How would you rank the Seattle area (3 county Metro) as a hockey area? (Tacoma: live, arena)

[beenhereandthere]

Just a ? that I thought of while daydreaming. On a A to F scale, how would you rank Seattle/Tacoma/Everett as a hockey town/area? Compared to other American Cities/Areas.

IMO, I'd say either a C Plus or B Minus, probably more like a C Plus

Positive reasons, for the grade: # of rinks, skilled players that get helped out by playing Canadian competition that's pretty close and 2 Major Junior Teams.

Negative, which dragged the grade down: Coverage in the Seattle Times, especially towards the NHL and even the Junior Teams, Talking to most people about hockey or trying to (80% at least don't have a clue) and, well, trying to ask to watch a game in a sports bar (when I did it one time to ask for the Kings, the bartender after 40 seconds, said, I can't find Sacramento on the TVs).

Thoughts?

[Hemlock140]

C is too high, D at best. I have been here 24 years and don't know anyone that follows any hockey at all. We sometimes watch highlights because we have CBC Vancouver, BC on our cable system, but have only been to one game ever, back about 1991.

[87112]

D-.

95 to 98% of Seattle area or Puget Sound people do not know who Pavel Bure, Paul Coffey, Brian Leetch are. I would say they would not know Connor Mcdavid is either who is the next Wayne Gretzky.

I have only meet less than 5 real NHL fans in Seattle when I was there.

I've been an NHL fan since I was a kid, growing up in NYC. But if I was from Seattle growing up I more than likely would not even watch a game.

[CrazyDonkey]

How many cities have won a Stanley Cup? Seattle is one of them. Go Mets!



When the WHL was the PCL of hockey, the Seattle Totems had a rabid following at the old Seattle Arena.

https://youtu.be/BROy2xyt0ik?list=PL...SCnmvJeK0_3N3e

[mhays25]

I know some, all of whom have moved here from the Midwest or Canada. My friends from Alaska who grew up playing it don't pay attention to my knowledge.

[homesinseattle]

Surprisingly, with a great rink, very active leagues and increasingly knowledgeable fans, little old Everett seems to have much more hockey consciousness than Seattle. Go check out a Silvertips game sometime, people are crazy about them.

[87112]

I really don't think a NHL team would work here. Imagine Tues or Wed night game. The Columbus Blue Jackets are in town. In a 18,000 seat arena it might draw 7 to 8,000 that night. I am a NHL fan and I can't name one Blue Jacket except for Rick Nash who left the team years ago. The arena would be filled when the Canadians and Maple Leafs play and the Vancouver, BC fans make it down here.

[homesinseattle]

87112, I totally agree, just doesn't seem feasible here. I think the Sounders have taken up that "I'm going to check out the cool new sport" banner. The fact that they have delivered an exciting successful product means that those fans (like me) are hooked.

[Polymorphist]

I thought that the NHL had done market research on the Seattle area and had determined that hockey is very sustainable in this area?

In any case, i'm pretty sure that once we have a professional team, people will show up and people will support it.

[beenhereandthere]

Originally Posted by mhays25

I know some, all of whom have moved here from the Midwest or Canada. My friends from Alaska who grew up playing it don't pay attention to my knowledge.

Actually as far as where the players around here are from originally yes it's very diverse as far as that, but it seems to me that the highest % are those from the West Coast believe it or not.
Either WA or California.