At the Boston Bruins annual “state of the franchise” address yesterday at TD Bank Gardens, team owner Jeremy Jacobs was asked about the NHL and the upcoming Winter Olympics in South Korea and responded, “I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
It’s been rumored for awhile now that Jacobs has been a main figure behind the NHL’s refusal to allow its players to participate, and his recent statements only help serve these rumors. He continued with, “When you stop and think about should we take those weeks out of our season, turn it off, continue to depend on these players to perform for us when they get back, if they get back and come back in good condition.”
One thing’s clear from Jacobs’ statements, he is so far removed from the fan experience that he can’t even fathom how the decision could affect fan’s perception of the NHL. In fact, he displayed this when he said, “I think the four people that watch it don’t justify it.” Hands up if you would watch the Olympics with NHL players. I can’t count you all, but I’m guessing there’s more than four of us.
Is this just further proof that Jacobs is completely and utterly out of touch with his team’s fanbase? Or, do you feel his concerns are justified?
