I mean, it is by far THE best sport of all. And yet I heard that the recent NHL All Star game had fewer viewers (less than 500,000)than a rerun of the Andy Griffith show on TvLand!!!!
It is by far the most watchable sport of the Big 4. Baseball drags on and the delays boooooore me... in basketball there's so much scoring that scoring points is actually devalued... football, ehh, never did much for me. But hockey--what a game!
Hockey has goalies. Goalie is the best/coolest position in sports, period!
Is that old stereotype true--that Southerners can't see the puck when watching a hockey game and so lose interest?
Or do most Americans hate hockey because most Americans hate Canadians (and Canadians do dominate the sport)?
2007-02-08 05:09:39 · 6 answers · asked by Rissa 2 in Sports ➔ Other - Sports
It has nothing to do with hating Canadians. It has to do with 2 things. Hockey is very regional and if you didn't grow up with the game it moves really fast and can be a lot harder to follow than other sports. Second and most important is the marketing of the game has been nothing short of stupid. When the league was hot they added all these teams and let the play slow down to soccerlike scores. Then they go on strike. Then when they finally get a deal worked out and open back up the game, they sign with an unknown network, and comeup with divisions that have no regional rivalry and a schedule where the fans don't get to see a ot of the best players because they are in another conference or something and they don't play those teams. I don't know if it is Bettman's fault or some brain trust, but either way the whole house should be cleaned and told to market something like nuclear bombs so the whole thing would fall apart and we wouldn't have to worry about them. I like you love the game and want to share some love with the U.S.
2007-02-08 05:33:56 · answer #1 · answered by Willy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the main reason is that the scoring is just too slow to hold your attention on TV. Baseball isn't much better but the home-runs add excitement though they are largely steroid aided and you sometimes have to wait most of the game to see one. I have found that most sports are just more enjoyable when you can go to the arena and take in the game with the atmosphere that was intended. Unfortunately most fans either don't have the money or the time to go to the games and have to settle for the TV, or radio broadcast.
Another reason I think that football draws in more viewers is that the individual games mean more. With baseball, hockey, and basketball the season is so long that a team could lose a few games in a row and still be in contention for the playoffs at the end.
And I missed that last part the first time. No I don't think most Americans hate Canadians. I have lived all over the US and have never known someone to claim to hate Canadians. I doubt most Americans even have an opinion about Canadians, which probably doesn't speak well of us. We are usually to absorbed with what is going on in our country to pay as much attention to our neighbors as we should. I would say there are a lot more Americans that grumble about our neighbors on our southern border.
2007-02-08 13:25:41 · answer #2 · answered by p_doell 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not aware of any Americans who hate Canadians, but that's another issue. I think hockey is less popular in the US simply because it didn't originate here. Same thing with soccer. Meanwhile, baseball, basketball and football do well here...and they were invented here. Hockey is my favorite sport, I've been playing for years, and it's lack of popularity simply means that it's easier to get tickets to NHL games. Fine by me.
2007-02-08 13:15:01 · answer #3 · answered by ElGuapo222 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
more people have played the other. hockey is not a sport you can just go down to your local park and play, at least not ice hockey. baseball, football, and basketball are allot more accessible, i mean baseball, football all you need is a ball and a field. basketball you need a hoop but you can make one of those out of a milk crate. because most people in America grew up playing these sports so they are more inclined to watch them.
plus they canceled a whole freaking season, bound to lose some fans.
2007-02-08 13:23:04 · answer #4 · answered by glass. 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People like sports that they can play and play themselves.
1. Hockey is a great game, but you have to learn to skate to be able to play.
2. You usually need a a rink to be able to play. Others you can play pretty much anywhere where there is space.
3. You need to buy a ticket or icetime to be able to play. Skates are shoes whit blades, so if you are young, you grow out of them and need always new ones. Baksetball needs one ball and a baksket made out of a milkcrate, and you have a game.
4. Traditions. Nowdays you can have ice in California but before only in north and in winter.
2007-02-08 13:29:03 · answer #5 · answered by su r 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of us don't like hockey because it is just plain boring. It's very hard to watch. i don't hate Canadians at all, I just hate hockey!
2007-02-08 13:21:29 · answer #6 · answered by Dane Cruz 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