Puddy Posted November 7, 2004 Share Posted November 7, 2004 I live in Detroit which is one of the biggest hockey cities around. The lockout is two months old and I must admit I'm not missing it as much as I thought. If the season is completely scrapped, I'll probably go through withdrawals around playoff time. There is a school of thought that believes the fans will come back like they did in baseball. The problem with that is hockey was only a niche sport before the lockout, while baseball is popular nationwide. Outside of cities like Detroit, Boston, New York and a couple of Canadian towns, do people really care (I do but who am I). The second problem is that there are so many alternatives during hockey season (NFL, college football, hoops). Baseball doesn't have the same competition for our attention and dollars during the summer. As much as I hate to think about it, I think the league may suffer damage beyond repair. If the season is lost, the NHL will be a shell of it's former self (which wasn't that strong anyway - I mean national ratings were below the XFL ratings). Is anyone missing the sport or does football occupy your time anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeegiebo Posted November 7, 2004 Share Posted November 7, 2004 Is anyone missing the sport or does football occupy your time anyway? 539479[/snapback] I don't miss it yet - I never really watched the Penguins much until the Steelers' season is over. Ask me again after the Steelers win the Superbowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted November 7, 2004 Share Posted November 7, 2004 What is this hoc-key of which you speak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selly Posted November 7, 2004 Share Posted November 7, 2004 I do miss it, I know my Whale/Canes have sucked the last couple of years, but since I don't really like the NBA anymore, there's nothing to watch during the week. I also miss the Hurricane Gale Ale served at the RBC Center during home games. If this lockout goes on much longer all the remaining excitement left from the Cup run 3 years ago will be dead and buried and you might as well add the 'Canes to the pile of dead teams that there will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh 0ne Posted November 7, 2004 Share Posted November 7, 2004 I am going to kill myself once football is over. Does that answer your question? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hop Devil Posted November 7, 2004 Share Posted November 7, 2004 Yes. I'm only remindeed how badly by watching NBA games again and realizing that's all will be left with when football is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chester Posted November 7, 2004 Share Posted November 7, 2004 Last year I went to about 20 Minnesota Wild games. Gas: $20 Parking: $12 Ticket: $40-$80 Food: $10 Beer: $6 each - around $30-$40 Getting to see live hockey: Priceless Yes, I miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 I'm consumed by football and only tangentially aware of the NHL; however, after the playoffs, I usually take a week to decompress and getting into the NHL mid-Feb has always been great. We ARE planning on hitting a few AHL games this season, though. Obviously not at the level of the NHL, but still good, entertaining hockey. I highly recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon_gekko Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 i'm not missing it now....but i will after football's over. the league is gonna be seriously hurt by this though....it's a Oprahen embarrasement that the GD AFL is already more popular down here. i'm not sure it'll be able to survive at all after the lockout... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boat_hacked Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 Definitely hockey is missed!! 3 friends and myself went to about 10-15 games a year that was our "guys night out". Basketball can't replace the intensity that football/hockey has. Yes, the collisions/fights that "manly agressive" *** can't be pacified by basketball. I'll miss NHL until it returns. Going to a AHL game this week to satisfy that urge of hockey. Besides, my experiences, hockey fans are more knowledgeable of their sport and isn't inundated with "drunks" celebrating their team's victory afterwards or trashing the place/harassing the opposition's fans afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrambled Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 Love hockey, i dont miss the NHL @ all. They are all making good cash to play a game and both sides are whining that its not enough? cyas NHL it was nice being a fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perchoutofwater Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 What is this hoc-key of which you speak? 539886[/snapback] I think it is another term for sh!t. I rembember my grand father saying that's a bunch of horse hockey, similar to BS now a days. I can't imagine why anyone would want to watch sh!t on TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.D.Morrison Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 Yep...I miss the NHL .. But the AHL has gotten alot better !!! Go Hartford Woflpack !