Do we want Carolina or Boston?

[deliverance]

So there's something wrong with me because I can't follow the puck? I haven't ever watched it until the past two years and I can't follow it. A few big time sports analysts have said the same thing, so I'm not the only one. I think Hockey is something that if you don't grow up watching, then it's difficult to gain interest.

[abpk2903]

I hear what your saying but at the same time I disagree with this statement:

I think Hockey is something that if you don't grow up watching, then it's difficult to gain interest.

I am a student at Penn State and most of my roommates and friends would not be caught watching any hockey five years ago. Now most of my friends are huge hockey fans and hardly miss a game. If you have someone to watch hockey with that can explain and help you understand the sport you will love it.

I know that at Penn State, hockey is on the same level as any other sport (including football) and those that don't know much about it are getting into it fast. Hockey right now may be the fasting growing of the 4 major sports.

The NHL is keeping shattering attendance and rating records of the past when it is the worst of economic times in decades and they hardly are ever on national TV. There is a reason for this. ESPN has done all it can to stomp out the NHL after the lockout and that is because ESPN has the views if they don't have right to cover a sport then no one watches it. Well, finally after the past few seasons ESPN even has to start to cover it more because of the swelling popularity.

A perfect example of how ESPN dictates sports is in NASCAR. 3 years ago when ESPN did not have any rights to cover NASCAR they would not even put any highlights on sportscenter at all and it was never covered on shows such as Around the Horn, PTI, Mike and Mike, Jim Rome, ect. you could not find a lick of NASCAR from ESPN (which is where most people get their sports information on TV). Flash forward to today and you find many Monday lead stories on sportscenter being NASCAR. They have an hour show each day on ESPN2 called NASCAR Now and every Nationwide (minor leagues of NASCAR) Race is televised on ESPN and many on ABC. Even though NASCAR may continue to struggle, ESPN is doing all it can to increase interest by having these shows and highlights of the sport.

How does this tie into hockey?
Well ESPN has no rights to the NHL and therefore try to act like it is an afterthought of a sport when in reality it is as alive as it ever was and growing. Now, even ESPN is realizing they can't hide the sport of hockey and it is getting buzz even on the ESPN's of the world. Just having NHL being covered by ESPN is an accomplishment but it getting the publicity that it is, is a testament to popularity of the sport. If ESPN gets the rights to cover the NHL in the next contract look for it to be even more popular.

[deliverance]

Here's some numbers for you. I think that Hockey is gaining a lot of popularity in this area because of the success that the Pens are having. Would you and your roommates be watching Hockey if the Pens were bad? I remember that they were going to move them out of Pittsburgh not too long ago due to a lack of steady income. They don't have that problem now because they are successful and have agreed to a 30 year lease, so they aren't going anywhere any time soon. I just don't think Hockey is going to catch up to the other major sports. As of two years ago, men's golf was watched more than Hockey.


http://www.marketshare.com.hk/harris_po ... sp?PID=719

[The Ancient Enemy]

If there was a pro team in Pittsburgh in basketball, people would care about the NBA too, though.

[deliverance]

TAE, there's a Professional Baseball team in Pittsburgh and no one cares. :lol:

[The Ancient Enemy]

I thought the Pirates attendance was always okay, considering?

[deliverance]

From 2004 through 2007, they have ranked 27th in attendance. In 2008, they ranked 28th in attendance. This season they are ranked last in attendance with a whopping 15,000 people per game. They would no longer be in Pittsburgh if they would not have built PNC Park. Their attendance figures are awful.

[The Ancient Enemy]

dang.

[deliverance]

In addition, in 2004 the Penquins had the lowest attendance rate of any NHL team at 11,877, so they weren't drawing any fans either until they got Crosby and started winning games.

[count2infinity]

pens have sold out every game at home (just over 17,000) since February 14, 2007. That's over 2 years worth of nothing but sellouts. impressive if i do say so myself.