Is Hockey One Of The Four Major Sports In North America?

[dare2be]

Did you just unlock the "Golf is not a sport" box?

YOU MONSTER

Along the same lines of thinking...I'm surprised that the NBA was included.

 

[elocomotive]

Did you just unlock the "Golf is not a sport" box?

YOU MONSTER

Golf box status: UNLOCKED!


Involves about as much aerobic activity as baseball.

 

[dash]

I have to read more before I make my decision, but if the NHL drops out of the top 4 I will stop following it.

lol

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

That's where I stopped reading. Of course in the eyes of ESPN and its viewers/listeners, NHL is no longer a major sport because E$PN doesn't cover it nor make much money from it. They will talk down the sport any chance they get unless at some point they have a TV contract with the league, then all of a sudden, it will be "pertinent" again.

We all had this same damn discussion with the Cowherd/MLS thing a few weeks back. It was bullshit then and it is bullshit now.

 

[Phantomphan]

Did you just unlock the "Golf is not a sport" box?

YOU MONSTER

Maybe that's the subject of a different thread?

 

[forty_three]

Maybe that's the subject of a different thread?

It was one of the more, shall we say "messy" power struggles at ESPN.

Along with whether or not Sid is better than Ovechkin and whether or not all you had to do was get a really fat goalie.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

I'm going to have to go with my normal answer Fuck ESPN

 

[Hbomb]

When you factor in Canadian television you get a whole different number.


Arena size has already been talked about. % of capacity would be a better guide.

 

[Hbomb]

I'm going to have to go with my normal answer Fuck ESPN

Back when ESPN covered the NHL they got decent numbers. Now they have no financial stake so their coverage sucks.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Expansion. Yes, they over expanded. And some choices weren't wise. But some were bang on. The proof is in the USA Hockey registration increases in every place but south Florida and Phoenix. They can fix those problems without expanding more. 2 less than total successes does not mean the entire exercise failed. Expansion has been overall incredibly positive for the league. Anyone want to call Minnesota, San Jose, Columbus, Ottawa or Nashville failures?

Minnesota and San Jose are probably the only two of those franchises you could call successful right now. The other three have all had financial problems, and in Columbus' case was probably as close as a team can possibly be to moving prior to their recent success. What happens if these teams bottom out again? What happens to the Preds if in 5 years from now they haven't been back to the playoffs? What happens to the Sens if Melnyk blows his team's scouting budget on setting a spy ring up to monitor Matt Cooke?

 

[pixburgher66]

It was one of the more, shall we say "messy" power struggles at ESPN.

Along with whether or not Sid is better than Ovechkin and whether or not all you had to do was get a really fat goalie.

Hey! That fat goalie theory had legs! And a very large stomach.

 

[pixburgher66]

Minnesota and San Jose are probably the only two of those franchises you could call successful right now. The other three have all had financial problems, and in Columbus' case was probably as close as a team can possibly be to moving prior to their recent success. What happens if these teams bottom out again? What happens to the Preds if in 5 years from now they haven't been back to the playoffs? What happens to the Sens if Melnyk blows his team's scouting budget on setting a spy ring up to monitor Matt Cooke?

I actually think that Nashville has a nice niche following...but like any team in these markets (which really means any non-Canadian market): you have to win to maintain financial success.


In regard to the OP: if the NHL had a better TV deal (not necessarily with E**N), the conversation would probably be different. Personally, every time these conversations come up it reminds me how insecure sports fans can be. The NHL is gaining speed, the NBA is not. If Lebron James didn't exist, they'd be in major trouble. If Sidney Crosby didn't exist, I'm pretty sure the NHL would be just fine. But it just reeks of fans who don't understand the sport trying to justify it. "This is confusing, therefore it is stupid and no one in their right mind should like it."

You Know What's Stupid? Everything I Don't Understand | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

 

[RP-29]

Hey! That fat goalie theory had legs! And a very large stomach.

 

[IPostedWhat]

Did you just unlock the "Golf is not a sport" box?

YOU MONSTER

Golf box status: UNLOCKED!

 

[esls79]

What kind of hockey are we talking about here? Field hockey, I don't think so. Roller hockey, not quite. Ice hockey and bubble hockey. Yeah, I'd say they are both in the top four.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I actually think that Nashville has a nice niche following...but like any team in these markets (which really means any non-Canadian market): you have to win to maintain financial success.


In regard to the OP: if the NHL had a better TV deal (not necessarily with E**N), the conversation would probably be different. Personally, every time these conversations come up it reminds me how insecure sports fans can be. The NHL is gaining speed, the NBA is not. If Lebron James didn't exist, they'd be in major trouble. If Sidney Crosby didn't exist, I'm pretty sure the NHL would be just fine. But it just reeks of fans who don't understand the sport trying to justify it. "This is confusing, therefore it is stupid and no one in their right mind should like it."

You Know What's Stupid? Everything I Don't Understand | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Brings up a very valid argument - the NBA's over-expansion affected its product far more negatively than the NHL's over-expansion.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Well it's number 1 for me and that's really all that matters.

 

[forty_three]

Minnesota and San Jose are probably the only two of those franchises you could call successful right now. The other three have all had financial problems, and in Columbus' case was probably as close as a team can possibly be to moving prior to their recent success. What happens if these teams bottom out again? What happens to the Preds if in 5 years from now they haven't been back to the playoffs? What happens to the Sens if Melnyk blows his team's scouting budget on setting a spy ring up to monitor Matt Cooke?

Columbus had a shitty Arena situation, but were never really in danger of moving. It was a power struggle between the local government and a corporation that suddenly decided they didn't want to own an arena anymore and wanted the city to buy it right away and everyone used the team as the trump card. It was all slush accounting. It was about as likely as the Pens leaving Pittsburgh. Threatened, but never really viable.

Because all that has changed is ownership of the moving pieces and suddenly everyone that was going broke two years ago is fine. It was all BS.

But Melnyk blowing the Sens profits is a valid concern.

 

[pixburgher66]

I subconsciously read this in a Cartman voice.


Screw you guys, I'm going hoooome.

 

[pixburgher66]

Columbus had a shitty Arena situation, but were never really in danger of moving. It was a power struggle between the local government and a corporation that suddenly decided they didn't want to own an arena anymore and wanted the city to buy it right away and everyone used the team as the trump card. It was all slush accounting. It was about as likely as the Pens leaving Pittsburgh. Threatened, but never really viable.

Because all that has changed is ownership of the moving pieces and suddenly everyone that was going broke two years ago is fine. It was all BS.

But Melnyk blowing the Sens profits is a valid concern.

Gosh...why does that sound so familiar?


Oh, right.


(Still remember where I was when the deal was announced)