How popular is hockey?

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

Two things to think about:

 

(1) Tonight, Buffalo plays Atlanta, the #1 and #2 teams in the conference.

 

Here's is today's Atlanta Journal Constitution:

 

http://www.ajc.com/printedition/content/pr...s/saturday.html

 

There is not one single hockey article. Not one.

 

(2) From Saturday's Montreal Gazette, covering the Florida-Montreal game from Miami Friday night:

 

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/hockey...4d3f4282&k=9885

 

With the quote:

 

When the Canadiens played here on Nov. 16, there were only 13,506 fans on hand and a few of them were cheering for the Canadiens. That's one of the reason why the Panthers have asked the league to schedule all of their games against Canadian teams after Christmas, when there are more snowbirds in the area.

 

And the Panthers made it clear they were welcome back. During the first period, the Panthers' home schedule for January was posted on the scoreboard and fans were urged - in French - to buy tickets for upcoming games.

[Eleven]

It just isn't popular in the South and Southwest, and will never be. If Dallas wasn't handed a championship eight years ago, I think even that franchise would have suffered poor attendance by now.

 

The league is too big and has teams in the wrong places. 30 teams necessarily means that some teams will have too many players not prepared to play at the NHL level or past their prime (Phoenix, Filly). It might sell in Filly, but how does the league expect to generate interest in Columbus or Phoenix when there aren't enough good players to go around?

[deluca67]

Hockey is not as popular today as it will be three or four years down the road. Since the lockout the "New NHL" has down a great job with it's product. The product and entertainment value is far greater than what you get from the NFL or NBA. The NFL has it core fans that are locked in through gambling and fantasy leagues. The NBA will always draw it's core fans from the inner cities.

 

The NHL shouldn't consider it's self in competition with the other two winter sports. They have already broken the mold by admitting their business model was a mess and their game needed changes. They shut the league down and didn't return until their house was in order. Unlike the NFL who fast tracked a CBA that is going to damage it for years to come.

 

Another good sign is the number of kids you see in the crowds at NHL games. They are the key to the NHL future. The family friendly game experience is great for the NHL. You don't see kids at NFL games. Anyone who would bring their kids to a Bills game should have their kids taken away.

[Goodfella25]

It just isn't popular in the South and Southwest, and will never be. If Dallas wasn't handed a championship eight years ago, I think even that franchise would have suffered poor attendance by now.

 

The league is too big and has teams in the wrong places. 30 teams necessarily means that some teams will have too many players not prepared to play at the NHL level or past their prime (Phoenix, Filly). It might sell in Filly, but how does the league expect to generate interest in Columbus or Phoenix when there aren't enough good players to go around?

 

 

I tend to agree with that, I think a pinnacle is reached in terms of talent in relation to # of teams. Once you reach that point, then the league is at its best, but when you keep messing with it you end up with too many teams and a watered-down talent pool. Look at it this way, take the bottom 4-5 teams and imagine their players re-distributed around the league...I would say that would strengthen most lineups (maybe not ours :D ). For example, there is no point to having Tampa Bay and Florida IMO, they should only get one team (if the NHL is THAT sold on trying to market hockey down there).

[ThePolishSabre]

Hockey is just a popular in the US as soccer. It's a shame that people don't care about either one :(

[Bmwolf21]

I tend to agree with that, I think a pinnacle is reached in terms of talent in relation to # of teams. Once you reach that point, then the league is at its best, but when you keep messing with it you end up with too many teams and a watered-down talent pool. Look at it this way, take the bottom 4-5 teams and imagine their players re-distributed around the league...I would say that would strengthen most lineups (maybe not ours :D ). For example, there is no point to having Tampa Bay and Florida IMO, they should only get one team (if the NHL is THAT sold on trying to market hockey down there).

I've never bought that argument, about the league being watered down because there isn't enough talent to fill 30 NHL rosters. There are what, 6 billion people on the planet, and we can't find ~800 NHL-caliber players? :blink: If you want to break it down further, take a smaller number - 1,2, 3 billion people in hockey-playing countries and we can't fill 30 NHL rosters?

 

I think the biggest part of the talent issue is that teams don't work hard enough to find and develop good skill players. Another big factor is the style of play of game the NHL is getting away from - in the past, teams would fill their 3rd & 4th lines with players of "questionable" hockey skills, such as Brashear, Peters and other enforcers/checkers/goons...

 

There are a lot of guys on NHL rosters who should be AHL players at best. But IMO, there is plenty of NHL-quality talent out there, teams just need to be diligent in their scouting, drafting and development of their young talent.

[matter2003]

In Buffalo its turning into an absolute obsession...

