Current Events > I honestly don't understand why hockey isn't more popular in the USA.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Opportunities for commercial breaks? Check.

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

Brainless violence in the form of fighting? Check.

Hockey should be one of the most popular sport in the USA instead of being the bottom of the big four.

Only thing I can think of is that you need to be rich to play the sport compared to basketball, football, or baseball.
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It seems popular enough. Try getting a ticket in Vegas.
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Geiki Ganger posted...

you need to be rich to play the sport compared to basketball, football, or baseball.

Bingo
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it's hard for newbs to follow the puck. so they get lost and give up.

add in that hating on the NHL has basically been a meme for 30 years, and people won't even give it a chance.
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it's much more interesting to watch than baseball or football, and I prefer it over basketball
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It is very popular in the northern US. There are some dedicated hockey fans in the South, but not nearly as many.
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Always has been and always will be my top sport. There isn't much not to like.
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My issue with hockey is I can't tell what makes a player stand out as better than the other players. It just seems like it's a group of faceless jerseys slapping the puck around until one is in the right place at the right time and scores. Are there any stats or metrics to gauge talent besides goals scored?
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MabusIncarnate posted...

There isn't much not to like.

except the Buttman. boo that man.
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EffectAndCause posted...

My issue with hockey is I can't tell what makes a player stand out as better than the other players. It just seems like it's a group of faceless jerseys slapping the puck around until one is in the right place at the right time and scores. Are there any stats or metrics to gauge talent besides goals scored?

off the top of my head: assists, passes, speed, checks
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Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

This is subjective. The US only really started to get good internationally in recent years. Besides things like the Miracle on Ice the US has always been a mixed bag in major events.

Geiki Ganger posted...

Only thing I can think of is that you need to be rich to play the sport compared to basketball, football, or baseball.

And this doesn't help, nor does the fact that half the country can't have outdoor ice. Sure a team like the Predators are popular, but the Coyotes bottom out attendance most years.
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EffectAndCause posted...

My issue with hockey is I can't tell what makes a player stand out as better than the other players. It just seems like it's a group of faceless jerseys slapping the puck around until one is in the right place at the right time and scores. Are there any stats or metrics to gauge talent besides goals scored?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K1JJTmWSbI]

This happened just a couple nights ago.

This is a high end talent player. Also, if you really are interested, youtube Crosby, Datsyuk, or Ovechkin highlights just to give you an idea.
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We watch what we grow with.

Football and baseball are very popular. Everyone grows up playing.

Basketball is played everywhere and probably the easiest sport for someone to decide let's go play today.

I love hockey but I'd imagine the majority of the country can skate and people dont grow up playing in the whole country.

It seems to be gaining popularity.
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averagejoel posted...

it's much more interesting to watch than baseball or football, and I prefer it over basketball

this. baseball is boring as hell. football is meh. basketball is tolerable. but hockey is best from those.
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Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

To be fair, 90% of the players are Canadian. It's like 4 to 1, actually.

Dash_Harber posted...

Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

To be fair, 90% of the players are Canadian. It's like 4 to 1, actually.

in the nhl? maybe. but the US does quite good in World Championships and Olympics.
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Dash_Harber posted...

Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

To be fair, 90% of the players are Canadian. It's like 4 to 1, actually.

It's the same thing with soccer. USA could be a lot more competitive if our top athletes decided to play hockey as a kid instead of other sports but in recent years our team has at least been competitive internationally albeit never the favorite.
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Dash_Harber posted...

Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

To be fair, 90% of the players are Canadian. It's like 4 to 1, actually.

No, there is definitely a lot of Russian, Czeck, and Swedish players in the NHL, there is a larger percentage of European players than American. I'd say it's more like 50-60 percent Canadian.
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MabusIncarnate posted...

No, there is definitely a lot of Russian, Czeck, and Swedish players in the NHL, there is a larger percentage of European players than American. I'd say it's more like 50-60 percent Canadian.

345 Canadians
190 Americans
222 Europeans from 15 countries.
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Americans can't follow the puck.

