextall. In a league based on career stats, you might actually see guys like Gordie Howe or Ray Bourque used more often.

Enough rambling. If I had friends in real life I would tell them to olay, but then again, if I had friends, I wouldn't spend my time playing hockey simulators.

I'm a Pittsburgh guy as well slimebot, but I have to disagree with your statement about "yinzers" caring more about basketball than hockey. The Steelers are #1, and the Pens a close #2. Basketball might be #3 ahead of the Pirates and their "couldn't care less, it's a money making operation" ownership, but I doubt that as well. True, we never had an NBA team, but the ABA Pittsburgh Pipers/Condors with all-star HOF'er Connie Hawkins (whom I was fortunate enough to meet when he played in Pittsburgh...a super guy!) had a difficult time drawing any fans, even when the team tried to fill the arena by giving tickets away for free just so fans would show up. True, the Pens did not draw well either, but they eventually have been adopted by the young fan base in the Pittsburgh area.

Regardless, it is true that the stats need adjusted. The sim itself needs adjusted. Since they "detuned" the older players, they are pretty much worthless. Also, players with a d rating of 5 or 7 play like Selke winners come playoff time. Some of the greatest players in the game can't be used if you care at all about winning. This is especially true with the players of the 1950-s and 1960's. A few tweaks here or there would make the sim enjoyable again. Bottom line is that FOX just doesn't give a hoot.

12/6/2016 1:26 PM

kiteport

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Honestly, the idea of spending $10 to play sim hockey is a bit ridiculous, especially when you can invest in PS3 or PS4 hockey. The return on the $10 investment on this site is nil. It is addictive and in it's heyday a lot of us got ridiculously addicted to this site. A lot left for that financial reason.

The thrill of drafting is fun and interesting, but after that... the SIM is fickle and very unkind.

I'm surprised anyone is even left, to be honest. I have left twice, only to return. However, this time, I am gone. It's just done. I usually know when to leave the party, but this one kept me hanging on.

One last league.

12/6/2016 2:41 PM

BlueBladeAce

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Posted by kiteport on 12/6/2016 2:41:00 PM (view original):
Honestly, the idea of spending $10 to play sim hockey is a bit ridiculous, especially when you can invest in PS3 or PS4 hockey. The return on the $10 investment on this site is nil. It is addictive and in it's heyday a lot of us got ridiculously addicted to this site. A lot left for that financial reason.

The thrill of drafting is fun and interesting, but after that... the SIM is fickle and very unkind.

I'm surprised anyone is even left, to be honest. I have left twice, only to return. However, this time, I am gone. It's just done. I usually know when to leave the party, but this one kept me hanging on.

One last league.

Join my two leagues, Kite. You are in one of them, I forget which one. I'm pretty well out of gas too, but this is a fun thing for me because I love the game and Math was my subject major... which qualifies me for Suckerville and WIS

12/9/2016 6:10 PM

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