 

All you hear about walking around town if the Sabres have a few days in a row off is that people are having "Sabres Withdrawl Symptoms" and when its game night, there is just a buzz all around the city and the water cooler talk pretty much revolves around the upcoming game that night...

[Eleven]

I've never bought that argument, about the league being watered down because there isn't enough talent to fill 30 NHL rosters. There are what, 6 billion people on the planet, and we can't find ~800 NHL-caliber players? :blink: If you want to break it down further, take a smaller number - 1,2, 3 billion people in hockey-playing countries and we can't fill 30 NHL rosters?

 

I think the biggest part of the talent issue is that teams don't work hard enough to find and develop good skill players. Another big factor is the style of play of game the NHL is getting away from - in the past, teams would fill their 3rd & 4th lines with players of "questionable" hockey skills, such as Brashear, Peters and other enforcers/checkers/goons...

 

There are a lot of guys on NHL rosters who should be AHL players at best. But IMO, there is plenty of NHL-quality talent out there, teams just need to be diligent in their scouting, drafting and development of their young talent.

 

Hatcher and Roenick would not be in the league if there were 24 teams.

[ofiba]

Hatcher and Roenick would not be in the league if there were 24 teams.

 

They shouldn't be in the league with 300 teams.

[McJeff215]

Two things to think about:

 

(1) Tonight, Buffalo plays Atlanta, the #1 and #2 teams in the conference.

 

Here's is today's Atlanta Journal Constitution:

 

http://www.ajc.com/printedition/content/pr...s/saturday.html

 

There is not one single hockey article. Not one.

 

(2) From Saturday's Montreal Gazette, covering the Florida-Montreal game from Miami Friday night:

 

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/hockey...4d3f4282&k=9885

 

With the quote:

 

When the Canadiens played here on Nov. 16, there were only 13,506 fans on hand and a few of them were cheering for the Canadiens. That's one of the reason why the Panthers have asked the league to schedule all of their games against Canadian teams after Christmas, when there are more snowbirds in the area.

 

And the Panthers made it clear they were welcome back. During the first period, the Panthers' home schedule for January was posted on the scoreboard and fans were urged - in French - to buy tickets for upcoming games.

 

I live in Atlanta and I don't think that a whole lot of people care about the Thrashers. I've been here for ten years now and I can only think of one real Thrashers fan. Coincidently, he's the only Soccer fan I know. He's from Oklahoma. I only care about the team because on a couple special nights a year, a Sabres game is only 45 minutes away.

 

It's not from lack of trying, either. There are billboards on all of the major interstates, some of the with a digital read-out telling the city when the next home game is. They've got this whole "Blueland" promotion thing going on with commercials, advertisements, and so on. They're trying to get the locals into it. I get the distinct impression that many area residents think hockey tickets are those things you get when your company buys some overpriced database software from a local vendor as a hollow jesture of appreciation.

 

Atlanta (and RTP/Hurricaines area) has a huge "foriegn" population. A lot of the residents grew up in other parts of the country. I can name all of the naitive Atlanta area people I know on one hand. Literally. These are people with loyalty to other teams if they've got an interest in the sport.

 

What I find amazing is that the Thrashers are having a very good year and the level of interest doesn't appear to have improved along with it. The Thrashers would be in the same boat as the Panthers if not for Atlanta's population. This is a Braves/Bulldogs town.

 

On an unrelated note, while Thrashers interest seems low, there are still fewer people attending Hawks games. Vendors don't even *give* those tickets away.

 

Thrashers specifics aside, the AJC does usually have something in it about the sport. Perhaps just recaps of the games the day before, but usually something. For the most part, it covers the Braves and local college teams. Perhaps a Vick article.

 

-Jeff

(I apologize if this made no sense. I've been awake for 15 minutes)

[bob_sauve28]

Two things to think about:

 

(1) Tonight, Buffalo plays Atlanta, the #1 and #2 teams in the conference.

 

Here's is today's Atlanta Journal Constitution:

 

http://www.ajc.com/printedition/content/pr...s/saturday.html

 

There is not one single hockey article. Not one.

 

(2) From Saturday's Montreal Gazette, covering the Florida-Montreal game from Miami Friday night:

 

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/hockey...4d3f4282&k=9885

 

With the quote:

 

When the Canadiens played here on Nov. 16, there were only 13,506 fans on hand and a few of them were cheering for the Canadiens. That's one of the reason why the Panthers have asked the league to schedule all of their games against Canadian teams after Christmas, when there are more snowbirds in the area.

 

And the Panthers made it clear they were welcome back. During the first period, the Panthers' home schedule for January was posted on the scoreboard and fans were urged - in French - to buy tickets for upcoming games.

