In early October, the National Hockey League Fans' Association (NHLFA) and one of its key corporate sponsors, Decima Research, conducted simultaneous polls. Decima Research polled more than 600 Canadian hockey fans, while more than 1800 NHLFA Members took part in the poll.
| 1. |
This year/season, how likely are you to...?
|
Very likely |
Somewhat likely |
Not very likely |
Not at all likely |
Don't know |
| Watch NHL hockey games at home |
90%
|
68%
|
7%
|
27%
|
2%
|
4%
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
0%
|
| Go to one NHL hockey game |
54%
|
20%
|
18%
|
24%
|
10%
|
27%
|
11%
|
28%
|
5%
|
1%
|
| Go to more than one NHL hockey game |
41%
|
10%
|
18%
|
15%
|
17%
|
25%
|
21%
|
49%
|
5%
|
1%
|
| Go out to a restaurant/bar/pub to watch an NHL game |
34%
|
16%
|
25%
|
32%
|
20%
|
22%
|
17%
|
28%
|
4%
|
1%
|
|
2. |
As you may know the National Hockey League's Owners and Players have ratified the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signalling the end of a 301-day lockout and ensuring the League will resume play for the 2005-06 season.
How familiar would you say you are with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and what it means for the future of NHL hockey?
|
30%
|
8%
|
Very familiar |
|
58%
|
49%
|
Somewhat familiar |
|
10%
|
34%
|
Not very familiar |
|
1%
|
9%
|
Not at all familiar |
|
1%
|
0%
|
Don't know |
|
3. |
At this time, would you say your opinion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and what it means for NHL fans is favourable or unfavourable?
|
68%
|
63%
|
Favourable |
|
11%
|
9%
|
Unfavourable |
|
21%
|
28%
|
Don't know |
|
4. |
With the CBA securely in place, are you looking forward to the start of the 2005-06 NHL hockey season? Please choose a number from 1 to 7, where 7 means you are "highly anticipating" and 1 means you are "not at all anticipating" the start of NHL hockey this season.
|
63%
|
25%
|
7 - Highly anticipating |
|
16%
|
22%
|
6 |
|
11%
|
30%
|
5 |
|
5%
|
14%
|
4 |
|
2%
|
5%
|
3 |
|
1%
|
2%
|
2 |
|
1%
|
1%
|
1 - Not anticipating at all |
|
0%
|
1%
|
No Opinion |
|
5. |
As you may know, the Collective Bargaining Agreement includes a completely revamped economic system under which, during the first year, total player costs of the 30 NHL Clubs will not exceed 54% of League-wide revenue. In addition, no Club payroll for the 2005-06 season will be less than $21.5 million and no payroll will exceed $39 million -- including all salaries, signing bonuses and performance bonuses. (All figures are in $US.)
How strongly would you say you support or oppose this clause?
|
36%
|
20%
|
Strongly support |
|
39%
|
47%
|
Support |
|
12%
|
25%
|
Neither support nor oppose |
|
6%
|
3%
|
Oppose |
|
3%
|
1%
|
Strongly oppose |
|
3%
|
3%
|
No Opinion |
|
6. |
Coinciding with the changes to the club payrolls, players are now under salary caps. The maximum player salary cannot exceed 20% of the Club's salary cap, which means that, no player can earn more than $7.8 million in any one year of his contract.
How strongly would you say you support or oppose this clause?
|
51%
|
44%
|
Strongly support |
|
31%
|
36%
|
Support |
|
10%
|
15%
|
Neither support nor oppose |
|
3%
|
4%
|
Oppose |
|
2%
|
1%
|
Strongly oppose |
|
2%
|
1%
|
No Opinion |
|
7. |
In the past, under the old Collective Bargaining Agreement, all players had to wait until age 31 to become a free agent. Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement the age of unrestricted free agency will decline each year until 2008-09 when players who are either 27 (with at least four season in the NHL) or who have played 8 seasons will be eligible.
How strongly would you say you support or oppose this clause?
|
16%
|
16%
|
Strongly support |
|
34%
|
42%
|
Support |
|
27%
|
30%
|
Neither support nor oppose |
|
16%
|
8%
|
Oppose |
|
5%
|
1%
|
Strongly oppose |
|
3%
|
3%
|
No Opinion |
|
8. |
In addition to the CBA, the NHL has also created a Competition Committee that was responsible for formulating and recommending the proposed rules changes for approval by the NHL Board of Governors. This committee currently consists of 4 NHL players, 4 General Managers, and one owner and is supervised by Colin Campbell.
