Why don't you like hockey?

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

Indoor or Outdoor?

Indoor there's three within a half hour of me

Outdoor is a 15 minute walk.

Freak

Yeah, obviously junior hockey is thriving in certain parts of America, and you're producing more and more top prospects because of it every year. I've always wondered if maybe hockey will resurrect itself down south when there are more American superstars -- because there haven't been that many over the years.

Where I live it's not even possible to make an outdoor rink, at any time of year.

Dr. Giganto

Hockey has a pretty decent following in NYC. A lot of the "blue-collar" residents are big Rangers fans, while the Knicks and Yankees get all the attention from the "white-collar" fans.

I think one of the problems is the fact that it's not the kind of game that most of the country can just pick up and play, unlike football or basketball. You need a rink, a lot of equipment, cold weather, etc. For football, you literally need just a ball. All you need is a ball and hoop for basketball, and the hoop can be basically anywhere, including your own driveway or backyard. In the northern part of the country, hockey is more popular because it's a cold-weather sport, and it's easier to find a place to play than it is in the south.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

All I need is skates a stick and a puck. Anyone wanna play?>.>

Jayman

Super Moderator

I used to play street hockey every day in the summer as a kid. There are rinks all over the place around here as well. When I entered high school ('97), we didn't have a high school hockey team, but by the time I was a senior we had one. From what I hear we still have it, and it's thriving. It always bugged me going through junior high and early H.S. why we didn't have one.

I think when the strike happened a few years back and ESPN cut their ties with the NHL (in regards to airing games on their channel) it hurt them. And as SS mentioned, hockey on "VS." just sucks. Hardly anyone knows what that channel is, and if it wasn't for Fox Sports Network here in Michigan, I wouldn't watch many games.

In fact, I used to have season tickets to the Wings (well my dad did) and we went to 20+ games a year. Now, after seeing them hoist the cup in '02, we figured we have seen it all, and I have been to probably 5 games since then. I don't really know why - I guess I just got burned out, if that makes any sense.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

High School Hockey isn't huge here. We just have U leagues. Which is basically kids in an area.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

I agree with that. I never played hockey as a kid, but I did play a lot of baseball, football, and basketball. To tell you the truth though, if hockey was televised more here, I'd definitely be watching it. I don't have time to go pay for the NHL Center Ice package, but the random game, I'd definitely watch. I'm also a Penguins fan, always have been, and with Malkin, Crosby, Fleury, etc.. I love the team and would love to see them televised more.

I can't speak for the rest of the country, but I think trying to expand in the south was a dumb move. The sport wasn't nearly popular enough yet to support all these teams.

Dakstang

WC's Resident Redneck

There was one about 60 miles away but I think they shut it down. It was mainly for ice skating though.

I'm a good old rebel, now that's just what I am.
I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.

Dr. Giganto

There was an awesome rink we used to go to when I was a kid called "Sky Rink". It was on the top floor of an office building in midtown Manhattan. I always thought it was really cool that they had a rink in a place where people work during the week, in the most densely populated city in America.

I'm not sure if it's still there though

Spinoff360

Due to the lack of other hockey threads I will now hijack this.......



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