Do you like the NHL being 4th in the 'Big 4' or do you wish it was more popular?

[Bluesguru]

CFL football is vastly more entertaining than the NFL.

I need to start watching it. Been meaning too but haven't. It wouldn't surprise me if it is. Probably is. I mean the XFL product mimicked the NFL pretty good IMO. That's how much the NFL has gone down now.

 

[Sanchise90]

What kind of question is this? Of course I want hockey to be more popular. You would have to be foolish not to:

1) More money to the players. To me, its absurd that Connor McDavid, a guy that is the Patrick Mahomes of the NHL makes as much as some #2 WRs (looking at you Sammy Watkins). I'd want NHL players to be compensated more for what they do, especially relative to the other pro sports.

2) Providing different perspectives to the sport. You can't complain that hockey is an "old boys club" or "lacks innovation", yet want the sport to not be more popular. A good part of popularity is that different people begin to look/analyze the sport and find unique solutions/strategies. Just as an example, look at the innovations made in pro football as people from different demographics began to enter the sport.

3) More scrutiny on people that deserve it. I feel like there's so much incompetence that gets a pass because hockey isn't as popular in America and Canadian media isn't as critical. I feel like with more exposure, Eugene Melnyk would be villified like James Dolan or Jason Botterill would be looked at like Ryan Grigson.

4) Bettman and Co. would stop trying to change hockey all the time. Hockey is the only "major sport" that fundamentally changes itself during overtime. Where every other sport keeps things the same, we literally change it from 5v5 to 3v3 then to 1v1. Why? because Bettman and Co felt it would be more popular. The stupid divisional rules we have now for seeding? Why? Attempted forcing of rivalries for popularity. If hockey was more popular, there wouldn't be this need to constantly change everything.

 

[Oddbob]

I honestly don't care if it is ranked 2750 World Wide in favourite sports, as to me it is #1 by a very long and wide margin, and my enjoyment doesn't change regardless where it is ranked.

 

[Oddbob]

I need to start watching it. Been meaning too but haven't. It wouldn't surprise me if it is. Probably is. I mean the XFL product mimicked the NFL pretty good IMO. That's how much the NFL has gone down now.

Better watch soon then, as the CFL commish was just talking about how COVID has put the leagues existence in serious jeopardy.

 

[jetsforever]

I'm not a huge fan of some of the recent gimmicky NBA developments designed to appeal to the masses that casually watch.

 

[Aladyyn]

It absolutely is, and as this pandemic has shown, esports is completely immune to certain global issues. If anything isolation increases the usage of electronics and connectivity. My coworkers asked me what I've been doing during the pandemic - playing video games and chatting with friends. They dont understand how something like discord or Skype works, so they were worried I wasnt social distancing.

Theres already millionaires on youtube and streaming platforms. I'm not saying physical sports will be extinct, but it is a lot more accessible than the top sports leagues. You have to be a 1 in a million freak to be a star in the NFL or NBA, not true for picking up a keyboard and mouse.

Yeah you only have to be slightly less than a 1 in a million freak to be a star in esports.

 

[JungleBeat]

NHL product is lacking.

 

[Aladyyn]

NHL product is lacking.

The product is literally the only thing that's good about the NHL.

 

[Sanchise90]

Yeah you only have to be slightly less than a 1 in a million freak to be a star in esports.

Not to mention the career peak for an esports star is probably way lower than a star player in pro sports.

 

[Sanchise90]

I'm not a huge fan of some of the recent gimmicky NBA developments designed to appeal to the masses that casually watch.

Yeah cause the 3 on 3 OT, Shootouts and Divisional Playoff Rounds to "promote rivalries" were definitely not done for the casual fan...

 

[JasonRoseEh]

I see it as their loss. Sure I wish people actually gave it more of a chance but ultimately that doesn't matter to me as the league is thriving. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are the best in all of sports and it isn't really that close.

 

[Puckclektr]

Fourth out of the big four nationally. Not regionally. In some area yes. In others no. Across Canada it is #1. Many cities it is two and some three.

 

[jetsforever]

Yeah cause the 3 on 3 OT, Shootouts and Divisional Playoff Rounds to "promote rivalries" were definitely not done for the casual fan...

I'm sure they were but those sort of things only get worse as popularity increases.

 

[ShonSaunders]

Fine by me. Tickets are expensive enough, as it is.

 

[Stud Muffin]

CFL football is vastly more entertaining than the NFL.

Strongly disagree with this. Can’t stand to watch it, the skill level is much higher in the NFL

 

[Aerchon]

My mom was American my dad Canadian. Spent some time in the states but vast majority Canada. Favorite sports to play would be Tennis and Football. Soccer not too far behind. Then road hockey and baseball. Basketball dead last of the big 4. I was a huge fan of watching football growing up. Both NFL and CFL. As you can tell I was/am big into sports period.

However.

Watching sports. It's hockey. Hockey times ten. As time restrictions and general interest for football waned hockey just doesn't lose interest. I had a brief loss of interest during the clutch and grab Era but only for a few years.

Long winded and tmi but I did so to set up my response.

Whether 1st or last of the big 4 don't matter to me but I feel genuinely bad for those that don't get exposed to how great watching hockey is. It is the fastest, hard hitting, exciting sport, period, the end. I can watch golf because I know how difficult the sport is. I can enjoy baseball or basketball during the playoffs. But all of it is crem compared to even preseason nhl hockey. Ahl and junior hockey are better to watch than regular season baseball or basketball.

