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

[OG6ix]

I agree with your overall point. Baseball is eventually going to die out because kids nowadays have the attention span of a fruit fly. But as of right now it is still way ahead of hockey

I don't disagree but it's mostly due to older generations of fans (yes there are still a ton of them). Kind of sad how far the sport has slipped through considering it was historically number one for generations and is pretty much now behind the NBA. It will be official when the NBA gets its next tv contract. ESPN is now treating it like they did hockey. Go to the ESPN Navbar for example it's in the "more sports" section buried with cricket.

 

[Ridge1982]

The sooner hockey gets away from the Mike Milbury and Don Cherrys of commentators, the better off the sport will be. For a brief period, Subban's personality brought out the mainstream celebrities until the fogies ruined it.

 

[Ridge1982]

other than NFL/College football, its the only sport i genuinely care about and follow. It would be better for the league and would be fun during times of your team being successful, but i'm kinda okay w/ being able to avoid the usual espn/fox sports hot take artists opining on it (tho my canadian friends don't get that luxury).

Tatis is American.

 

[5 14 6 1]

The league doesn't deserve any more attention. It's an awful product and the people in charge have zero idea how to sell it.

 

[majormajor]

I don't care, hockey is everywhere right now if you want it to be. It doesn't help me at all to make it even more ubiquitous.

I'm in Bellingham WA right now and tonight I watched parts of 4 or 5 different games on tv, with no special streaming needed, just regular cable.

Root Sports carried Portland v Seattle (WHL) and I think it was Root that did Colorado College vs Denver, which I only watched a second of. Then the two Hockey Night in Canada games (I'm writing this in the second intermission). I feel like there was another game? Either way it was plenty.

The sooner hockey gets away from the Mike Milbury and Don Cherrys of commentators, the better off the sport will be. For a brief period, Subban's personality brought out the mainstream celebrities until the fogies ruined it.

I would rather listen to some blustering blowhard than listen to Subban talk about himself. Subban is loud, that's not the same as personality.

The TNT and ESPN crews have been really good this year. Bissonette on TNT is a big add. Bieksa on CBC. That's personality. It's a big step forward and we're pretty much there when it comes to putting the best personalities on tv.

 

[RandV]

Really if you're an NHL fan is that revenues are high enough to obtain the best hockey talent from around the world. If you can do it from 4th place then that's good enough.

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

Its not even in the top 4 anymore if you take esports into account. Esports going to run away from the others in just a few years time, sadly. Traditional sports are just the worst at marketing, to stuck in old structures and is still lead by old white men. Football (real football, not the rugby-lite version) will be competitive for some time though

 

[Idlerlee]

If it helps, the NHL is pretty even steven with the NBA in Europe. American football third and Baseball basically a nothingsport.

 

[Thechozen1]

I couldn’t care less where hockey ranks opposed to MLB, NFL and NBA. It’s always been #1 for me and I believe the other sports are just over hyped.

I enjoy watching Super Bowl if Brady is involved as I’m a huge fan of his. Otherwise I skip it.

Baseball is great when playing but it’s really slow and boring to watch.

Basketball I have never been a fan. Hated playing it and watching it. Just not my thing.

None compare to the speed, physicality and excitement of hockey in my opinion. I can always enjoy watching hockey no matter who is playing.

 

[sr edler]

As a European I couldn't care less about baseball, NBA and the NFL, or how popular any of those sports are in NA, it's just not on my radar. If I was forced to watch any of those sports, then probably basketball. I also don't care about football/soccer being more popular world wide than hockey. I don't get this inferiority complex thing some hockey fans seems to have regarding some other sports. It seems so schoolyard-ish, like "my favorite sport is more popular than your favorite sport, haha!" ... Like wtf?

 

[Silky Johnson]

Really if you're an NHL fan is that revenues are high enough to obtain the best hockey talent from around the world. If you can do it from 4th place then that's good enough.

This exactly.

NHL generates the 5th most of any league in the world after the "Big 3" and EPL. This allows the NHL to have a virtual monopoly on the best Hockey talent in the world. Streaming means I can watch all the games when and where I want.

As an NHL fan I do not need or want anymore than that.

NHL growth is very strong and there is no indication that this will change any time soon.

List of professional sports leagues by revenue - Wikipedia

NHL revenue by year | Statista

 

[FerrisRox]

I find the title of this very confusing.

In Canada, hockey is clearly not fourth, it's first.
In the US, hockey is clearly not fourth, it's lower than that. NCAA draws bigger audiences than the NHL does. I'm sure there are many markets where golf or NASCAR or UFC also draws much bigger audiences.

But forget that it's factually inaccurate... why would anybody care where the sport they love "ranks?"

 

[member 305909]

Americans want their professional sport leagues to be the best in the world which is the case with the big four sports.

That's why soccer could never become a truly popular spectator sport in the USA. The MLS is a league where stars come to spend their final years before they retire.

Besides, soccer having multiple leagues it is impossible for one league to become overwhelmingly the best. I mean that the worst team is better than the best team of the second best league, which is the case with the big four.

