NHL to look at Mexico as an expansion of the Latino fanbase

[TheLegend]

"The idea of full-fledged expansion beyond the United States and Canada remains far-fetched, but the NHL is seeking to follow in the footsteps of other North American leagues by expanding outside of its traditional fan base. Additionally, the idea of playing either a preseason or regular-season game in Mexico is picking up steam in the highest reaches of the league office.

"We had started hearing from our clubs that they'd love to play a game in Mexico," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. "The more we can appeal to more demographics, countries and culturally diverse areas, the better it is for us."


NHL will look at Mexico as next phase of expanding Latino fan base

NHL eyes Mexico as next area in expanding Latino fan base

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[joelef]

Its about time

 

[Fatass]

Sure. Hockey s big in Mexico. It’s those cold winters, and frozen ponds.

 

[JETZZZ]

Makes sense. There are a lot of Latinos in Mexico.

 

[Joe from Maine]

Not a bad idea. No one in England plays American football and the NFL has done fairly well there.

 

[OG6ix]

Sure. Hockey s big in Mexico. It’s those cold winters, and frozen ponds.

Ok boomer. Not hard to create ice in the year of the Lord 2021.

 

[Fatass]

Ok boomer. Not hard to create ice in the year of the Lord 2021.

Sure, build ice sheets for all those hockey players in Mexico".

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Makes sense. There are a lot of Latinos in Mexico.

Source?

 

[OG6ix]

Sure, build ice sheets for all those hockey players in Mexico".

What? The point of the NHL going there is to help grow hockey there... I get that you are probably trying to be tongue and cheek but if the NHL thought like you it would still be a 6 team league.

 

[Fatass]

What? The point of the NHL going there is to help grow hockey there... I get that you are probably trying to be tongue and cheek but if the NHL thought like you it would still be a 6 team league.

Who will attend a hockey game in Mexico? It won’t be the Mexican people. It will be tourists from Canada and some of the US and Northern European tourists.

 

[OG6ix]

Who will attend a hockey game in Mexico? It won’t be the Mexican people. It will be tourists from Canada and some of the US and Northern European tourists.

Source?

 

[Beau Knows]

It would be really cool to have a Mexican NHL team one day.

 

[ForsbergForever]

I'm sure this will be as successful as the decade-long push to turn China into a hockey hotbed...

If you're into data, the median annual household income in Mexico is $2639 USD. I'm going to go out on a limb here but that doesn't exactly scream disposable income to spend $100+ on NHL tickets. But maybe the Sinaloa cartel can be a sponsor and make sure "hockey is for everyone"?

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Seems like there's very little business background in this thread so far.

The idea of putting a preseason game in Mexico is to give fans the opportunity to view the game and possibly drum up some interest with young people. We live in a world where much of present value and price is largely based off of the future. And the NHL is big business after all.

Spending relatively little to entertain the thought of at least expanding NHL fanship in Mexico is an easy decision for the league, however strange that sounds to us gringos.

I feel like people's minds immediately jump to "You can never have a franchise in Mexico!" when there's so much more in between. If you can increase apparel sales modestly from a largely untapped market south of the border, that alone may make up for the cost of the hosting the game.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Who will attend a hockey game in Mexico? It won’t be the Mexican people. It will be tourists from Canada and some of the US and Northern European tourists.

This just isn't correct...

Hockey isn't big in Mexico obviously, but you act like Mexicans consciously despise it.

Have you ever brought someone to a hockey game that's never been before? I've done it a few times in my life, and every time the person I was with was left impressed and entertained by the speed and fluidity of the game. Along with usually questioning the level of violence...

My point is that your mind is clearly jumping way ahead to the prospect of a Mexican NHL franchise or Olympic team when obviously that is an absurd thought right now. But that isn't the point. This is business exploring the possibilities of a new market, however big or small they may be.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Who will attend a hockey game in Mexico? It won’t be the Mexican people. It will be tourists from Canada and some of the US and Northern European tourists.

