NHL lockout

[Zarn]

@Rhymes,

The importance of hockey in the US varies greatly by region and ethnicity. Hockey means nothing in the South and most of the Mid-West and West. The places where hockey has a following are in the big cities of the Northeast corridor and the upper mid-West. So in Boston, New York, Buffalo, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis, the loss of hockey is felt. For instance, I live near Philadelphia and many people are disappointed that there is no season. For now that disappointment is muted because the Eagles (US football) are undefeated, but when football is over, the Flyers will really be missed. This pattern actually holds even when the NHL is playing, i.e. fervor for hockey does not really grow until the Eagles are done playing.

It is worthwhile to know that even in the aforementioned cities, hockey is only popular among white people. African-Americans, in spite of ten years of NHL marketing directed at them, have essentially no interest in hockey. The same is true of Latinos, who follow soccer and baseball, sometimes basketball and football, but never hockey.

I hate soccer and am 'okay' with baseball (little boring at times). I don't like basketball. I was born and raised on Long Island and am living near Philadelphia on other side of the Delaware (for reference).

My favorite sport is hockey, followed by US football. I guess I don't fit your stereotype very well. It's a shame that there isn't a season (hockey).

Soccer! No one likes it here!

 

[pawpaw]

The places where hockey has a following are in the big cities of the Northeast corridor and the upper mid-West. So in Boston, New York, Buffalo, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis, the loss of hockey is felt.

It is worthwhile to know that even in the aforementioned cities, hockey is only popular among white people.

i live near detriot, you never hear anything about hockey, good or bad, it's like it doesn't exist. as far as inter city hockey, most inter cities don't have hockey rinks left and right. hockey equipment cost $$. basketball requires a ball and a hoop, nothing more, stick ball a bat and a rubber ball, nothing more

 

[Andu Indorin]

If there any American hockey fans suffering serious withdrawel, there is always "the Fastest Game in America."

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

As a stereotypical Canadian, I love hockey. I wish the two sides would be locked in a room until they both reached a deal. Luckily, Calgary still has the WHL and Calgary Hitmen. So the hockey spirit is still alive here, as well as across Canada.

I am also very anti-Southern US NHL teams. I hate Carolina, Florida, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas, Phoenix, and Anaheim.(I am impartial to LA) The league needs to get rid of these teams. They are part of the problem. The league should get rid of them, or move them to more friendly hockey towns.

 

[ZIG_Ilia]

Many Nhl players comebacked and arrived in russian teams... RHL becomes more interesting..

 

[pboily]

I am also very anti-Southern US NHL teams. I hate Carolina, Florida, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas, Phoenix, and Anaheim.(I am impartial to LA) The league needs to get rid of these teams. They are part of the problem.

Apparently, Dallas is a surprisingly good hockey market in terms of growth and attendance... I never knew. As for Columbus being a second-tier city, maybe that's the point. The NHL won't have to struggle against the NFL, NBA or MLB; maybe they feel they had a better shot that way.

 

[Drewcifer]

Dallas and LA are the two southern cities that are good hockey markets as far as I can tell, I don't know if LA needs or can support two teams on a regular basis. Columbus is a better market than it is given credit for, it is on the edge of hockey country and it is a city of a million and the only other game in town is Ohio State football (and to a lesser degree Ohio State hockey).

If there any American hockey fans suffering serious withdrawel, there is always "the Fastest Game in America."

Indeed, no withdrawl here in Minnesota. As I said in the other thread the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are ranked #1 in national polls, Colorado College is #2, the WCHA's top four in the points race right now are:

1. Wisconsin
2. North Dakota
3. Minnesota
4. Colorado College

They are all seperated by three points, UMD (Duluth) is lurking back in the pack with a ton of talent but so far a lackluster season. It is good times whatever happens in the NHL. Minnesota and Colorado College are ahead of the evil North Dakota Fighting Sioux and the even more evil Wisconsin Badgers in the national polls because they have played fewer games and therefore have fewer points. All four teams are in the top 15 in the polls, and they are all good. There are probably a dozen or two future NHL players on their combined rosters and they are generally local (northern US plains) kids. I know most of you probably don't give a crap about college hockey or the WCHA, but the games have always featured thrilling, skill intensive, old style end to end hockey and have always been on local TV here (Gophers, UMD and St Cloud State). It doesn't take a lockout to get me to love them.

