Steady decline in youth hockey participation in Canada raises concerns about the future of sport

[Neil Patrick Harris]

What's a synopsis for how hockey abandoned its somewhat blue collar roots and is now a rich kids sport?

Mighty Ducks 3?

 

[heretik27]

Just wait until the declining birth rates amongst millennials starts to rear its ugly head. It was just a barrier of time and money before, now hockey will have an even shallower pool to draw from going forward.

 

[joelef]

What's a synopsis for how hockey abandoned its somewhat blue collar roots and is now a rich kids sport?

It’s similar ti nascar which now has more Californians then good ole boy southerners.

 

[Empoleon8771]

What's a synopsis for how hockey abandoned its somewhat blue collar roots and is now a rich kids sport?

The only reason hockey used to be that was the limited spread of the sport.

Hockey didn't "abandon" those roots, those blue collar families just got passed up by wealthier families who could give their kids advantages over the blue collar families. This has just worsened as the sport has spread out more and more. There's really nothing hockey as a sport can do about it. They can get poorer kids to start playing the sport, but their families can't spend with the wealthier families who can send their kids to the best trainers/camps/tryouts/ect.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Its for rich kids who live in big houses outside of the city

 

[razor ray]

You look at how far Canada basketball has come as the Men are ranked #7 in the world and the women are #5. Canadas men's team in Paris is all NBA players. Men's soccer, Canada is now top 50 in the world and the Women are #8. I think both sports popularity, accessibility, and cost as well as lower risk of injury versus hockey make it a easier choice for parents.

In America, hockey has a high upside and good programs to get kids started but it is a massive financial commitment if your kid is high-level. Anywhere from $10-25k per year depending on where you live. As one poster mentioned, if you are in the south, you are traveling constantly for tournaments as your local options are so limited.

I'll still be surprised to see any massive decline in Canada but if the rinks start closing then its definitely a major issue.

 

[joelef]

The only reason hockey used to be that was the limited spread of the sport.

Hockey didn't "abandon" those roots, those blue collar families just got passed up by wealthier families who could give their kids advantages over the blue collar families. This has just worsened as the sport has spread out more and more. There's really nothing hockey as a sport can do about it. They can get poorer kids to start playing the sport, but their families can't spend with the wealthier families who can send their kids to the best trainers/camps/tryouts/ect.

Also

You look at how far Canada basketball has come as the Men are ranked #7 in the world and the women are #5. Canadas men's team in Paris is all NBA players. Men's soccer, Canada is now top 50 in the world and the Women are #8. I think both sports popularity, accessibility, and cost as well as lower risk of injury versus hockey make it a easier choice for parents.

In America, hockey has a high upside and good programs to get kids started but it is a massive financial commitment if your kid is high-level. Anywhere from $10-25k per year depending on where you live. As one poster mentioned, if you are in the south, you are traveling constantly for tournaments as your local options are so limited.

I'll still be surprised to see any massive decline in Canada but if the rinks start closing then its definitely a major issue.

im Scarborough the local government has threaten to closed rinks to do the massive decline in numbers playing hockey. Hell in St. Paul Minnesota “ the state of hockey” the city has threaten to closed down there biggest rinks while spending millions on an obscure southeast Asian sport speak Taka courts. NHL ., college , usa hockey , HC etc…. Have such an ostrich syndrome that I’m failing to understand.

 

[heretik27]

The only reason hockey used to be that was the limited spread of the sport.

Hockey didn't "abandon" those roots, those blue collar families just got passed up by wealthier families who could give their kids advantages over the blue collar families. This has just worsened as the sport has spread out more and more. There's really nothing hockey as a sport can do about it. They can get poorer kids to start playing the sport, but their families can't spend with the wealthier families who can send their kids to the best trainers/camps/tryouts/ect.

They touch on it in the article with the mention of arenas not being maintained and falling apart, but when I was a kid we started hockey on outdoor rinks, played on them after school, on the weekends, whenever. That same community center that used to have 3-5 outdoor rinks now has one for sled hockey teams or something and that's about it. It's pretty tough to keep the fun in the game and encourage participation from a casual stand point when every skate comes with a price tag attached. I'd imagine it's even worse off in areas across Canada that don't get lengthy winters like Winnipeg.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

You look at how far Canada basketball has come as the Men are ranked #7 in the world and the women are #5. Canadas men's team in Paris is all NBA players. Men's soccer, Canada is now top 50 in the world and the Women are #8. I think both sports popularity, accessibility, and cost as well as lower risk of injury versus hockey make it a easier choice for parents.

