Red Wings official website too equal to others?

[frankgrimes 1,836]

I've tried to use the search-function but couldn't find anything matching. We have the boring offseason and maybe another lockout looming so I've decided to take a look at all NHL websites and I must say, I am not impressed with our one. Doesn't look that bad but save for red/white and different background-images the page is looking exactly like all the others.

I mean just LGW the site is looking fantastic, clean, simple and yet very modern why can't the site of an O 6 franchise look as good? Please note, not that I am saying it should be filled with flash animations, super gfx effects just a bit more modern while resembling while also having reference to the great history of HockeyTown.

Why not hire some coders and designers to create a great looking one. Mr. I should give you a call Matt :-)

[Detroit40oz 21]

All of the NHL teams have the same exact layout and format for their website. Each team has their own crew of people that work the site and post articles, but the site itself is basically the same thing for all 30 teams.

It's just kinda how it is.

Its the same thing for pretty much every pro league too.

[Konnan511 1,736]

All of the NHL teams have the same exact layout and format for their website. Each team has their own crew of people that work the site and post articles, but the site itself is basically the same thing for all 30 teams.

It's just kinda how it is.

Its the same thing for pretty much every pro league too.

This is correct. NHL wants uniform websites. I remember a year or two ago one of the teams tried suing the league so they could make their website the way they want it.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Uncle Gary wants parity in everything.

[Jedi 1,865]

This is correct. NHL wants uniform websites. I remember a year or two ago one of the teams tried suing the league so they could make their website the way they want it.

Yep. In 2007, the Rangers sued the league citing Antitrust laws, stating that the "cookie cutter" design eliminates competition between the different teams (since no team can have features or designs that another team wouldn't have).

http://paidcontent.org/tech/new-york-rangers-cablevision-sue-nhl-opposing-its-website-control-by-the-le/

The New York Rangers, run by Madison Square Garden LP, which in turn is a Cablevision Systems unit, has filed a lawsuit against National Hockey League, alleging that NHL is violating antitrust laws by seeking to control the team’s websites, and said that “NHL has become an illegal cartel”. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, asks the judge to block NHL from seizing control of team-related businesses. NHL has threatened to impose “abusive and outrageous fines” unless the Garden surrenders control over team merchandising, licensing, and advertising, the suit says, reported on by Bloomberg.

AP: The lawsuit said the NHL insisted last week that MSG transfer control over the Rangers site, including the “nyrangers.com” address so that the league could convert it into one of 30 “cookie-cutter” club Web sites at “nhl.com.” The lawsuit said MSG had spent years developing the site to market Rangers hockey in competition with other NHL teams. By seizing the site, the NHL would eliminate competition between teams and harm consumers.

Reuters: The Garden, which is not seeking punitive damages, said it had spent six years cultivating a sophisticated and popular Rangers Web site, which includes video clips from games and access to team merchandise.

[rrasco 1,312]

Each site used to have its own user system and forum which a few years ago was rolled into one larger system that handles the logins, etc, for every team's sites. Forums are still there, although I'm not sure they ever merged the content or started over. Ever since then my NHL.com logins have never worked the same. I can't even participate in many of the voting/contest applications they put out.

Uniformity does make it easier to navigate the other team sites I am not used to being on. I know exactly where to find there schedule, roster, stats, etc. Not to mention the site is technically still nhl.com, it's just a subdomain. Detroitredwings.com does redirect there as well though.

[Z and D for the C 712]

It's actually kind of nice. If I want to find info or whatever about another team, I know exactly where to look.

[Wing Across The Pond 196]

I think it's also because the Red Wings don't run the site. They provide copy but all content, especially things like images and highlights, are owned by the NHL. League run sites all under the same main domain is a good thing.

Not to mention a lot of other things that have been mentioned, i.e. people looking around other team sites and being able to use them easily.

[KATIEBARTHEDOOR24 426]

It's just the way it is sometimes.

Pretty lame though.

Edited August 27, 2012 by KATIEBARTHEDOOR24

[Jeff6851 168]

It's the same thing for every team in every sport. The league runs the site and they all just have different writers.

[joshy207 156]

The Wings' site now is actually much better than it was before the league mandate. The old site was BRUTAL.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Thanks for all the answers I think that is just wrong. Uncle Gary seems to be more of a Castro than a commissioner. I mean, how boring is it having each site equal? I'd really like to see some great designers/coders working their magic for club sites, instead we have this boring cookie-cutter-style for all 30 teams.

As much as I hate to admit it, I always thought the Pens had an awesome one before the league took over all websites.

Edited August 28, 2012 by frankgrimes

[Wing Across The Pond 196]

Thanks for all the answers I think that is just wrong. Uncle Gary seems to be more of a Castro than a commissioner. I mean, how boring is it having each site equal? I'd really like to see some great designers/coders working their magic for club sites, instead we have this boring cookie-cutter-style for all 30 teams.

As much as I hate to admit it, I always thought the Pens had an awesome one before the league took over all websites.

I know a lockout could be on the way but team sites aren't really the fault of Bettman so don't know why the hate towards him for that. It's a marketing thing, most likely devised by the marketing team, to make sure all content stays on league-run/owned sites. Not really Bettman sitting in the boardroom throwing his finger around and slamming fists like a dictator and threatening everyone who disagrees. I'd be surprised if he even had a say in it at all, apart from to say something along the lines of 'make sure we're covered with regards to copyright'. I mean after all, if other sites showed highlights and footage of NHL players, organisations, and events/games, then why would they go to NHL.com. That's the whole point.

[rrasco 1,312]

It's the same thing for every team in every sport. The league runs the site and they all just have different writers.

I don't think the league runs all the sites. They may oversee them, but last year they were hiring a web developer for the Red Wings' site. The job was in Detroit and the place of employment was JLA.

[Gizmo 21]

I don't think the league runs all the sites. They may oversee them, but last year they were hiring a web developer for the Red Wings' site. The job was in Detroit and the place of employment was JLA.

In "tech-speak", All 30 team web sites are "hosted" under the NHL's "nhl.com" domain. It's also safe to say that all of the sites are run off of the same web servers. I have no doubt that each team's "web staff" are the ones that make changes to their team's web site, but they are obligated to use the "NHL approved" page templates and associated menu structures and navigation.

I agree that the current team site is overall better than the previous "stand alone" web site, particularly after the initial team template's color scheme was corrected away from the initial "pinkish" hue it started with.

Edited August 28, 2012 by Gizmo

[rrasco 1,312]

In "tech-speak", All 30 team web sites are "hosted" under the NHL's "nhl.com" domain. It's also safe to say that all of the sites are run off of the same web servers. I have no doubt that each team's "web staff" are the ones that make changes to their team's web site, but they are obligated to use the "NHL approved" page templates and associated menu structures and navigation.

Tech-speak. LOL. I'm a network and software engineer, I understand how it works.

And I noted the subdomain above. However, subdomains can resolve to different IPs as well. Just because they share the same domain does not mean an A record can't be setup for the subdomain.

As a matter of fact, nhl.com resolves to 8.20.73.150 while redwings.nhl.com resolves to 63.97.127.34.

It looks like all the team sites resolve to similar IPs on the same subnet, so they may very well be hosted together.

sharks.nhl.com: 63.97.127.56

kings.nhl.com: 63.97.127.57

redwings.nhl.com: 63.97.127.34

I was just noting that each team has their own staff and responsibilty for their own site, while the content and other various aspects are probably overseen by the NHL.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

All 30 NHL teams used to have unique and individualized websites. I miss those days.