Can the NHL ever come back to be a major sport again? I'm think not.?

Answer 1

if we get Bettman out of here then maybe

Answer 2

I think the NHL can come back however it is going to require patience something that Bettman and others have failed to ever show. The problem with the NHL is that it grew too quickly. The amount of NHL franchises grew faster than the talent pool. As a result you had AHL players being brought to the NHL simply to fill roster spots. The talent gap between these guys and the true superstars of the game lead to the clutch and grab, hook and hold 90's that ruined the speed and playmaking of the game.

Another major hit to hockey is the fact it is not that great of a tv sport (the best live), if you are not used to watching hockey you lose the puck in the corners, can't understand why whistles are blown, etc. This is only further complicated by the fact they are on a small network that millions of people do not receive and for many people the only reason they will watch is to see hockey so you are not going to bring in the casual fan who is just watching ESPN or flipping through the channels.

However hockey in HD is MUCH MUCH better than hockey on a regular television, the game is easier to follow and the clarity and detail makes the game stand out. So if HD becomes the norm and the NHL returns to a major network there is hope.

Answer 3

Not as long as the NHL Suits keep looking for the quick buck now instead of long term growth.

They need to make the sport healthy, I'm not talking fiscally, before they start expanding into new unproven markets like the Southern US or bible belt states. We have way too many teams on the verge of failure that it boggles the mind that they won't let another team come to Canada.

Teams that should be relocated to better hockey markets include, Florida, Tampa Bay, Phoenix, Carolina, Nashville and some other I can't think of off the top of my head. Though some of these teams have good official attendance records, those are really only ticket sold figures. The people that show up at the area are much fewer, and the only way to grow a sport is to have people in the seats watching the game. So that when they're at work the next day they can blather on about how so and so crushed tweedle-dee into the boards, or how the rookie scored an awesome goal. While some might say "Ticket sales, well that;s a good thing ain't it?' keep in mind that people who actually go to games, buy stuff from concessions, pay for parking programs, by the kiddies a jersey or hat etc. and this becomes lost revenue with an empty seat.

One thing that need to happen to grow the sport to become a force in the US, outside a few markets, is to cut ticket prices to make it affordable to families. If the kids get hooked early they'll be fans for life, and so will thier kids etc. But now ticket prices cater to the exectutive crowd mostly, unless you want to sit in seats where you should bring a TV for a better view.

Answer 4

I have been an NHL fan for over thirty years and now live in the deep south USA. Ice hockey will always be a regional sport due to climate and culture and there's no sense in trying to explain to others that it's not just fighting.

The NHL succeeds in some large southern cities because of many northern USA and Canadian migrants. The locals barely know but jump on the bandwagon fast if the team goes deep into the playoffs. I work with a Predators fan who is a TN native and so frustrated his own people won't as much as glance at that exciting team Barry Trotz has built.

Responding to an earlier post about the Avalanche, that team was stolen from Quebec City, which had a loyal fan base. Their owner couldn't refuse the offer for the team, which was way above its value. Call it Bettman Leverage.

The North Stars were foundering in the Twin Cities because the U. Minn. Gophers have long been the top dogs in town.

Answer 5

Depends on what you mean by "major". If you mean U.S./Canada, then I would argue that in organized team sports, the NHL actually ranks 3rd in total fans, behind the NFL (no. 1) and MLB. Although there was a lot of press on how few people watch the NHL on American television, when factoring in Canadian viewership for the regular season and the playoffs (excluding the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals), the NHL consistantly beat the NBA. The NBA's regular season ratings on ABC averaged only a 1.4 or about 2 million viewers. The NHL on NBC averaged a 0.9, or about 1.3 million viewers. When you throw in the million plus viewers of Hockey Night in Canada, more people in North America are watching the NHL than the NBA. Similiar trends continued until the finals, when the NBA had about 1/3 more viewers in the U.S./Canada than the NHL.
Still, national television ratings are but one small part of the puzzle. Why do most people consider the NBA more popular than the NHL? I think it boils down to endorsements. You see NBA players everywhere, mostly because NBA players are more recognizable than NHL players by virtue of their size and the fact that they wear shorts and sleeveless shirts as opposed to a lot of equipment (for the same reason, NBA players are more recognizable than NFL players, even though the NFL is a much more popular league). This in turn fuels more media coverage--both positive and negitive--for the NBA, which I think is how most people gauge the popularity of the sport.
One more important factor is that anyone can play basketball--all you need is a ball and a hoop. This means that lots of kids play basketball, which causes many to become viewers of the NBA. Hockey is an expensive sport to play.

