50 replies to this topic

[WingedWheeler1319]

The Illitch family are the best owners in all of sports. They've given the city 4 cups and 30+ years of dedication and hockey excellence. The Red Wings sponsorship agreement with Amway is wrong.

The team belongs just as much to the fans as it does the ownership and corporate sponsors. The constant branding of Amway makes the sport I love seem like a infomercial.

Tell the Illitch family to end their agreement with Amway and to give Hockeytown back to the fans.


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tell-the-Illitch-Family-to-Drop-Presented-by-Amway/219242108138480


This is not an anti-Red Wings page. This page is for Red Wing fans who want to see the Illitch family make the right decision about their relationship with Amway.


Go Wings!

[Doc Holliday]

Online petitions never work.

[Jedi]

They signed a 3 year contract. I'm sure they don't want to lose the revenue from the deal, as well as having to pay legal fees against the inevitable breach of contract lawsuit that would arise from Amway.

I don't like the sponsorship any more than anyone else, but unfortunately this is a done deal.

[Majsheppard]

Participated... but again I doubt it will do any good.

I have come to the realization that unless you can influence 150 million people with ease, or are super rich (usually need to be the latter to do the former) you can't influence any change.

[WingedWheeler1319]

Participated... but again I doubt it will do any good.

I have come to the realization that unless you can influence 150 million people with ease, or are super rich (usually need to be the latter to do the former) you can't influence any change.

Thanks man. More than anything else It's at least away to express frustration so I can concentrate on watching the Wings make another cup run. Being able to express that frustration helps me be a better fan.

Online petitions never work.

That's not necessarily true. I work for a pretty conservative organization and there have been multiple times where online activism has entered into our decision making processes. Now, most of the time, you're right, the decision makers didn't go "yeah, the internet hates us, so let's stop doing what they hate" but they do at least talk about people's concerns and, from time to time, have made legitimate concessions.

They signed a 3 year contract. I'm sure they don't want to lose the revenue from the deal, as well as having to pay legal fees against the inevitable breach of contract lawsuit that would arise from Amway.

I don't like the sponsorship any more than anyone else, but unfortunately this is a done deal.

Done deal or not, the Wings and the NHL should know that there are frustrated people out there. That's the goal, not necessarily to change anything, but to try and have a voice about it.

[WizardOfOz30]

Do other teams have sponsors where it is so prominent with their logo?

We have to remember that this is a business and they need the money to help them. It's not really up to the fans who the Illitch family decides they will partner with unless you're willing to hand over some money and become a sponsor.

[WingedWheeler1319]

Do other teams have sponsors where it is so prominent with their logo?

We have to remember that this is a business and they need the money to help them. It's not really up to the fans who the Illitch family decides they will partner with unless you're willing to hand over some money and become a sponsor.

It's a good point Oz... I guess I view the fan involvement as an ongoing investment: merchandise, games, my Center Ice subscription. Not to much the possibility of the new stadium being partially subsidized by the city. I know the last point is really what this is all about, but still, the fans do invest in the team just as much as the sponsors.

[vladdy16]

Maybe Matt can design an LGW shirt with the Amway logo with a red line through it.

[toby91_ca]

It's a good point Oz... I guess I view the fan involvement as an ongoing investment: merchandise, games, my Center Ice subscription. Not to much the possibility of the new stadium being partially subsidized by the city. I know the last point is really what this is all about, but still, the fans do invest in the team just as much as the sponsors.

Most fans don't really "invest" in the team. Maybe they invest emotionally, but that's about it. Yes, fans buy tickets, they buy merchandise, etc. But that isn't investment, that's simply purchasing goods and services. If the fans actually want to invest in the team, then send your money in without expecting anything in return except for a small stake in the team.

The sponsors don't invest in the either and they really have no ownership over anything. They pay money, in return they get advertising.

The owners are the ones that actually paid to purchase the team. They need to run their business (i.e. the team) to make money hopefully, otherwise, that team may not last forever (Atlanta). This sponsorship deal actually helps the fans be able to watch their team play. Without such sponsorship deals, the ability for teams to operate would deteriorate.

[haroldsnepsts]

Most fans don't really "invest" in the team. Maybe they invest emotionally, but that's about it. Yes, fans buy tickets, they buy merchandise, etc. But that isn't investment, that's simply purchasing goods and services. If the fans actually want to invest in the team, then send your money in without expecting anything in return except for a small stake in the team.

The sponsors don't invest in the either and they really have no ownership over anything. They pay money, in return they get advertising.

The owners are the ones that actually paid to purchase the team. They need to run their business (i.e. the team) to make money hopefully, otherwise, that team may not last forever (Atlanta). This sponsorship deal actually helps the fans be able to watch their team play. Without such sponsorship deals, the ability for teams to operate would deteriorate.

Without fans, a team wouldn't be able to operate either.

I know what you're saying about investment in the literal sense, but as fans we do invest in the team through all the things you listed. Tickets to games, merchandise, and by watching on television, which increases ratings and brings in more ad revenue. Hockey is entertainment, and we're the audience. Which is crucial.

I'm definitely disappointed that Illitch would sign a sponsorship deal with Amway, as I think the Red Wings (and Mr. I) are a class act. Amway is not, and definitely takes some shine of the organization for me.