Why would Mexican people not like hockey?

Is there something wrong with hockey that it's not inherently fun to watch? Or something wrong with Mexican people that they can't recognize a fun sport?

 

[OKR]

I’d love to see a Mexican NHL team, and it’s not like playing hockey there is a impossible due to weather, it’s not like Arizona is somekinda of winter wonderland in comparison.

And yes, Arizona isn’t doing so hot, but Arizona also have multiple other teams in North American major leagues, that are older and succeed better than Coyotes, Mexico doesn’t have that competetion for fans.

Besides, lot of hockey fans of Mexican heritage in US, i assume they would love to cheer for a team from Mexico.

It’s shouldn’t be happening anytime soon tho, but if there is a possibility for it, i sure hope they give it a chance at least.

 

[CupfortheSharks]

Sure. Hockey s big in Mexico. It’s those cold winters, and frozen ponds.

Why do people think like this? I’ve never lived where it snows, yet I’m a big enough hockey fan to spend time here. I own Sharks jerseys, shirts, and hats. I buy tickets to NHL and AHL games, watch on tv, and have even have traveled to attend games. All because I was exposed to hockey and like it despite the fact that I’ve never shoveled snow.

 

[Rcknrollkillnmachine]

I think it's to bump interest in the nearby teams (well northern Mexico) in southern California and Arizona teams. No harm. Unlikely we'll see a Mexican team when Arizona are barely keeping their head above water.

 

[Lt Dan]

Orale'!

 

[Albatros]

Sure. Hockey s big in Mexico. It’s those cold winters, and frozen ponds.

Not hockey per se, but they do have very popular outdoor skating rinks in winter.

 

[Hanji]

I'm sure this will be as successful as the decade-long push to turn China into a hockey hotbed...

If you're into data, the median annual household income in Mexico is $2639 USD. I'm going to go out on a limb here but that doesn't exactly scream disposable income to spend $100+ on NHL tickets. But maybe the Sinaloa cartel can be a sponsor and make sure "hockey is for everyone"?

Mexico is a country with absurd income disparity. That said, tons of wealth exists in Mexico City in addition to a reasonably sized middle class.

There's more than enough wealth in Mexico City to support an NHL franchise. Fan interest is the issue, obviously.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

What? The point of the NHL going there is to help grow hockey there... I get that you are probably trying to be tongue and cheek but if the NHL thought like you it would still be a 6 team league.

Well, a 6 team league is how people think here, often. Ah, the good old days, right? HNIC in snowy black and white with your rabbit ears? No ads on the boards? And that's only been what, 55 years? So, think about 55 years hence - 2076. How silly will a 6 team major league seem then?

Bienvenidos, Las Gaviotas de Tijuana.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

"The idea of full-fledged expansion beyond the United States and Canada remains far-fetched, but the NHL is seeking to follow in the footsteps of other North American leagues by expanding outside of its traditional fan base. Additionally, the idea of playing either a preseason or regular-season game in Mexico is picking up steam in the highest reaches of the league office.

"We had started hearing from our clubs that they'd love to play a game in Mexico," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. "The more we can appeal to more demographics, countries and culturally diverse areas, the better it is for us."


NHL will look at Mexico as next phase of expanding Latino fan base

NHL eyes Mexico as next area in expanding Latino fan base

As someone from Latin America (Argentina) this is great news the NHL already has a brand new tv/streaming deal here after a long time so ESPN here is the only way to get the NHL in a deal close to the ESPN+ in the US. So i think that deal could be great for the NHL but it took them a lot to get here the NBA is miles ahead in South America and MLB/NFL are much bigger in Central America.

 

[chauron]

Sure. Hockey s big in Mexico. It’s those cold winters, and frozen ponds.

Are there even arenas that have decent capacity?

Perhaps they have to play outdoor game in Tijuana, Vegas-LA Kings