In America, hockey has a high upside and good programs to get kids started but it is a massive financial commitment if your kid is high-level. Anywhere from $10-25k per year depending on where you live. As one poster mentioned, if you are in the south, you are traveling constantly for tournaments as your local options are so limited.

I'll still be surprised to see any massive decline in Canada but if the rinks start closing then its definitely a major issue.

Kids from the city play basketball and soccer , the talent pool is larger because the populations within these big cities are large and growing.

Hockey players mostly come from small town hockey communities , its a closed sport for any immigrant or kids of immigrants living within the city , they don't even have hockey in public schools. You need two parents and a car to play organised hockey. Meanwhile you can play Basketball or Soccer regardless of family or income just by going through the public system

 

[joelef]

Kids from the city play basketball , and soccer the talent pool is large because the populations are large and growing.

Hockey players mostly come from small town hockey communities , its a closed sport for any immigrant or kids of immigrants living within the city , they don't even have hockey in public schools. You need two parents and a car to play organised hockey. Meanwhile you can play Basketball or Soccer regardless of family or income just by going through the public system

The nba and soccer also have stars who are visible to the American public hockey thinks a player cracking a smile should sentences for war crimes.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

The nba and soccer also have stars who are visible to the American public hockey thinks a player cracking a smile should sentences for war crimes.

Well they are from different backrounds than most NBA and Soccer players , how are you supposed to relate to a guy like sidney Crosby or Connor McDavids when they're dads have backyard rinks built for them when they are 5 .

I'm just saying a guy like Lebron James has a 100% more relatable backround since most people don't come from perfect prototypical american dream like families

 

[Dog]

Poor Canadian goalies the most expensive position to pay for. Where can I donate money for youth goalie equipment? They need a lot of help!

 

[joelef]

Well they are from different backrounds than most NBA and Soccer players , how are you supposed to relate to a guy like sidney Crosby or Connor McDavids when they're dads have backyard rinks built for them when they are 5 .

I'm just saying a guy like Lebron James has a 100% more relatable backround since most people don't come from perfect prototypical american dream like families

Even women basketball players like Mahler Reece are hanging with big name female rappers and doing magazine shoots.

Even women basketball players like Mahler Reece are hanging with big name female rappers and doing magazine shoots.

Even Messi was just in a commercial for the new bad boys movie . Conner mcdavid is in the Stanley cup on abc and no promotion by him or the league whatsoever. This not the cost is why hockey is failing.

 

[HighAndTight]

In the big picture, it's not just the cost. It's the increasing knowledge of brain injuries and which sports are more susceptible to them.

Man this has got to stop.

If you weren't aware what being repeatedly hit in the face means for your brain health then I dont know what to tell you.

We only have over a hundred years of boxers brains dissolving.

Not to mention the term punch drunk was coined in 1928...

The uninformed are always surprised and shocked.

 

[MikeyMike01]

The nba and soccer also have stars who are visible to the American public hockey thinks a player cracking a smile should sentences for war crimes.

This couldn’t matter any less.

The NHL’s problem is the games are unwatchable trash a huge amount of the time. Their product is bad. No amount of marketing will change that.

 

[TheNumber4]

I told ya’ll. The very fabric of Canadian society, our heritage is at stake. No cups in Canada means hockey will die in Canada.

The ONLY way to save it is to cheer for an Oilers Cup. Anything less than that is unpatriotic. Any Canadians who don’t support a Cup back to Canada, is borderline treason.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

What's a synopsis for how hockey abandoned its somewhat blue collar roots and is now a rich kids sport?

Gentrification.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Hockey is too expensive, but it can’t be just the cost.
How many kids play pond hockey these days? All one needs is a stick and skates.
I bet the numbers are a mere fraction compared to my youth. Too many other things for kids to do nowadays.

I also remember when there used to be winter.

I told ya’ll. The very fabric of Canadian society, our heritage is at stake. No cups in Canada means hockey will die in Canada.

