Who Gives A Crap About Hockey?
This entry is tough to write because, once upon a time, I loved hockey. Before I started playing basketball, I was all about two sports: baseball and hockey. The first sport is pretty much ingrained into the lives of most American boys (and girls, for that matter) growing up. If you spent your childhood growing up in the good ol’ US of A, there’s a pretty good chance you’re playing at least one year of T-ball in your life.
But I also gravitated towards hockey. Not casually, either. I remember getting a hockey stick for my birthday one year (probably the least surprising gift of my life: “Here you go! You’ll never guess what it is!”). And I’d spend hours out front of my house shooting a tennis ball into the street and chasing after it. Every Friday night, I’d stay up late and watch the MSG Network to catch highlights of that night’s games (believe it or not, Sportscenter wasn’t anywhere near as popular as it is today) and pray for good news about my Philadelphia Flyers.
It’s weird to even think that I used to do that because, well, I really couldn’t give two flying hockey pucks about the sport today. I really don’t remember when I fell out of love with it, either. I guess one day I just realized that skating wasn’t my thing. Maybe I just liked my teeth too much or something.
Flash forward to today and almost no one likes hockey. It’s still popular in some circles (just try getting a drink at any bar within walking distance of Madison Square Garden on a night the N.Y. Rangers are playing) but, for the most part, hockey’s fallen by the wayside. TV ratings aren’t that high. General interest is low. And the best players in the sport? Well, they’re hardly the household names that LeBron James or Kobe Bryant are.
Yet, ESPN insists on devoting large time slots to the sport. In part, it’s because of tradition. Hockey has long been considered one of the “Big 4” sports, alongside baseball, basketball and football, so it’s been incorporated into sports-related TV programming for years now. But with so much going on the in the world of sports right now—baseball, Major League Baseball, the NBA Playoffs, the Floyd Mayweather/Shane Mosley fight this weekend—why does it feel like every time I turn on ESPN they’re showing another hockey highlight?
Listen, I’m all for letting the next generation of sports fans decide what they want to watch. Every four years, I’ll even get up and cheer for the American hockey team at the Olympics. I’ll be (somewhat) interested to see who wins the Stanley Cup this season, and I wouldn’t mind a few hockey highlights sprinkled onto Sportscenter’s Top 10 list. Why hasn’t hockey been able to keep up with the other major sports? It feels like hockey has been dead in the water (and on the ice) for years now—and no one bothered to tell ESPN.
Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe there are way more people out there who love hockey that I’m not accounting for. Maybe there’s a kid somewhere, right now, watching highlights every Friday like I used to. Or, maybe people just pretend to care about the sport because of what it used to be. Like I said earlier, this one is tough to write. But if the NHL folded, would you miss it?
what an opinianated view
come to canada and youll see hockey always will, and always has been, popular
SCAV……..opinions are like a$$holes everyone has one,hockey takes a ton of skill to play and if you have never played you will never know,try skating around with to sharp knifes on you feet controling a puck trying to score on a net with a 200 pound man guarding it and padded up brim ,mean while having 5 200plus size men trying to take your head off,you have to be smart and strong things i think you dont have.
Scav I understand your view on the sport honestly. I believe everyones entitled to their own opinons. Awhile back I felt exaclty the same but as of recent I have been getting really into the sport. Pittsburgh is huge for loyal fans even whiz khalifa probably watches a game or two here.
to play basketball all you need is a ball and a rim.
Its very cheap…hence why its aggressively marketed in low income communities.
Same with baseball..a ball..a stick and a glove…
Plus take in the aggressive marketing campaigns done by nike and clothing companies. When your aggressively pursued to dress like a ‘baller’ why would you buy a hockey stick?
Just cause your aggressively pursued to follow a sport and thats all you can afford to play and the people in your demographic are really good at it doesnt mean noone gives a crap about the other ones…noob.
you are completely and utterly WRONG. hockey is very respected and loved in the city i live in. It draws just as much fans and revenues as basketball at the college level. your view is extremely bias.
Stupid comment made on a sport that requires talent and skill
makes me not want to come back here
HAHAHAHA Oh man, OOOOH MAN. I kinda get what your saying but you’re so wrong lol. Man you’re about to reach kanye status on here.
Oh yeah I’m going to put this on my FB. Because I know one of my good friends is going to be pissed. He’s kinda funny when he’s pissed lol. Yeah I’m a dick sometimes.
Rick ,your so right on the kanye west comment!!!!scav you must have been toe up when you posted this!!!
scav your so right hockey is gay and no one even cares about it football and basketball and baseball are what people like all these guys are a bunch of hockey fags
CONGRATS TO DRJAYS.COM for being 2010′s haters of the year. way to go!
Wow! So, there are some people out there that still like hockey?! No, I knew there’d be some. But as someone who used to love the sport, it’s amazing to see how far it’s fallen. I appreciate the feedback, though.