Prospect Info: Connor Bedard - 2023 1st - C, Regina

[Pez68]

Yep. It's like $2500 to play at the nothing level. I was lucky enough to have great parents that understood how much hockey meant to me. And my dad played.

It's a sport for the wealthy. We weren't. It doesn't force out just the poor. It's increasingly forcing out the middle class unless they've got an affinity for the game. It's a niche sport. I think the number of fans who haven't played is going to grow exponentially.

Morgan Park actually has some really affordable house league. And that's still pushing $1k.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Morgan Park actually has some really affordable house league. And that's still pushing $1k.

With equipment?

 

[Pez68]

With equipment?

No. But I do believe they have a decent amount of gear they lend out.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Yep. It's like $2500 to play at the nothing level. I was lucky enough to have great parents that understood how much hockey meant to me. And my dad played.

It's a sport for the wealthy. We weren't. It doesn't force out just the poor. It's increasingly forcing out the middle class unless they've got an affinity for the game. It's a niche sport. I think the number of fans who haven't played is going to grow exponentially.

Yep. My parents paid for both me and my brother to play travel our whole lives. He started travel at squirt or maybe first year peewee, and I started at mite. It was probably $6000 a year for the two of us if you include tournaments, travel/gas, hotels, eating out at restaurants, etc. Then throw in equipment. And that was a span of 20-30 years ago. It's probably double that, at least, by now. Especially for AAA. We weren't well-off, either. Basically middle class, and my Dad worked probably 70 hours a week(most the time 7 days a week) to keep us both playing.

 

[hawksrule]

It’s unfortunate. This is a country of have and have-nots, rigged for the wealthy, and where a majority of its citizens don’t have $1,000 for an emergency, much less hockey. The NHL/owners are the only ones who could conceivably make a dent in trying to expand the playing field for youth hockey. The money isn’t coming from anywhere else.

 

[TLEH]

I played for the first time when we moved from Patrick AFB in Satellite Beach FL to Minot North Dakota in 2003. I was 7. Luckily on Base there were tons of leftover/donated equipment that kids left when they moved to warm weather bases without hockey. I played 4 years on equipment that was just.. okay. Not really made for me. If it wasn't for that equipment, I wouldn't have been able to play. My dad never played, my mom never played, so they weren't about to shell out that kind of money when I already played baseball, soccer, basketball for cheap.

When I lived in Dallas I made okay money and bought my first pair of skates that were actually for me. What a night and day difference. Now I live in Vermont, near a larger blue collar town. Hockey is big but for the most part, the money is not. I see the stories play out just like everyone in here is talking about. I always vowed to pay it forward on some equipment for someone who needs them when I am in the shop, but I can only do that once or twice. Unless the owners of teams make the change, it will never change.

 

[cassac]

Hockey has more equipment that football and the ice time factor is big I get that. I was just throwing a rate out more than anything. Would $500 cover ice and equipment? Not cheap but still way better than buying new/lightly used gear every time a growing kid outgrows their gear.

I don’t think $500 does it. We have a local house league here that is much cheaper than house in Raleigh (on the Army base) and it was over $700 when my daughter played 2 years ago. The travel team is significantly cheaper than travel in Raleigh. They are still under $2k while my kids are over $3k up in Raleigh.

It is also ran as a nonprofit association so all volunteers. They have equipment swapping to help out as well. Ice is cheaper on post than the rinks in Raleigh as well which helps lower the cost.

 

[cassac]

It’s unfortunate. This is a country of have and have-nots, rigged for the wealthy, and where a majority of its citizens don’t have $1,000 for an emergency, much less hockey. The NHL/owners are the only ones who could conceivably make a dent in trying to expand the playing field for youth hockey. The money isn’t coming from anywhere else.

I don’t know if it is on NHL owners to change it. There are only 25 American teams so they could make a difference in part of the country but a lot of areas would not be covered.

I was listening to a youth hockey podcast and the had a guest on from Europe (I think Sweden but could be wrong). He said that over there kids basically play for free and the government covers the cost. But they also have state owned rinks and pay coaches. Something like that would definitely open the sport up to a lot more families.

