DesertRat Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 For years (1951-1955 and 1970-2003), NHL teams wore white or yellow (Seals, Kings) jerseys at home. I grew up watching the home team wearing white, so it took a while for me to get used to seeing the home team wearing the dark jersey. Which would you jersey enthusiasts rather see the home team sporting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 For years (1951-1955 and 1970-2003), NHL teams wore white or yellow (Seals, Kings) jerseys at home. I grew up watching the home team wearing white, so it took a while for me to get used to seeing the home team wearing the dark jersey. Which would you jersey enthusiasts rather see the home team sporting? It took me a long time to adjust as well, not only to the look, but just to remember there'd been a change and keep track of which was the home team when watching games on television. Now that I'm used to it though, I don't mind the change as most teams dark jerseys are nicer or have a more intricate design (there are exceptions, but generally I feel this is the case). It's nice for the fans to be able to see the better jerseys at home. The thirds are all dark as well now, and I imagine that has something to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Since I like most teams dark jerseys better I would have to go with Dark at home since if I lived in an NHL market I would see the one I prefer more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CryWolf Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Although the home team looks better in the dark jersey, I kind of prefer the home team to wear white, so we get to see all the different road jerseys and colors of the other teams. The way it is now, If you are a Canadiens fan for example, you are always watching Red Vs. White. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Although the home team looks better in the dark jersey, I kind of prefer the home team to wear white, so we get to see all the different road jerseys and colors of the other teams. The way it is now, If you are a Canadiens fan for example, you are always watching Red Vs. White. That's a really good point Wolf. I hadn't thought of that when considering my answer and I have to admit, you've changed my opinion. When thinking about the question, I was only considering the home fans caring about the home team, but it makes a lot more sense for them to be able to see the nicer versions of the other 29 jerseys in the league, rather than their own one or two sweaters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 It is kind of funny that even though teams wear the darks at home, when it comes playoff time they ask fans at many locations to wear white for a whiteout effect (or as they call it here the Boise Blizzard). Does look a little funny with all that white, it almost makes it look like you are supporting the visiting team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 The change was instituted as (you guessed it) a marketing decision -- teams were coming up with new third jerseys, so the league wanted to showcase those jerseys to their fans. If my team didn't have such a boring "dark" uniform, I might feel differently, but considering that I think the Red Wings' whites are more visually appealing, I prefer "home whites." Seeing the dark colors at home messes me up when/if watching other sports that still stick to the "white at home" method, like in basketball or baseball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeafsFan83 Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 I really like watching the home team in white. It brings back memories of good hockey times where the teams were in the original home/away colours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertRat Posted October 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 Maybe someone believes that wearing a dark jersey makes you look bigger and more menacing, therefore, it would add to a home-team advantage wearing it at home. I don't know, I always thought performance and execution was the most important thing. I prefer to have the home team wearing white. The 'good guys' wear white, ya know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerseysKing Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 Definitely prefet the old rules of the White jerseys being worn at home games. I heard on a local sports talk show that the league might be thinking of switching back to the white jerseys at home. It would be a popular decison with the fans I'm sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeafsFan83 Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 Popular, but showing inconsistency in the NHL's governing and decision making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 Popular, but showing inconsistency in the NHL's governing and decision making. True, but it would also show that hockey is still the fans' game. Hockey fans are easily some of the most loyal and dedicated fans in the sports world and giving them some say in the government of their sport is a good way to reward and recognize that dedication. It shows inconsistency, but it shows that the fans will get what they want in many cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 True, but it would also show that hockey is still the fans' game. Hockey fans are easily some of the most loyal and dedicated fans in the sports world and giving them some say in the government of their sport is a good way to reward and recognize that dedication. It shows inconsistency, but it shows that the fans will get what they want in many cases. This is a very true statement. One just has to look at attendance numbers last season after having an entire season lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 This