Cmon fox proved this in the 90s.
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electricbugs2 posted...

MabusIncarnate posted...

No, there is definitely a lot of Russian, Czeck, and Swedish players in the NHL, there is a larger percentage of European players than American. I'd say it's more like 50-60 percent Canadian.

345 Canadians
190 Americans
222 Europeans from 15 countries.

Czech, not Czeck, my bad, I figured the stats would be closer to what you provided there.

NES4EVER posted...

Americans can't follow the puck.

Cmon fox proved this in the 90s.

RIP glow puck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grOttsHuuzE
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NES4EVER posted...

Americans can't follow the puck.

Cmon fox proved this in the 90s.

No one actually follows the puck, you just learn to read what the players are doing and which way the flow is going.

It's seen as too Canadian.

i wish fox would bring back the animated glowing puck on TV so i could follow along
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It's fast paced that gives off a rush when watching in person or on TV. It's an amazing sport that should be huge in the US. I think their problem is TV networks don't sponser the league enough, more restrictions over the years in the sport, and taking a year off killed its momentum.

It's not one of those past time traditional sports like baseball or football either which sucks cause it's easily more enjoyable.
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NES4EVER posted...

Americans can't follow the puck.

Cmon fox proved this in the 90s.

Philoktetes posted...

i wish fox would bring back the animated glowing puck on TV so i could follow along

Seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
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MabusIncarnate posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

To be fair, 90% of the players are Canadian. It's like 4 to 1, actually.

No, there is definitely a lot of Russian, Czeck, and Swedish players in the NHL, there is a larger percentage of European players than American. I'd say it's more like 50-60 percent Canadian.

Yeah, look at the numbers previously pointed out. I was just saying that Canada:US was roughly 4:1. I wasn't saying that all players are either Canadian or American.

Dash_Harber posted...

MabusIncarnate posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

To be fair, 90% of the players are Canadian. It's like 4 to 1, actually.

No, there is definitely a lot of Russian, Czeck, and Swedish players in the NHL, there is a larger percentage of European players than American. I'd say it's more like 50-60 percent Canadian.

Yeah, look at the numbers previously pointed out. I was just saying that Canada:US was roughly 4:1. I wasn't saying that all players are either Canadian or American.

And even that was wrong - closer to 2:1. Like, a lot closer.
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Basketball is my favourite, mainly because I have played it my whole life, but yeah hockey is good.

electricbugs2 posted...

MabusIncarnate posted...

No, there is definitely a lot of Russian, Czeck, and Swedish players in the NHL, there is a larger percentage of European players than American. I'd say it's more like 50-60 percent Canadian.

345 Canadians
190 Americans
222 Europeans from 15 countries.

interesting.
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I enjoy Hockey and think it deserves more love but Football and Basketball definitely captured more exciting aspects of sports Imo and I admit I can't fully explain it I just find it less exciting.

Some of it has to do with the similarities of Soccer (which I still enjoy watching live but overall and a few World Cup matches but I have a lot of issues with the way Soccer is presented and played to the point where I rank it far less enjoyable to watch than the other major team sports san Baseball) I think the pacing and physicality of Hockey makes it more appealing than Soccer itself.
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The last lockout killed its popularity along with ESPNs NHL contract running out. Prior to that ESPN gave it a ton of coverage. Once they didnt take that contract they hardly ever really covered the sport much at all
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darkjedilink posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

MabusIncarnate posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

To be fair, 90% of the players are Canadian. It's like 4 to 1, actually.

No, there is definitely a lot of Russian, Czeck, and Swedish players in the NHL, there is a larger percentage of European players than American. I'd say it's more like 50-60 percent Canadian.

Yeah, look at the numbers previously pointed out. I was just saying that Canada:US was roughly 4:1. I wasn't saying that all players are either Canadian or American.

And even that was wrong - closer to 2:1. Like, a lot closer.

Fair enough. Still a decent margin considering the US has like twice the amount of teams.