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Red Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 I lived in Baltimore, so AHL hockey is all I've really been able to see live. I went to two Washington Crapitals games. One was against the Whalers at the old Crap Center and the other was when the Pens (my favorite team) knocked them out of the playoffs about 4-5 years ago at the Phone Booth. I'll be making the hour long drive up the Hershey (here come the Hershey Highway jokes now) to see the Bears play a few games. My oldest is 9 next month, so I'm betting he'll enjoy it as a few of the other kids in the neighborhood all have sticks and play street hockey now and then. Odd that I get Fox Sports Pittsburgh last year and now there is nothing of interest on that channel without the Penguins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeegiebo Posted November 10, 2004 Share Posted November 10, 2004 Odd that I get Fox Sports Pittsburgh last year and now there is nothing of interest on that channel without the Penguins. 545176[/snapback] Word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeductiveNun Posted November 10, 2004 Share Posted November 10, 2004 I'll be making the hour long drive up the Hershey (here come the Hershey Highway jokes now) to see the Bears play a few games. My oldest is 9 next month, so I'm betting he'll enjoy it as a few of the other kids in the neighborhood all have sticks and play street hockey now and then. 545176[/snapback] If you've never been to Hershey to see a Bears game, be warned. Getting in and out of that parking lot is akin to being a rat in a maze. I typically fly out east one weekend each year for a hockey weekend, and we went to a Bears game two seasons ago (along with a Flyers, Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies, and a Phantoms game all in the same weekend), and by far the worst experience I've ever encountered in terms of entering and exiting an arena was in Hershey. That being said, they play in a very nice facility, and I had a great time at the game itself. As for me, we talked about missing the NHL last night while we were curling. Myself and another guy on my team are big hockey fans, but we both pretty much are indifferent to it right now. For one, the Vikings still have a shot at the playoffs, until about another 4 weeks. Second, the Gophers are playing way above the level most people would have predeicted right now, so people are rallying behind college hockey. Once football season is over though, and the only everyday sport is basketball, then it will really start to hit me as to how much I miss the NHL. One more thing, I'm still doing the hockey weekend this year. Anybody been to Wilkes-Barre? That's the only minor league team I haven't seen that's within a reasonable distance from Philly. I'm thinking of giving it a shot, as well as heading back to Atlantic City for the Bullies, and maybe grabbing another Phantoms game. Gotta start looking into the schedules to see what's available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seminoles Posted November 11, 2004 Share Posted November 11, 2004 i've gotten into hockey a little lately since i have learned the distant history of the Blackhawks. Back when Hull was winning and that other guy with a stick. This will be my dilemma when football is over: (mother)Honey, football is over now, you have to move on. (me)WHY!, what have i done god to deserve this. Please make preseaon games, PLEASE!, what, what is that in the distant backround, BASKETBALL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh 0ne Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 I'd rather watch paint dry than regular season basketball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skrappy1 Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 (edited) To answer your question in the heading, yes, I think that they are making a fatal mistake. Hockey is a niche sport to begin with, people either love it or are completely indifferent to it. Many more people are the latter than the former. Personally, I am a sports nut, but I've never been able to get into hockey in even the most remote way. I have gone to a couple of Devils' games just because friends of mine who love hockey kept saying, "You can't watch it on TV, you have to go see a game live and then you'll love it." No dice. It was ok watching it live, but certainly nothing I'd go out of my way to do...kind of like going to a car race. Baseball almost destroyed itself in 1994, and hockey has never had the fanbase that baseball does, and it never will. It took the whole McGwire/Sosa thing (a.k.a. the steriod thing) to get people into baseball again, and it really took up until last year, maybe even this year for baseball to fully recover most of it's fans. The NHL on the other hand was struggling so much to begin with, I really think this strike will do irrepairable damage. Edited November 16, 2004 by Skrappy1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donutrun Jellies Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 Owners missing it? Nah, they were losing millions. Players missing it? Nah, those that actually loved the game or needed the money are playing elsewhere. The rich who have lost interest have given up the ice. Fans missing it? Nah, they're watching college hockey, youth hockey, AHL hockey, foreign hockey, whatever. I say let it go for a few years, dissolve the teams ... and let it grow back organically with new owners who love the game, players who want to play, cities that are actually interested ... Six teams? No more than 12, that's for sure. And lets not try glowing pucks ... Drop the forced hooliganism and just play hockey among the best in the world ... and you'll have a tremendous league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon_gekko Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 I have gone to