Why is McDavid so little known outside of hockey?

[SaltNPeca]

As a Canadian who travel the world the answer is easy.

Ice hockey is considered a NICHE sport in 90% of the world.

Yep.

For any confused Canadian Boomers, I ask you if you know about Virat Kohli.

It's funny for me personally when Canadian friends came to Europe, introduced themselves, and often drop the key words "McDavid, Edmonton Oilers" when describing where they come from.

 

[PaulD]

Ticket prices vary wildly in different markets for one, so I don't use that as a barometer in many markets NHL tickets are a fraction of the cost of an NBA ticket.


The NHL is a gate driven league, but that's the point. It has no national standing in the US and has never been able to break that ceiling. There are hockey fans in the US sure, but generally they only will watch their own team and don't follow the league per se in the way NBA, NFL, MLB fans do.

That's why there's little to no traction for a hockey superstar in the US who has marketing deals like an NBA or NFL or MLB star would. Gatorade won't put Crosby in US nationwide commercials, their marketing execs look at that and say "lose the hockey guy, no one knows who he is". Those commercials with him only run in Canada.

It would be no different for McDavid. He's not magically going to do something for the sport beyond where it is now in the US. People just need to get over that and let that dream die. There isn't going to be a hockey version of Michael Jordan, the American audience doesn't care enough about hockey for that to happen. They may cheer for a local team sure, but that's about as good as it gets in the US.

And there you have it ladies and gentlemen. Bang on.
Anymore questions?

 

[PaulD]

Not to generalize too much, but I'd assume Bruins fans are generally more affluent than Celtics fans. You might get 20,000 Bruins fans to buy #200 tickets to see a playoff game, but you could find 2 million Celtics fans willing to pay $20 to see a Celtics playoff game.

That doesn't even factor in the fact that basketball Is like football and perfectly packaged for television, while hockey will always be better live.

The NHL gets enough iehards in every city it goes to to sell out most games. (Arizona is just an atrocity), but the casual fans just don't exist right now. If the league could market to the casual fan better, maybe Connor McDavid would be a household name.

Well said.
But better marketing? Nah.
The best marketing teams in the world could get together. Spend millions on marketing bowling ......but I wouldn't watch. Women's hockey? Nope. Rugby ? Nope. Darts nope.
If ya don't care for a sport , marketing it falls on deaf ears.
Hell, Im a fantatic and I could live without watching or attending regular season games. ha! OK, that's a stretch but you get my drift.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Simple answer is lack of exposure in more relevant markets. If he was a Ranger he'd be shoved down our throats constantly.

Doesn't help that he was drafted by a franchise that was synonymous with failure for so long.

I can't help but wonder if he'll ultimately be like Gretzky and play in some bigger markets before he's out of his prime.

 

[Minnesota Knudsens]

Americans like “American sports”, sports that either have a long standing tradition (baseball), or that Americans dominate on the world stage.

Just look at Simone Biles at the Olympics. The US going absolutely gaga over gymnastics, which to me, is as niche as it gets.

It would be interesting to see how hockey would be thought of if the Americans suddenly started beating every other country by 5 goals in international play. But that might never happen in my lifetime.

McDavid plays a Canadian sport on a Canadian small market team. Nothing bothers Americans more than the idea of having to give a crap about something like that.

 

[PaulD]

Simple answer is lack of exposure in more relevant markets. If he was a Ranger he'd be shoved down our throats constantly.

Doesn't help that he was drafted by a franchise that was synonymous with failure for so long.

I can't help but wonder if he'll ultimately be like Gretzky and play in some bigger markets before he's out of his prime.

Good chance of that. But like Wayne in St Louis and New York he was a big name but not a big deal.
Had Connor started in say New York or L.A and won a couple championships ........likely be a mucher bigger celebrity.
Personally I don't care whether pro athlete stars become celebs or house hold names. Changes the game I view not one bit.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Simple answer is lack of exposure in more relevant markets. If he was a Ranger he'd be shoved down our throats constantly.

Doesn't help that he was drafted by a franchise that was synonymous with failure for so long.

I can't help but wonder if he'll ultimately be like Gretzky and play in some bigger markets before he's out of his prime.

NY has had a team for almost 100 years and they're the 2nd most popular team in their own damn arena

Detroit and Boston have had some of the best players in the history of the game yet are dwarfed by the Football baseball and basketball teams in their own cities
LA had Gretzky and hockey was only a fad for a few years, despite the sport being there since 1967

bottom line, hockey is niche in the US...always has been, always will be

 

[Jumptheshark]

Yep.

For any confused Canadian Boomers, I ask you if you know about Virat Kohli.

It's funny for me personally when Canadian friends came to Europe, introduced themselves, and often drop the key words "McDavid, Edmonton Oilers" when describing where they come from.

I have lived in Europe for about 25 years now and it is interesting to see how little the NHL does over here. MLB, NFL and the NBA all do several things year round.

When the NFL and NBA come to town, both leagues put on massive displays all over London(using train stations as a centre point)--the one time the NHL came they barely did anything away from the arena. When other leagues do thing here in Europe--they do it in style.

The NHL just has not figured out the marketing angle of things yet

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

NY has had a team for almost 100 years and they're the 2nd most popular team in their own damn arena

Detroit and Boston have had some of the best players in the history of the game yet are dwarfed by the Football baseball and basketball teams in their own cities
LA had Gretzky and hockey was only a fad for a few years, despite the sport being there since 1967

bottom line, hockey is niche in the US...always has been, always will be

Sure, if McDavid were playing for NYR he would be much more of a household name.

 

[FlyguyOX]

One word:

Edmonton.

Gretzky didn't become a household name (outside of Canada) until he was in LA.

