In addition to being an introvert it would help if he had won a Cup. Almost every major marketable athlete has won multiple titles in their sport. The one exception was LeBron James who was huge even before he won a Championship but winning multiple championships helped him as well.
Why is McDavid so little known outside of hockey?
- Thread starter Montreal Shadow
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KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
First of all Matthews isn’t the best player in the league, and Toronto has zero fan base in the United States.
Even Montreal has a bigger fan base here, nobody cares that Toronto is “one of the biggest markets”.
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He’s one of the only Canadian hockey players any of my American friends can name. And that’s without them following hockey.
But of course everyone’s experience is likely to be different
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KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
Sid is pretty well known in the States. That iconic gold medal goal and the Stanley Cups helped his profile too.
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I’ve heard of Messi, but I have never seen him take a kick, watched a highlight, or even seen on commercial that know of. Other than commercials it’s the same with that basketball player. I have zero interest and many many many more people feel the same way about hockey.
Probably more well known, but in terms, but are we talking significantly more well known?
Chicago had Kane, Toews, Keith
Boston had Chara, Marchand, Bergeron, Pasta
NYR more their goalie than a top notch skater. Closest is Panarin as a free agent.
Chicago now has Bedard. Again, let's see in 5 years or so where he is.
Voight
#winning
I dont understand why people ask these types of questions.
We all know the NHL can't market their stars worth a damn.
We all know the NHL can't market their stars worth a damn.
No marketing/entertainment person is going to get behind a player playing in Edmonton.
If he ever leaves Edmonton things will open up...
Case in point:
A whole generation of kids learned about Gretzky and hockey from this cartoon.
If he ever leaves Edmonton things will open up...
Case in point:
A whole generation of kids learned about Gretzky and hockey from this cartoon.
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I literally just asked 10 people from Texas that are on my webex and none of them knew he was. If you don’t watch hockey there’s no way you’d know who he is.
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
If I walked up to everyone at work right now, there's like two people here who I'm confident would have heard that name before.
Meanwhile, almost all of them would know Shaq, LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Tom Brady, etc.
No Fun Shogun
34-38-61-10-13-15
Hockey isn't that popular outside of hockey fandom, as other sports have far more cultural cache in the United States and mostly abroad.
You don't really need to boil it down more than that. Football and baseball stars are going to be bigger in the US and soccer and basketball stars are going to be bigger everywhere.
You don't really need to boil it down more than that. Football and baseball stars are going to be bigger in the US and soccer and basketball stars are going to be bigger everywhere.
GMR
Registered User
I doubt them winning game 7 would have changed much. He'd still be overlooked. Maybe he gets some interview on one of ESPN's mindless daily shows the next day. That's about it.
22FUTON9
Registered User
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Probably not winning the cup yet. I do find it fascinating that pretty much everyone that comes up in the draft still have Crosby as their favorite player. Once again it probably has to do with the cups, but by the time Crosby was McDavids age right now (or even like when he was 22) I feel like all the new kids coming up the draft had him as their idol.
I honestly don’t think I’ve heard any up and coming prospects list McDavid as their favorite, which is pretty strange
I honestly don’t think I’ve heard any up and coming prospects list McDavid as their favorite, which is pretty strange
GMR
Registered User
To be fair, they are all afraid that saying nice things about Edmonton players will make Edmonton want to draft them.
Megustaelhockey
"I like hockey" in Spanish
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Why doesn't everyone love my sport as much as I do?
Summer is summering.
Summer is summering.
Do we honestly think that Adam Fox would have had a bagel named after him if he was playing for Calgary? 
Playing for small market Canadian teams will never lead to name recognition outside of hockey circles.
Playing for small market Canadian teams will never lead to name recognition outside of hockey circles.
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
Them: "Oh doesn't that guy fight?"Also, casuals would confuse him with this guy.
Me: "...in a sense."
thegazelle
Registered User
- Nov 11, 2019
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I don't know how much of this is due to Edmonton as much as it is due to hockey in general. As hard as it is to admit, go to the average young person or young adult in Canada and ask them to name more than a few hockey players. Many cannot - it's not just that hockey is still #4 amongst the top 4 sports in North America, but also the incidence of young people playing hockey has waned over the years. Less kids playing, less people watching, and then an increase in Canada in the interest of basketball and the NBA...lots of factors.
That said, I think it could also be how the NHL markets their players. I have no idea what the US markets are like, but I am doubtful with NBA, MLB and especially NFL prevalent, that much attention would be given to hockey. I kid you not - I was talking with some friends from church recently - their daughters were talking sports and they are not sports people - they all knew who Caitlin Clark was, but none of them (like 0 out of 3) knew who Connor McDavid was. Only 1 out of 3 knew who Crosby was and that's only because she saw someone wearing a jersey at school.
The other leagues can saturate the media, not just TV and online, but also print media like magazines, newspapers, etc. with the athlete they want to market, and it's everywhere. Hockey neither has the ability to compete in the US market with those other sports. I am not convinced if McDavid was playing for the Rangers that we wouldn't still be having this conversation, though maybe to a smaller degree.
I remember watching the NHL all star game this past winter - my son's girlfriend got him tickets to take him for his birthday but I tuned it to see if I could see them. I was horrified to see the broadcast of players skating around with their names displayed on top of them. Then realized it was a US network broadcasting it. Likely realizing that to get new viewers they need to help these viewers see who is who and keep track of their movements. I noticed Matthews name was almost always following him around - even then I am doubtful outside some of the major hockey markets, that the average sports fan would even know who Auston Matthews is, and he's one of the Americans' own.
