NHL Ratings down

[pk500]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scottd

Those teams have all won something before! If the Sharks win it can happen agian. Sure they all suck now, but they still have a strong following. Hockey probably wont be big here into they get more Ice Rink in this area. Plus we have too much sports here for it to probably get to big. NFL, NBA, MLB. We have a lot to chose from.

Scott:

There are other good hockey markets in the U.S. with four professional sports teams: New York, Philly, Detroit, Denver, Minneapolis, Boston, Dallas. You really can't use "too much choice" as an excuse.

Denver and Dallas are classic case studies for expansion teams. The other cities I mentioned have plenty of hockey heritage. But Denver and Dallas have been successful even though the cities have NFL, NBA and MLB teams. It doesn't hurt that both won Cups within their first 10 years in town, though.

Take care,
PK

[Scottdau]

Quote: Originally Posted by pk500

Scott: There are other good hockey markets in the U.S. with four professional sports teams: New York, Philly, Detroit, Denver, Minneapolis, Boston, Dallas. You really can't use "too much choice" as an excuse. Denver and Dallas are classic case studies for expansion teams. The other cities I mentioned have plenty of hockey heritage. But Denver and Dallas have been successful even though the cities have NFL, NBA and MLB teams. It doesn't hurt that both won Cups within their first 10 years in town, though. Take care, PK

Granted, but the Bay Area has so much more then just pro sports. It is just how it goes. Like I said before winning changes everything. PLus the weather is a factor too. We don't get snow at all in bay area. So ice skating is not real big here. And the one Ice Rink we do have is closing down this month. I notice that most cold weather states have a better hockey support. I am sure people will disgaree. It is just how I see it. I love hockey now and I can't believe what I have been missing for so long!

[Freelance]

Quote: Originally Posted by pk500

Scott: There are other good hockey markets in the U.S. with four professional sports teams: New York, Philly, Detroit, Denver, Minneapolis, Boston, Dallas. You really can't use "too much choice" as an excuse. Denver and Dallas are classic case studies for expansion teams. The other cities I mentioned have plenty of hockey heritage. But Denver and Dallas have been successful even though the cities have NFL, NBA and MLB teams. It doesn't hurt that both won Cups within their first 10 years in town, though. Take care, PK

That was true about Dallas before the strike, but I'm not sure now.

We had the All-Star game right here, and it drew a 0.5 television rating. That's as bad as it gets.

The Stars were trendy from 99-03, but once they went on strike, nobody really missed them, especially with the Mavs taking over as they have.

Hockey is in big, big trouble. The best players in the world are European, and that doesn't play well in the states.

[pk500]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scottd

Granted, but the Bay Area has so much more then just pro sports. It is just how it goes. Like I said before winning changes everything. PLus the weather is a factor too. We don't get snow at all in bay area. So ice skating is not real big here. And the one Ice Rink we do have is closing down this month. I notice that most cold weather states have a better hockey support. I am sure people will disgaree. It is just how I see it. I love hockey now and I can't believe what I have been missing for so long!

That's true about outdoor sports and lack of snow, Scott. No question.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Quote: Originally Posted by Erod

The Stars were trendy from 99-03, but once they went on strike, nobody really missed them, especially with the Mavs taking over as they have.

The Stars average 18,350 fans per home game in the final season before the lockout. Last season, that number was 17,828. This season, that number is 17,901.

So the average attendance this season in Dallas actually is UP from last year, the NHL's big welcome-back lovefest around North America. And it's only 449 fans down from 2003-04, about a 4 percent drop.

Dallas is still a very, very good warm-weather, southern market for the NHL.

Quote: Originally Posted by Erod

Hockey is in big, big trouble. The best players in the world are European, and that doesn't play well in the states.

Three of the top five scorers in the NHL right now are Canadians. Eleven of the top 16 scorers right now are North American. The league's best goalie, Brodeur, is Canadian. The league's poster boy, Crosby, is Canadian.

Last year's MVP, Thornton, is Canadian. The Conn Smythe Award winner as the playoff MVP, Ward, is Canadian. The captain of the Stanley Cup-winning team, Brind'Amour, is Canadian.

Do Americans hate Canadians, too? Must be that "Damn, we've got to fly with a passport now" thing.

Since when have the majority of hockey's top players been American? Never, maybe?

Speaking of the Mavs, how do you explain their popularity in Dallas? For the love of God, Fox News and the Republican National Committee, the Mavs have four non-American players on their roster. Plus one of them, their captain and best player, is a German. And that furriner sh*t don't play well in the good, old U.S. of A., right?

Take care,
PK

[bad_philanthropy]

I think climate is a big thing, the pro game will always benefit from having a fan base to draw from that is actually able to play the game be it competitively or recreationally. Here is Toronto there are many outdoor rinks configured for ice hockey that operate from December until the spring and there is pretty much always people playing hockey on them, it's not uncommon for the city workers who maintain them to leave the gate unlocked for kids at night so they can "sneak in" and play. I do think as far as American born players go, does it really matter where the players are from as long as they provide entertainment value? I guess there are some better American born prospects right now that there have been for a few years.

[pk500]

Quote: Originally Posted by bad_philanthropy

I think climate is a big thing, the pro game will always benefit from having a fan base to draw from that is actually able to play the game be it competitively or recreationally. Here is Toronto there are many outdoor rinks configured for ice hockey that operate from December until the spring and there is pretty much always people playing hockey on them, it's not uncommon for the city workers who maintain them to leave the gate unlocked for kids at night so they can "sneak in" and play. I do think as far as American born players go, does it really matter where the players are from as long as they provide entertainment value? I guess there are some better American born prospects right now that there have been for a few years.

Same here in upstate N.Y. One of the parking lots in the village park where I live is flooded, with small boards built around the rink.

The park technically closes at dark, but the rink is adjacent to a few parking lot street lamps. So I've skated down there past midnight some nights, just working with the puck, to relax.

My 6-year-old son and I were down there just last night, passing the puck around. We'll be there tonight after dinner, too.

Great fun.

Take care,
PK

[DrJones]

Quote: Originally Posted by pk500

The Stars average 18,350 fans per home game in the final season before the lockout. Last season, that number was 17,828. This season, that number is 17,901. So the average attendance this season in Dallas actually is UP from last year, the NHL's big welcome-back lovefest around North America. And it's only 449 fans down from 2003-04, about a 4 percent drop. Dallas is still a very, very good warm-weather, southern market for the NHL.

It is, as is San Jose. I think Scottd was talking more about "buzz" than attendance numbers. Do locals watch the Stars on TV? Do they get decent coverage in local papers, TV, sports radio? Does anyone talk hockey during the off-season? That kind of thing.

Dallas and (especially) Denver have benefitted from ridiculously good fortune over their first decade since relocation. If the Stars or Avs were to slide out of the playoff picture for 3 or so years, would they be reduced to Florida Panthers status? Not saying they would, but it's difficult to know how deep the hockey roots go until hard times are experienced.