Why hockey is not popular in America

[SRBI]

Do you know why hockey & soccer are not popular in US?
Because they're low scoring games..

Americans love action!

Those three words just answered every question in this thread. Well done Sawyer

[JumpoffJoeBeezy]

One would argue that Hockey is the sport with the MOST action..

[darrell74]

I can tell you there's not a sheet of ice in New Mexico, guys.

The question is actually, a lot more ignorant than you may believe.

Don't bust your brain on it, its not that difficult.

[forsberg21]

Do you know why hockey & soccer are not popular in US? Because they're low scoring games.. Americans love action!

Then how do you explain baseball, Nascar, golf, and even someone mentioned cycling on here.

Let's even go as far and say the NFL, where no single play lasts longer than 10 seconds, where's the action in these sports? Hockey is non-stop action, period.

[LT Profits]

I have seen 1-0 hockey games with more action than most NBA games.

[Eleven]

They havent watched it enough to see where the puck is, kinda like most of us with ping pong.

[oiler]

It baffles me that so many people do not follow hockey...........

as abd as all our other ball clubs are,our hockey team is the only thing people are talking about in chicago/

[pico]

just is

[TakeIt]

look, it's simple. any sport that canadians love has got to be a joke.

canadians: they call their money loonies and toonies.

canadians: they say "aye" a lot

canadians: they speak french when they don't have to

canadians: they have two television channels. one for politics and the other for curling.

canadians: they eat spam for breakfast

need i say more?

[Cougar Bait]

Link is not working- Removed-)

[Brock Landers]

If Blacks played hockey there would be no more white players They would be too big, fast and strong for anyone else

there are more colored hockey players now than ever..not too many though.

[jjgold]

We need more blacks and you will see incredible hockey period

[Brock Landers]

We need more blacks and you will see incredible hockey period

are there any ice rinks in harlem?

[forsberg21]

look, it's simple. any sport that canadians love has got to be a joke. canadians: they call their money loonies and toonies. canadians: they say "aye" a lot canadians: they speak french when they don't have to canadians: they have two television channels. one for politics and the other for curling. canadians: they eat spam for breakfast need i say more?

You sir are an idiot.

I'll lay 20 units that you've never been outside of the country in your life.

[SRBI]

We need more blacks and you will see incredible hockey period

Not happening, black people and ice skates don't mix well together AFAIK.

are there any ice rinks in harlem?

You sir are an idiot.

I'll lay 20 units that you've never been outside of the country in your life.

Agreed, probably the most ignorant statement I've seen in this thread. Way to make yourself look like a jackass, TakeIt

[OTL]

Not happening, black people and ice skates don't mix well together AFAIK.

How about this guy. He scored the game winning goal to send the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup Final today

[Chi_archie]

dustin is not black enough

[OTL]

dustin is not black enough

Good one These guys don't even realize that some of the best players in the game today are black.

[Willie Bee]

Why hockey is not popular in America

The reason is because the NHL didn't keep up with MLB, the NFL and NBA in terms of expansion and marketing starting in the 1950s. There was a pretty large migration of 'yankees' that would've grown up with hockey who moved to the South and West after WWII. The NHL didn't follow them like baseball, basketball and football did.

There also was this little thing called weather in that hockey was not an easy sport to play even for a few months per year south of about Iowa. Technology has obviously made that more affordable and less of an excuse in the last 40-50 years.

The NHL has some catch-up to do in terms of marketing and growing a fan base. Look at a city such as Houston which does not have an NHL franchise. One of the top-5 media markets in this country has a minor league hockey team. They need more infusion like the rink and youth league out in the Houston 'burbs of Sugar Land.

And even if the NHL does that, it might not be enough to ever take much from the stranglehold that baseball, football and basketball has in cities like Houston. It takes a lot of cash to get in the professional games now, and it has nothing to do with announcers.

[statnerds]

OP may be off-base with assertion

5 Reasons NHL Playoff TV Ratings are Up NHL News Written by Matthew Coller Thursday, 22 April 2010 04:28

Who says the NHL needs a new TV deal? Through the first five days of playoff hockey, Versus has scored its highest playoff ratings since 2002. The network averaged a 0.6 household rating (up 50 percent) and 543,000 viewers (up 21 percent), according to Neilsen data. The 2009 postseason numbers were 0.4 and 447,000 respectively. Versus saw a boost in key demographics including 6 percent in 18 to 34 males and 18 percent with men 25 to 54.
The last time the NHL saw numbers this high, the league could be seen on ESPN2.
Some highlights from regional sports networks included a12.2 overnight ratings for the Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Game 1 on MSG Network and a 21.6 rating for Game 3 of the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators.
So why the boost? Here’s five reasons why the NHL’s ratings are up:
Olympics
USA vs. Canada introduced us to a few things: How great hockey can be when something is on the line and the Olympics introduced casual fans to the league’s top American players. Fourteen players from the USA men’s hockey team are currently playing in the NHL playoffs.
Close games
This one’s pretty self explanatory, if games are close, people will want to watch them. Here’s the score through those first five days: 18 of the first 20 games were separated by two goals or less.
Ovechkin and Crosby
These guys are the faces of the league, they are clearly the most recognizable and most exciting players in the league. Plus, they benefit from having contrasting images; you’re either a Crosby person or Ovechkin person, you can’t like both. When these two are in it, casual fans will watch. It’s kind of like having two Tiger Woods’ without the….nevermind.
Scoring
Casual fans like goals. Heck, fanatics like goals. There has been an average of 5.75 goals per game, which is up 46 percent from 2004, the last year of clutching and grabbing.
NHL.com
The league’s website is one of the best among sports leagues. It’s accessible, it’s easy to navigate and the site is very easy to navigate. And, it’s very easy to find where to find the goods. The SHOP.NHL.COM link is right at the top above all the team names along with pictures of merchandise (orders are up 37 percent).
In a press release by Versus, the network listed growth of unique visitors to NHL.com through the first five weeks of the playoffs:

