Roller Hockey Today is No More

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

I learned the sad news from Daryn Goodwin of NARCh. The sharp, glossy magazine Roller Hockey Today, which he and Tim McManus of State Wars worked so hard on, has been placed on hiatus after two issues.

That's a real shame.

It's hard to understand how a sport as popular as inline hockey can't support one single print publication. How are the manufacturers selling their skates, protective gear, helmets and sticks? Only at the elite tournaments to the elite players? What about building the base of the sport so that the sport will grow?

I'm going to go to the Let's Play Hockey International Expo in Las Vegas at the end of this month and see if I can get anyone from the major equipment manufacturers to go on record as to why they can't (or won't) support a national magazine. I'm also going to see if I can get a few dollars for IHC from Mission, Tour and Bauer-Nike. Wish me luck...

[Doug Jones]

Great magazine, good content, but unfortunately, the advertising revenues weren't there. Daryn and Tim didn't do the magazine half ass either, they made it first class. So, the costs weren't minimal...

The growth of the sport, starts with education and development with "new' people and players. Someone needs to lead a national campaign that roller hockey, is fun, affordable and a great way to let anyone who wants to play, play.

It's another sad day, when we see a first class publication shut down like RHT....just like when Wayne pulled his name off the facilities in Irvine and Upland....

[stksave27]

Curious as to the Wayne and the name off? Hazarding a guess as to Gretzsky and somewhere in CA?

[Leaferguy]

That really is a shame :(

Any way to continue something like it online? Maybe get some single sheet highlight pages (with a few of the more recent articles from the site) printed for distribution at bigger events with numerous references to the website? I'd think that with even a little sponsorship, that may be more feasible (though nowhere near as nice). Just sucks in the end...

This all reminds me that I need to write an article asap for the ECRHA...

[GR8SK8r06]

Doug and Richard have great points on this subject. There are man issues that roller hockey face in growing the sport from the ground up. There are too many rinks out there that support the notion "do what it takes to win" and tournament series only enhance these ideals (no offense to the tournament series). All people ever do in this sport in regards to the youth is steal each others players to enhance their chances of winning. How can the sport ever grow if nobody ever appeals to the novice youth players who have yet to play the game. What parent wants to spend 500 dollars to provide their children with the equipment to play, let alone rec league fee's, and deal with the politics of the coaching and playing time. Rinks today take the the wrong philosophy and cater only the best players.

I work with the same organization that CJ Yoder and Brian Yingling do in Colorado. The 6 of our skating rinks, not even including the Tour Arena, provide the equipment for all the youth players in our rec leagues if needed, coaching done ONLY by the rink management to ensure equal playing time, rosters set by management to ensure equal teams, and a FREE pair of hockey skates for all first time players made by Tour! All of this for only 90 dollars per rec league. We pass flyers throughout most of the schools in colorado and we have and organization called SIHA that has 4,000+ members. This system has flourished throughout the years. Yet rinks wont adapt this philosophy because it takes too much time and energy. Plus they allow any and all parents to coach, many of which have no clue of what they are talking about, which creates problems with the novice players because they are in it for the sole purpose of winning and stacking teams.

A system which has been presented called Jr. PIHA, which most pro teams create an organization with teams in each age group and all teams play against other teams in their perspective division for a season, and if they want to go to Narch or torhs they can. There could even possibly be a national tournament at the end of the year for teams willing. This allows for a set schedule each season, money made for each rink involved and limited traveling which helps for low income players. This creates a nation wide league, similar to ice hockey. Yet other rinks refuse to do this because of their personal egos. Nobody wants to work together to grow, they want to compete for players in an already dying sport. I think we are trying to get on the right track here! Let me know what you guys think of these philosophies and ideas.

[sdcopp]

Two things are the likely cause of the mags demise:

1. lack of huge distribution due to costs for production

2. the internet

I think the magazine is a great idea, but you have to shift focus from the rinks to the retail outlets, which costs alot to get in their hands with enough copies for all. A vendor like Play It Again Sports would be a great place, but the costs to print all those mags with a low response rate, at least at first, would be expensive.

