Sunday 26 February 2012

The Hull "Snubb"

The True North group that runs the Winnipeg Jets has consistently said that they want to focus on the team on the ice and not spend too much time focusing on the history of the old Winnipeg Jets. I can understand this, as this is not the old Jets, it is the franchise that called Atlanta home for the  last decade.


With that being said, I think the True North group really dropped the ball when they did not make every effort to try to get Bobby Hull to a game last week when he was in town. When Hull was asked at a book signing if he had been to a Jets game yet, he said that he had not been invited and did not sound very happy about it. The first thought of many Winnipeggers was- why would True North not invite Bobby Hull to a game?  I think the PR implications of this are going to turn out bad for the Jets.



Bobby Hull is arguably the biggest hockey icon in the history of Winnipeg. Only Hawerchuk and Selanne are revered in this town as much as Hull. Having Hull at a game would have been a win-win for the Jets. It would have brought even more excitement into a building that is already the loudest building in the league. We all remember what happened when Selanne was in town a while back. Plus it would have pleased thousands of Jets fans who are already so supportive of the True North group. It just would have been another feather in the cap of the True North group as it would have had the whole town buzzing if Hull was at a game.

Part of the excitement about the new Jets is due to the nostalgia that this city has for the old Jets. I have been reading the comment boards and the majority of comments about this issue are on Hull's side and speaking negatively about True North on this issue.

True North has every right to run their team the way that they want to, but having a Winnipeg legend like Hull claim that he was snubbed by the team is bad for the PR of this organization. The True North group should be looking at the present and the future but they should not make it seem like they are ignoring the past.