Gretzky being sued for 10 million

[Peter D.]

And his schilling for online betting now just totally ruins any integrity he may have had in my eyes.

This is applying to a lot of people for me.  Seeing the panel on HNiC, as an example, hawking off betting has made me lose a lot of respect for these people (although I know it's not necessarily their choice).

The barrage of gambling that has seeped into sport, and now into the viewership aspect of it, is going to turn me off from it all in due time the way it is trending. 

[Nik]

Am I the only one who doesn't really see the problem with endorsing a gambling service?

Not that I think gambling is great or anything but it's a weird line to draw. Especially when, as mentioned, prior to this his big commercial enterprise was selling liquor.

[Highlander]

I don't have a problem with gambling, I have spent my fair share of time in Vegas.  My problem with Gretsky or Jamie Fox or any other celebrity is it encourages young people to get involved and endorses this as part of a livestyle choice.  Gretsky is indeed super wealthy so I question his judgment in this matter as in the chewing gum scam. Its one thing to own a vineyard in Kelowna that makes a half decent variety of wine, thats sort of a celebrity thing, like Mike Weir and Coppola. 

[Nik]

One of the richest men in Canada (yes check it out) and he is hawking shit.

I mean, aside from everything else it seems like describing Gretzky as a man "in Canada" is a bit of a stretch. He probably hasn't lived in this country primarily in what, almost 35 years?

[Nik]

I don't have a problem with gambling, I have spent my fair share of time in Vegas.  My problem with Gretsky or Jamie Fox or any other celebrity is it encourages young people to get involved and endorses this as part of a livestyle choice.  Gretsky is indeed super wealthy so I question his judgment in this matter as in the chewing gum scam. Its one thing to own a vineyard in Kelowna that makes a half decent variety of wine, thats sort of a celebrity thing, like Mike Weir and Coppola.

So, to be clear, it's ok to sell alcohol because a lot of celebrities do it but it's not ok to endorse gambling websites even though a lot of celebrities do it?

[Peter D.]

Am I the only one who doesn't really see the problem with endorsing a gambling service?

Not that I think gambling is great or anything but it's a weird line to draw. Especially when, as mentioned, prior to this his big commercial enterprise was selling liquor.

When it's being endorsed mid-game I have a problem with it.  I don't want to see betting lines popping up on my screen during a game.  Let the gamblers follow that stuff on their gambling sites.

[LittleHockeyFan]

They don't allow cigarette ads on tv here for a good reason. Alcohol/beer advertising has some pretty strict rules. To just allow gambling, and worse, online gambling advertising--and to have it be the damn sponsor of a segment of the broadcast even worse!--is just irresponsible and and obvious money grab to me. And given his wife's history, Gretzky should know/be better.

I will say, for all his faults and mediocrity, Gretzky's a better actor than his wife ever was. (not saying much)

[Nik]

When it's being endorsed mid-game I have a problem with it.  I don't want to see betting lines popping up on my screen during a game.  Let the gamblers follow that stuff on their gambling sites.

Aesthetically it doesn't do much for me either but it's pretty clear that there's a huge market for it and the networks/leagues are chasing those dollars as ruthlessly as they chase every other dollar possible.

I don't like rink ads or jersey patches or non-stop commercial breaks either but that is kind of what we're stuck with until the revolution comes.

[Peter D.]

Aesthetically it doesn't do much for me either but it's pretty clear that there's a huge market for it and the networks/leagues are chasing those dollars as ruthlessly as they chase every other dollar possible.

I don't like rink ads or jersey patches or non-stop commercial breaks either but that is kind of what we're stuck with until the revolution comes.

Agreed.  And from my perspective, it's all those things that are turning me off of the sport/product.  Going to a game at SBA these days is nauseating with the barrage of advertising that occurs even during mid-play. 