We also live in the age of the web. If I need any hockey related news, info, etc. I come here or ModSquad. Most people are going to ask why pay for the free web info in magazine form?

SIHA really has done a bang up job as stated earlier. Jeff Ingrum hasn't been doing this for 20+ yrs for no good reason. From what I hear from others across the country, a lot could be learned from what SIHA has done.

[5280]

On the demise of RHT....I'm pretty in tune with the inline world, from the perspective of a youth parent. But, I don't think I ever heard of or saw the magazine. I seem to be on just about every mailing list from Tim and State Wars, so if it was promoted by email, I missed it....we would have subscribed.

As for SIHA in Colorado...I've got a different perspective on that, too. My kids both started on Skate City (SIHA) rinks, and came up through the rec and club programs. The personal animosity between Jeff and the SIHA director before CJ and Brian definitely got in the way of the good of the sport, statewide. But, hopefully, we've entered a new era in the state, with the launch of Jr. PIHA.

But, having spent more of my time and money than I care to think about in rinks around the state, including SIHA rinks, I can say that Jeff and the organization has been a great force for the growth of the sport. And, his TV deal to put the sport (youth, high school and PIHA) on Comcast has been a real positive piece of exposure.

[sdcopp]

[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2]As for SIHA in Colorado...I've got a different perspective on that, too. My kids both started on Skate City (SIHA) rinks, and came up through the rec and club programs. The personal animosity between Jeff and the SIHA director before CJ and Brian definitely got in the way of the good of the sport, statewide. But, hopefully, we've entered a new era in the state, with the launch of Jr. PIHA.


SIHA has been rolling for around a decade now, and the previous director and Jeff having issues was a tough time, but ultimately just a blip on the map. CJ and Brian are doing a great job and Jeff has always kept hockey going here in Colorado through the ups and downs. There are some great rinks now getting additional exposure to players in SIHA due to PIHA the last couple of yrs, and there's not been the home turf kind of feeling that used to exist between rinks. PIHA I think will continue to help this collaboration as well.

PIHA may well be the answer for getting some consolodation countrywide as long as it can grow in the places where the best players live.

Back to RHT, for any effort like this, it has to be present not where the elite players are, but where the parents like 5280 shop for their kids gear. For the new player just learning the game. Everything successful in the long run seems to have had a grassroots effort somewhere. It'd cost a good bit to get started and distributed to places like these, but if the manufacturers get involved it'd make life easier. Tour and Mission are the big dogs, so maybe it needs to start with Walt and Joe in addition to the organizers like Tim and Daryn

[Wingman]

Maybe they should add a few things to the magazine to make it appeal to a larger crowd? I would like to see the magazine back in action, I ordered one months ago and still didn't get it.

[5280]

SIHA has been rolling for around a decade now, and the previous director and Jeff having issues was a tough time, but ultimately just a blip on the map. CJ and Brian are doing a great job and Jeff has always kept hockey going here in Colorado through the ups and downs. There are some great rinks now getting additional exposure to players in SIHA due to PIHA the last couple of yrs, and there's not been the home turf kind of feeling that used to exist between rinks. PIHA I think will continue to help this collaboration as well.


Agree on all fronts. I've been involved as a parent with SIHA (and the Kodiaks...and Bladium teams...) for seven years. I think the presence of PIHA, the CHRA series and the passage of time have all helped. But, it seems like all the rinks across the front range have a "friendlier" feel now.

[5280]

SIHA has been rolling for around a decade now, and the previous director and Jeff having issues was a tough time, but ultimately just a blip on the map. CJ and Brian are doing a great job and Jeff has always kept hockey going here in Colorado through the ups and downs. There are some great rinks now getting additional exposure to players in SIHA due to PIHA the last couple of yrs, and there's not been the home turf kind of feeling that used to exist between rinks. PIHA I think will continue to help this collaboration as well.

Agree entirely. I've been around the sport as a parent for about seven years, and it seems like the cooperation (or, at a minimum, at least the conversation) between rinks is the best I've seen. Along with PIHA, I think CRHA, and even State Wars, have helped a bit. Plus, the respect that everyone has for CJ and Brian helps a lot, too.

