how can most Americans enjoy a true sport if they don't even televise the game on T>V?

Question

NBC doesnt start televising till Janurary 13th, thats almost half a season. and most commenteders dont explain the game right. and its funny how you still here americans say Canadians must be mad cause an american team wins the stanley cup, stop it, look at the rosters they are more Canadians and Europeans on your team then americans.

thorfin39>>>>> Hockey is bigger of a sport world wide then baseball, american football, and basketball, hockey is the second biggest sport in the world, they play ice hockey in India, Israel even Egypt, and you will never see american football or even baseball in those countries so you dont really no what youre talking about. always remember FOOTBALL(SOCCER) #1 IN THE WORLD HOCKEY #2 IN THE WORLD AND THEN RUGBY, american football is not even in top 10 in the world just #1 in the USA.

Answer 1

Americans don't even know hockey is being played until the Stanley Cup finals. The media does a piss poor job of covering the game. Gary Bettmans OLN contract prevents a majority of us from seeing any games until June. I say this because watching a game in the afternoon does not count. I have a life. The incompetent Gary Bettman needs to cancel the OLN contract and get the ganes on ESPN. The guy is so dumb, he has no clue as to what damage he has done to hockey in the USA! Go back to the NBA Bettman!!

Answer 2

Because American football rules here. Not many people (read: men) are able to focus on more than one sport at a time. Networks realize that, and so they don't show any hockey games on national TV until the NFL season is over.

Besides, as much as I love hockey, and I really do, the season's way too long anyway. No one would be missing that much if they didn't watch for half a season. Same goes for baseball. I used to play hockey, and I struggle with watching one team for the entire 82 games.

And it's about what city the team plays in, not the nationality of the players, that matters when it comes to winning the Cup. If your way of thinking was how people really thought, no one in Canada would care if the Stanley Cup was won by Toronto or Montréal - they're both Canadian teams with French and English speaking Canadians on them, right? But it does matter because it is all about where the team is located.

Answer 3

The Flyers games are all televised, as I'm sure most teams have complete coverage. It's from that type of exposure that Americans like myself come to know, play, and love the sport. I came along after the Flyers won their first Stanley Cup. If they hadn't won, I may not have had the wonderful experiences that I associate with ice hockey. If Canadians want to be mad about the popularity of their game in the United States that's their business. If I want to support players from other countries in my city that's my business. I've been following all sports since the mid-sixties, I don't need commentators to tell me whats going on. All I require is a good cameraman, unless I attend the game. The only thing I have against the Carolina Hurricanes winning the cup is that the Flyers didn't.

Answer 4

Hockey is not a major sport here. It's only a level above soccer.

If you want to see it, you watch it on cable like ESPN, or FOX sports.

It's really a non issue. Football is the most popular sport in the USA, which is probably just a little above Basketball.

Football is already on TV here now, because people like it.

Not really a big deal for Hockey here. Not as popular.

Answer 5

So? Each team (bar Chicago) has their own local feeds from Oct. National TV is very ratings driven. Because "we" love hockey is not enough. The NHL gets pathetic ratings nationally in the U.S. so there is no economic reason to televise it from Oct. NBC will be busy now doing NFL football on Sunday nights anyway.

Yes, you do "hear" Americans...but you also hear stupid Cdns complaining when an American-based team beats a Cdn-based one in the FInal. Personally, as a Canuck fan I'm not going to cheer for Edmonton ever ever ever. Their fans and too many years of that smug Slats...sorry, just because you're based in Canada does not equal my support. Honestly, I hate all Cdn teams because they are usually (a) our division rivals or (b) obnoxious Make Belief or Habnot fans...Sens fans are just..well not even worth the bother.

Answer 6

You are talking about a regional sport.. not a global one..

soccer is global and baseball has become global.. because you can play it outdoors virtually anywhere in the world.. Pond hockey has one major criteria to play, and that criteria is rare over 2/3rds of the world.. a frozen pond..

So, in Alabama, Mississippi etc, kids don;t play pick up hockey, so why would they develop a love for something they never have any connection with..

Here in Michigan, that's different.. all three of my kids play, a ten year old travel goalie.. my eight year old son plays B league Squirts.. and my five year old daughter is begining her second year..

and all three of them watch every Red Wings Game they can, execpt the west coast games because they start too late (I watch them) My ten year old also watches CCHA hockey, CBC HNinC, often both games.. and on our local cable provider, the Toledo Storm ECHL games are available..

So it's there, if you are willing to look for it..

Answer 7

How can you say that. Fox 50 plays almost all of our games /carolina/ John Forslund does a great job announcing the game. And Tripp Tracy, i love the interviews and what he has to say about the team. And i really dont care if there are chinese or indians on our team as long as i see hockey, i am happy.

Answer 8

I have the Center Ice package on Direct TV & thank god for OLN.
There are a lot of real fans in America, why do you think there are so many sell-outs? NBC was gun shy after the strike and blew the chance to show some good games. I perfer the canadian broadcasts.

Answer 9

Some of us play and go to the games in person.

I only watch hockey on TV if I'm desperate.

So you're saying we're only true fans if we sit around watching television?

OK, then. I play three times a week. Sometimes more.

I'm around hockey year round, rec, college, minor, pro.

Oh yeah: and I'm an American.

Answer 10

You will find Americans do know the sport at the college level.NCAA div 1 teams can draw up to 80,000 fans a year just for home games and the frozen four is another story !.It would be nice if they were more involved at the pro levels and we could use more support from the fans for our minor and semi-pro teams.