In your opinion, do you think the creation of the Competition Committee is a good decision? Please choose a number from 1 to 7, where 7 means "Great idea" and 1 means "Terrible idea"
|
31%
|
15%
|
7 - Great idea |
|
24%
|
22%
|
6 |
|
26%
|
27%
|
5 |
|
11%
|
17%
|
4 |
|
2%
|
5%
|
3 |
|
2%
|
2%
|
2 |
|
1%
|
1%
|
1 - Terrible idea |
|
3%
|
11%
|
No Opinion |
|
9. |
With the addition of the Competition Committee several rules changes have been made in hopes of emphasizing the skill, competitiveness and entertainment value of NHL hockey to it's fans.
From the following list, please indicate which ruling changes (starting in the 2005-06 season) you are aware of:
| Offside Tag-up | 90% | 38% |
| Shootout after an overtime tie | 98% | 73% |
| Smaller goaltender equipment | 97% | 71% |
| Removal of centre line permitting longer passes | 96% | 67% |
| Tougher penalities for instigating a fight | 62% | 49% |
| No line-changes after icing the puck | 75% | 29% |
| Increasing the size of the offensive zones | 85% | 39% |
| Restrictions on goaltenders handling the puck | 93% | 56% |
| Tougher penalties for taking a dive or embellishing | 59% | 39% |
|
| 10. |
And for each of these rules, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with their instating.
|
Strongly Agree
7 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
Strongly Disagree
1 |
Don't know |
| "The Tag-up Rule" will permit play to continue if offensive players who preceded the puck into the zone return to the blue line and "tag" it |
66%
|
29%
|
16%
|
19%
|
8%
|
16%
|
3%
|
11%
|
1%
|
3%
|
1%
|
3%
|
1%
|
4%
|
4%
|
16%
|
| Following a scoreless five-minute overtime, three players from each team participate in a shootout. If the score remains tied after each player has had a turn, the shootout will proceed to a "sudden death" format |
24%
|
32%
|
16%
|
17%
|
14%
|
11%
|
10%
|
10%
|
6%
|
4%
|
6%
|
5%
|
22%
|
14%
|
1%
|
7%
|
| Passes from behind the defensive blue line to the attacking blue line will be considered legal. The center red line will be ignored for purposes of the "two line pass" |
54%
|
33%
|
21%
|
23%
|
11%
|
18%
|
5%
|
10%
|
2%
|
3%
|
2%
|
2%
|
2%
|
2%
|
2%
|
9%
|
| The dimensions of goaltender equipment will be reduced by approximately 11 percent |
52%
|
27%
|
21%
|
23%
|
12%
|
18%
|
7%
|
13%
|
3%
|
3%
|
2%
|
3%
|
2%
|
4%
|
2%
|
8%
|
| A player who instigates a fight in the final five minutes of a game will receive a game misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension. The length of suspension would double for each additional incident and the player's coach will be fined $10,000 - a fine that will double for each such incident. |
20%
|
34%
|
12%
|
20%
|
11%
|
12%
|
12%
|
11%
|
8%
|
6%
|
10%
|
5%
|
25%
|
7%
|
3%
|
6%
|
| A team that ices the puck cannot make a line change prior to the ensuing face-off |
27%
|
22%
|
20%
|
19%
|
16%
|
18%
|
14%
|
13%
|
6%
|
5%
|
5%
|
4%
|
8%
|
6%
|
4%
|
12%
|
| The addition of four feet in each of the offensive zones (the size of the neutral zone will be reduced to 50' from 54') |
31%
|
19%
|
29%
|
21%
|
18%
|
20%
|
12%
|
18%
|
2%
|
4%
|
2%
|
2%
|
2%
|
2%
|
4%
|
15%
|
| Goaltenders who play the puck behind the goal line but outside the designated puck handling area (in a trapezoid-shaped area) will be penalized for delay of game |
14%
|
14%
|
11%
|
12%
|
13%
|
15%
|
12%
|
15%
|
8%
|
10%
|
11%
|
9%
|
28%
|
17%
|
3%
|
9%
|
| In addition to the minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct/diving that may be assessed by the Referee during a game, Hockey Operations will review game videos and assess fines to players who dive or embellish a fall or a reaction, or who feign injury in an attempt to draw penalties |
47%
|
40%
|
23%
|
25%
|
12%
|
15%
|
7%
|
8%
|
3%
|
3%
|
2%
|
2%
|
4%
|
2%
|
2%
|
6%
|
| "Touch" icing will remain the practice, although the Linesman will have discretion to wave off apparent icing infractions if they are deemed the result of an attempted pass |
28%
|
22%
|
26%
|
20%
|
16%
|
20%
|
11%
|
14%
|
3%
|
4%
|
4%
|
5%
|
8%
|
4%
|
4%
|
11%
|
|
11. |
For each of the following rules changes please indicate the level of impact you expect it to have on "livening up" the game of hockey. Please choose a number from 1 to 7, where 7 means "large impact" and 1 means "no impact at all".