 

[Lusikka755]

In Finnish hockey media was said a few days ago that NHL player Sean Avery had told other players not to come to Finland because we don't honour the contracts. This happened in "a NHLPA forum" according to the media. In reality Avery was the one who left without saying anything to anyone and broke his contract with Lahti Pelicans (just like John Madden, Krys Kolanos and Ryan Malone...). Does anyone know where to find this forum? I would be interested to see what bullsh*t he has told there and maybe throw in some comments. Because of him many NHL players has refused to come to SM-Liiga (Finnish league).

Thanks!

 

[pawpaw]

espn reports that if no solution at thursdays meeting, the season will be cancelled friday morning.

 

[Gnarfflinger]

As of the end of talks Thursday, there was no deal, but Dumb and Dumber--Er--Goodenow and Bettman were meeting again Friday. This from "the Score" a canadian cable Sports network.

 

[covok48]

"Apparently, Dallas is a surprisingly good hockey market in terms of growth and attendance... I never knew."

Our attendence in hockey [as with all other sports] has a cemented inverse relationship with American football.

If the Cowboys are doing well, there is no focus on the other teams, if they aren't, there's an explosion of interest in other teams.

Dallas fans are so fickle...

 

[sysyphus]

Personally, I'm looking forward to the day I'm walking down the street and Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow tries to ask me for spare change.

Oh please oh please oh please!!!!!!

Incidentally, for some reason over the past few weeks there have been a bunch of NHL players hanging around the bar at the rink I play my league games at on thursdays near the Toronto airport. I have no idea why, but they're always there in suits. Tie Domi actually watched my game last week. I should charge the bastards $200 to watch it.

For those of you who miss it and don't actually play yourself: start playing, you won't care about the stupid frigging NHL once you do.

 

[Gnarfflinger]

I think that if the season is cancelled, that Bettman and Goodenow should be fired. Then tell Daly and saskin that if there's no deal by the time Training camp rols around, they're next...

 

[pboily]

For those of you who miss it and don't actually play yourself: start playing, you won't care about the stupid frigging NHL once you do.

Hear, hear!

 

[sysyphus]

Hear, hear!

Nice to see that Leaf fans and Sens fans can finally agree on something ( other than the fact that the Habs are scum of course).

 

[General Brown]

I dont know if its abig issue in the US, but the overpaid NHL players are right now in a lock-out probably for the rest of the season.
In Montreal, its a major issue: Hockey is what makes the city live during winter!

I was wondering if it affected americans at all? How popular is hockey in the US?

Well, I live in Boston, and last year was the first year i really got into hockey, and if the bruins hadn't lost to the Canadians, I know beantown would've have got hockey fever. And I really was looking forward to this year.
But...Around here, even though alot of you say people up here love hockey, it's a 2nd level sport, not on par with football, baseball or basketbal..

Though I love Providence College and Boston College hockey

 

[pawpaw]

live near detroit--actually hear little about it

 

[sysyphus]

live near detroit--actually hear little about it

That's two posters from detroit who say that hockey is not a big deal there, so why does the city dub itself "Hockeytown USA"?

 

[pawpaw]

That's two posters from detroit who say that hockey is not a big deal there, so why does the city dub itself "Hockeytown USA"?

the media did it, think back to the mid 70's and 80s
when the red wings suxed " the dead things ". bandwagon city, loved the 84 tigers, can't stand them now, loved the bad boy piston in early 90's, never came back till last year. the true love of detroit is the lions--love'm no matter how bad they are.

 

[Gnarfflinger]

the media did it, think back to the mid 70's and 80s
when the red wings suxed " the dead things ". bandwagon city, loved the 84 tigers, can't stand them now, loved the bad boy piston in early 90's, never came back till last year. the true love of detroit is the lions--love'm no matter how bad they are.

Sort of like Montreal and the Canadians...