Question About Philadelphia Sports: Hockey/Football (Washington, Media: sales, 2009, home)

[Bypass10]

I was curious, in my years of following sports, Philadelphia almost always sells out in hockey, they seem to have a big, passionate local and road fanbase.
The Sixers meanwhile seem to never draw, home or on the road, they seem to be very fair weather and mostly a pushover.
They couldn't even sell out in the playoffs last year.

One need only look at this data
Hockey Only Beating Hoops on TV in Three Markets « Puck The Media

I wanted to know
1) Is Philadelphia really much more of an NHL/hockeytown than an NBA/Basketball town?
2) If this is the case...why?
-I would think Philadelphia would be like most of America with the NBA and basketball more popular....they have a large minority base and their location/demographics is not that odd
-Yet the Flyers have for decades it seems drawn more consistently where the Sixers only draw steady when very good
-More shocking is how the Flyers almost DOUBLE the TV ratings of the Sixers...unheard of in America

3) Why is this the case?
-Is hockey just that popular in Philly? If so...why...Philly isn't THAT far north...nor does it have THAT cold a climate. Also the Sixers have won more titles (3) more recently (1983)...and been around longer.

4) So is Philly and the Flyers much more popular than the Sixers/NBA OR is it just that Philly is more of college basketball town than NBA town?
-Again, this would surprise me because Philly is in the northeast. Most towns which support college teams over pro tend to be southern areas (North Carolina) with new expansion not older teams.

5) I would assume again Philly would be like most other towns with football/baseball/basketball/hockey...and particular pro sports over college.
If this isn't the case...why since Philly isn't some expansion pro town or some cold weather city ala Buffalo.

[JHG722]

1) Is Philadelphia really much more of an NHL/hockeytown than an NBA/Basketball town?

Philly is more of an NHL town than an NBA town.

2) If this is the case...why?
-I would think Philadelphia would be like most of America with the NBA and basketball more popular....they have a large minority base and their location/demographics is not that odd
-Yet the Flyers have for decades it seems drawn more consistently where the Sixers only draw steady when very good
-More shocking is how the Flyers almost DOUBLE the TV ratings of the Sixers...unheard of in America

We're one of the few places in the U.S. that realizes what a fantastic sport hockey is, and that the NBA is glorified WWE.
Demographics don't matter if you look at the data for other cities, particularly those with sizable African American populations.
The Flyers have always had a diehard, loyal fanbase, that sticks by the team even when they're losing.

3) Why is this the case?
-Is hockey just that popular in Philly? If so...why...Philly isn't THAT far north...nor does it have THAT cold a climate. Also the Sixers have won more titles (3) more recently (1983)...and been around longer.

Yes.
I didn't realize that only New England/Michigan/Minnesota were allowed to like hockey...NYC and NJ certainly like hockey tremendously.
I dont think people care that the Sixers won more/more recently. This is not a bandwagon town in comparison to most.

4) So is Philly and the Flyers much more popular than the Sixers/NBA OR is it just that Philly is more of college basketball town than NBA town?
-Again, this would surprise me because Philly is in the northeast. Most towns which support college teams over pro tend to be southern areas (North Carolina) with new expansion not older teams.

Philly has always been one of the most passionate college basketball towns in the country. People here definitely care more about college ball than pro.

5) I would assume again Philly would be like most other towns with football/baseball/basketball/hockey...and particular pro sports over college.
If this isn't the case...why since Philly isn't some expansion pro town or some cold weather city ala Buffalo.

You would assume incorrectly. I already gave you several reasons why.


Go Flyers.

[juniperbleu]

Originally Posted by JHG722

Philly has always been one of the most passionate college basketball towns in the country. People here definitely care more about college ball than pro.

That's essentially what I was going to say. Most people I know follow college basketball (especially the team of their choice) religiously, but few really care too much about the Sixers.

[Tone509]

I guess I'm one of those rare die-hard Sixers fans (although I claim the Spurs too since I have family in SA and I want to keep things interesting in the playoffs). I support the Flyers in spirit but I must admit that I don't pay much attention until the "second season" starts. But yeah, I'm sure these days a lot more people are excited about Villanova in the Final Four than whether the Sixers will get the fifth slot in the playoffs.

