Do American Hockey fans enjoy or loathe hockey's popularity?

[tib2d2]

This is for American NHL fans specifically. Do you enjoy that the NHL is pretty much 4th out of 4 among the major North American team sports in terms of popularity? Certainly this season aside, the TV ratings and the TV presence is much less than that of the NBA even MLB.

But do some of you enjoy thats it not as popular? Maybe it makes it a little more special since its not a mass audience enjoyed product, and perhaps really speaks to the passion of the smaller group of American fans that love it so much?

Or maybe you hate that it doesn't get the respect that is deserves? That it should be getting at least if not more of the TV audience that NBA games do, or popularity that baseball or even football gets?

[CaptCleghorn]

I am a hard-core Toronto Blue Jays fan and have experienced the incredible obsession with hockey north of the border. In a Toronto bar, yelling "The Leafs are awesome" will get you applause. Yelling "The Leafs suck" will also get you applause. But even whispering "I don't care about hockey" will get every eye on you and Canadians ready to beat you bloody.

Growing up in Massachusetts during the Boston Bruins Booby Orr and Phil Esposito heyday produced a wide and vocal fanbase. The Bruins also practiced in my hometown for a couple of years so I've seen hockey both hot and cold.

Personally, though, I look upon hockey, basketball, and soccer as being the same game. Teams go back and forth trying to put something into a net while not actually holding it.

[Zero Hunter]

I think the main reason it has never been as popular as the other sports is that for the longest time it really was only played in the Northeast. California got a couple teams in the 70's, but that was really the only ones outside of the Northeast/Canada until the 90's. Even now there are almost no teams in the southern US except for Florida and Texas and there are none in the Northeast. When you don't grow up with a game you don't really have that built in love of the game.

[Scott Taylor]

TV ratings aren't a good metric because, unlike with other sports, hockey a must-see in person sport. When I go to a hockey game, its always a super-memorable experience.

That said, its not as popular as other sports in America because its not as good on TV, did not originate in America, and is not nearly as widespread in the schools as the other team sports.

[tib2d2]

So the question posed is not so much WHY its not as popular, but as an American NHL fan, do you enjoy its "less popular" status? or hate it and wish it was more popular?

[Kusanagi]

The only reason to ever get mad at Hockey's status as the 4th sport was lack of coverage and this has really stopped being an issue a long time ago. Even if Sportscenter doesn't cover it, there's plenty of options online.

As for its status as the 4th, it's hard to be mad because it makes sense. Hockey is probably the most expensive of the 4 majors to play while not being as appealing to warm weather climates.

[Powerboy]

I must admit I don't follow any sports. I did when I was in college. I grew up and went to college in a town right on the Canadian border so I must admit I never realized hockey wasn't popular in the U.S. because it beat everything but Football where I lived.

[inisideguy]

I have never enjoyed anything based on how popular or unpopular it was. If I like it I like it.

[Scott Taylor]

So the question posed is not so much WHY its not as popular, but as an American NHL fan, do you enjoy its "less popular" status? or hate it and wish it was more popular?

Enjoy it being less popular.

[BeastieRunner]

Out of the 3 major "race up & down the playfield to put object in net" sports in the US, I am surprised this one is less popular than basketball and soccer due to how the average US sports fan enjoys their sports.

It's got big hits, cool sound effects, fights, blood, and it is easy for fan interaction.

But I am also surprised rugby is not more popular in the states for similar reasons.

[Captain Nostalgia]

I understand that this question is for American hockey fans, but as a Canadian I don't mind it staying less popular because...

1) Too much expansion is ruining sports in general, (Be it NFL, NBA) because it dilutes the talent pool. ....To become a national sport the NHL would have to successfully expand in the South, meaning more teams

2) When a sport become too popular salaries rise & small market teams struggle to remain competitive

3) Traditional American and Canadian fans alike often worry about ole time hockey (Fighting, body checking) being removed from the game to make it more mainstream.



The NHL has always been an American/Canadian hybrid.

It's peak in popularity was the 90's when it was able to expand beyond it's traditional fan base of the North East/Mid West, where the weather is cold.

I just think it's unrealistic to expect it to become more popular in warmer climates where it never snows. If your a kid in Texas, your first thought isn't going to be to learn how to ice skate.

[tib2d2]

I think I enjoy that it flies under the radar a bit. Makes it feel like I belong to a tight community of hockey fans here in the US. However I get annoyed that NHL hockey doesn't get the respect it deserves in the pantheon of North American sports. Its an incredible game that requires an insane skill level, and I wish more high level sport analysts were into hockey and talked about an exciting game/play/goal from the previous night like they do with other sports.

So I guess I'm not asking for it to sweep the nation, but I do miss the popularity level from the 90s like previous poster mentioned.

[Jim Kelly]

As a Canadian, it's pretty weird how Americans can't relate to the game. I don't think you need to see it in the arena to get a lot out of it. I'd say that baseball is the one game where I got more out of the game in the open air than seeing it on T.V. I'm not a sports nut, but if I sit down to watch a hockey game on the tube, I'm drawn in. It's both fast paced and strategic and before I know it a whole period is over. I don't get that with baseball or football.

When I was a kid, we had a table hockey game that featured the original six, which were the only teams in the League at the time. Two Canadian teams and four American teams. Expansion didn't happen until 1967; before that we in the west and those in the east had to satisfy ourselves with the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens. I hear that the people in the east (Atlantic provinces) cheered for the Bruins. They still do, because they've yet to get their own team in the League.

Do you really need to be from the place to champion the team? Baseball started with the original eight and it was the American sport. People outside those original eight cities were fans of the game, too.

Of course, in some places (in the U.S. and Canada), it's easier to find a frozen pond to play on in the winter. Here in Vancouver, we rarely get frozen ponds. However, to play road hockey, you just need a stick and something like a puck. You don't even need a net, because you throw your jackets down on the road to indicate the goal line.

[Captain Nostalgia]

I think I enjoy that it flies under the radar a bit. Makes it feel like I belong to a tight community of hockey fans here in the US. However I get annoyed that NHL hockey doesn't get the respect it deserves in the pantheon of North American sports. Its an incredible game that requires an insane skill level, and I wish more high level sport analysts were into hockey and talked about an exciting game/play/goal from the previous night like they do with other sports.

So I guess I'm not asking for it to sweep the nation, but I do miss the popularity level from the 90s like previous poster mentioned.

I can understand the annoyance in some respect, as it does take an incredible amount of skill, and natural born talent to have the soft hands and precision to be a top goal scorer.

That being said, I wouldn't worry about it too much, hockey in the United States will always have a large fanbase, particularly in cities like Boston, Detroit, Chicago ect.

I'm just happy Seattle finally got a team....they've been wanting one for a very long time!

Of course, in some places (in the U.S. and Canada), it's easier to find a frozen pond to play on in the winter. Here in Vancouver, we rarely get frozen ponds. However, to play road hockey, you just need a stick and something like a puck. You don't even need a net, because you throw your jackets down on the road to indicate the goal line.

Sadly too many municipal mayors have outlawed road hockey. Disturbing trend in Canada. When I grew up every kid was outside playing road hockey.

[BeastieRunner]

Well ESPN made a huge NHL deal, so that should help.