Now, if we can just get Ed and Jeff to get CHSIHA and RMHSL together......

(baby steps...baby steps)

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

Daryn Goodwin has informed me that Roller Hockey Today is not dead, but on hiatus. He and Tim McManus hope to find more advertisers for the magazine at the Let's Play Hockey trade show in Las Vegas at the end of this month.

My apologies to Daryn and Tim. Let's hope they succeed. Our sport needs and deserves a quality print magazine.

[5280]

Hi Folks,

Daryn Goodwin has informed me that Roller Hockey Today is not dead, but on hiatus. He and Tim McManus hope to find more advertisers for the magazine at the Let's Play Hockey trade show in Las Vegas at the end of this month.

My apologies to Daryn and Tim. Let's hope they succeed. Our sport needs and deserves a quality print magazine.

Please pass along the hope that they will step-up the awareness campaign as they re-launch. I'd subscribe, and I'd push others to, if I knew about it.

[RichardGraham]

Hi 5280,

I think that's a good idea -- I will tell as many industry people at the Let's Play Hockey show as I can that we need to support Roller Hockey Today AND InlineHockeyCentral.com.

Maybe if enough readers post about this topic, I can take an actual petition to the show.

[longboarderj]

I had a couple issues of this magazine and if it came back I would subscribe.

[GR8SK8r06]

Daryn should get e-mail addresses and house addresses from all the players and parents of the players at Narch Finals so he has a database of prospective subscribers that he can advertise through. This will expose thousands of people to the magazine, many of which will subscribe.

[5280]

Daryn should get e-mail addresses and house addresses from all the players and parents of the players at Narch Finals so he has a database of prospective subscribers that he can advertise through. This will expose thousands of people to the magazine, many of which will subscribe.

Great idea. The more interest you can show from potential subscribers, the easier it will be to sell advertisers.

Also, Jason has Winter State Wars in six weeks. That's another pool of people (East and West) who should be solicited for interest.

[alex]

On the subject of roller hockey magazine coverage...good to see USA Hockey magazine with eight pages of inline coverage in the current issue.

[Jon Niola]

I wonder what the production costs of a magazie like that are these days? Seems there are enough companies out there with substantial revenues that could support the sport better.

[Hocki]

Any chance they'd consider working with NARCH? Maybe a nice booth with samples of their issues... and order forms would help. There is a huge opportunity at the NARCH Finals with the team turnout that they normally have.

If RHT gets the scoop on some of the participants, and does a solid write up in their next edition, they could really launch their product.

I'd suggest:
- Simple Booth Setup, with back issues as samples. (not give aways)
- Market the next issue as a special "NARCH 2008 Edition"
- Give a slight discount on the subscription for those that pay "At the event".

I'm a hockey parent... if I saw a quality inline hockey magazine, I'd order it for my Son, especially if I knew the next edition would include coverage of the tournament that he just went to.

My .02 cents

[RichardGraham]

Hi Hocki,

Daryn Goodwin of NARCh is one of the two principals behind Roller Hockey Today, along with Tim McManus of State Wars. I'm sure that both NARCh and State Wars promoted the magazine heavily to their participant base last year.

Just a few thoughts for discussion:

Do today's young people even read magazines? I've heard that they certainly don't read newspapers, and that they get their news virally, via private messages on their cell phones. If that's the case, is there a long-term future for magazines and newspapers?

[William Bourque]

Do today's young people even read magazines? I've heard that they certainly don't read newspapers, and that they get their news virally, via private messages on their cell phones. If that's the case, is there a long-term future for magazines and newspapers?


This might be a nice topic for a separate thread, but i will take a stab.

I work in the mail room at the Philadelphia Inquirer as has most of my family for the past 30+ years. At one point we had 47 employees in our family who work for the paper at all levels, writers, editors, mail room, transportation, etc....

For the past 5 years that i have worked at the paper, newspaper circulation has dramatically decreased to the point where most of the employees who worked under _____ years saw a decrease in pay from $16/hr to just $12/hr.