 

[D1az]

Its not even in the top 4 anymore if you take esports into account. Esports going to run away from the others in just a few years time, sadly. Traditional sports are just the worst at marketing, to stuck in old structures and is still lead by old white men. Football (real football, not the rugby-lite version) will be competitive for some time though

I don't see why this is a sad thing. Esports is in many cases far more intellectual than the traditional sports, it moves kids away from the streets, other than some obscenities being shouted at each others (which happens in real-world sports as well) issues don't get physical, it is comparatively cheap, you can participate pretty much from anywhere regardless of your location and natural abilities, it is not seldom a port for many into programming which is one of the best trades one can be in these days and I'd say even more so in the future...

I can only see good things with it. It might be less physical, but that doesn't stop anyone from having a physical hobby on the side or being otherwise active.

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

I don't see why this is a sad thing. Esports is in many cases far more intellectual than the traditional sports, it moves kids away from the streets, other than some obscenities being shouted at each others (which happens in real-world sports as well) issues don't get physical, it is comparatively cheap, you can participate pretty much from anywhere regardless of your location and natural abilities, it is not seldom a port for many into programming which is one of the best trades one can be in these days and I'd say even more so in the future...

I can only see good things with it. It might be less physical, but that doesn't stop anyone from having a physical hobby on the side or being otherwise active.

I say sadly because I like hockey, and in some cases, football. Esports is fine, there’s some good values and some games are fun to play/watch, but it’s never solve the physical issues it has, with kids sitting down, not going outside etc. I’ve worked with both sports and esports, and while both have its pros and cons, one thing that can’t be argued is the effect esports have on kids physical health.
The trend in Sweden, and a lot of other places, is that kids aren’t that interested in sports or outdoor activities anymore, while esports and gaming gets bigger and bigger.

 

[redgrant]

Wish hockey was less popular and 25 teams max in only solid hockey markets.5

 

[BigEezyE22]

I wish the equipment was cheaper so it could be more popular but besides that I couldn’t care less about it being #4

Not just the gear but scarcity of ice.

 

[hockeyfan2k18]

I don't care, hockey is everywhere right now if you want it to be. It doesn't help me at all to make it even more ubiquitous.

I'm in Bellingham WA right now and tonight I watched parts of 4 or 5 different games on tv, with no special streaming needed, just regular cable.

Root Sports carried Portland v Seattle (WHL) and I think it was Root that did Colorado College vs Denver, which I only watched a second of. Then the two Hockey Night in Canada games (I'm writing this in the second intermission). I feel like there was another game? Either way it was plenty.



I would rather listen to some blustering blowhard than listen to Subban talk about himself. Subban is loud, that's not the same as personality.

The TNT and ESPN crews have been really good this year. Bissonette on TNT is a big add. Bieksa on CBC. That's personality. It's a big step forward and we're pretty much there when it comes to putting the best personalities on tv.

That’s like your opinion man. And frankly Subban grows the game among other demographics. This is why the NHL will always be where it is. Highly conservative fans who can’t stomach other demos.

Cherry and milburry have been around for decades one of them heavily xenophobic…but Subban is “loud”. I’ll stick to NFL and NBA where I don’t have to hear nonsense like this.

 

[SaltNPeca]

If it helps, the NHL is pretty even steven with the NBA in Europe. American football third and Baseball basically a nothingsport.

Yeah: Football (Soccer), Basketball, and Hockey are pretty interesting here. I'm not sure anyone cares about American baseball.

NFL is reasonably popular to follow, and imo is really smart (or lucky) with marketing internationally due to Sunday games that are watchable in Europe. It seems NHL doesn't pay too much attention to offering weekend games at a watchable times.

I could care less about "the big 4" or much about the league itself outside of the legendary clubs and the Stanley Cup (GOAT trophy).
Game mgmt. (bad or inconsistent officiating and suspensions) and stuff like not going to the Olympics nor figuring out a best on best (al la the GOAT World Cup) are some of the negatives.
I hope NHL doesn't get too Americanized with commercials and their weird political & racism stuff.

 

[Voight]

Tatis is American.

He's Dominican.

Yea he spent time in the US as a kid, just like Vladdy Jr but he was signed from the DR league and by all means lived there a good chunk of his life.

 

[J bo Jeans]

For what the sport needs (Ice, cold, equipment skating) and just how niche it is, its actually incredible how popular it is.

Just goes to show how entertaining it is. If basketball had the same barriers to entry and play like hockey it wouldnt be as popular.

 

[beowulf]

Would be nice for it to be strong enough in popularity to get a better TV deal. one that helps all the teams and that makes it a less gate driven sports so that maybe ticket prices could stabilize and even go down a little.

 

[LionsHeart]

I don’t care as long as the league is healthy enough to stay in business. I love the sport no matter what.

 

[majormajor]

That’s like your opinion man. And frankly Subban grows the game among other demographics. This is why the NHL will always be where it is. Highly conservative fans who can’t stomach other demos.

Cherry and milburry have been around for decades one of them heavily xenophobic…but Subban is “loud”. I’ll stick to NFL and NBA where I don’t have to hear nonsense like this.

I definitely want to see athletes from diverse backgrounds, that's why I was pleased to see Bissonnette (mixed) and Carter (black) inviting Ryan Reaves to join them when he retires. Just because someone thinks Subban has an unfortunate personality doesn't mean they don't want non-whites on tv. Way to leap to conclusions.

 

[Ridge1982]

He's Dominican.

Yea he spent time in the US as a kid, just like Vladdy Jr but he was signed from the DR league and by all means lived there a good chunk of his life.

Gotcha.

You know you're getting old when you can say you watched his father play for your hometown team. same for Vlad Jr.