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Why is hockey not a big sport in the US ?

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I've been a Devils fan since the late 80s. Back then my family had season tickets that we split with a few other familes. The face value of the lower deck tickets was $28, and the upper deck was $14. Now the best seats are $90.

That, and they never show it on TV, so how can you follow your favorite team? I never get to see Devils games on TV. I live for the playoffs.
 
I used to be a hockey fan. But now it's all about the money. Why should I sit there and watch a bunch of jocks skate around while getting payed millions of dollars. They don't care about anything but the money, and they sure as hell don't care if I'm watching or not.

The NHL sucks!
 
hockey is dying? what about baseball? remember the games you see when only a handful of people are in attendence?

teams are gonna die if they suck and never improve. why is pittsburgh penguin's attendence low? because they SUCK this year, and last year too. Wayne Gretzsky got it right, people don't want to go to a game when the team is gonna lose anyway. The mighty ducks came from a KIDS movie, i'm glad they're sucking this year. On the other hand, teams like stars, flyers, devils, red wings are doing good because they play well and their teams win.

boringness can exist in ANY sport, even football. it's really boring to watch football when they just punt back and forth without getting any yards or making any TDs and big plays. Baseball is by far the most boring, IMO. well golf is the most annoying but it doesn't really count because it's not a team sport.
 
Originally posted by: alphatarget1
hockey is dying? what about baseball? remember the games you see when only a handful of people are in attendence?

teams are gonna die if they suck and never improve. why is pittsburgh penguin's attendence low? because they SUCK this year, and last year too. Wayne Gretzsky got it right, people don't want to go to a game when the team is gonna lose anyway. The mighty ducks came from a KIDS movie, i'm glad they're sucking this year. On the other hand, teams like stars, flyers, devils, red wings are doing good because they play well and their teams win.

boringness can exist in ANY sport, even football. it's really boring to watch football when they just punt back and forth without getting any yards or making any TDs and big plays. Baseball is by far the most boring, IMO. well golf is the most annoying but it doesn't really count because it's not a team sport.
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Yes, but low attendance must still be related to hockey in general; the Redskins sucked this year (5-11), and still managed to sell out every game. I don't care how bad the Redskins were sucking, I'd still pay to go see them play!
 
For me, hockey during the Olympics is very enjoyable to watch. NHL is somewhat boring, except when they fight...
 
According to Bret Hull it's because the style of play is more boring compared to 20 years ago, and the most recent additions to the rule book have made the game boring. I'll see if I can find the text of some interviews with him... he has a lot to say about the game.
 
The problem with hockey is that the season is just too long. I love watching the playoffs. Every game means something, the players are going all out, the electricity is amazing. But, an 82 game season is just too long, especially when more than half the teams make the playoffs. Baseball can get away with a long season, since only 8 teams make the postseason. You have to be on the top of your game for most of the year, or you have a very good shot at not making it. But, if you are an NHL team with average to slightly above average talent, you should expect to make the playoffs. Basketball is the same way. Look at football. Every game counts. The Vikings season was ruined on one play: a 25 yard fourth and goal bomb given up to one of the worst teams in the league. That's why the NFL is thriving. You just don't get that with the other sports.
 
Dan Patrick interviews Brett Hull...
DP: Are the days of 50 goals in 50 games gone?
BH: Yes. Long gone, possibly forever.
DP: You did it twice ... are you worried that other sports have increased scoring, but in hockey scoring has decreased?
BH: No, because hockey is its own game. It's completely different than all the other games, although it's getting way too close to soccer.
DP: Meaning the scores?
BH: Meaning the style. You know, keep it out of the middle of the field, take it up the sidelines as far as you can and then shoot it at the net and hope it goes in off someone.

DP: Favorite hockey term.
BH: "Score!"
DP: What's a bad hockey term?
BH: "Dump it in."
DP: Is there a hockey term that's out of style right now? My favorite is top shelf.
BH: Yeah.
DP: Is there a hockey term that's out of style, that you can't use that maybe 10 years ago you could use?
BH: Maybe a little more than 10 years ago, but ... "the benches have cleared" [laughs].
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Yes, but low attendance must still be related to hockey in general; the Redskins sucked this year (5-11), and still managed to sell out every game. I don't care how bad the Redskins were sucking, I'd still pay to go see them play!
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Franchises like the Redskins and the Chicago Cubs are not the norm in sports.

 


hockey is boring, there really is no strategy in that game, besides running down as fast as you can and hitting the puck really hard. occasionally yeah see some good passes but that's only once in awhile.
 
Originally posted by: TranceNation
hockey is boring, there really is no strategy in that game, besides running down as fast as you can and hitting the puck really hard. occasionally yeah see some good passes but that's only once in awhile.
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Here's an example of someone not giving it a chance. If you had, you'd know there are many systems in play... some that actually lead to low-scoring, defensive-minded games. I could go on, but it's obvious you don't care to begin with.

Boring ??? Like someone mentioned... maybe if you're watching the Devils night in and night out. 😉
 
Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
"Why is hockey not a big sport in the US ?"

It does not play well on TV
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And baseball does?

I love hockey. My problem with it is the cost of tickets. Why would i pay $40 to sit in nose bleed section at a Dallas Stars game, when i can pay $25 and sit ice level at a CHL game and be more entertained. The CHL, thou not officially, encourages fighting on the ice to draw in crowds.
The NHL players used to play for so much less than other sports players because they liked what they were doing and had fun at it, now more and more players are doing it for the money. It chaps my hide that anyone would bitch about making $500,000 a year to work 7 months a year.

 
One thought does come to mind about high scoring. You watch the old films and the goalie looks like a stick. They must've been 5'8" 170lbs at most. Gordie Howe or even during the Ray Bourque early years would throw a shot on net and the goalie would be in a straight-up stance trying to stop a low shot to the far post. The best effort they'd make is to stick a leg out. God forbid if they did stop it and there was a fat rebound lying there. It's quite comical. (Yes, they were wearing masks around that time).

I think low scoring is a result of today's bigger and better conditioned athletes mixed with bulkier equipment and strong defensive minds in the crease. No more of those shots from an impossible angle are going off goalie's skates as frequently. It's an evolution to a strong physical and mental game. The question is - what can be done about it ?
 
Originally posted by: Sealy
Originally posted by: edmundoab
man.. its a dangerous game,
I got hit by the ball on the knee... swell like for 2 days and I never touched the hockey stick anymore since 15. lol
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Ummm...did you mean to say puck? Or were you playing floor hockey? 🙂
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well I was trying to learn the game,
and while I was on the turf , I had a friend who crossed the ball to me while I didn't know how to control it with the stick. In a matter of fact, the ball was so fast that it just hit my knee even before I could react to avoid it myself.

so I could imagine how many other knocks I would have received if I continue to play hockey
 
Originally posted by: rh71
One thought does come to mind about high scoring. You watch the old films and the goalie looks like a stick. They must've been 5'8" 170lbs at most. Gordie Howe or even during the Ray Bourque early years would throw a shot on net and the goalie would be in a straight-up stance trying to stop a low shot to the far post. The best effort they'd make is to stick a leg out. God forbid if they did stop it and there was a fat rebound lying there. It's quite comical.

I think low scoring is a result of today's bigger and better conditioned athletes mixed with bulkier equipment and strong defensive minds in the crease. No more of those shots from an impossible angle are going off goalie's skates as frequently.
Click to expand...

I think the goalies being better has to do with the better equipment. REally, what person would throw himself infront of a puck without a helmet or mask? The old time goalis didn't wear face or head protection, they wore the same damn thing the other players wore, they just had a different stick and gloves.

 
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