It really says something that the Columbus Blue Jackets are going through arguably their most troublesome stretch with their fanbase in franchise history.
The same team that Bill Simmons called the most irrelevant in sports has enjoyed immense local support from dedicated fans for over a quarter-century, despite never putting a real contender on the ice. Across 25 seasons, the CBJ have made the playoffs a paltry six times and only made it past the first round once. They’re currently on a streak of six seasons without a postseason berth.
Amazingly though, the loyalty of Blue Jackets fans has never wavered. But now it’s being tested more than ever.
This month, the team let go of popular radio announcer Bob McElligott just a couple of months before the new season starts. After 17 years with the franchise, McElligott had his contract not renewed, with the team opting to go with a simulcast of their television broadcast on radio. The timing was terrible for McElligott, who now has to find a new job, potentially in a new market, with most vacancies likely already filled.
While that was a difficult enough pill for fans to swallow, the team also let go of team writer Jeff Svoboda after eight seasons covering the team.
The two decisions happening almost simultaneously sent Columbus Blue Jackets fans into a frenzy. Not only was the team getting rid of valuable personnel that fans developed trusted relationships with as a radio voice and team insider, but the decisions made the franchise look cheap. If the team can no longer afford its own radio broadcast, what hope is there that ownership will invest in finally producing a winning team?
In response to the outcry, Blue Jackets team president Mike Priest sent a statement to The Athletic. And while he defended the moves, he also said that he understood fan frustration.
“We have great fans and are very appreciative of their passion and support for the Blue Jackets. We also understand how some of them are feeling right now. There are aspects of our business that have changed dramatically in recent years. In order for us to grow, we have to evolve with those changes and at times that affect people that we all care about like Bob and Jeff.
“We pride ourselves in taking care of our people and do so when situations arise that result in change and they leave the Blue Jackets. We do everything we can to assist them and treat them fairly in situations that we recognize are very difficult.
“Change is rarely easy, but our transition to a simulcast and more dynamic, video-centered content on our other platforms will help us adapt and serve our fans better.
“We are working hard to be better on and off the ice. We know we haven’t won at a level that our fans deserve and that drives us every day. That work will continue. The support of our fans means everything to us and is not something we take for granted.”
It’s difficult to reason that these are moves that will ultimately serve fans better. A television broadcast can never meet the needs of listeners who are on the radio. They are two completely different broadcasts. And the same goes for Svoboda’s job. Why wouldn’t the team want him involved in a strategic shift towards more video content given how much he has meant to the organization and its fans over the years?
The truth is this all comes against the backdrop of teams trying to navigate a new paradigm where local media revenue from the RSN ecosystem has taken a major hit. The Blue Jackets don’t even have details of where fans will be able to watch games this season with the shuttering of FanDuel Sports Network and their broadcasts now being produced by the league. Columbus is one of four teams whose games will be produced in-house this coming season by the NHL. Although team valuations keep soaring, the actual day-to-day business is becoming more and more challenging.
But that uncertainty is only adding to the huge amount of anxiety and aggravation in the fanbase at the moment. If the Jackets can’t succeed on the ice, at least they can build goodwill in the community. Now that they have fallen short this offseason, the franchise has more work to do than ever before, not just to become relevant, but to win back their own fans.
About Matt Yoder