a couple of Devils' games 557518[/snapback] doh! well going to a devils game was your first mistake! they're notorious for playing a very boring, but effective style of hockey... if you like hockey in the least...i guarantee you you'd have a great time at a colorado avalanche, vancouver canucks, edmonton oilers, tampa bay lightning game, etc...fast, high tempo, high scoring, high energy, virtually no trap, physical, amazing crowd atmosphere(esp. in canada, not so much in TB), etc...now they, along w/ a few others, play the way hockey's meant to be played... then you grab a couple of dogs, load up on $6 beers, check out all the sexy girls sitting around you....those are the times man. that's what i'm gonna miss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon_gekko Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 I say let it go for a few years, dissolve the teams ... and let it grow back organically with new owners who love the game, players who want to play, cities that are actually interested ... Six teams? No more than 12, that's for sure. And lets not try glowing pucks ... Drop the forced hooliganism and just play hockey among the best in the world ... and you'll have a tremendous league. 557527[/snapback] i agree...but i think they could even support 20 or 24 teams. just drop 6 or 8 of these crappy non-traditional markets, possibly add 2 more in canada....i think 20 would be optimal but 24 would still work imo....defintely more than 12 though....there's already 6 teams in canada, and they could probably support 2 more....so 12 would only leave 4-6 teams in our country. we can handle more than that... and the talent level would increase, w/ all the good players from those teams being spread around the league....and those useless hooligan-type players who cant do anything but fight, would have to look for work elsewhere. so the quality of play would go up....there'd be less pointless fighting(fights are still necessary, but only in certain situations)....there'd be less cheap stickwork....and if they implemented a few more rule changes to increase goal-scoring(eg... more 4 on 4 - OT is sure as hell more exciting now, smaller goalie equipment, no red-line, full 2 minute PPs - regardless of whether you score or not....just to name a few options)....i think the league could come back stronger than ever if some of these changes were made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 i agree...but i think they could even support 20 or 24 teams. just drop 6 or 8 of these crappy non-traditional markets, possibly add 2 more in canada....i think 20 would be optimal but 24 would still work imo....defintely more than 12 though....there's already 6 teams in canada, and they could probably support 2 more....so 12 would only leave 4-6 teams in our country. we can handle more than that... 557698[/snapback] Well, what teams would come out of it? I don't know about ADDING Canadian teams; most of the Canadian metro area able to support teams have them, unless you're planning on going back into Quebec City and Winnipeg. Obviously the teams in the major northern metro areas should be pretty safe - Detroit, Boston, both NY teams, Jersey, Flyers, Chicago, Minnesota, Colorado. Buffalo and Pittsburgh are great hockey markets, but their finances are in terrible shape. Which leaves the Sabres and Penguins on the contraction list - you can't contract healthy warm-weather teams and prop up failing ones just because of their location. Just thinking out loud here, I DO like where the rest of your post was going - with better talent on remaining teams, less need for garbage like the neutral-zone trap and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donutrun Jellies Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 i agree...but i think they could even support 20 or 24 teams. just drop 6 or 8 of these crappy non-traditional markets, possibly add 2 more in canada....i think 20 would be optimal but 24 would still work imo....defintely more than 12 though....there's already 6 teams in canada, and they could probably support 2 more....so 12 would only leave 4-6 teams in our country. we can handle more than that... and the talent level would increase, w/ all the good players from those teams being spread around the league....and those useless hooligan-type players who cant do anything but fight, would have to look for work elsewhere. so the quality of play would go up....there'd be less pointless fighting(fights are still necessary, but only in certain situations)....there'd be less cheap stickwork....and if they implemented a few more rule changes to increase goal-scoring(eg... more 4 on 4 - OT is sure as hell more exciting now, smaller goalie equipment, no red-line, full 2 minute PPs - regardless of whether you score or not....just to name a few options)....i think the league could come back stronger than ever if some of these changes were made. 557698[/snapback] That's all good stuff -- here's hoping the union rep and the commissioner and a few owners and a couple semi-literate players are huddlers during the dispute and stumble upon the solution here ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeegiebo Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 Which leaves the Sabres and Penguins on the contraction list - you can't contract healthy warm-weather teams and prop up failing ones just because of their location. 559115[/snapback] Why not? I want my Pens back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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