[Nik]

They don't allow cigarette ads on tv here for a good reason. Alcohol/beer advertising has some pretty strict rules. To just allow gambling, and worse, online gambling advertising--and to have it be the damn sponsor of a segment of the broadcast even worse!--is just irresponsible and and obvious money grab to me. And given his wife's history, Gretzky should know/be better.

I get it but I feel like every other ad I used to see on TV back when I watched a lot of TV with ads was for scratch-offs or the lottery or Pro-Line so this kind of just strikes me as more of the same.

[OldTimeHockey]

They don't allow cigarette ads on tv here for a good reason. Alcohol/beer advertising has some pretty strict rules. To just allow gambling, and worse, online gambling advertising--and to have it be the damn sponsor of a segment of the broadcast even worse!--is just irresponsible and and obvious money grab to me. And given his wife's history, Gretzky should know/be better.

I get it but I feel like every other ad I used to see on TV back when I watched a lot of TV with ads was for scratch-offs or the lottery or Pro-Line so this kind of just strikes me as more of the same.

I think most people are shocked by the amount of advertising that is being done. I don't like it. I don't like my kids seeing it. I don't like the way they sell "the ease of doing it". It reeks of old cigarette commercials.

[Nik]

I think most people are shocked by the amount of advertising that is being done. I don't like it. I don't like my kids seeing it. I don't like the way they sell "the ease of doing it". It reeks of old cigarette commercials.

Sure but to one extent or another that's just capitalism for you. It's an emerging market so big money players are going all in to establish market share by throwing money onto the airwaves in the hopes that they're left standing when the dust clears. It's not that different to us being bombarded with ads for Crypto dealers 6 months ago or how every block in Toronto seemingly has two or three weed shops now.

You certainly don't need to convince me that the unchecked market on potentially harmful products like this should be better regulated, I just don't know I necessarily see the distinction here between profiting off of one harmful product vs. another.

[Rob]

I think most people are shocked by the amount of advertising that is being done. I don't like it. I don't like my kids seeing it. I don't like the way they sell "the ease of doing it". It reeks of old cigarette commercials.

Sure but to one extent or another that's just capitalism for you. It's an emerging market so big money players are going all in to establish market share by throwing money onto the airwaves in the hopes that they're left standing when the dust clears. It's not that different to us being bombarded with ads for Crypto dealers 6 months ago or how every block in Toronto seemingly has two or three weed shops now.

You certainly don't need to convince me that the unchecked market on potentially harmful products like this should be better regulated, I just don't know I necessarily see the distinction here between profiting off of one harmful product vs. another.

I must be extremely naïve on how much weed must really be consumed in Ontario.  How all these weed shops are staying in business is beyond me. 

[Joe]

It's not the advertising that bothers me, because I can easily ignore that, what's passing me off is how it has infiltrated sports talk radio.

I do like having sports talk on when I'm doing household stuff and hearing all the parlay this and bet that and odds this is not talk radio. I don't give a shit to discuss the odds that are out there than so and so to hit a home run in the 3rd inning. There's nothing interesting about that.

[OldTimeHockey]

I think most people are shocked by the amount of advertising that is being done. I don't like it. I don't like my kids seeing it. I don't like the way they sell "the ease of doing it". It reeks of old cigarette commercials.

Sure but to one extent or another that's just capitalism for you. It's an emerging market so big money players are going all in to establish market share by throwing money onto the airwaves in the hopes that they're left standing when the dust clears. It's not that different to us being bombarded with ads for Crypto dealers 6 months ago or how every block in Toronto seemingly has two or three weed shops now.

You certainly don't need to convince me that the unchecked market on potentially harmful products like this should be better regulated, I just don't know I necessarily see the distinction here between profiting off of one harmful product vs. another.

I agree with you completely. Like mentioned above, cigarette ads are gone. Beer commercials are few and far  between. Gambling should not be slotted in as the advertisement or even worse, the talking point between the second and third period. In a society that is preaching mental wellness, I don't think it's wise to be pimping a product that has and continues to tear families apart.

I get why they do it. I just don't agree with doing it.