That said, I think it could also be how the NHL markets their players. I have no idea what the US markets are like, but I am doubtful with NBA, MLB and especially NFL prevalent, that much attention would be given to hockey. I kid you not - I was talking with some friends from church recently - their daughters were talking sports and they are not sports people - they all knew who Caitlin Clark was, but none of them (like 0 out of 3) knew who Connor McDavid was. Only 1 out of 3 knew who Crosby was and that's only because she saw someone wearing a jersey at school.
The other leagues can saturate the media, not just TV and online, but also print media like magazines, newspapers, etc. with the athlete they want to market, and it's everywhere. Hockey neither has the ability to compete in the US market with those other sports. I am not convinced if McDavid was playing for the Rangers that we wouldn't still be having this conversation, though maybe to a smaller degree.
I remember watching the NHL all star game this past winter - my son's girlfriend got him tickets to take him for his birthday but I tuned it to see if I could see them. I was horrified to see the broadcast of players skating around with their names displayed on top of them. Then realized it was a US network broadcasting it. Likely realizing that to get new viewers they need to help these viewers see who is who and keep track of their movements. I noticed Matthews name was almost always following him around - even then I am doubtful outside some of the major hockey markets, that the average sports fan would even know who Auston Matthews is, and he's one of the Americans' own.
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
Everyone always seems to want more exposure and I don't understand the notion that more growth is inherently good.
To an extent, sure.
I follow the WNBA. I just want the women to make good money. We're doing that. The average salary is trending to go over $200,000 per year in the next two years. The girls that are selling shoes and Gatorade are making millions. That's great. I'm very proud that the Liberty are averaging over 12,000 this year and that figure is over 10,000 even if you take out Caitlin Clark games. We have a nice little fanbase.
Do I need it to get any bigger? Not really. I'm in a nice little spot here. Would you rather A) Spend $150 for you and a guest to sit in the 10th row with 10,000 people who would die for the team or B) Spend $150 to sit by yourself in the upper bowl with tourists asking you how hockey works the whole game?
I've experienced choice B with the Rangers my entire life, and I can tell you for certain that growth is not always glamorous. My personal experience would be better if it were more niche. I could afford better seats at more games.
KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
Kane was definitely well known outside of hockey fans.
Bedard, I’m not sure. He didn’t really burst onto the scene like Crosby or McDavid. He had a good rookie season but wasn’t a 100 point superstar at 18 like those 2 were.
If Chicago can become a contender in 5 years maybe.
Hockey just never has taken as a marketable sport in the US. In the US when they run Gatorade "athlete montage" commercials, they cut Sidney Crosby out for the US audience because no one knows who the hell he is. That Canadian versions of those Gatorade ads have Crosby spliced in with the other athletes.
It just is what it is. Most of Crosby's marketing is in Canada (Tim Horton's especially).
In general, player-athlete marketing probably peaked in the 1990s with Michael Jordan and has been on a steady decline since. Look at Nike stock today is dropping because people are opting to buy what were once no-name brands.
I don't really follow baseball or NFL football even and could only name a few of the players (uhh ... Ohtani and Judge for baseball I guess ... Mahomes and Taylor Swift's BF for football). But back in the day it felt like everyone knew Ken Griffey Jr., Jose Canseco, Dan Marino, Derek Jeter, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, Roberto Alomar (in Canada), and I knew like Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Deion Sanders, Emmett Smith, Bo Jackson, etc. in the NFL even if I didn't follow the sport.
LeBron James, Steph Curry are relatively well know but they've been playing forever, I feel like Michael Jordan (for sure), Shaq, Kobe, Dennis Rodman, even Charles Barkley were as popular or moreso in their heyday.
It just feels like there isn't as much non-sports touch points for athletes these days too. I knew Ken Griffey Jr. not because I liked baseball that much, but because of the Ken Griffey Jr. video games on the Super NES, that seems to be less of a thing now. I knew Dan Marino because he was in Ace Ventura with Jim Carey, etc. etc.
It just is what it is. Most of Crosby's marketing is in Canada (Tim Horton's especially).
In general, player-athlete marketing probably peaked in the 1990s with Michael Jordan and has been on a steady decline since. Look at Nike stock today is dropping because people are opting to buy what were once no-name brands.
I don't really follow baseball or NFL football even and could only name a few of the players (uhh ... Ohtani and Judge for baseball I guess ... Mahomes and Taylor Swift's BF for football). But back in the day it felt like everyone knew Ken Griffey Jr., Jose Canseco, Dan Marino, Derek Jeter, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, Roberto Alomar (in Canada), and I knew like Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Deion Sanders, Emmett Smith, Bo Jackson, etc. in the NFL even if I didn't follow the sport.
LeBron James, Steph Curry are relatively well know but they've been playing forever, I feel like Michael Jordan (for sure), Shaq, Kobe, Dennis Rodman, even Charles Barkley were as popular or moreso in their heyday.
It just feels like there isn't as much non-sports touch points for athletes these days too. I knew Ken Griffey Jr. not because I liked baseball that much, but because of the Ken Griffey Jr. video games on the Super NES, that seems to be less of a thing now. I knew Dan Marino because he was in Ace Ventura with Jim Carey, etc. etc.
KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
Those guys all won a ton of championships though.
Not saying he’d be as popular as Tom Brady or Jeter but if Mr Game 4 had won the cup this year that would have given him a huge boost.
Matthew Tkachuk is the guy appearing on ESPN NBA show, not McDoofus
robertmac43
Forever 43!
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