Greg Wyshynski has a great blog (And is one of the more active Twitterers in the Hockey World) here . Edmonton is one of the most interesting places where debates rage on MSM (Main Stream Media) versus bloggers on what the value each of them has to the hockey industries.
It isn’t only related to hockey though. Author Buzz Bissinger (Friday Night Lights) and Will Leitch of Deadspin.com had a debate in regards on HBO with Bob Costas.
In Edmonton, Andy Grabia eloquently covered the debate back in 2007 here.
Since the NHL discussed blogger access a few days ago, much has been said in the hockey world about access for bloggers including a guy that might be one of the most powerful men in hockey Ted Leonsis here.
There was a blogger issue in Edmonton back in 2008 Elliotte Friedman of HNIC weighs in on Puckdaddy here back in 2008. Dave at Covered in Oil was handled less than eloquently by the team when it was found that he was blogging in a less than complementary way in the press box.
And while I was midstream in this post, Staples has a great blog on access guidelines here.
There are many credible points and many different views. The issue is this:
Can NHL teams trust bloggers to be professional in their establishment?
I think that the answer is that the PR people and directors of communication would have to do an immense amount of research on who and why they are offering a Press pass.
Would Allan Mitchell of Lowetide get one? Certainly.
But for every Lowetide there is someone that will skirt the boundaries of professionalism, and write towards a more colourful audience. They will state things as if they are talking to their buddies in the locker room and there really is no space in the press box for that sort of thing.
Sadly, I don’t expect NHL teams to do their due diligence, and find room for those that cover their team in a way that outstrips the quality of some in the MSM.
In Edmonton, we have some decent writers, but we also have some very lazy MSM. The augmentation of their work by the many blogs that cover this team is essential to the work that these MSN do.
I have listened and read Robin Brownlee’s opinion on the matter, but I have seen some changes in his thoughts over the last two years. He is still a gruff S.O.B. from time to time, but even he is won over by some of the bloggers with their intelligence, and quality of insight.
It might be a long time before the NHL sees it as Ted Leonsis does, but allowing more people to discuss your sport can’t be a bad thing.
Xtreme Hockey 