Hockey on the downslide...

[Lauri24]

I guess this would have fit more in the "Why Americans don't like Hockey" thread, but since that was closed, and I couldn't find another topic where this would fit, I started this one.

I found this article on MSNBC sports this morning. It's pretty interesting. My husband (who's Canadian) and I were discussing this the other day. Sorry, but Hockey has no business is places like Atlanta or Tennessee. The newness is going to wear off, and the teams are going to start having financial problems, and that's just going to reflect on the rest of the league.

I wasn't sure if we could post entire articles, so here's the link for it.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/525833.asp?cp1=1

[Wedge231]

I agree. We need to get more teams in Canada where hockey is actually popular. I doubt most of the southern states care about hockey much at all here in the US. They also need something to deal with the budget imbalance between Canadian and American teams.

[Marc]

I still stand by my arguments which I made in the original thread: http://www.sports-central.org/community/boards/showthread.php3?threadid=398

[lmanchur.]

First of all the subject is "Hockey on the downslide...." My question is, "when was it on the "up" side!?" (in America, of course). It's always been popular "up here"... For example, I think I just had a dream when I was sleeping about Team Canada at the upcoming Olympics --no kidding!! Fine, whatever, don't believe me! :) ... but I did! :)

Anyway, I don't think the local team will decline in popularity in Tennesse, because I truly and honestly think that they will be in the playoffs next season.

However, I don't think there is a market or a need to have two NHL teams in Florida, and three NHL teams in California.

Hamilton (Ontario, Canada) was in the bidding for an NHL team, but, of course, they ALL went to American cities. A club in Hamilton might not have done well, but they would have been sold out every single night, no questions asked.

[BTRoots]

You had a dream about Canada in the Olympics? :cool: Did they win?

Now why would Florida and California, the warmest states on each side of the country, have multiple teams? Money, population, a great place for players to live forever more, play golf. Just a few reasons. Couldn't be because Californians/Floridans love, or even want the sport. Mr. Bettman will put teams where ever wind blows the $. My opinion. :D

Hockey is definitely on the downslide in several states. As one sports writer (forget who) put it while attending an All Star game in the warmer climes: it was hard to drag ourselves off the beach and get to the chilly arena. No one in Canada, in their right mind, would have such a problem, :( given that we don't go to the beach in winter, of course.

[Lauri24]

Oh man, don't get me going on the NHL in Hamilton thing! That's where I was living when I lived up there, and I was super into the "NHL for Hamilton" cause! I think an NHL team would do fine there. The Bulldogs are drawing pretty good, aren't they?

BTW, we used to go to Hutch's on the beach in the winter all the time!:)

I'm gonna go off on another tangent here~
I have a HUGE problem with the fact that they re-named the divisions. Why? Was it so American fans could follow it better? (I'm American, btw) I miss the old divisions.