Unfollow NHL September 15

In the past two weeks, we’ve received many great suggestions and ideas in addition to our own on how fans can voice their dissatisfaction and send a message to the NHL/NHLPA.

1. Unfollow and unlike the NHL on all social networking sites on September 15^th, the CBA decision deadline. (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc…)
2. Unfollow and unlike NHL players on all social networking sites on September 15^th, the CBA decision deadline. (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc…)
3. Don’t visit NHL.com, any of the teams’ homepages, or the NHL Shop.
4. Resist the urge to buy merchandise sold by the NHL or any of its teams.
5. Write/email the NHL or any of its thirty teams, voicing your dissatisfaction.
6. Don’t buy tickets to any games.
7. Refuse payment of season tickets if there is in fact a lockout.
8. Cancel your subscription to NHL Center Ice if you have one, or any other NHL-affiliated subscriptions.
9. Support teams from other leagues such as the AHL, WHL, KHL, etc…
10. Spread the word about this movement! It’s a fan movement and every voice counts!

New ideas and suggestions, such as letter-writing or staging peaceful protests, are welcome! You can email us at unfollownhlsept15@yahoo.com, write on our Facebook wall, send us a tweet on Twitter or even drop a message in our Tumblr ask box.

From @JenConnic at Ranger Nation: 

Dear NHL owners and players,

Hope your summer has been going well. It’s been a pretty exciting offseason so far with a great draft and lots of big-name player moves. And the Los Angeles Kings winning the Stanley Cup was a lot of fun. Here in New York we’re still basking in the glow of one of the most successful seasons the Rangers have played since 1994 and hopeful for next season to be just as exciting.

But here’s the thing: We’re worried that there might not be a season this fall. This whole collective bargaining agreement negotiations thing seems to not be going well. You players have dragged out counter offering the owners. And you owners, especially your leader, are throwing the word “lockout” around again. We don’t like that word.

See, here’s the thing, we all remember the last lockout. It was pretty awful. We had football to watch, but then when the season was over we had to watch things like basketball. Yuck. And AHL hockey? It’s just not the same.

I know you both want to get as much money as you can in this new deal. We know you want to have something that you both deem “fair” (though none of us fans will think any of it is fair since we will never see the kind of money you guys earn). But you do realize the repercussions of what will happen if there’s another lockout, right?

IT MEANS LESS MONEY.

Not only will you owners not be generating revenue in ticket sales, you players won’t be earning anything because you won’t be playing. And, oh, you’re going to piss off a lot of fans, especially at a time when the league has become quite popular again. I can guarantee a lot of people won’t be rushing back to buy tickets and merchandise when you get your act together and actually have games again.

Remember how you guys had to rebuild the league in 1995 and again in 2005? You’re going to have to do that all over again. All the momentum and goodwill you’ve built in the years since thelast lockout will be gone. Any sort of work stoppage is going to be a public relations nightmare for both of you.

I keep asking myself: ARE THESE GUYS REALLY THIS DUMB?!

Seriously, are you guys this dumb? Can’t you stop being selfish for a month or two and think of us fans to get this thing done? We know it’s not easy, but we just landed a rover on Mars. Hammering out a new CBA is nothing in comparison.

Hoping to see camp open in September,

Jen

By Detroit Free Press (via USA Today)

One day after NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman promised the league would lock out its players if a new collective bargaining agreement was not in place by Sept. 15, the league and the NHLPA met for nearly three hours Friday at the NHL offices in New York.

The session centered on hockey issues, specifically an appeals process for supplemental discipline and the lengths of training camps.

Read More

On September 15^th, 2012, we are organizing a social media protest and merchandise boycott of the National Hockey League, secondary to the inability of the NHL and the NHL Players Union to develop a Collective Bargaining Agreement.  Gary Bettman has set his deadline day for September 15^th; now we have set ours.

• #UnfollowNHLSept15 is taking a neutral position on the CBA negotiations.  Neither side is desperate for money in their pockets, and ultimately, their inability to compromise results in hurting the fans more than anyone else.
• #UnfollowNHLSept15 does not have the delusion that by unfollowing the NHL and NHL players on Twitter and unliking them on Facebook, we can prevent a 2012 NHL lockout. Rather, this is one way for fans to show unity and to send a message to the NHL, its franchises and its players that we are unhappy their inability to compromise.
• #UnfollowNHLSept15 needs people- and a lot of people. This will only make an impact if we get enough people on board. We are also looking for people to actively help promote and expand the movement. Suggestions and ideas are always welcome. 

SUGGESTION LIST FOR TAKING PART IN #UNFOLLOWNHLSEPT15

• Spread the movement. Hashtag #UnfollowNHLSept15 on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and all other social media sites. Make it your Facebook status, blog about it, talk to other hockey fans about it. This is a grassroots movement that needs your help.
• Stop purchasing official NHL merchandise, effective immediately. I know you want to show off a new Parise or Nash jersey, but it can wait. The hardest place to hit the NHL is in its wallet. 
• Avoid NHL.com and the franchise sites to reduce website traffic.  However, we strongly encourage you to keep supporting your local media outlets and beat writers for hockey news!
• If you are a season ticket holder, consider withholding your payments until a CBA agreement is worked out.
• If there is still no CBA as of September 15^th, 2012, we are calling on all hockey fans to stage a social media protest by “unfollowing” and “unliking” official NHL-related Twitter accounts and players. On that day, we want to see the numbers drastically drop to show a unified statement that we do not support their inability to compromise, and we want our hockey back.

Please find us throughout the internet:

Twitter: @UnfollowNHLSept15 (and remember to hashtag #UnfollowNHLSept15)

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/UnfollowNHLSeptember15

Tumblr: http://unfollownhlsept15.tumblr.com/

Or contact us via email at UnfollowNHLSept15@yahoo.com.

Welcome to the Tumblr for #UnfollowNHLSept15!

Let the NHL know how we, the fans, are ANGRY! We are disgruntled with how they are currently handling the CBA proceedings and are attempting to send a message.

Our plan is simple; unfollow the NHL, all NHL organizations and players on Twitter on September 15th if there is no updated CBA. Unlike them on Facebook and any other social networking sites as well.

Don’t visit NHL.com or contribute to how much traffic their sites, including franchise sites, receive until there is an updated CBA. Find your information elsewhere- possibly here, if we can organize this well enough.

And until there is an updated CBA, don’t buy any NHL merchandise or even visit the NHL shop. Spread the word hockey fans! Let the NHL know how upset we are with how they’re handling our beloved sport! We will not quietly follow them into ANOTHER lockout!

Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UnfollowNHLSeptember15.

Find us on Twitter using the hashtag #UnfollowNHLSept15.

Updates will follow.