 

[TLEH]

I don’t know if it is on NHL owners to change it. There are only 25 American teams so they could make a difference in part of the country but a lot of areas would not be covered.

I was listening to a youth hockey podcast and the had a guest on from Europe (I think Sweden but could be wrong). He said that over there kids basically play for free and the government covers the cost. But they also have state owned rinks and pay coaches. Something like that would definitely open the sport up to a lot more families.

We can't even get people to think state sponsored Healthcare is a good idea, I promise they aren't going to support state sponsored hockey.

 

[cassac]

We can't even get people to think state sponsored Healthcare is a good idea, I promise they aren't going to support state sponsored hockey.

I don’t disagree that it is far fetched. Other sports are ran by the local government though.

 

[hawksrule]

I don’t know if it is on NHL owners to change it. There are only 25 American teams so they could make a difference in part of the country but a lot of areas would not be covered.

I was listening to a youth hockey podcast and the had a guest on from Europe (I think Sweden but could be wrong). He said that over there kids basically play for free and the government covers the cost. But they also have state owned rinks and pay coaches. Something like that would definitely open the sport up to a lot more families.

It’s not on the owners. But if it’s going to come from anywhere, that’s where.

 

[Pez68]

It's actually criminal that, in big markets for the NHL, you can't play for dirt cheap or near free. It's such a no-brainer investment. Even if the kids don't stick with hockey longterm, you're probably buying fans.

 

[TLEH]

It's actually criminal that, in big markets for the NHL, you can't play for dirt cheap or near free. It's such a no-brainer investment. Even if the kids don't stick with hockey longterm, you're probably buying fans.

The best part about hockey is you just need one game to get hooked. Every single person I have taken to a game for the first time is instantly hooked. Maybe not a superfan, but going from "ESPN shouldn't cover it, isn't a sport, "meme" level, to man this sport is pretty awesome.

 

[EmeticDonut]

I come for Bedard news and all I see how much hockey costs. Shut up, pls.

 

[ChiHawks10]

I come for Bedard news and all I see how much hockey costs. Shut up, pls.

You could always just... you know... not read those posts?

 

[hawksrule]

I come for Bedard news and all I see how much hockey costs. Shut up, pls.

Telling strangers to shut up is a great way to endear yourself and get others to take you seriously.

 

[CallMeShaft]

I come for Bedard news and all I see how much hockey costs. Shut up, pls.

I come for Bedard news and all I get are people telling other people to shut up.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I come for Bedard news and all I get are people telling other people to shut up.

shut up

 

[Wally1112pac]

 

[ColbyChaos]

Is this a Bedard thread or an occupy Wall Street meetup group?

 

[Section88]

Is this a Bedard thread or an occupy Wall Street meetup group?

Little bit of both buts thats fine in july

 

[shakes the clown]

This is a laughable notion. The PLAYERS generate billions of dollars annually, they're actually being cheated out of what they deserve by owners (just like any other company). Its the same bullshit argument NCAA used for decades "but they're getting an education!!" While making billions off the kids.

The workers generate 100% of the revenue, the owner steals 30% or more for doing literally nothing. Moreover sports franchises are an appreciating asset, their valuation rises at an extremely high rate, so the owners are essentially double-dipping on their profits. Michael Jordan bought the Bobcats/Hornets majority stake 13 years ago for $275k he sold it for $3BILLION DOLLARS. The greatest player in history made 30 times as much as his playing career by being a part owner of a shitty franchise. Think about that for a minute

NHL players deserve more too they just have a shitty union.

Karl Marx has entered the chat...

 

[x Tame Impala]

Did you guys know jet fuel doesn't melt steel beams?

 

[shakes the clown]

I come for Bedard news and all I see how much hockey costs. Shut up, pls.

this x100.

Got all excited when I saw there were two new pages of Bedard talk and all it is is a bunch of nonsense.

 

[EmeticDonut]

How about taking the discussion to its own thread instead of derailing this one? Just a thought.