Question from Canada [Archive] - RonFez.net Messageboard

View Full Version : Question from Canada

Team_Ramrod

09-20-2006, 06:23 PM

There is no doubt that the NFL, MLB and NBA are the big 3 in the USA but is hockey on the radar for most people?Hockey in Canada is followed by nearly everyone, therefore I have a difficult time understanding why Americans aren't as involved in the sport. I mean Canada is literally America junior... I have watched the same tv as you and the same news as you my whole life, where's the interest change over?

FezPaul

09-20-2006, 06:28 PM

I once gave a girl a hockey so bad she had to wear turtle-neck sweaters for a week.

HBox

09-20-2006, 06:29 PM

[color=navy]Hockey is a regional sport here. In some parts its one of the most closely followed sports. In other parts people don't even know what ice is. 

This message was edited by HBox on 9-20-06 @ 10:29 PM

Evilpete

09-20-2006, 06:31 PM

yeah it's regional mostly, but in the cities clubs are in, the teams generally are on the radar (especially the original 6 clubs-despite how good/bad they are doing, they are followed in the media

El Mudo

09-20-2006, 06:38 PM

Around here unfortunatley, its nothing but NFL, NFL, NFL, NFL...ALL THE TIME.... Blech... Do love my hockey though...and my college football

Enabler

09-20-2006, 06:41 PM

I love hockey. I got to about 15 devil home games a year. Other than when philly or the rangers come to town, the building is empty. Its frustrating but it unites the few who care. People in th US dont care because the sports stars are stil too foreign. Unless we are beating the russians no-one cares.

Judge Smails

09-20-2006, 06:43 PM

My theory is this: Sports only really exploded in America with the advent of t.v.  Yeah baseball was popular but no one was getting rich off of it.  You hear stories about how players had to hold down second jobs during the offseason to make ends meet.  The NFl was a joke and a distant second to college football in popularity.  The NBA I think came close to folding in the 50s.  Probably hockey was as popular as basketball at one time in the northern states.Then t.v. came along and brought professional sports to the entire country - including the majority of places which previously had no access to it.  Now, a country like Canada I think is more homogeneous.  In the winter time when it gets cold, it gets cold everywhere.  And hockey is definitely considered a cold/winter sport.  In the US, places down south couldn't relate to hockey and saw it as a foreign thing.  T.V. probably plays into this by pushing the sports that have the greatest broad appeal.  And, that I think is the cycle that pushed hockey to the fringes in the US.  And that's my theory.  Thank you and good night.

mdr55

09-20-2006, 06:50 PM

What's up with Canada that they keep losing their teams???

Sheeplovr

09-20-2006, 06:51 PM

2 wordsMighty Ducks case closed

mdr55

09-20-2006, 06:53 PM

<img width="892" height="889" border="0" src="http://filmmuziek.xs4all.nl/composer/dn/the%20mighty%20ducks%20front%20david%20newman.jpg" /> Quack Attack is back jack!!!

Enabler

09-20-2006, 06:55 PM

Judge Smails wrote: Now, a country like Canada I think is more homogeneous.  In the winter time when it gets cold, it gets cold everywhere.  And hockey is definitely considered a cold/winter sport.  In the US, places down south couldn't relate to hockey and saw it as a foreign thing.  T.V. probably plays into this by pushing the sports that have the greatest broad appeal.  And, that I think is the cycle that pushed hockey to the fringes in the US.  And that's my theory.  Thank you and good night.Also, Hockey is still way more of an elitist sport in America than it is in Canada. In Canada, it seems that hockey is as accessible as little league baseball in america. In the US most kids who want to play hockey have to search it out and usually spend alot of money to play (equipment, ice time, travel).

ADF

09-20-2006, 08:02 PM

I would understand all of your questions better if you ended them with "eh?"

King Imp

09-20-2006, 08:43 PM

I honestly wish more people here would give hockey a chance. It is by far much more exciting to watch than baseball or basketball on TV. Wake me when it's the 9th inning or when both teams are done taking their timeouts in the last minute that force the game to go on an extra 1/2 hour.