is a very true statement. One just has to look at attendance numbers last season after having an entire season lost. Yes. After baseball's lockout attendance was near an all time low. After hockey's lockout ticket sales were at an unprecedented high, with attendance averaging 92% capacity across the league. We hockey fans love our game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 Yes. After baseball's lockout attendance was near an all time low. After hockey's lockout ticket sales were at an unprecedented high, with attendance averaging 92% capacity across the league. We hockey fans love our game. Well as a baseball fan, I can say fans pretty much were fed up with it after having so many work stoppages. Losing the World Series was a serious offense by baseball (no greater offense than losing the Stanley Cup Finals), but because it had happened so many times before. Now there have been 2 agreements on the CBA in baseball without work stoppages since then (first time ever, and second one is expected to be announced soon). In the case of hockey fans, yes we love our game, but the only work stoppage I recall just delayed the season as it was during the preseason. The fans also wanted to see the owners and players get it right and from my point of view, they basically did get the changes right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 Well as a baseball fan, I can say fans pretty much were fed up with it after having so many work stoppages. Losing the World Series was a serious offense by baseball (no greater offense than losing the Stanley Cup Finals), but because it had happened so many times before. Now there have been 2 agreements on the CBA in baseball without work stoppages since then (first time ever, and second one is expected to be announced soon). In the case of hockey fans, yes we love our game, but the only work stoppage I recall just delayed the season as it was during the preseason. The fans also wanted to see the owners and players get it right and from my point of view, they basically did get the changes right. This is definitly true, but at the same time, in a lot of simple ways, it comes down to how much you want to see the sport. I think (and this is just my opinion - I've played organized baseball, watched games, collected cards and attended games, but I haven't been a fan since I stopped playing when I was about 12) that a lot of baseball fans love baseball because it's baseball. They were introduced to it young, probably by an elder who was in love with it. They played as a child (catches in the backyard, pickup games at the park, little league... take your pick) and they grew up with baseball just being a part of their lives. I don't think, however, that baseball is as engaging, on it's own, without all the history and tradition, as hockey. Hockey fans can be driven to tears with frustration at the NHL and their home team, be mad as hell at having missed a season, but when the puck is dropped their eyes are glued to it. I don't think that hockey fans can hold a grudge against their sport and that's what sets them apart from other fans and other sports. Before last season, I wasn't sure if their was going to be a season. We'd lost one year, but I wasn't convinced that we wouldn't miss two. Dissapointing though that prospect was, all I could think about was how hard it would be to wait until I could go to a game again. Hockey has that kind of draw, at least for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertRat Posted October 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 The NHL had a lockout in the beggining of the 1994-95 season, which wiped out about half the year. The NHL sort of recovered, but the league had a lot of momentum before that. Remember the "Why the NHL is hot and the NBA is not" issue of Sports Illustrated? I think that came out in February 1994. The NHL was on the cusp of experiencing a breakthrough in popularity (in the US, if anything) and then the lockout killed all the momentum that the league had going for it. Hockey fans are extremely passionate and wouldn't let go of their favorite sport for anything. That's good and bad; gotta keep the powers that be accountable somehow. In the meantime, game on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 The NHL had a lockout in the beggining of the 1994-95 season, which wiped out about half the year. The NHL sort of recovered, but the league had a lot of momentum before that. Remember the "Why the NHL is hot and the NBA is not" issue of Sports Illustrated? I think that came out in February 1994. The NHL was on the cusp of experiencing a breakthrough in popularity (in the US, if anything) and then the lockout killed all the momentum that the league had going for it. Hockey fans are extremely passionate and wouldn't let go of their favorite sport for anything. That's good and bad; gotta keep the powers that be accountable somehow. In the meantime, game on! Thanks for the info, I was not entirely sure on the details of the Lockout of 1994-1995. I was entering the Air Force at that time and didn't really get a chance to keep up with sports news while I was in Basic and Tech School. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Evils Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 i like the home team wearing white; then we get to see an array of cool threads worn by the visitors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveNJ Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 It's so dull to come in to the arena or watch on tv and see teams playing in white. Even when a team wore it's third jersey at home it never looked right to me seeing the Devils play in their whites on the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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