[lititzman2003]

The Sixers haven't been exciting since the Dr. J days, and I think the nonsense with Iverson and Brown turned off alot of fans.

[SEO Service Man]

I believe since winning the cup in '74,'75 and beating The Soviet Red Army in hockey, along with the Parade gave a huge jump in the passion people have for hockey, whether they were fans then or not.. they are now.

Hockey is full of 'good guys' that play the sport... even the news interviewers say they are all cordial, etc.

On the other hand.. NBA players are on the other side of the scale..

...you talkin 'bout practice.."

[CHIP72]

Unlike the other big northeastern cities, Philadelphia has a long and rich college basketball tradition with the Big Five (La Salle, Penn, St. Joe's, Temple, and Villanova). Since 1955 when the Big Five was officially formed and excluding most of the 1990's, each of these teams has played the other 4 teams and city champion has been determined. (Some of these schools, in particular Penn and St. Joe's, also play Drexel, another Philly school whose history doesn't go back as far, on a regular basis too.) The Big Five rivalries are a big deal to many people, especially people who came of age in the 1960's and 1970's when the Big Five was at its peak.

Among the larger Eastern and Midwestern cities, probably only Washington has a comparable college basketball scene (Maryland, Georgetown, George Washington, George Mason, American, Howard), but most of those teams avoid playing one another so the DC scene is not as good IMO.

[eggtimer]

i didn't read all the detailed analysis of philly sports in the original post, but if you were here in 2001 you would undeniably agree that philly is most certainly a basketball town. the city embraces teams that win, players that play hard, and organizations that show they want to win. since 2001 (god, it's been almost a decade) the sixers have been a snoozefest with no real hope for making a run.

while i think people appreciate that they are a good young team, it can be tough watching them go on a road trip and beat the lakers and blazers and then come home and lose to the bobcats while trying to secure a good playoff spot...and forget about dropping the cash to see this live.

the flyers on the other hand have built quality teams and attracted loyal fans since coming into the league. with that said, even when the flyers make a run to the finals or conference finals this town is nothing like when the sixers, eagles, or phillies do it. yes, people are excited, but when it's basketball, baseball, or football this town goes berserk.

[subwayfan]

I think NBA is just more popular on the West Coast today, or people are more interested in teams from out there. Bostnn maybe exception being that the Celtics have been strong. NHL does well in cold cities, Northern Cities, and Philly is a Northern City even though our winters are more like DC and Baltimore, than Boston or Buffalo. Like most NHL teams, Flyers have a big fanbase in the suburbs. It changes when you cross into Harford Co./Baltimore Co. MD and are no longer in a strong NHL area. Baltimore has no NBA or NHL (winter sucks for them, all they have is the few Ravens games in the city). I think the Sixers drought started to set in after Destinys Child wore Lakers apparel at the 2001 Finals, but they weren't strong in the early 90s either. If the Sixers stayed strong, what the Celtics have (with ticket sales and viewership), the Sixers would have had.

[JHG722]

Originally Posted by subwayfan

I think NBA is just more popular on the West Coast today, or people are more interested in teams from out there. Bostnn maybe exception being that the Celtics have been strong. NHL does well in cold cities, Northern Cities, and Philly is a Northern City even though our winters are more like DC and Baltimore, than Boston or Buffalo. Like most NHL teams, Flyers have a big fanbase in the suburbs. It changes when you cross into Harford Co./Baltimore Co. MD and are no longer in a strong NHL area. Baltimore has no NBA or NHL (winter sucks for them, all they have is the few Ravens games in the city). I think the Sixers drought started to set in after Destinys Child wore Lakers apparel at the 2001 Finals, but they weren't strong in the early 90s either. If the Sixers stayed strong, what the Celtics have (with ticket sales and viewership), the Sixers would have had.

First of all, 95% of Celts fans are bandwagon fans.
Second, people in BMore will likely root for the Caps and Wizards.