NHL 2K11 News Post

NHL 2K11 Cover Athlete is Ryan Kesler

04:43 PM - March 8, 2010 by Money99

According to Globe Sports, Ryan Kesler has been named cover athlete for NHL 2K11.

Quote:


	"At the recent Olympics, he scored in the men's hockey final and emerged with a silver medal as part of an impressive young U.S. team. Since returning to the Vancouver Canucks, he has three goals in four games � with two of those goals coming in Detroit near where he grew up in Livonia. And now the 25-year-old can celebrate being the cover athlete for the NHL 2K11 video game, following in the footsteps of Alexander Ovechkin, Rick Nash, Jason Spezza, Joe Thornton, Marty Turco, Martin St. Louis, Jeremy Roenick, Chris Drury and Brendan Shanahan. Kesler calls it the �icing on the cake� after his Olympic experience. �Everything just keeps getting better for me,� he told The Canadian Press. �I'm very excited."

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# 21 DrJones @ 03/10/10 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FORMULA316


	True, but by how many points? Say Kesler is at $75k and Miller $150k? I doubt the difference would be dramatically different. Any info on what Kobe got for 2K10? Ovi for 2K10?

Coverboys don't make what they used to. EA paid Sammy Sosa $250K for Triple Play 2000, and in his only press appearance, he referred to EA as "Nintendo". 3DO (in)famously paid Sosa a million bucks to appear on High Heat (and Softball Slam

). Oops. In the latter days of MVP, the going rate was about $50K and swag. Some players (Ichiro, for example) ask for the moon, that's why you never see them on boxes. Marketers have determined that who appears on the cover (with rare exceptions) doesn't really have a noticeable effect on sales.

If 2K is paying six figures for their hockey coverboys (and I doubt it), someone should be fired.

# 22 FORMULA316 @ 03/11/10 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrJones


	Coverboys don't make what they used to. EA paid Sammy Sosa $250K for Triple Play 2000, and in his only press appearance, he referred to EA as "Nintendo". 3DO (in)famously paid Sosa a million bucks to appear on High Heat (and Softball Slam ). Oops. In the latter days of MVP, the going rate was about $50K and swag. Some players (Ichiro, for example) ask for the moon, that's why you never see them on boxes. Marketers have determined that who appears on the cover (with rare exceptions) doesn't really have a noticeable effect on sales. If 2K is paying six figures for their hockey coverboys (and I doubt it), someone should be fired.

Exactly. I was implying that there is a ceiling to which 2K or EA for
that matter would pay for Coverboys. I don't see how 2K is smart
for the frugality of signing Kesler coming off a year in which their
games sport both Kobe and Ovi.

# 23 savoie2006 @ 03/11/10 03:08 PM

I don't see what the heck a "coverboy" matters personally. They make NO DIFFERENCE in how the game plays. If they did 2K10 would play alot better and NHL 10 would have Kane beating up the Zamboni driver instead of playing hockey.

# 24 Flyermania @ 03/11/10 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	I don't see what the heck a "coverboy" matters personally. They make NO DIFFERENCE in how the game plays. If they did 2K10 would play alot better and NHL 10 would have Kane beating up the Zamboni driver instead of playing hockey.

A recognizeable player/face on the cover might help attract a casual fan to the game...

# 25 savoie2006 @ 03/11/10 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyermania


	A recognizeable player/face on the cover might help attract a casual fan to the game...

In that case just put Gretzky on all covers, as even people who hate hockey and know nothing about it (funny how that is), will know the player and might even be attracted to the game. Is that why EA's game sells so much more? Because their player is in the news months before the game is released, so he is more recognized. I think I'm understanding EA's marketing more and more now

# 26 Flyermania @ 03/11/10 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	In that case just put Gretzky on all covers, as even people who hate hockey and know nothing about it (funny how that is), will know the player and might even be attracted to the game. Is that why EA's game sells so much more? Because their player is in the news months before the game is released, so he is more recognized. I think I'm understanding EA's marketing more and more now

I'm sure if Gretzky/Lemieux were still playing (and as a result members of the NHLPA) I'm sure both games would slap 'em on the front if they could!

# 27 DrJones @ 03/19/10 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FORMULA316


	Exactly. I was implying that there is a ceiling to which 2K or EA for that matter would pay for Coverboys. I don't see how 2K is smart for the frugality of signing Kesler coming off a year in which their games sport both Kobe and Ovi.

Kobe has nothing to do with this, NBA is still a moneymaker for 2K. I'm saying they're using Kesler because it's costing them next to nothing, which is what NHL's marketing budget has likely been slashed to.

# 28 DrJones @ 03/20/10 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyermania


	A recognizeable player/face on the cover might help attract a casual fan to the game...

Sales figures haven't borne this out in the past. All things being equal, you prefer a more recognizable player...but they rarely are.

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