With any sport you need a connection/exposure. I feel bad that other people don't have enough perspective to watch "the best televised" sport and appreciate just how much better it is.

 

[Aerchon]

What kind of question is this? Of course I want hockey to be more popular. You would have to be foolish not to:

1) More money to the players. To me, its absurd that Connor McDavid, a guy that is the Patrick Mahomes of the NHL makes as much as some #2 WRs (looking at you Sammy Watkins). I'd want NHL players to be compensated more for what they do, especially relative to the other pro sports.

2) Providing different perspectives to the sport. You can't complain that hockey is an "old boys club" or "lacks innovation", yet want the sport to not be more popular. A good part of popularity is that different people begin to look/analyze the sport and find unique solutions/strategies. Just as an example, look at the innovations made in pro football as people from different demographics began to enter the sport.

3) More scrutiny on people that deserve it. I feel like there's so much incompetence that gets a pass because hockey isn't as popular in America and Canadian media isn't as critical. I feel like with more exposure, Eugene Melnyk would be villified like James Dolan or Jason Botterill would be looked at like Ryan Grigson.

4) Bettman and Co. would stop trying to change hockey all the time. Hockey is the only "major sport" that fundamentally changes itself during overtime. Where every other sport keeps things the same, we literally change it from 5v5 to 3v3 then to 1v1. Why? because Bettman and Co felt it would be more popular. The stupid divisional rules we have now for seeding? Why? Attempted forcing of rivalries for popularity. If hockey was more popular, there wouldn't be this need to constantly change everything.

In regards to 4).

I love the game and outside the clutch and grab era will watch it no matter what the state/rules.

But I believe hockey needs adjustments. It's a fast game and athletes, coaching, and equipment have evolved to make it more like soccer than intended. Concussion and injury concerns also need to be addressed while maintaining it's physicality. Divisional rivalry can be good too, battle of Alberta this year was insanely good this year.

Imo scoring needs to go up. Via calling proper penalties/obstruction. Via smaller goalie pads. Reduce injury on physicality by changing player equipment to be softer. Motion chip in puck to clean up offsides and goal line controversy. The instigator penalty needs to go so players can police predatory hits themselves.

I also love 3v3. It's end to end hockey with quantity chances being traded.

A few correct minor changes plus better officiating plus more skill/scoring plus more physicality would make hockey significantly better and it's already the best sport to watch on TV imo.

The nhl needs to take what makes the game superior already and safely improve those areas. As given in the examples above its achievable.

 

[Sanchise90]

In regards to 4).

I love the game and outside the clutch and grab era will watch it no matter what the state/rules.

But I believe hockey needs adjustments. It's a fast game and athletes, coaching, and equipment have evolved to make it more like soccer than intended. Concussion and injury concerns also need to be addressed while maintaining it's physicality. Divisional rivalry can be good too, battle of Alberta this year was insanely good this year.

Imo scoring needs to go up. Via calling proper penalties/obstruction. Via smaller goalie pads. Reduce injury on physicality by changing player equipment to be softer. Motion chip in puck to clean up offsides and goal line controversy. The instigator penalty needs to go so players can police predatory hits themselves.

I also love 3v3. It's end to end hockey with quantity chances being traded.

A few correct minor changes plus better officiating plus more skill/scoring plus more physicality would make hockey significantly better and it's already the best sport to watch on TV imo.

The nhl needs to take what makes the game superior already and safely improve those areas. As given in the examples above its achievable.

Adjustments are one thing and I believe the NHL has done that. Things like allowing for two line passes, calling obstruction have already been done to improve the game. Further I think there are other things they can tweak to improve the game as well (i.e. removing the trapezoid). What is ridiculous is making your own regular season games a farce by significantly modifying the rules from OT on. It would be the equivalent of the NBA going from 5 on 5 to 3 on 3 to 1 on 1 to handle OT. The OT rules and "loser point" have definitely watered down/cheapened the regular season.

 

[Pilky01]

What are you talking about its the number 1 sports in the country?

 

[ScaredStreit]

I honestly don't care. There are many reasons why hockey isn't more popular chief among them the cost and accessibility to play it. However look at the NFL and NBA and how they run their league...then look at the NHL and honestly it's bush league the way they run the NHL.

 

[member 305909]

Is it common or not common at all that a North-American sports fan would watch all four major leagues or is it inevitable that you simply can't be interested in all of them?

 

[983 others]

Yeah, I like it being less popular because it makes me seem cooler and smarter than the masses. Like when Arcade Fire won a Grammy...I could no longer be a fan because they were officially too mainstream and I couldn’t talk about them being underrated and underappreciated anymore.

If I can’t speak with contempt and belittle lesser thans who don’t get it and like more popular things then I don’t like it and don’t want anything to do with it!

 

[Number8]

As long as it continues to generate enough interest to pay the bills, I’m not concerned at all.

My only worry is if the cost and risk of injury causes a lower uptake for young kids starting out. Starting to see some of that in Northeast US for HS football. Predominance of sport in US South and huge money in college and pro ranks provides a safety net for the sport moving forward. If interest and associated money became an issue for hockey that would be a devastating shame IMO.

 

[Nineteen67]

The big 4 are NFL, SEC football, NCAA football NCAA basketball, fighting to get ahead of MLB, and MLS shouldn’t be too hard for the NHL.

 

[jputt99]

If hockey was more popular we would have more access . More NHL and minor league exposure . More media coverage of all things hockey . It's unfortunate that the NHL keeps making dumb decisions that hurt the overall competition and quality of the NHL game . The current draft lottery is just the latest example .