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View Full Version : NHL Refs to wear mics

mingming
Oct 3rd, 2005, 04:21 PM
Referees will wear microphones and announce penalties to spectators and to viewers watching at home when the NHL restarts with all 30 teams playing Wednesday night.

It's the latest innovation for a league eager to attract attention and lure fans after losing its 2004-2005 season to a collective bargaining impasse.

The new set-up might not be in place in all arenas opening night but it will be there for each team's second home game, league officials promised Monday.

Referees will announce single and offsetting penalties in English. If there are multiple penalties at the same time, to avoid delaying games announcements will be left to arena public address systems. In every instance, the in-house announcer will repeat the referee's call, which will enable penalty calls in Montreal to continue to be relayed to spectators in French.



... What is this?? Football?? Watch they'll have to stand in the centre circle and and announce it while performing hand signals. Just pathetic.
NDman
Oct 3rd, 2005, 04:43 PM
*sigh* Sports fans in North America need to be spoon-fed, I guess.
north77
Oct 3rd, 2005, 04:46 PM
Hey that may not be such a bad idea.
Besides, we technically know what the call is going to be before it's announced. (hand signals) :lol:
mingming
Oct 3rd, 2005, 04:49 PM
It seems they're trying to use a different idea from each sport.

- Goalies with different jerseys: Soccer
- Refs with mics: Football

Soon they'll try to copy the NBA and have "ICE-Side" seats right behind the goalin with no protection. So that during the shootout, fans can wave sausage balloons to try and distract the shooter.
north77
Oct 3rd, 2005, 04:55 PM
It seems they're trying to use a different idea from each sport.

- Goalies with different jerseys: Soccer
- Refs with mics: Football

Soon they'll try to copy the NBA and have "ICE-Side" seats right behind the goalin with no protection. So that during the shootout, fans can wave sausage balloons to try and distract the shooter.

Now THAT'S a million dollar idea! ;D
Headhunter
Oct 3rd, 2005, 06:00 PM
Bring back the glowing puck! :razz:
coopaloop
Oct 3rd, 2005, 06:04 PM
You should here some nice language from the guys being sent to the box.
bluetroll
Oct 3rd, 2005, 10:51 PM
whatever helps make the game grow... i have no problem with it..
Rometiklan
Oct 3rd, 2005, 11:15 PM
This is absolutely wonderful. What a great idea. Why didn't they come up with this before now? I just can't believe the stream of fabulous ideas coming from the brainchild of the NHL. Genius...pure genius! My compliments. :lol:

Seriously, the mic on the ref won't really impact the game, but I never found it entirly necessary to have the penalty announced, but it may explain what's going on to some casual fans. You just know some ref is going to forget to turn off the mic and some player is going to be screaming some really nasty obscenities for everyone in the stadium to hear.
krispy
Oct 3rd, 2005, 11:28 PM
You should here some nice language from the guys being sent to the box.

I'm surprised they passed this knowing that. How long before the NHL gets fined for indecency?
gamovafan
Oct 4th, 2005, 12:15 PM
:lol: reminds me of a situation back in the '96 playoff series between the Leafs and Blues. The ref had a mic on, they just called a penalty and Chris Pronger, who at the time was a newbie, wanted to talk to the ref, the ref wouldn't have none of it and said something like "hey cornflake, get away from me". Some of these guys are fun to listen to.