hno:
hockey is not popular in this country because of regular season play throughout history. if you allow a guy to get into a fist fight during a sport that is not a self defense sport, and he is not kicked out, fined and suspended, you cater to the lowest common denominator fan who is an idiot. you have cross checking to the neck from behind that snaps a guy's neck and no penalty called. god forbid the player who got beat to the spot try and take back the spot using his body, just cheap shot a guy with your stick. players on the ice who can't even play the game, but are goons who can fight. any sport that allows a guy to have a career who can only fight is a joke. the players show no self discipline whatsoever and will start a fight with a guy who just put a legal, hard hit on them.
now playoff hockey is a different sport. teams can not play stupid or fight because someone could get a penalty. no more blatant slashing and hooking. cross checks are very rare. it is real hockey, the way it was meant to be played. it is still very physical and rough, but you can't chase a guy down if he legally nails you. they suck it up, like real athletes do. playoff hockey could be the most exciting sport in the world to watch. but people see the nonsense of the regular season and stay away. if every hockey game was played like playoff hockey all year and a network showed it regularly, they could quadruple their ratings in 5 years.
if you don't watch playoff hockey, especially the later rounds and finals, you are missing the most exciting sports moments that exist today. and hockey is my 4th favorite sport. if they cleaned the game up so humans could watch it during the regular season, it would be my 3rd.
now playoff hockey is a different sport. teams can not play stupid or fight because someone could get a penalty. no more blatant slashing and hooking. cross checks are very rare. it is real hockey, the way it was meant to be played. it is still very physical and rough, but you can't chase a guy down if he legally nails you. they suck it up, like real athletes do. playoff hockey could be the most exciting sport in the world to watch. but people see the nonsense of the regular season and stay away. if every hockey game was played like playoff hockey all year and a network showed it regularly, they could quadruple their ratings in 5 years.
if you don't watch playoff hockey, especially the later rounds and finals, you are missing the most exciting sports moments that exist today. and hockey is my 4th favorite sport. if they cleaned the game up so humans could watch it during the regular season, it would be my 3rd.
To that I can only say,...."Who own da Chief"? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Xp9hvTvPk&feature=kp
Is it a coincidence that the funniest sports movie of all time is about,...ahem,...Hockey and not Fag(I mean Basket)Ball?
^!:
You forgot to include "In the USA." By your logic, soccer is a niche sport "in the USA", but it is the most popular sport in the world. The fact that YOU don't understand or enjoy hockey, like many other Americans, is more of a reflection on you, not on the sport.
I don't enjoy soccer, but I can't deny it's popularity world wide.
The funniest thing about GTC hating how the NHL markets to the white conservative shows how little he knows. Sports market to teens thru college age. if you're not a hockey fan (or any other sport) by middle age, you probably won't convert. Really basic marketing.
There are 3 primary reasons why hockey isn't as popular as the other 3:
1. Cost and accessibility to play for kids. Goalie equipment is over $1100. Regular equipment is $500-$600, that eliminates 60% of the population. Also, you can't get a game hockey going in your neighborhood very easily. Everyone needs a stick. Forget playing on ice. I am saying just street hockey.
2. Players are not recognizable (due to the helmets) and the best players are pretty much non-Americans.
3. In CA, FL, TX, NY, which comprises a large part of the population would have to go a rink to play. Where in Canada, Sweden, Finland and other places kids can play outside, like we place football on a patch of grass.
1. Cost and accessibility to play for kids. Goalie equipment is over $1100. Regular equipment is $500-$600, that eliminates 60% of the population. Also, you can't get a game hockey going in your neighborhood very easily. Everyone needs a stick. Forget playing on ice. I am saying just street hockey.
2. Players are not recognizable (due to the helmets) and the best players are pretty much non-Americans.
3. In CA, FL, TX, NY, which comprises a large part of the population would have to go a rink to play. Where in Canada, Sweden, Finland and other places kids can play outside, like we place football on a patch of grass.
