Wings shake up front office...

[RickFromFowler]

Wings hire away exec from Predators, tweak front office titles - NewsFlash - mlive.com

The Red Wings hired executive Steve Violetta away from the Nashville Predators on Monday, hoping he can help get people excited again about NHL hockey in Detroit.

Violetta will fill a new position, vice president of business affairs, for the Red Wings after having the same job for two years for the Predators.

He helped Nashville increase its season-ticket base and ticket revenue by more than 50 percent, boosted corporate sponsorships by nearly 50 percent and doubled the team's local TV ratings, according to the Red Wings.

You didn't really think for even a second they might have fired Holland did you ?

[ivalley]

Wings hire away exec from Predators, tweak front office titles - NewsFlash - mlive.com

The Red Wings hired executive Steve Violetta away from the Nashville Predators on Monday, hoping he can help get people excited again about NHL hockey in Detroit.

Violetta will fill a new position, vice president of business affairs, for the Red Wings after having the same job for two years for the Predators.

He helped Nashville increase its season-ticket base and ticket revenue by more than 50 percent, boosted corporate sponsorships by nearly 50 percent and doubled the team's local TV ratings, according to the Red Wings.

You didn't really think for even a second they might have fired Holland did you ?

No, but good try.

[Fraserburn]

**** this wouldnt even be news if the Lions made a hire like this
you're fishing with the wrong bait Rick

[RickFromFowler]

**** this wouldnt even be news if the Lions made a hire like this
you're fishing with the wrong bait Rick

hooked you

[Fraserburn]

hooked you

hardly, I'm more like that fish that sticks his head out of the water to tell the fisherman just how horrible a job he is doing

[CCBuckeye207]

Did they really have to hire someone to tell them the reason people aren't going to the Joe is because ticket prices are too high and the economy in Michigan is terrible? They should have hired me, i could have told them that.

[goblue80]

Did they really have to hire someone to tell them the reason people aren't going to the Joe is because ticket prices are too high and the economy in Michigan is terrible? They should have hired me, i could have told them that.

Dont forget the fans are also bored.

[CCBuckeye207]

Dont forget the fans are also bored.

Very true, we are so used to them being an elite team it did get kind of boring for casual fans. I love hockey, so i watch and i go down there when i can, but casual fans are content waiting til April and May. It ashame really...but what can you do when your franchise is just that good.

[Fraserburn]

Dont forget the collective Verlander-Zumaya / Cabrera-Willis boner Detroit has for the Tigers now

The Wings are 1st in the NHL and are a non-issue in their hometown
this is bigger than a declining economy which is why they brought this guy in

Read between the lines,
Illitch and the entire Red Wings Organization are from here on out treating Detroit as a Small-Market Area

[Josh2Blue]

I think I can explain the Red Wings lack of fans. Its not the economy, nor is it the success that is taken granted for. They may contribute, but here is the problem:

North American Players.

When this team was amazing and the Joe was rocking, they had North American hockey icons that everyone came down to see. Guys like Darren McCarthy, Brett Hull, Shanahan, and Yzerman. These guys were voices in English that the fans could connect with.

Now, the majority of our players are European, and the stars don't speak a lick of english (a la Pavel).

There are only 10 North American players, none of which are the stars or voices of this team.

[ivalley]

Dont forget the collective Verlander-Zumaya / Cabrera-Willis boner Detroit has for the Tigers now

The Wings are 1st in the NHL and are a non-issue in their hometown
this is bigger than a declining economy which is why they brought this guy in

Read between the lines,
Illitch and the entire Red Wings Organization are from here on out treating Detroit as a Small-Market Area

I don't think it is entirely the Wings fault though. Pretty much every NHL franchise is a small-market team. The NHL has been run poorly from the top of the league, giving the whole league a bad image. The lockout didn't help much either.