This.

It's because he's in a canadian market.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

A guy who doesn't follow a sport doesn't know anyone. Or vaguely a guy the media talks about all the time.

I know 2 MLB players by name (Ohtani & Judge), I will be unable to name an NFL player who started after 2020 and I know less than 10 NBA players. James, Anteto etc, Jokic, Doncic, Durant, Curry, Harden and that's it. However, I followed this sport until 2008.

I know that there were French guys drafted No. 1 but I don't know their names, I don't know their faces and in France they are unknown to the general public.

I know them because I go to general sports sites and because I'm interested in the prize lists. So imagine the common Europeans. The overwhelming majority do not know any of them.

The only French sportsman mostly known in France is Mbappe. Apart from Antoine Dupont, Teddy Riner, Leon Marchand, Nikola Karabatic, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba, Hugo Lloris, Julian Alaphilippe, Felix Lebrun - no one is known by a significant minority. And I'm sure the guys I'm quoting speak vaguely to you.

I agree , so i don't understand why people are suprised McDavid is not known , 3/4 of the human population on earth don't even know the sport exists

 

[GMR]

He’s a white guy from Canada with no personality. The NHL doesn’t market well historically either.

He's no Bret "The Hitman" Hart, that's for sure.

 

[BlueSeal]

You think his refusal to play like a man doesn't hurt his marketability?

Hey, I knock McDavid a lot but the dude is elite af, plays and stands for whatever it is he believes in. You may not like him, but that's enough to respect him.

 

[Oleksiak]

Hey, I knock McDavid a lot but the dude is elite af, plays and stands for whatever it is he believes in. You may not like him, but that's enough to respect him.

I don't respect gutless floppers who spend half the game throwing tantrums, regardless of talent.

 

[BlueSeal]

I don't respect gutless floppers who spend half the game throwing tantrums, regardless of talent.

The extremes I run into on McDavid are insane and hilarious.

He's either one of the best who's ever played or he's a pathetic pile of crap.

There's just no center, it's all extremes.

Same if someone talked about Crosby or whoever else.

 

[JPT]

Americans like “American sports”, sports that either have a long standing tradition (baseball), or that Americans dominate on the world stage.

Just look at Simone Biles at the Olympics. The US going absolutely gaga over gymnastics, which to me, is as niche as it gets.

It would be interesting to see how hockey would be thought of if the Americans suddenly started beating every other country by 5 goals in international play. But that might never happen in my lifetime.

McDavid plays a Canadian sport on a Canadian small market team. Nothing bothers Americans more than the idea of having to give a crap about something like that.

Tbf Americans have gone crazy for gymnastics every four years for a long time. Figure skating, too.

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

The only reason I know who lebron James is because of his vibrant personality

 

[Minnesota Knudsens]

Tbf Americans have gone crazy for gymnastics every four years for a long time. Figure skating, too.

So the figure skating thing makes my point perfectly. Niche sport on ice. But if someone from the States is in the running to bring home the gold, it’s beloved.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Sure, if McDavid were playing for NYR he would be much more of a household name.

to non-hockey fans? highly doubt it

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Simple answer is lack of exposure in more relevant markets. If he was a Ranger he'd be shoved down our throats constantly.

Doesn't help that he was drafted by a franchise that was synonymous with failure for so long.

I can't help but wonder if he'll ultimately be like Gretzky and play in some bigger markets before he's out of his prime.

Wrong.


Nobody knows what the sport is , edmonton , montreal , toronto , arizona , new york , Los Angeles It doesn't matter...


Everybody who follows hockey knows who McDavid is. Nobody who doesn't follow hockey knows who McDavid is

 

[John Price]

NHL and ESPN do an awful job of advertising the game to casuals

 

[PhysicalGraffiti]

Partly because the league doesn't market well or appeal to the masses.

But also because he has the personality of a cardboard cutout.

 

[WayTooCold]

McDavid just wants to drink beer and play hockey. Not running some social media hullabaloo.

Here in Russia men just play hockey. They are fed and taken care of by caretakers. Their job is to put pucks to the net. That's it. No time for social media.

 

[SaltNPeca]

I have lived in Europe for about 25 years now and it is interesting to see how little the NHL does over here. MLB, NFL and the NBA all do several things year round.

When the NFL and NBA come to town, both leagues put on massive displays all over London(using train stations as a centre point)--the one time the NHL came they barely did anything away from the arena. When other leagues do thing here in Europe--they do it in style.

The NHL just has not figured out the marketing angle of things yet

Totally agree. NFL is just so much better at presenting the product on video and overall marketing.

Given the game times, especially for specific matchups of European players, say when Edmonton plays Ottawa for Germans... the NHL doesn't care about Europe is an afterthought for the schedule makers.

Here in Cologne (birthplace of Leon Draisaitl) it was promising, but ends up being near-zero. We had a pretty big hockey buzz after the 20017 IIHF World Champs. The NHL organized a friendly match for the Oilers in Cologne in 2018. Leon won the Art Ross, Hart, and Germany Sportspersonality of the year in 2020... but really in terms of buzz, marketing, and intentionally looking to appeal to non-hockey-crazy-Germans, the NHL does little to nothing.

 

[TheUnusedCrayon]

This doesn't make sense. Crosby and Ovechkin still consistently outsell him and they've been in the league for far longer. Superstars don't suddenly stop selling jerseys as they age.

And those two also have way more of a personality than him, play in places where they're constantly gaining new fans (American markets) and other reasons. It's rare a new Oiler fan exists, it's rare a new McDavid fan exists in Edmonton. If you live in Edmonton (I do), then you know anything and everything about him.

Even fairweather fans have a McDavid jersey.