So, the NHL mandating how all team sites look

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Today is the kickoff for the new template based design for all NHL teams.

Basically every team site looks identical, apart from colors, logos and such.

I'm not sure what the deadline to be converted is, but so far the teams that have changed are

Boston

Buffalo

Carolina

Edmonton

Florida

L A

Nashville

Philly

Phoenix

Pittsburgh

Sharks

Washington

On one hand, I like the fact that everything is easy to find, same info in the same places.

But god damn, I hate the fact that originality is not allowed anymore.

Any thoughts or opinions?

[number21 3]

WTF?

why bother?

that's just dumb. maybe they cut cost buy making a template and firing individual team web designers.

[bigd19 0]

The Sharks have had that same web page style for the past 2 years nothing has changed for them.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

It's been that way for a couple of years now.

[jay 1]

There are no team web designers... they all use outside agencies for that stuff. I had an opportunity to go work for one but they didn't get the NHL contract unfortunately and I turned the job down since it wasn't enough money to relocate.

I also think it's a bad idea because it takes the individuality out of the site and if one site sucks they all suck.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

It's been that way for a couple of years now.

But every site will have the same format now, or in the near future. The layouts were not the same for all teams before. Caps just relaunched today with the new layout

[LoXish 0]

Blues relaunched a month and a half ago or so.

It's just to streamline the network, not a bad idea -- helps with maintenance and upkeep as well.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Well, they've tried to water down and sterilize the personalities on the ice...why not water down and sterilize the product off the ice as well.

[chippa13 1844]

It is called ease of navigation. This way fans can go from team site to team site and easily be able to navigate around the different sites.

[joshy207 15]

Maybe now Detroit's site will be up-to-date. Their current site is a disgrace.

[LegoDoom 0]

Personally, I'm glad as the Flyers site sucked anyway.

It does have ease of navigation. And yes, I'm pretty sure the MLB and NBA have a standard template also.

It does take away from the originality that some teams had with good sites, which is unfortunate.

Although, with the NHL ratings during the finals, I'm wondering if enough people go from site-to-site for this to make much of an impact

[Chadd 916]

Although, with the NHL ratings during the finals, I'm wondering if enough people go from site-to-site for this to make much of an impact

I seriously doubt it. When I went to the game in Nashville last year, people couldn't understand why I was there as neither team was "my team".

[chippa13 1844]

Although, with the NHL ratings during the finals, I'm wondering if enough people go from site-to-site for this to make much of an impact

I seriously doubt it. When I went to the game in Nashville last year, people couldn't understand why I was there as neither team was "my team".

Maybe that was just their polite way of saying you weren't welcome. :P

[Chadd 916]

Although, with the NHL ratings during the finals, I'm wondering if enough people go from site-to-site for this to make much of an impact

I seriously doubt it. When I went to the game in Nashville last year, people couldn't understand why I was there as neither team was "my team".

Maybe that was just their polite way of saying you weren't welcome. :P

Actually, the people were quite nice on an individual basis.

[jjtt99 0]

I guess this is good if a team had a poor site, but I agree with the points that NHL clubs should be allowed to express personality and be individualistic.

Oh Betty certainly like conformity doesn't he?

[the_game 452]

In regards to the new design of the teams website here is the deal. The NHL has a template and all teams will conform to this template. All the sites will be managed by the NHL but the actual articles and whatnot are the responsibility of the actual teams and it will be up to the teams to provide the content. They'll submit the news and the NHL publishes it on the sites.