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Gary Bettman = Gene Simmons Greatest Failure
by Alanah McGinley on 09/11/08 at 04:04 PM ET
Comments (6)
From an interview with Gene Simmons on MSNBC:
Q: What would you say has been your biggest failure?
A: I haven’t had too many big ones but for the past two years, I’ve been dancing with Gary Bettman [the NHL commissioner], trying to figure out some way to [get him to] hire Simmons Abramson. It hasn’t happened yet.
Q: That’s a failure, your inability to seal a deal with Bettman?
Simmons Abramson is the marketing firm founded by Gene Simmons and Richard Abramson, currently responsible for branding an Indy race near you with the slogan: “I Am Indy.” (Clever, clever stuff.)
So, would you hand over the NHL’s marketing to Gene Simmons? Well, the NHL did that once already, actually…
Personally, I’m glad to know Bettman resisted going down this dark road again. 
Filed in: dumb stuff | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Tags: gene+simmons, kiss, marketing, nhl,
Comments
So, would you hand over the NHL’s marketing to Gene Simmons?
No, but there are a number of things I’d gladly hand over to Shannon Tweed.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 09/11/08 at 05:26 PM ET
everything from condoms to caskets. We have you coming and going.
Classy.
Posted by Randy from Fredericton on 09/11/08 at 07:15 PM ET
Oh boy…doesn’t Kiss just personify the mullet sporting hockey fan that the general US public think of when they think of the NHL?
I’d have to say the best, most forward, looking ad for the NHL was the recent issue of The Hockey News’ cover of Patrick Kane. With his mouth wide open in either joyous rant or rocking party action…it is an image that can reasonate with the young consumer that is starved for an ‘alternative’ sport to watch (hence the rise and evolution from X-Games to UFC).
Another great piece is when you open to that article and the Bauer advertisement with Kane stating simple; The Future of Hockey is Safe. A beautiful picture and a bold statement.
Those are small steps…and the NHL really does need to make some bold moves on the marketing front to grab that youth culture, while at the same time satisfying the traditional fan. It is difficult and quite frankly, the best sport to do this in recent times has been NASCAR.
Posted by GZ Expat on 09/11/08 at 07:50 PM ET
nascar`s not a sport, but point taken
Posted by Guy on 09/12/08 at 01:32 PM ET
Richard Abramson is a criminal. Why would someone like Gene Simmons be doing business with this crook?
Posted by Steve from New York on 11/11/08 at 04:56 PM ET
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About Canucks & Beyond
Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003 (with a notable gap in time through 2010, kicking it with new baby Lucy while living knee-deep in chaos while reading “parenting for complete idiots” during every spare minute) sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen.
In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah was one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast. She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York Times Slapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.
So that’s me. Who the hell are you?
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For some reason, when I read this post title, somehow my brain crosses out the part that reads “Gene Simmons Greatest”.
Go figure.
Posted by Earl Sleek from Anaheim, CA on 09/11/08 at 04:55 PM ET