I am really glad it isn't super popular. One problem I have with football is this larger than life image it has of itself. The hype alone makes me want to barf. More popular means more commercials, more big salaries, more big personalities, more wall to wall media. The NFL reminds me of the WWF wrestling at times. The NHL has really moved in a different direction, more rules orientied, more speed, less brutality and less "Iraqi" style justice on the ice. I don't know what this unpopularity means for the future of the game, but the lack of success shouldn't necessarily be seen as a bad sign.

[McJeff215]

I am really glad it isn't super popular. One problem I have with football is this larger than life image it has of itself. The hype alone makes me want to barf. More popular means more commercials, more big salaries, more big personalities, more wall to wall media. The NFL reminds me of the WWF wrestling at times. The NHL has really moved in a different direction, more rules orientied, more speed, less brutality and less "Iraqi" style justice on the ice. I don't know what this unpopularity means for the future of the game, but the lack of success shouldn't necessarily be seen as a bad sign.

 

 

I agree. Those that follow hockey closely enjoy the game and appreciate the sport. You can see that when the HSBC arena erupts in a chorus of boos when the crowd catches an offsides or a hook that wasn't called. I love football just as much, but the "Manning vs. Manning cage match" stuff.... I'd have to agree on the WWF point.

 

-Jeff

[GrimFandango]

Hatcher and Roenick would not be in the league if there were 24 teams.

 

JR had a hattrick last night... ugh!

[Bmwolf21]

Hatcher and Roenick would not be in the league if there were 24 teams.

And that wouldn't be a bad thing, IMO.

 

JR had a hattrick last night... ugh!

Even a blind dog finds a bone once in while...

 

Seriously, congrats to JR. Big game, three goals brings his season total to...FOUR. 1st goal since Oct 23, nine points on the year...at least he's on pace to pass his season totals from last year...(9-13-22 in 58G.) Yeah, he deserves to be on an NHL roster... <_<

[Two or less]

Hockey is pretty popular but it's a regional sport. In many areas, it's big, in certain areas it's not.

 

But, next year things will get better, don't worry about things that you have no control over.

 

1. NHL Network WILL make it's debut soon... and will have atleast a game a week, with highlight shows.

 

2. NBC will renew it's contract til 2011, and will most likey have a game a week for majority of the season, also, even maybe a prime-time game added in there.

 

3. ESPN will return, most likey with ESPN2's Thursday Night Hockey.

 

4. Versus will keep Monday and Tuesday Night, with more doubleheaders and their launching a HD channel.

 

But yeah, noone likes hockey and noone cares.

[wjag]

 

1. NHL Network WILL make it's debut soon... and will have atleast a game a week, with highlight shows.

 

That would be great. Last night Versus had a double header. They actually talked about hockey for 30 minutes between games. Well 15 after all those fricking commercials... It was nice to have the game talked about in some depth.

 

I think the NFL network was a great addition. Even if the NHL network retired every night with the US and Canadian anthems (remember folks when networks used to sign off at night; "that concludes our broadcast day"), that would be a huge improvement. When ESPN (stands for Entire Sports Programming Network, except hockey) refuses to give any serious coverage to the game, hockey suffers. The NHL Network, yeah, I like that.

[McJeff215]

That would be great. Last night Versus had a double header. They actually talked about hockey for 30 minutes between games. Well 15 after all those fricking commercials... It was nice to have the game talked about in some depth.

 

I think the NFL network was a great addition. Even if the NHL network retired every night with the US and Canadian anthems (remember folks when networks used to sign off at night; "that concludes our broadcast day"), that would be a huge improvement. When ESPN refuses to give any serious coverage to the game, hockey suffers. The NHL Network, yeah, I like that.

 

 

 

Yeah but would there be any demand for it? The problem with a new network is that cable companies have to pick it up....

 

-

[wjag]

Yeah but would there be any demand for it? The problem with a new network is that cable companies have to pick it up....

 

-

With all the niche channels out there, HGTV, etc, I've got to believe it could sell. The real question is will advertisers advertise on it?

[Kevbeau]

The Thrashers get very little media love down here, but they do have a rabid (yet small) fan base that is growing. The problem is that their core fan base is probably around 8-10K people and the remainder of Phillips Arena is filled with disinterested psuedo-fans or fans of the away team. Sabres fans always have a good showing when they're in town (was even better w/Hasek...large Czech community) and if the Red Wings/Rangers/Flyers/Leafs are in town, it might as well be an away game.

 

On a side note...Phillips is a nice arena, but for those of you who haven't been, one whole side of the arena is suites. There is a lower bowl on that side and it looks pretty cool, but these seats are all filled by corporate types and "quiet" fans. So basically one whole side of the arena is what I would call disinterested.