How far has hockey fallen in popularity in your opinion?

Question

I remember back in the mid to late 90's watching hockey on ESPN all the time. They used to show games on NBC on the weekends too. The only time I ever see hockey on TV anymore is when they show the local team on Fox Sports Net. I can't believe the NHL wouldn't sign a deal with ESPN... this has hurt the popularity of the game IMMEASURABLY!

Answer 1

I have never been a fan of hockey, but I do remember it being on ESPN very often and it did seem to have a following even here in Louisville where hockey isn't very big. I think the strike hurt but it will probably come back. I think that it is more of a regional sport than say basketball or football and therefore it doesn't have as many people to pool and audience from, so I think it had gotten some non-hockey watchers to actually become fans but with the strike and lack of tv exposure they have lost interest.

Answer 2

You can blame the decline of hockey on twon factors 1.the 05' season lockout 2. the NHL. The Lockout drove a lot of fans from watching it that year and it will take years to recover for that. Look at baseball. The NHL signed with VS a channel that nearly no one gets to cover the All Star Game and its not even on a weekend this year. NBC did cover the penguins game about a month back at a trial to see if they would cover more im not sure what the outcome of that was. The NHL needs to sign with a major network rather than a no name network regarless if they will get less money for signing with the major network. The popularity will bounce back withing the next 5 years....at least I hope hockey is a great sport.

Answer 3

Gary Bettman made the league to big to fast, and that made for less talented players per team. and putting teams in city's that most people don't even know what hockey was. he could of put a team in Zimbabwe and would get the same fans as certain teams in the U.S like Florida, Phoenix, and a few others. they need more hockey coverage on T.V but it's hard cause they will play an American football, baseball and basketball game before they televise a hockey game and that doesn't help. if the league was still the size as it was in the late 80's early 90's with 24 teams hockey would be much bigger then it is today. and one other reason hockey has a hard time in the U.S (not Minnesota, Boston, Philly, NY, Chicago, Detroit, hockey has been around their for years) but in the southern teams to name a few Nashville, Carolina, Florida,Anaheim they have no fan base and why hockey is not talked about only if the U.S would dominate the sport will you see hockey be big in the U.S and then you will start to see more T.V coverage on ESPN and other major television networks.


GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Answer 4

You gotta hand it to the NHL, nothing can do more harm to it's image than.....the NHL.

The bean counters at the Notoriously Half-A**ed League will argue that expansion has made up for the lack of national exposure that ESPN afforded them, but I say the opposite is reality.

That may be what they are hoping for, but it will not happen. The league will contract due to lack of interest. Hockey is a popular sport but players aren't as plentiful as there are in football, baseball, and basketball. The other major sports leagues can stock their rosters with a higher percentage of quality players than the NHL can. So a 30-team league, although stretching the talent thin no matter which sport it's in, isn't going to be harmful for more popular sports leagues like MLB, NBA, and the NFL.

Answer 5

If hockey is so unpopular, why are 11 of 30 franchises averaging 100% attendence, compared w/ only 5 NBA teams over 100%? I think the sport is becoming popular among young people in the Sunbelt from having teams down here. I know hockey is still quite popular to play where I live even after the Lexington Thoroughblades left a few years ago.

Answer 6

About the same level as wanting to sign Ryan Leaf as a starting QB. That being said I do know that NBC are showing one game a week on Saturday afternoons. Last week I saw a bit of the Bruins-Rangers game, but only when the football cut to commercial.
I think that last strike really hurt hockey, except for maybe in San Jose and places like Buffalo or Detroit where they actually get snow.

Answer 7

go to nhl .com and there is a link--dam i forget which one i think it might be schedule.--and u will see who is showing hockey.--nbc is showing some games.--in my opinion there are some more hockey fans as i'm a prime example.--i never showed an interest in hockey, until fantasy hockey now i love the sport.--and am going to 15 games-live

Answer 8

It never was a huge fan base but you are right, now you have to look for it. Girls hockey is on the rise and I notice more and more stations are showing both girls and guys college level hockey - at least in my part of the country! Also, minor league hockey always seems to be a sell out crowd - maybe the strike did make it lose it's appeal to the general middle class crowd.

Answer 9

i admire hockey and that i'm able to variety of see this guy's element. i decide to work out skating, taking photographs, passing, and hitting. scuffling with? I rejoice with a sturdy combat now and then, yet I actual have continuously felt that scuffling with might desire to be a factor of the interest, yet apart from the interest. If 2 bruisers decide to start beating the crap out of another, do not BLOW THE WHISTLE. Play might desire to proceed. enable the combatants combat, and enable the gamers proceed to play and positioned the p.c.. interior the internet!

Answer 10

sad but true and its a great sport.


from 1 to 10 its a 4 1/2