I know football is king, but how big is hockey in DFW?

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by The Northerner

I would guess it's the 4th - or even 5th most popular major sport there, but the Stars have been in Dallas for a good while now, and so I wondered what the level of interest is for hockey throughout the metroplex. I'm considering moving my family down there, and while I'm not dumb enough to think any sport would be as big as football in Texas, I would like to still like to get as much of a hockey fix as possible. I lived in Atlanta, a city that has lost 2 NHL teams, and wouldn't want to see that happen to a team I supported again.

Just for the record, football is also the biggest sport up here, as well. Lotta people think it's baseball or hockey, but it's not even close.

FWiiW my son's ex-high school coach, now coaching a Major Jr. team, was a Major Junior (Drummondville Voulquieres sp?) top line forward back in the day. He said the top men's league around (Men's A? - playing at Stars Center Farmer's Branch) here is as good as the industrial leagues around Toronto or Montreal, although Toronto may have 100 teams, we have six or eight and that is due to all of the Canadian men who moved down due to Nortel etc. back in the day.

[TX75007]

Originally Posted by EDS_

FWiiW my son's ex-high school coach, now coaching a Major Jr. team, was a Major Junior (Drummondville Voulquieres sp?) top line forward back in the day. He said the top men's league around (Men's A? - playing at Stars Center Farmer's Branch) here is as good as the industrial leagues around Toronto or Montreal, although Toronto may have 100 teams, we have six or eight and that is due to all of the Canadian men who moved down due to Nortel etc. back in the day.

Yeah, I'd forgotten about the Canadian Invasion. A wife's friend is Canuck and he got me interested in watching hockey. He keeps a hockey stick behind his door instead of a gun. LOL. His sons both play hockey now.

[jhilde101]

Hockey is bigger than you think in DFW. I work with 3 guys who all play, and they all have kids that play very competitive youth hockey.
There is a rink in Allen, McKinney, and Frisco. The Stars play in downtown Dallas.
if you have kids that play, they will not have a problem finding a league, adullt either.

[synchronicity]

Originally Posted by The Northerner

I would guess it's the 4th - or even 5th most popular major sport there, but the Stars have been in Dallas for a good while now, and so I wondered what the level of interest is for hockey throughout the metroplex. I'm considering moving my family down there, and while I'm not dumb enough to think any sport would be as big as football in Texas, I would like to still like to get as much of a hockey fix as possible. I lived in Atlanta, a city that has lost 2 NHL teams, and wouldn't want to see that happen to a team I supported again.

Just for the record, football is also the biggest sport up here, as well. Lotta people think it's baseball or hockey, but it's not even close.

As others have stated, it's here and you can definitely get your hockey fix. But it's a "niche" thing and is at nowhere near the level of intensity you'll find in northern Michigan or Minnesota. That said, DFW is a big place so it can support a lot of sports. You should find more than enough like-minded individuals once you look for them and the Stars have a decent following.

Also - are you a Red Wings fan? If so, WE GOTCHA THIS YEAR! (I'm a Hawks fan!)

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by TX75007

All major ice rinks have junior hockey teams practicing all the time. There are also some adult leagues.

Most HS now have Varsity and JV teams. Frisco HS won the Varsity State Championship this year.

Jesuit won the gold division state championship over Plano West several weeks ago. Maybe Frisco won the silver division?