*is wearing a sharks shirt*
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Dash_Harber posted...

darkjedilink posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

MabusIncarnate posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

To be fair, 90% of the players are Canadian. It's like 4 to 1, actually.

No, there is definitely a lot of Russian, Czeck, and Swedish players in the NHL, there is a larger percentage of European players than American. I'd say it's more like 50-60 percent Canadian.

Yeah, look at the numbers previously pointed out. I was just saying that Canada:US was roughly 4:1. I wasn't saying that all players are either Canadian or American.

And even that was wrong - closer to 2:1. Like, a lot closer.

Fair enough. Still a decent margin considering the US has like twice the amount of teams.

True, but that's because the NHL was stupid and added a bunch of expansion teams in places that make no sense, like Texas, Vegas, California, Arizona, and Florida - all warm weather states, that have no naturally-occurring ice. Meanwhile, the Dakotas don't have a team, a bunch of New England states don't have teams, and Canadian expansion keeps getting shot down for some reason.
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Personally, I grew up in California and we don't have a lot of ice. I know we have a couple hockey teams, but it's just not super-hyped here. I've been to one live game and it was a ton of fun. Prior to that I had seen maybe all of an hour of hockey on tv and maybe played one hockey video game for a bit with a friend when I was a kid.

I'm sure if you grow up in places that actually get cold it's a bigger thing, but it just seems weird.
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It really isn't since Hockey is huge in California now. The Sharks have always been mega popular, and the Kings and Ducks do alright depending on the time of year.

Florida and Arizona are good examples of questionable markets but hockey has been in California in the NHL since the late 60's.

And even in the case of teams like AZ and FL, those markets produce hockey players now. Auston Matthews for instance.
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electricbugs2 posted...

It really isn't since Hockey is huge in California now.

With who?

I know one person in California who is really into hockey and he's 11.
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TheJBD posted...

electricbugs2 posted...

It really isn't since Hockey is huge in California now.

With who?

I know one person in California who is really into hockey and he's 11.

Which means that's just not what your friends are into. Go look at any highlights of the Sharks at home and tell me "No one cares" again with a straight face.

Also, I live in BC and our home junior leagues are full of players who grew up in Californian Bantam systems.

You might not be into it but it's massive.
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electricbugs2 posted...

TheJBD posted...

electricbugs2 posted...

It really isn't since Hockey is huge in California now.

With who?

I know one person in California who is really into hockey and he's 11.

Which means that's just not what your friends are into. Go look at any highlights of the Sharks at home and tell me "No one cares" again with a straight face.

Also, I live in BC and our home junior leagues are full of players who grew up in Californian Bantam systems.

You might not be into it but it's massive.

I never said no one cares. I said it seems weird. You're right to say that people I associate with don't care about hockey though.
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TheJBD posted...

You're right to say that people I associate with don't care about hockey though.

That's just it then. Nothing wrong with that, but to say hockey isn't popular in California at this point is silly. It's been there professionally for over 50 years and got really popular in the 90's when Gretzky was in LA.

Heck, I played Jr. B in Canada in my 19 year old season and one of my teammates was from Oakland. Probably not exactly a hockey hotbed (pun not intended).
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darkjedilink posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

darkjedilink posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

MabusIncarnate posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

To be fair, 90% of the players are Canadian. It's like 4 to 1, actually.

No, there is definitely a lot of Russian, Czeck, and Swedish players in the NHL, there is a larger percentage of European players than American. I'd say it's more like 50-60 percent Canadian.

Yeah, look at the numbers previously pointed out. I was just saying that Canada:US was roughly 4:1. I wasn't saying that all players are either Canadian or American.

And even that was wrong - closer to 2:1. Like, a lot closer.

Fair enough. Still a decent margin considering the US has like twice the amount of teams.

True, but that's because the NHL was stupid and added a bunch of expansion teams in places that make no sense, like Texas, Vegas, California, Arizona, and Florida - all warm weather states, that have no naturally-occurring ice. Meanwhile, the Dakotas don't have a team, a bunch of New England states don't have teams, and Canadian expansion keeps getting shot down for some reason.