When i first started our shifts would start at 9:30pm and last until 7am some times because the amount of papers needed to be sent out versus the number of employees/temps was much greater that the MAX amount of workers could produce. Now, just 5 years later and a change of management, with the same number of workers getting paid less, we are commonly sent home 1 hour before the end of our shift more than working overtime.

Most of the newspaper profit comes from its online media as opposed to the circulation of the paper itself. However, the use of online media is in direct proportion to income level. For example, circulation for the city edition of the paper has remained pretty much unchanged in the last 5 years. However, the Bucks County and Delaware County editions have decreased dramatically during that same time frame.

The New Jersey editions (South/Central) and the Montgomery County editions have decreased as well, but not to the extent of the city editions.

Finally, there use to be 10-15 employees who were responsible for the Mail portion of the newspaper that would usually take 1 hour with them all working on it. But with the use of the internet, people have stopped having the paper mailed to them outside of the production range. (Example, my grandparents have the Philly Inquirer mailed to them in Florida where they now live) This job has be given to one person who can usually get the job done working slowly throughout the day as most of the remaining mail is just being sent to Library's and University's around the country.

I know this is a long winded post, but its a topic that is very important in my family.

[Phantom305]

I to work for a newspaper company (in the online side) and I have to agree with everything Bourque is saying. In our papers we have seen dramatic "cutbacks" in employees, and/or their pay and not all because of lack of circulation, but also the lack of revenue being generated by the classifieds ads.

As far as Richard's question; there is always going to be a demand in newspapers, it just might be in a different medium.

Personally i feel that the newspaper industry will have to come up with a different approach in order to reach a younger audience. After the company that i work for had a company meeting i an confident that we are moving in the right directions.

[RichardGraham]

Hi William,

Thanks for the long and detailed post. I don't see why it can't stay in this thread, as it's all about the same topic -- reading and publishing.

I've worked in publishing my entire career -- interrupted by a few "unrequested vacations" -- for newspapers, magazines and the Internet.

I equate what is currently happening (the so-called Information Revolution) with the industrial revolution -- if you were a shoemaker at the time machines and mass production began dramatically changing your industry, you were likely to be deeply affected. The Internet has changed things drastically in the publishing industry, and not always for the better. It's democratized publishing, allowing anyone and everyone to publish anything imaginable, and has enabled most of us to get all the news we can possibly consume, for free.

I feel sorry for a lot of my newspaper friends who have the threat of layoffs over their heads constantly. There are news stories about cuts in the staffs of newspapers across the country every day. Try getting a job with a magazine if you're not 20-something and willing to work for peanuts. There's a lot of talk about how changing content might help stave off print newspapers' decline. How can content help if the coming generations don't even read newspapers?

I loved working for print magazines. I miss it a lot. There was something special about spending a month on one product, working a frenzied final week to get everything put together, and having it come together. Then getting the issue directly from the printer and poring through the pages to see if we indeed did pull it off -- if the stories seemed as vibrant as they did when we first read them; if the colors in the photographs were true, and if the photographs were exciting; if we'd successfully avoided the dreaded typographical errors that seemed determined to get past the most accomplished team of editors. The smell of the paper. The glossy cover material (at Triathlete). The feeling of accomplishment over something well done.

With the Internet, deadlines are minute by minute, even second by second. It's a young person's game, and it's the future, but it has its drawbacks. That feeling of accomplishment is not really there -- it's more a feeling of "how far did I get behind today?" Where's the time for fact checking? For thorough analysis? And what's the point, if people aren't even going to read past the headline and subhead?

[Hocki]

Well... I really don't know what the majority of the youth read anymore. I know that my Son would definitely read the magazine.

You can bet that most kids get their information from online these days. There is so much information available for them there. This is why I'm having to listen to the new gloves, and Carbon Tour Skates that he wants "next". LOL

I am aware of the plight of those working in the media industry... with newspaperes in particular. We lost our local newspaper this year. It is now a side edition that is put out by another city. That cost a lot of people their jobs, in an area where there aren't very many good ones to begin with. It can't help that they offer free reading online, making it so that people do not need to buy the paper.

Maybe they should consider an online edition... as that seems to be the way that things are going these days.