Edited by haroldsnepsts, 07 October 2011 - 01:15 PM.

[wingfan1991]

Educate me who amway is and why is this bad? I'm not American so no clue what the deal is.

[cusimano_brothers]

Sometimes, "doing the right thing" doesn't pay like it should.

[dragonballgtz]

Without fans, a team wouldn't be able to operate either.

I know what you're saying about investment in the literal sense, but as fans we do invest in the team through all the things you listed. Tickets to games, merchandise, and by watching on television, which increases ratings and brings in more ad revenue. Hockey is entertainment, and we're the audience. Which is crucial.

I'm definitely disappointed that Illitch would sign a sponsorship deal with Amway, as I think the Red Wings (and Mr. I) are a class act. Amway is not, and definitely takes some shine of the organization for me.

Also don't forget the tax payers paying for the arenas.

[jollymania]

They are sponsored by sab miller, which is about to merge with abinbev, probably far worse of a "corporation" than amway

[BigWillieStyle]

Yes, they should eliminate all corporate sponsorships, because each and every fan will have an issue with one corporation or another, thus making all fans disinterested in supporting the team because they entered into a business agreement in which, you, the fan, don't agree with. Your beloved team then has a hard time making the salary cap floor due to poor ticket sales as well as other merchandise sales, and has no choice, but to sell the team to a well funded, highly corporate sponsored team in Nunavut, where Gary Bettman decides is a great place to move Jim Basille's new team, The Nunavut Red Wings.


Or we could just say, oh well, 3 years isn't that long of a time period, and hopefully by then they will have decided that business ties with Amway, weren't the greatest thing after all, and seek out a new more fan approved sponsor. Perhaps Pampers™ is interested.


A little off topic, but did you notice that Mr. I's other team, that he broke the bank on this year, advanced to the next round of the playoffs, thereby tying up Redbird 3 and making him have to charter another plane for his other team? Maybe some corporate sponsor money isn't such a bad thing after all.

[haroldsnepsts]

Yes, they should eliminate all corporate sponsorships, because each and every fan will have an issue with one corporation or another, thus making all fans disinterested in supporting the team because they entered into a business agreement in which, you, the fan, don't agree with. Your beloved team then has a hard time making the salary cap floor due to poor ticket sales as well as other merchandise sales, and has no choice, but to sell the team to a well funded, highly corporate sponsored team in Nunavut, where Gary Bettman decides is a great place to move Jim Basille's new team, The Nunavut Red Wings.


Or we could just say, oh well, 3 years isn't that long of a time period, and hopefully by then they will have decided that business ties with Amway, weren't the greatest thing after all, and seek out a new more fan approved sponsor. Perhaps Pampers™ is interested.


A little off topic, but did you notice that Mr. I's other team, that he broke the bank on this year, advanced to the next round of the playoffs, thereby tying up Redbird 3 and making him have to charter another plane for his other team? Maybe some corporate sponsor money isn't such a bad thing after all.

After reading your post, Summer's Eve came to mind as a potential sponsor. Just brainstorming.

You're being a little dramatic, don't you think? No one is saying get rid of all sponsors. Hell, has anyone ever complained about a specific sponsor here before? It's this particular one.

I'm guessing Amway isn't the only corporation that was interested in sponsoring the Wings. There's likely potential sponsors that were less controversial.

Edited by haroldsnepsts, 07 October 2011 - 04:42 PM.

[T.Low]

Are you going to protest the Belle Tire Power Play, too?

I actually like the Belle Tire Power Play. Whenever my wife wants to get my undivided attention, she begins by saying, "I challenge you...".

[martyrme19]

The word of the day: Slactivism.

Slacktivism (sometimes slactivism) is a portmanteau formed out of the words slacker and activism. The word is usually considered a pejorative term that describes "feel-good" measures, in support of an issue or social cause, that have little or no practical effect other than to make the person doing it feel satisfaction. The acts tend to require minimal personal effort from the slacktivist.

Slacktivist activities include signing Internet petitions[1], joining a community organization without contributing to the organization's efforts, copying and pasting of Social Network statuses or messages or altering one's personal data or avatar on social network services.

[lookalive07]

We are ONE game in.

To be honest, it doesn't really bother me. I think the main reason is that people are lumping the term "Amway" with "bad" and thinking that if it's sponsoring something we all love, it must be the devil. But seriously, it's the same as having every power play sponsored by Belle Tire. Did that ever bother anyone to the point where it made watching the game displeasing? No? Okay, well now we're all in agreement.

[oldredbarnman]

Actually, there IS something we all can do about it. The professional teams get taxbreaks, and our tax dollars for their buildings. The public universities get our tax dollars. They in turn sign contacts with merchandising companies that produce the shirts, hats, etc. that they count on us to buy. Well, almost, if not all of it is now made outside this country. If we all take a stand, and refrain from purchasing their non-American(and to our friends up North, non-Canadian) made products, they WILL notice.
These teams and schools want us to support them, to spend our hard earned money on them. They count on us to support them, and we should demand the same. They make a lot of money from the merchandise sales, but they don't seem to care that it's not made here. I personally will not buy any merchandise, from any sports team, that is not "Made In The U.S.A." I am not advocating a boycott of their games. We are all fans, and should enjoy our teams. Just don't spend your money on anything else.