Overall, even if the NHL isn't considered by most a "major" sport, it is still an extremely healthy sport. Yes, the owners (and their lackey, Gary Bettman) have made missteps that helped fuel short-term gains for them, such as heavy expansion, but will not help the sport long-term. The owners are too focused on growing the sport in the U.S. when they should be focusing on a more regional campaign--helping kids play more hockey, and supporting the existing fan bases in Canada, the colder regions on the U.S. and other cities that have a strong NHL fan base.

Answer 6

Yes and people say it will take a while but not really. Hockey fans need to start protesting. I'm not talking about running up and down the streets with signs it would be a good idea but sending letters to the NHL and the espn asking for help to get NHL to be a major sport again. WE need to do somthing we need to move hockey teams into major hockey states people in Florida I've been there and the state is not hockey. I'm a fan of Phoenix because of Shane Doan and players before but I don't live in Phoenix I live in Maine another some what of a major Hockey state I don't think Phoenix is a major hockey state. Also cut some players to save some money not a whole lot just some to save a pretty penny. And Bettman who ever he is needs to go maybe we should start carying signs to hockey game that say Bettman sucks. I'm not one to give good advice. Even soccer and Tennis are starting to become more popular then hockey. WE need to do something and why not start today?

Answer 7

First off brendan I am an american and I don't like baseball. Basketball and football are great sports to watch but baseball is so boring. Of course it doesn't help whjen your home town team is putrid. I would love hockey to be as popular as football but that won't happen. I do believe it could be better than baseball. I think hockey could be third given the right marketing and a channel that would do right by the nhl. Bettman has made tons of mistakes I won't be an apologist for him but he helped create a level playing field. I think that will help hockey go in the right direction. Get rid of NBC any station that would put pre-horse bullpucky ahead of an nhl playoff game should never have the nhl again. The NHL has crosby, ovechkin, alfredsson, etc. If ESPN won't go for hockey why not try ABC or CBS. ABC has done hockey before and I doubt they would take a playoff hockey game off for stupid pre talk of a horse race that is irrelevant to the masses.

Answer 8

You're thinknot. OK, Mr. Thinknot, who freakin' cares? I will always be a hockey fan. Whether I give a crap about the NHL is up in the air. Even after the rule changes, the NHL still sucks.

If it returns to the '80s air hockey and rivalries, I'm onboard. Until then, I'll watch the Pens, Caps, Rangers and that's about it. Even my hometown Nux play a brutally boring style now.

Anyway, major does not always = quality. The NBA is considered major and other than the Warriors and Suns, what teams are interesting to watch now?

Answer 9

Yes the NHL can compete with the other major sports in North America. It will just take some time to recover from the strike, and owners and players do agree that fan support is the most important thing now. A new TV deal with help as well, but again this is going to take time, nothing is going to happen overnight. I believe that growth is good for the league, the more fans across the country we can get the more exposure we have. Look at NASCAR once a sport for deep south rednecks they have expanded all over the US. They grew into a power house by expanding their brand names to new markets over a period of time. Hockey needs to realize that confining itself to cold weather states will not help it grow and expansion is important to brand recognition.

As a lifelong hockey fan, who has moved from New England to the Carolinas, I am thrilled that there are teams down here to root for. Again I feel I must remind everyone that now the last 3 Stanley Cup Winners have come from so called "small market" or "non-traditional" areas, Florida, Carolina, and California.

As for putting another team in Canada? While I do support this idea, (hockey in Canada is akin to a religion) need I also remind fans that the Dallas Stars, or the Colorado Avalanche would not exist if Canadian fans supported their teams more. Both of these teams moved "South" to improve their finances.

Answer 10

If the NHL can get Gary Bettman out from being NHL comissioner and put someone who has some hockey sense, then there is a chance it can become a major sport again.

Answer 11

Sadly, hockey will never be a major sport on the same level of the NFL, NBA or MLB. And I'm not sure it ever was. It's a shame, too, considering how hard the atheletes compete and how much lower their salaries are compared to other major sports.

The NHL simply isn't producing as many household names. Sure, people know Gretsky, Bourque, Messier, Mario, and even Ovechkin and Crosby. But it's amazing how many times I've heard "Jaromir who?" And God forbid anyone know who Patrick Roy is or even be able to pronounce his last name properly. Fantastic players, but only to those who watch. And that ain't many of us anymore.