Confusion Arises over NHL All-Star Game due to Lockout
The National Hockey League (NHL) All-Star Game scheduled to be held later on in January of 2013 and traditionally after the Winter Classic, is still in confusion whether it has been cancelled or not, but most experts are of the view that it is as good as
done with.
Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch has stated that “The 2013 NHL All-Star Game in Columbus may already be dead, even if the league hasn’t cancelled it yet.”
That certainly seems to be near to the truth as there is no significant progression as of yet in terms of labour negotiations between the league and Players’ Association, while a major chunk of the regular season and Winter Classic have already become casualties.
Columbus fans were especially excited for the event as they would see a major happening in the city after quite a number of years and with the low performance of the Blue Jackets already have affected their interest in the game, this was set to raise the
mood of fans everywhere.
“I’ve had a large number of fans come up to me at my son’s hockey practices and tell me how excited they were for the game,” Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Adrian Aucoin said, according to the Columbus Dispatch. “The game comes at a time when the Blue
Jackets franchise really needs a boost, too, let’s not kid ourselves. They deserve to have the game here, but they deserve to have it done right, too.”
Not only will the fans be affected by such a decision to cancel a highly looked forward to event, but also various marketing organisations and sponsors preparing to set the stage and light up Columbus all around.
There is another side to the story though. With no season, excitement over the All-Star Game has also begun to die out and just have the ASG without any real competition before or after that just makes it seem meaningless.
“Personally, I think the city and the fans here deserve better,” Blue Jackets defenseman Aucoin added. “It’s the fans’ game, and it wouldn’t really be fair to play it under these circumstances.”
Tags: