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[UberTag]

You dissin' our juggernaut Toronto Raptors?

Hey, they're playing .500 ball thanks to beating up on Eastern conference garbage.
#4 seed and home court advantage in the playoffs, here we come!

Oddly, the west is way better in the NHL too.

You could make the same argument for the NFL. Some of the best teams in the East are terrible teams from Indy and Boston that have made an art form out of winning ugly.
The Panthers are probably the best of a bad lot.

 

[DopeyFish]

But what about tv ratings? Stadium attendance doesn't represent overall league health. I think soccer has passed hockey in the US as far as what people like and follow. Soccer.

NHL TV ratings are good but not quite on the same level as NBA..' if you exclude Canada.

Otherwise they are kinda close together. NHL keeps breaking their viewership records which is very impressive considering ratings are declining overall.

Just a lot more difficult to draw direct comparisons

 

[Dr.Acula]

NHL games seem to have less seats for a game so sure they might sell out but I wonder if it is because they have tens of thousands less seats than a typical NBA game.

Here are the numbers for the arena in Toronto where the Raptors and Leafs play.

Seating Capacity:
Basketball 19,800 seats
Hockey 18,800 seats
Full house concerts 19,800 seats
Theatre 5,200 seats

http://www.theaircanadacentre.com/about/facts.asp

 

[Allforce]

It's funny. I remember the NHL's big push into the States some years ago when they were going to be shown on Fox, remember how they introduced.......the Fox Puck! For those who don't know what it is, imagine a graphic added onto the puck that produced a blue streak of light. Why did you ask did they do this?

Because they believed Americans couldn't see the puck or know where it was.

The whole thing was laughable and probably didn't last past a year or two.

Haha yes, this was bizarre.

It was a blue light over the puck but if the puck was shot over some predetermined speed (like 75 MPH) then it would become this red tracer so you supposedly could see it better.

It wasn't a BAD idea, as it actually worked, it just was distracting as all hell and purists shouted from the rooftops to get rid of it.

 

[explodet]

Spoiler

June 20, 1994

 

[Madness]

Too many tattoos and not enough well- spoken athletes in the NBA look at LeBron James for example.

Uh yeah, that must be it. People aren't going to watch games in arenas because the players have too many tattoos. Overall, the NBA has much higher television viewing, and mind/marketshare in the US. Don't get what not enough well spoken athletes has to do with it. Maybe it's as simple as NBA ticket prices are too high, league too watered down for many fans to go over and over to home games.

 

[Blearth]

Probably just antecedal fluff but here in the San Fransisco bay area, everyone pretty much rallies behind the SJ Sharks. Bars have their deal nights specifically for Shark game traffic

All the other sports here seem so divisive

What part of the bay do you live in?

The Sharks are the red headed stepchild of Bay Area sports.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

It seems like 75% of the NBA is tanking this year.

 

[Dr.Acula]

Too many tattoos and not enough well- spoken athletes in the NBA look at LeBron James for example.

People say the same thing about fighting in the NHL.

 

[DopeyFish]

Here are the numbers for the arena in Toronto where the Raptors and Leafs play.

Seating Capacity:
Basketball 19,800 seats
Hockey 18,800 seats
Full house concerts 19,800 seats
Theatre 5,200 seats

http://www.theaircanadacentre.com/about/facts.asp

Leafs generally sell 19,200 tickets (thanks to standing room)
and lets not forget the average ticket price for leafs games which if I am correct far exceeds any NBA team average ticket price

 

[Mattilaus]

It seems like 75% of the NBA is tanking this year.

dat Andrew Wiggins

 

[MorisUkunRasik]

NBA has been looking for a Jordan that will never appear. BBall is too boring. Much like MLB.

After Jordan left there was some bozo no knows the name of; Kobe "Bean" Bryant. What kind of nickname is that? It's so bad I'd probably try to come up with my own and hoped it stuck. And since Bean's decline a few seasons back, they're trying to say this Lebron James guy is the best in the league. Like some Irishman can play hoops. pfft.

You know what's a household name? Evgeni Malkin.

 

[Madness]

Spoiler

June 20, 1994

It's crazy how it's been almost 20 years since the Canucks lost to the Rangers, feels like yesterday. I can still name every member of the Nucks team from that time, same goes for the Rangers.

You have to blame Bettman and the league for that blunder. For the first time, the NHL started to rival the NFL and MLB in the US, Rangers had won, such a huge push into the US, you had the NHL on Fox, NHL sports games were the best selling etc. And then it fizzled to where now it's struggling to beat MLS in some markets.

 

[revolverjgw]

Hey, they're playing .500 ball thanks to beating up on Eastern conference garbage.
#4 seed and home court advantage in the playoffs, here we come!


You could make the same argument for the NFL. Some of the best teams in the East are terrible teams from Indy and Boston that have made an art form out of winning ugly.
The Panthers are probably the best of a bad lot.

I don't really follow baseball, are the NL and the AL basically east and west? It would just be funny if all four NA team sports were dominated by their western teams.

 

[firehawk12]

So this means that Pheonix is selling out and the Jets are moving back to America?!

 

[RiccochetJ]

do you live near an NHL team? I'd love to know what market out there doesn't broadcast NHL games.

Avalanche use Altitude which is channel 681 on DirecTV in my area. It's not exactly something you easily stumble across when you're just nonchalantly channel surfing.

 

[shira]

barelly won with homeice advantage. Calm your tits, we don't have this locked up.

 

[Gorillaz]

lol!!!!

I feel like Columbus could be a good hockey town, if they, you know, had ever won a single playoff game in team history. Things are definitely looking up, though.

Winning cures all. I remember years ago people were saying hockey in Pittsburgh was done... and then they start winning, and now they sell out every game.

Living here in Cbus it definitely feels like the team is on the up and up. At least in public eye

 

[Chris R]

do you live near an NHL team? I'd love to know what market out there doesn't broadcast NHL games.

I only get games that NBC shows (cable network doesn't even offer NHL network). Alaska is considered outside a market or something I guess. If Seattle got a team though, I bet we would get those games since we get Mariners games.

 

[Wthermans]

After Jordan left there was some bozo no knows the name of; Kobe "Bean" Bryant. What kind of nickname is that? It's so bad I'd probably try to come up with my own and hoped it stuck. And since Bean's decline a few seasons back, they're trying to say this Lebron James guy is the best in the league. Like some Irishman can play hoops. pfft.

You know what's a household name? Evgeni Malkin.

Kobe was too divisive. He has never and will never be viewed as a team player/leader Jordan was. Not to mention all the negative publicity he got from his rape case. Laughable to compare the PR effect of the two. It's like saying Lebron will save the league.

 

[Kacho]

I love the NBA, but there is a complete lack of interest for it in the DC area. It's like no one cares about basketball anymore. Our team is the Wizards though, so it's somewhat understandable. The only losing team we'll pay money to see is the Redskins. Plus, I think the stuff with Gilbert Arenas really hurt the popularity of the sport here.

NHL popularity on the other hand has grown so much in the DC area over the past few years. I see tons of people wearing Caps shirts, hats, and jerseys on any given day. Every time I go to the Verizon Center for a game it's packed and the energy is through the roof.

NHL > NBA here for sure.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

I don't really follow baseball, are the NL and the AL basically east and west? It would just be funny if all four NA team sports were dominated by their western teams.

No. North American Stadium sports are first divided by old leagues. The National League and American League started off as rival leagues. Then further subdivided by geography in divisions.

Same with the NFL. The NFC was originally old NFL teams, and the AFC was originally old AFL teams.

North American Arena sports major divisions are done by geography.

 

[wsoxfan1214]

I was watching an Eastern Conference game the other night and I almost changed the channel to hockey, but I don't have Oxygen or whatever channel they broadcast on.

You mean the NBC Sports Network that most major cable providers include standard now?

Maybe cause the only way to watch games is to actually go to the arena? I don't remember the last time I saw a hockey game on tv.

Unless you live in Phoenix or Florida, I highly doubt this.

 

[krae_man]

Leafs generally sell 19,200 tickets (thanks to standing room)
and lets not forget the average ticket price for leafs games which if I am correct far exceeds any NBA team average ticket price

Well maybe not. NBA courtside tickets make Leafs tickets seam cheap. They might skew the average.

For example: Top price for Raptor Tickets- $2876
Top Leafs Price- $848

Although the Raptors have way more cheap end tickets.

 

[SwiftDeath]

What part of the bay do you live in?

The Sharks are the red headed stepchild of Bay Area sports.

Really? Mountain view by the way

By far I see more bars hosting sharks nights then any other sport

 

[cdyhybrid]

NBA would be doing better if they had more Canadian fans. Unfortunately, they'd all have to root for the Raptors if they became NBA fans, and no one wants that.

 

[massivekettle]

I'de predict the US will get 3rd in Socchi. We were crushed by the Russians in an exhibition a couple weeks ago, and Canada is probably the favorites so 1. CAN, 2.RUS 3. USA

Sure you are not confusing with the World Junior tournament?

 

[entremet]

The lack of parity in the NBA has dampened my enthusiasm over the past few years. It's just not fun when you can automatically rule out 20+ teams from having a realistic shot of winning it all before the season even starts.

Same here.

I'm also a Knicks fan :/

 

[DopeyFish]

Well maybe not. NBA courtside tickets make Leafs tickets seam cheap. They might skew the average.

For example: Top price for Raptor Tickets- $2876
Top Leafs Price- $848

the suites are double the price though

 

[Incognito]

Thats because it usually costs less than whatever daily special taco bell is running to go to a hockey game

 

[The Return of]

I'm really not all that surprised. I honestly could probably only name one NHL team off the top of my head yet I've been to 5 hockey games. I've never watched an entire game on TV either. It's a really entertaining sport to actually be there and watch.

 

[wsoxfan1214]

Thats because it usually costs less than whatever daily special taco bell is running to go to a hockey game

Sure, if you live in a small market. Go look at Hawks, Leafs, LA, Sharks, Anaheim, Boston, New York, etc tickets and tell me they're cheap.

 

[DopeyFish]

Thats because it usually costs less than whatever daily special taco bell is running to go to a hockey game

NHL average ticket price is more than $10 more than the NBA average ticket price.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8945052/nhl-ticket-price-hike-surpasses-other-leagues

 

[chuckddd]

I hope the NBA falls hard enough that they wake up and actually fix the league. Currently, their product sucks.

 

[Giggzy]

Living here in Cbus it definitely feels like the team is on the up and up. At least in public eye

That's because your team is! The rangers wanted Nash so bad that you got a lot of their good depth players for him.

Dubinski, Gaborik and Anisimov.

 

[Madness]

barelly won with homeice advantage. Calm your tits, we don't have this locked up.

Who says 'calm your tits'? Plus what's all this "we" talk. Aside from that, the end result is all that matters. I was at both Canada/US matches in Vancouver. This time around, Canada, Russia, and Sweden all have deeper and stronger teams than the US. Obviously you can't ever count anyone out, but I'd be surprised if the US can get better than bronze.

Edit: I hope this doesn't come back to bite me in the ass, after Salt Lake, people had high hopes for Turin/Torino and Canada got its ass handed to them that tournament.

 

[krae_man]

the suites are double the price though

Rentals maybe but leases are required to buy both(well everything) so It's hard to separate the two.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

Same here.

I'm also a Knicks fan :/

Lack of parity has nothing to do with why the Knicks suck. You have JD & the Straight Shot to blame: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIiM91tc1fk

 

[Malvolio]

I'de predict the US will get 3rd in Socchi. We were crushed by the Russians in an exhibition a couple weeks ago, and Canada is probably the favorites so 1. CAN, 2.RUS 3. USA

Take a look at Sweden's roster. On international ice I think they may be the favorites. Canada will be strong as always, but the big ice may just bring them back to the pack.

 

[Smokey]

Uh yeah, that must be it. People aren't going to watch games in arenas because the players have too many tattoos. Overall, the NBA has much higher television viewing, and mind/marketshare in the US. Don't get what not enough well spoken athletes has to do with it. Maybe it's as simple as NBA ticket prices are too high, league too watered down for many fans to go over and over to home games.

People say the same thing about fighting in the NHL.

He is a thug (like the majority of players) Plus how many people can relate to the name Lebron

 

[entremet]

I hope the NBA falls hard enough that they wake up and actually fix the league. Currently, their product sucks.

What could they do? They over expanded and all these high schoolers isn't helping the product.

Lack of parity has nothing to do with why the Knicks suck. You have JD & the Straight Shot to blame: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIiM91tc1fk

Saying I'm a Knicks fan was just an aside. Poor attempt at humor

I catch all the Knicks games I can at sports bars. No fair weather fan here.

The Knicks just have terrible owner and management. Had for years. Donnie Walsh tried to make strides but he was outvetoed by Nolan. The organization is just hamstrung by Dolan and his management style.

 

[TheCrazyGuru]

Good news, NHL is a much better sport to watch than NBA (flop fest and always crying for fouls after every play league).

I definitely need to watch some more hockey (usually ramps up during playoff time).

I finally got to go to my first hockey game at the Verizon Center (Washington Caps) and it was a blast. If it didn't cost so much, I would go more often.

 

[Madness]

He is a thug (like the majority of players) Plus how many people can relate to the name Lebron

You have to be trolling... What does relating to a name have to do with watching a sport? How are the majority of players thugs? Tattoos don't necessarily mean you're a thug you know.

 

[Mothman91]

I love the NBA, but there is a complete lack of interest for it in the DC area. It's like no one cares about basketball anymore. Our team is the Wizards though, so it's somewhat understandable. The only losing team we'll pay money to see is the Redskins. Plus, I think the stuff with Gilbert Arenas really hurt the popularity of the sport here.

NHL popularity on the other hand has grown so much in the DC area over the past few years. I see tons of people wearing Caps shirts, hats, and jerseys on any given day. Every time I go to the Verizon Center for a game it's packed and the energy is through the roof.

NHL > NBA here for sure.

You gotta contribute the success of the Caps by their playoff births. On the other hand, the Wizards are fucking trash and are going to barely get into the playoffs this year even with 80% of the Eastern Conference sucking monkey ass.

Also, I see No.VA and DC as a big mixing bowl in terms of residents coming from all over the country to work here. They come, see success with the Caps, they stick with them as fans. They come, see horrendous draft picks the past few years(except Beal), and say fuck that, I would rather be a fan of the (insert big market team or (insert home town team). I've seen this too much throughout high school and college, people here just don't like DC sports because they aren't from here to begin with.

 

[vas_a_morir]

That's because your team is! The rangers wanted Nash so bad that you got a lot of their good depth players for him.

Dubinski, Gaborik and Anisimov.

We can't stay healthy so far this season... however, play is trending upwards lately. Thank god for that weak division! Jackets are like a 3 game winning streak from 3rd, lol

 

[xbhaskarx]

how does Detroit sell 18% over capacity?

Obese fans

 

[wsoxfan1214]

You have to be trolling... What does relating to a name have to do with watching a sport? How are the majority of players thugs? Tattoos don't necessarily mean you're a thug you know.

I kind of agree with (what I think is) the base part of his post and that's that NBA players aren't likable. They come off as primadonnas to me and the league calling little baby fouls and not really calling flopping is hurting the product. Same with the high schoolers.

 

[MorisUkunRasik]

You mean the NBC Sports Network that most major cable providers include standard now?

NBC Sports Network?

479 ESPN University HD
480 Outdoor Channel HD
481 NBC Sports Network HD
482 The Golf Channel HD
483 3D-TV1 Time Warner
484 3D-TV2 Time Warner

Locally you have to get two tiers higher than basic to receive that channel. Oxygen is actually available in one tier above starter. Maybe the NHL should broadcast on Oxygen, they'd be in more homes.

 

[wsoxfan1214]

NBC Sports Network?

479 ESPN University HD
480 Outdoor Channel HD
481 NBC Sports Network HD
482 The Golf Channel HD
483 3D-TV1 Time Warner
484 3D-TV2 Time Warner

Locally you have to get two tiers higher than basic to receive that channel. Oxygen is actually available in one tier above starter. Maybe the NHL should broadcast on Oxygen, they'd be in more homes.

68 here.

Who do you have for cable

 

[Opiate]

I'm sure there are metrics by which the NBA is more popular, too.

I think the order of sports in the US at the moment is 1) NFL with a significant drop to 2) MLB with another significant drop to 3) NBA 3) NHL 5) MLS. Of these, MLS is growing in popularity the most rapidly, I believe.