Yeah, I'm not really arguing. I was really hoping the latest expansion was going to be a resurrection of the Nordiques, but for some fucking reason, they chose Vegas.

Quebec's arena wasn't ready.

Vegas actually make more sense than people give it credit for.

By ECHL standards (Two levels below NHL) the Wranglers had really good attendance and almost 400 K people live in Vegas, not just tourists.

Also, their start speaks for itself.
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I would add or move to someone to Quebec City, maybe Hamilton, maybe a GTA team (not in Markham),

maybe Seattle, and some north US city which doesnt have yet.
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electricbugs2 posted...

That's just it then. Nothing wrong with that, but to say hockey isn't popular in California at this point is silly.

I literally never said that, but ok.

Hockey seems cool. Fun even. But we have, what, two professional teams in California? At least in the NHL. And maybe there are more. I legitimately don't know. But I'm several hours North of both those teams. And very, very few people (with whom I interact) give a shit about the sport. In this area I have known two people who were really into hockey. One was 14 when I was also 14 which was nearly 20 years ago. The other is a young man who is currently 11.

This is the hill I will die on for no good reason.
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darkjedilink posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

darkjedilink posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

MabusIncarnate posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

Geiki Ganger posted...

A sport that the USA is actually good at? Check.

To be fair, 90% of the players are Canadian. It's like 4 to 1, actually.

No, there is definitely a lot of Russian, Czeck, and Swedish players in the NHL, there is a larger percentage of European players than American. I'd say it's more like 50-60 percent Canadian.

Yeah, look at the numbers previously pointed out. I was just saying that Canada:US was roughly 4:1. I wasn't saying that all players are either Canadian or American.

And even that was wrong - closer to 2:1. Like, a lot closer.

Fair enough. Still a decent margin considering the US has like twice the amount of teams.

True, but that's because the NHL was stupid and added a bunch of expansion teams in places that make no sense, like Texas, Vegas, California, Arizona, and Florida - all warm weather states, that have no naturally-occurring ice. Meanwhile, the Dakotas don't have a team, a bunch of New England states don't have teams, and Canadian expansion keeps getting shot down for some reason.

Hockey is pretty big in CA. Not the biggest sport by any means but certainly did more for the sport than putting a team. In the Dakotas.
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3khc posted...

*is wearing a sharks shirt*

The things I'd do to you.

electricbugs2 posted...

TheJBD posted...

You're right to say that people I associate with don't care about hockey though.

That's just it then. Nothing wrong with that, but to say hockey isn't popular in California at this point is silly. It's been there professionally for over 50 years and got really popular in the 90's when Gretzky was in LA.

Heck, I played Jr. B in Canada in my 19 year old season and one of my teammates was from Oakland. Probably not exactly a hockey hotbed (pun not intended).

This. Each CA team probably gets more support than most states could get behind alone.
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Also I never understood the obsession people have with sticking teams in parts of the US that are into hockey because of their college teams.

Columbus still struggles attendance wise against the Buckeyes. Have the think it would be similar for Fighting Hawks VS Whatever.
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Cj_WlLL_VVlN posted...

3khc posted...

*is wearing a sharks shirt*

The things I'd do to you.

electricbugs2 posted...

TheJBD posted...

You're right to say that people I associate with don't care about hockey though.

That's just it then. Nothing wrong with that, but to say hockey isn't popular in California at this point is silly. It's been there professionally for over 50 years and got really popular in the 90's when Gretzky was in LA.

Heck, I played Jr. B in Canada in my 19 year old season and one of my teammates was from Oakland. Probably not exactly a hockey hotbed (pun not intended).

This. Each CA team probably gets more support than most states could get behind alone.

We also have the most populous state in the US with the two big hockey teams being located in the lower half.

Again, if there's another major hockey team in CA please tell me. I'm just going off loose information in my brain.
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I prefer football.
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