El Mudo

09-21-2006, 03:21 AM

In the US, places down south couldn't relate to
hockey and saw it as a foreign thing. I
disagree with this.  The Predators are blowing up in Nashville,
and with the success of the Hurricanes and the 'Ning, those franchises
are doing well too, and Dallas has always drawn well consistently People
will come if you put a winning product out on the ice...the problem is
how to build a winning product to get people interested, and the salary
cap really helps with that

nate1000

09-21-2006, 04:56 AM

Hockey is huge here in Buffalo. As a matter of fact, I've got a beer league game tonight at 10. However, we might as well be Canada. It is a bit expensive, though. Ice time costs a bit, as does the equipment.

jeffdwright2001

09-21-2006, 04:59 AM

Any chance it has to do with the number of lakes that freeze for a long period of time in either country?It's easier to have kids play football because you have easy access to groundspace (which also helps soccer grow a little faster than hockey).  Schools are more likely to put in a basketball court than they are to build an ice rink.  The basketball court can be used for a other activities, but other than curling and ice skating, not a lot of other frozen water events out there (except perhaps fishing, but that would be futile and frustrating).

Jujubees2

09-21-2006, 05:48 AM

nate1000 wrote: Hockey is huge here in Buffalo. As a matter of fact, I've got a beer league game tonight at 10. However, we might as well be Canada. It is a bit expensive, though. Ice time costs a bit, as does the equipment.  I think this is the best explanation.  The cost of hockey equipment and ice time is too high for most people.  I loved hockey growing up but my parents couldn't afford to buy me skates every year or two as I grew so I didn't get a chance to play ice hockey until I was older.  Though we did play a ton of street hockey.My claim to fame is that I met Bobby Orr at the rink up the street from my house when I was a kid!

Keotok

09-21-2006, 06:00 AM

My guess would be the cost.  It would cost me $600 per season for each kid not including all of the equipment.Also, it doesn't get cold enough here (Maryland) for the ponds to freeze, so my kids can't just go out and play like they can with a football and a basketball.

Furtherman

09-21-2006, 06:08 AM

Go Flyers!Hockey is the best sport to watch, especially live.  It's not the circus dreck that the NFL has become, nor will it lag as sometime baseball does.  Basketball?  More of showboating arena if you ask me.  When is the last time they called someone for traveling?  Or have they thrown that rule out?Hockey is fast, hard hitting, and even when the game is tied and there are seconds left, either team has a good chance to win.  That's a fun sport to watch.

Fallon

09-21-2006, 06:16 AM

Sheeplovr wrote: 2 wordsMighty Ducks case closed   They dropped the Mighty.<img width="600" height="400" border="0" src="http://www.anaheimducks.com/images/200606/1299.f.jpg" />

Keotok

09-21-2006, 06:34 AM

Fallon wrote: Sheeplovr wrote: 2 wordsMighty Ducks case closed They dropped the Mighty. Oh how the "Mighty" have fallen.    I tried.

Team_Ramrod

09-21-2006, 05:03 PM

mdr55 wrote: What's up with Canada that they keep losing their teams??? In the 90's this was true... Bad CDN dollar and too high salaries caused 2 teams to leave ( Winnipeg and Quebec) but with teams like the Penguins in the league I think by the 2010 season we will be getting one back. Either in Winnipeg or Hamilton....

Team_Ramrod

09-21-2006, 05:10 PM

jeffdwright2001 wrote: Any chance it has to do with the number of lakes that freeze for a long period of time in either country?It's easier to have kids play football because you have easy access to groundspace (which also helps soccer grow a little faster than hockey).  Schools are more likely to put in a basketball court than they are to build an ice rink.  The basketball court can be used for a other activities, but other than curling and ice skating, not a lot of other frozen water events out there (except perhaps fishing, but that would be futile and frustrating). Where I live in Southern Alberta we might have snow for a total of 1 month out of the 5 that make up winter in Canada. We get a snowfall and 2 days later a chinook rolls in and we are back into spring type weather = No ice on our outdoor rinks ad/or ponds either. But I guess that is a valid point.  Thanks everyone

FezPaul

09-21-2006, 05:18 PM

King Imp wrote: I honestly wish more people here would give hockey a chance. It is by far much more exciting to watch than baseball or basketball on TV. Wake me when it's the 9th inning or when both teams are done taking their timeouts in the last minute that force the game to go on an extra 1/2 hour. http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/FezPaul/62286.jpg

mdr55

09-21-2006, 05:28 PM

Pssstttt.....  Go Sens Go!!!

silas

09-21-2006, 05:34 PM

mdr55 wrote: Pssstttt.....  Go Sens Go!!! aaarg...dropped one to the buds last nite....maybe if they tried Fez pinches?(hilarious; Ron="i prefer you just punch me in the face" I can't wait for the season to start.