[5280]

I know that my son (12) gets excited when his USA Hockey magazine shows up. Mostly, he looks through it to see all the sticks and whether there's pix or stories on anyone he knows. He spends a lot of time looking at the ads, because that's the stuff he wants.

I think there will always be a certain market for paper magazines. But, it's a smaller market than in the past, and may not be enough to cover costs.

[Hocki]

My 15 year old does too... reads the USA Hockey cover to cover....

[RichardGraham]

Hi Hocki,

One newspaper guy I knows thinks that certain papers whose circulations are declining should just go directly to online-only, and pump the dollars saved on printing and distribution into a smaller staff of quality investigative reporters and a strong advertising crew.

But where are the dollars for those investigative news stories going to come from? Not the big corporations...

One thing's for certain -- many more changes are going to come. Some will be beneficial, some won't.

[RichardGraham]

You're right, 5280. If IHC had paper, printing and distribution costs, it would definitely not exist. Not in this market.

[zipyaj]

As evidenced by their respective tournament enterprises, Daryn and Tim are in this sport for real and for the long haul. I am hopeful that Roller Hockey Today will return from its "Hiatus" soon.

And while glossy covers and pix are cool, in publishing - whether in print or on the Internet - the adage applies that "CONTENT is King!"

This industry likes to write about this tournament and that, or this league and that, but too seldom produces content (stories) that reaches out and invites new interest from others outside of the roller hockey world... NEW SKATERS MEANS NEW BUSINESS AND PERPETUATES THE SPORT. Just constantly promoting to the same group with the same old messages equates to saturation and boredom.

Aside from just making a buck, Publishers are also caretakers of the sport.

When RHT comes back, I for one would like to see a bigger focus on original and inspiring content that helps this industry grow, gives rink operators new ideas and helps excite new skaters to join the ranks. Just think about the prospects of Roller Hockey becoming an Olympic sport in 2016 and the middle school-aged youngsters today who will be competing for a spot on that team tomorrow.

Building the Youth Recreation Leagues is the future for roller and ice hockey alike. Yes, Wayne Gretzky indeed helped to excite the youth program in Southern California many years ago and it was devestating when he withdrew his name from rink operations. This sport could use more heroes and more programs to help excite even more new skaters who will grow to fill the rinks as the rec players, club, high school, collegiate and tournament players that drive our sport.

Hurry back RHT!

And good luck to you Richard as you too seek new sponsors at Let's Play Hockey!

Jay Piz

[William Bourque]

Was talking to my aunt today about the circulation numbers from when i started to today...

1999 - 802,000
Today - 688,000

Not that anyone was doubting it, just wanted to give an actual number.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Jay,

I think you are absolutely correct about content being king. But producing content takes money -- because time is money, and because you need income to pay writers, photographers, etc. That's why I hope I can gain some serious sponsorship/advertising dollars during this trip to the Let's Play Hockey Show. IHC is a side project for me, because there simply isn't enough income in it to work full time on it. That really bothers me, too, because I LIKE to create unique content. But there's only so much time in the day, and I need to focus on other freelance work that pays the bills.

Good luck to all of us in this industry!

[RichardGraham]

Hi Bill,

I'll bet those numbers look GOOD to some newspapers that are losing subscribers even faster than that. Good luck to your family and your local newspaper. Times are hard for a lot of Americans right now.

[William Bourque]

Hi Bill,

I'll bet those numbers look GOOD to some newspapers that are losing subscribers even faster than that. Good luck to your family and your local newspaper. Times are hard for a lot of Americans right now.

Thanks,

Its is a good advantage to be one of the biggest metro areas in the United States. Obviously the Philadelphia Inquirer will never get back to its glory days of the 1970-1980 when they won 18 Pulitzers in 17 years...

However, we recently reached a production deal with the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, as well as a few other major newspapers so that we can produce them in print at the printing plant.

Additionally, to further the point on content is king, i leave you with this example. In the 1980's, all most all of the good reporters and editors left the Inquirer for other papers when the Inquirer decided to focus more on local and national news instead of international news like they had become known for. The content has suffered and the lack of Pulitzers in the 1990 and 2000's have proven this point because the distribution during this time frame is down.