| Rule Changes |
Huge impact
7 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
No impact at all
1 |
Don't know |
| Tag up rule |
18%
|
15%
|
22%
|
19%
|
30%
|
31%
|
15%
|
16%
|
6%
|
5%
|
3%
|
2%
|
2%
|
1%
|
3%
|
12%
|
| Shoot out to decide games |
37%
|
33%
|
19%
|
20%
|
15%
|
15%
|
9%
|
14%
|
5%
|
2%
|
5%
|
6%
|
7%
|
4%
|
3%
|
7%
|
| Expanded Offensive zone |
19%
|
19%
|
28%
|
29%
|
29%
|
25%
|
14%
|
15%
|
5%
|
2%
|
2%
|
1%
|
1%
|
0%
|
2%
|
9%
|
| Reduced goaltender equipment size |
17%
|
19%
|
28%
|
27%
|
28%
|
27%
|
14%
|
12%
|
7%
|
5%
|
3%
|
2%
|
3%
|
2%
|
1%
|
7%
|
| Removal of the center red line to permit longer passes |
41%
|
32%
|
29%
|
30%
|
18%
|
17%
|
6%
|
8%
|
2%
|
3%
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
2%
|
8%
|
|
12. |
For each of the following statements below please indicate whether you "strongly agree" or "strongly disagree", using the same 7 point scale where 7 is strongly agree and 1 is strongly disagree.
|
Strongly Agree
7 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
Strongly Disagree
1 |
Don't know |
| Given how long the labor dispute has lasted any deal that gets the players back on the ice is a good thing |
14%
|
16%
|
13%
|
9%
|
17%
|
22%
|
14%
|
15%
|
8%
|
9%
|
7%
|
9%
|
25%
|
14%
|
1%
|
6%
|
| With all the changes to the game I'm curious to see how this season plays out |
53%
|
33%
|
27%
|
30%
|
11%
|
19%
|
5%
|
6%
|
1%
|
4%
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
5%
|
| Overall, the new rules for game play will make the game more exciting to watch |
24%
|
22%
|
29%
|
25%
|
22%
|
20%
|
10%
|
15%
|
3%
|
5%
|
2%
|
3%
|
4%
|
2%
|
4%
|
7%
|
| Overall, the Collective Bargaining Agreement will be good for the players |
8%
|
7%
|
12%
|
13%
|
18%
|
16%
|
21%
|
26%
|
12%
|
12%
|
9%
|
7%
|
10%
|
5%
|
9%
|
14%
|
| Overall, the Collective Bargaining Agreement will be good for the owners |
37%
|
26%
|
30%
|
24%
|
14%
|
18%
|
8%
|
14%
|
1%
|
4%
|
0%
|
1%
|
0%
|
0%
|
8%
|
13%
|
| Overall, the Collective Bargaining Agreement will be good for the fans |
21%
|
16%
|
20%
|
20%
|
15%
|
16%
|
15%
|
18%
|
6%
|
6%
|
4%
|
6%
|
8%
|
4%
|
10%
|
13%
|
| Overall, the Collective Bargaining Agreement will be good for the NHL |
30%
|
22%
|
25%
|
23%
|
15%
|
21%
|
12%
|
15%
|
2%
|
4%
|
2%
|
2%
|
3%
|
1%
|
10%
|
12%
|
|
13. |
In comparison to previous NHL hockey seasons, do you think this new Collective Bargaining Agreement will change the game of hockey for the better or for the worse?
|
65%
|
55%
|
Better |
|
8%
|
7%
|
Worse |
|
13%
|
22%
|
Stay the same |
|
13%
|
17%
|
Don't know |
|
14. |
Will the new CBA lead you to become...
|
22%
|
15%
|
A Bigger NHL fan than you were before the lockout? |
|
5%
|
7%
|
A Lesser NHL fan than you were before the lockout? |
|
73%
|
77%
|
Right now it's too early to tell |
|