Take a breath man. I like hockey too but I am pretty sure the world and Canada will continue.

 

[blackjackmulligan]

5000 dollar for summer land dry training in the wealthy twin cities suburb Edina.

8-11k to just play on a tier 1 team. then add in equipment, the travel pretty much every weekend, the private lessons, and extra summer tourneys well do the math. 20k easy in the phila area.

now if you're not into the high level aspect then it is much much more affordable.

hockey has become a huge profitable racquet. many get sucked right into it.

 

[nergish]

Honestly, there's not enough hockey-related infrastructure for kids to just play. Every park in Canada should have a ball hockey court imo. Just a flat, even service with surrounding boards to keep a ball in play, and a couple fixed nets.

I live in Vancouver, and it's baffling we're able to produce any hockey players whatsoever. We don't have the climate for it, and nobody can afford to rent ice. I never ever see kids outside playing hockey.

Connor Bedard had to have a shooting station fashioned in his backyard. How many kids even have yards to play in these days?

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

as a parent whose kid doesn’t play organized league hockey but has played it in other forms, both on and off ice, organized and not, yeah the big thing is cost and time.

i don’t think the danger part is real, or at least anymore than when i was a kid in the 90s (and yes i played ice in a house league for seven years). the same parents who won’t let their kids play dangerous sports now wouldn’t have in the 90s.

but there is a very real perception/realization among parents i talk to that the swift current bombshell in the 90s was more a rule than a horrible horrible exception. at least among my circles, public opinion on the institutions of organized hockey has never been lower, between the wjc, all the hazing stuff that we’ve been hearing about as far back as steve downie iirc, the blackhawks, etc.

but i don’t know that that really moves the needle too much either because most normal ppl, afaik, aren’t expecting to send their kids to a small town in northern bc or alberta to play major junior.

the real thing beyond cost and time is the culture of specialization. i always thought, hey i live in vancouver where there is no outdoor ice. but if i lived somewhere else where you can just go take your kid to skate in a park with two sticks and a puck, it would be different. but for a year we were relocated to another major city in canada (don’t want to start a fight so i won’t say which one) that had a lengthy outdoor rink season and open public rinks in many parks. and what we found was it was full of hockey dads yelling at their kids, like seven or eight year olds, trying to train them to be the next mcdavid. and also you’d find two coach dads monopolizing a quarter of an entire rink each, and both nets, because junior is a special talent. we went to numerous different park rinks looking for a chiller vibe and did not find one. turned my kid completely off the sport.

we saw this in vancouver as well, to a point. but there you’d see at places like the ubc rinks a nine year old kid training in a private session with a junior B player between group skating lessons. it felt more like, well some ppl are just rich kids, not well this is the culture of minor hockey now.

all to say, it’s hard to see a place for casual participation, because the cost is so high and those who have it usually also have the time and money to make it a 24/7/365 thing for their kid. we literally don’t know any kids who “just” play house. even if they are at that level there’s power skating and skills camps, and i am hearing a lot of peer pressure from other parents to keep up.

 

[Turin]

Too expensive + people who like hockey and can afford to play it aren’t having enough kids.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Honestly, there's not enough hockey-related infrastructure for kids to just play. Every park in Canada should have a ball hockey court imo. Just a flat, even service with surrounding boards to keep a ball in play, and a couple fixed nets.

I live in Vancouver, and it's baffling we're able to produce any hockey players whatsoever. We don't have the climate for it, and nobody can afford to rent ice. I never ever see kids outside playing hockey.

Connor Bedard had to have a shooting station fashioned in his backyard. How many kids even have yards to play in these days?

it is astounding to me that organized ball hockey doesn’t exist in the lower mainland.

my kid played ball hockey in the other canadian city we briefly lived in and it was great. such a low barrier for participation and no toxic hockey parents because those families are all in ice hockey leagues

 

[The Shrike]

Ask Zack Hyman's father why youth hockey is so expensive.

 

[EpochLink]

Meanwhile,

Canada men and woman soccer teams have been successful in the past years, both the national basketball teams are ranked high due to more kids playing basketball. Honestly, the amount of Canadians who have played in the NBA in the past decade is great to see.

SGA was damn near league MVP in the NBA.