• Phoenix (+121 percent)
• Buffalo (+100 percent)
• Nashville (+ 85 percent
• Denver (+74 percent)
• Boston (+63 percent)
• Chicago (+42 percent)
• *Dallas-Ft. Worth (+41 percent)
• Ottawa (+41 percent)
• Montreal (+34 percent)
• Los Angeles (+34 percent)
• Philadelphia (+22 percent)
• Washington D.C. (+21 percent)
• Vancouver (+17 percent)
• Tampa-St. Pete (+13 percent)
• Pittsburgh (+11 percent)
• *Toronto (+10 percent)
• *Atlanta (+6 percent)
• *Edmonton (+6 percent)

*team did not make playoffs

Does Direct TV carry Versus yet?

[nj6]

Good one These guys don't even realize that some of the best players in the game today are black.

Wayne Simmonds of the LA Kings comes to mind .

[TakeIt]

Agreed, probably the most ignorant statement I've seen in this thread. Way to make yourself look like a jackass, TakeIt

what? you're saying they don't eat spam for breakfast?

[jaydes40]

funny

[cruyff]

Americans don't like hockey because they'll never be better than Canada at it. It's easier for them to disvalue the sport than admit defeat. That's all there is to it.

[forsberg21]

what? you're saying they don't eat spam for breakfast?

Seriously man, where do you come up with this stupid shyt?

I don't hate Americans, just the ignorant ones. I feel sorry for the normal ones that get labeled as the typical "Ignorant American" because of the small minority that create this stereotype.

TakeIt, it's obvious that you have some type of insecurities that you have to compensate for when you say retarded garbage like this. Keep typing the nonsense, it's only making you look like a fool more and more.

Another 5 unit side bet that you've never been out of your state.

[lakerboy]

Good one These guys don't even realize that some of the best players in the game today are black.

[lakerboy]

Americans dont like any sport where they arent number 1.

[BigOrangeTitans]

its simple, old ppl cant see the damn puck

[kisado]

Simple. A lot of regions in the US don't see snow. Not enough facilities. Not enough youth programs. --> Result of lack of general interest amongst the population due to the legacy of "American" sports such as baseball, American football, and basketball. These sports will always be the three main sports in America. Main reason: NOT ENOUGH SCORING. Hockey is similar to football, or soccer, in that there is plenty of action but alas, not enough scoring. Scores will read: 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, etc. We like our scores to read: 102-96 (Basketball) OR 28-17 (American Football).

[nj6]

We like our scores to read: 102-96 (Basketball) OR 28-17 (American Football).

Wat? What about baseball then?

[lakerboy]

Simple. A lot of regions in the US don't see snow. Not enough facilities. Not enough youth programs. --> Result of lack of general interest amongst the population due to the legacy of "American" sports such as baseball, American football, and basketball. These sports will always be the three main sports in America. Main reason: NOT ENOUGH SCORING. Hockey is similar to football, or soccer, in that there is plenty of action but alas, not enough scoring. Scores will read: 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, etc. We like our scores to read: 102-96 (Basketball) OR 28-17 (American Football).

oh okay.

more scoring makes it easier for you to understand i guess. then why the big deal about a 1-0 perfect game in baseball?

[SportsAddict]

Simple. A lot of regions in the US don't see snow. Not enough facilities. Not enough youth programs. --> Result of lack of general interest amongst the population due to the legacy of "American" sports such as baseball, American football, and basketball. These sports will always be the three main sports in America. Main reason: NOT ENOUGH SCORING. Hockey is similar to football, or soccer, in that there is plenty of action but alas, not enough scoring. Scores will read: 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, etc. We like our scores to read: 102-96 (Basketball) OR 28-17 (American Football).

Actually Ive seen football scores that read 2-7 or less and they have still been great games. I actually tried watching hockey today and i didnt see plays behind it, any rhyme or reason to it. Just a bunch of dudes chasing a puck and jockeying for position. Dont get me wrong, its probably a fun sport to watch for some but i really dont see the excitement in it. Theres obviously skill involved but half the time the passes miss the intended receiver and its complete chaos on the ice. Dudes are aloud to knock themselves out if they feel like it. Its almost worse than watching nascar on TV

[Goat Milk]

Detroit is one of the few cities in America where Hockey is big

[pilike]

that's right..

[jennahazeplays]

not enough hits i think