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I’ve never seen a city so hockey crazy. Sure they have zero history, but it is easily the most popular sport there. I’ve honestly never seen anything like it. The percent of cars with Knights stickers versus what you find in any other hockey crazed city isn’t even close. The amount of my coworkers wearing Knights jerseys to work is wild.
One season with one team with outrageous luck = BANDWAGONERS. Vegas "fans" are literally all bandwagoners. If the Knights only won 20 games all year, no one would really give a crap. But here they are in the Cup Finals and, well, hence the popularity. Its a Cinderella story so far!
Back on subject, Las Vegas is definitely NOT a hockey city. Rewind the clock 3 years. Did anyone in Vegas talk hockey? Were kids lining up down the block to skate at the indoor rinks? Is there huge support for local HS hockey? Does Vegas field tons of NHL talent? No, no, no, and no.
And while the VGK hype is alive and well currently, come back to me in 25 years after the Knights have had decades-long losing streaks and see if there are still fans around. Then we can talk.
One season with one team with outrageous luck = BANDWAGONERS. Vegas "fans" are literally all bandwagoners. If the Knights only won 20 games all year, no one would really give a crap. But here they are in the Cup Finals and, well, hence the popularity. Its a Cinderella story so far!
Back on subject, Las Vegas is definitely NOT a hockey city. Rewind the clock 3 years. Did anyone in Vegas talk hockey? Were kids lining up down the block to skate at the indoor rinks? Is there huge support for local HS hockey? Does Vegas field tons of NHL talent? No, no, no, and no.
And while the VGK hype is alive and well currently, come back to me in 25 years after the Knights have had decades-long losing streaks and see if there are still fans around. Then we can talk.
That's being generous. I'll give them 10.
Though I am happy for the success they're having this year.
One season with one team with outrageous luck = BANDWAGONERS. Vegas "fans" are literally all bandwagoners. If the Knights only won 20 games all year, no one would really give a crap. But here they are in the Cup Finals and, well, hence the popularity. Its a Cinderella story so far!
Back on subject, Las Vegas is definitely NOT a hockey city. Rewind the clock 3 years. Did anyone in Vegas talk hockey? Were kids lining up down the block to skate at the indoor rinks? Is there huge support for local HS hockey? Does Vegas field tons of NHL talent? No, no, no, and no.
And while the VGK hype is alive and well currently, come back to me in 25 years after the Knights have had decades-long losing streaks and see if there are still fans around. Then we can talk.
Yep. It's always easy to follow a team who is winning. Their attendance will be half of what it currently is in 5 - 8 years and I won't be surprised if the owner and league will be threatening to relocate them within the next 25. The Cinderella story is cute, but it's not what the sport or the NHL needs.
Yep. It's always easy to follow a team who is winning. Their attendance will be half of what it currently is in 5 - 8 years and I won't be surprised if the owner and league will be threatening to relocate them within the next 25. The Cinderella story is cute, but it's not what the sport or the NHL needs.
How is it not what the sport or the NHL need? How could this possibly be a bad thing for either?
Hockey's been hot in Boston since 2011, I don't think we have Minnesota levels here
Boston's home attendance has been at exactly 100% since 2010. Minnesota in 2010 and 2011 was sub 100%. Now, Minnesota, much like Chicago, gets up to 105%+ with standing room etc. Not sure how to measure the two and their popularity this decade or last (since the inception of the Wild). But, to my original counter point, I think there are definitely years where you'll see a Bruins game on at the bar over a Celtics game. So I'm not sure Minnesota is irregular in that way. And, Boston is likely the college hockey mecca of the country. That will happen when BU/BC/Harvard/Northeastern/Umass Lowell/Merrimack continue to battle for the national title.
So I stand by the statement. Minnesota is the overall hotpot for hockey in the US, in large part due to the output of youth talent. That doesn't mean it's less popular at a collegiate/pro level elsewhere.
EDIT: Hockey has been hot in Boston since 2011? It's an original 6 team. It's one of the most infamous franchises in the sport's history, and has always been extremely popular. Much like other cities, they've had their down years as a result of poor play/management. But to pretend like it just got hot a few years ago is... Laughable. Tell that to Bobby Orr.
Boston's home attendance has been at exactly 100% since 2010. Minnesota in 2010 and 2011 was sub 100%. Now, Minnesota, much like Chicago, gets up to 105%+ with standing room etc. Not sure how to measure the two and their popularity this decade or last (since the inception of the Wild). But, to my original counter point, I think there are definitely years where you'll see a Bruins game on at the bar over a Celtics game. So I'm not sure Minnesota is irregular in that way. And, Boston is likely the college hockey mecca of the country. That will happen when BU/BC/Harvard/Northeastern/Umass Lowell/Merrimack continue to battle for the national title.
So I stand by the statement. Minnesota is the overall hotpot for hockey in the US, in large part due to the output of youth talent. That doesn't mean it's less popular at a collegiate/pro level elsewhere.
EDIT: Hockey has been hot in Boston since 2011? It's an original 6 team. It's one of the most infamous franchises in the sport's history, and has always been extremely popular. Much like other cities, they've had their down years as a result of poor play/management. But to pretend like it just got hot a few years ago is... Laughable. Tell that to Bobby Orr.
There was a serious bandwagon. The Red Sox had an uptick in 2003 the Pats had and uptick in 2001. the Celts had an uptick in 2007. Lets not pretend the B's fans aren't just as fickle as any of the other 3 sports. Have the Bruins ever out drawn the Celtics?
There was a serious bandwagon. The Red Sox had an uptick in 2003 the Pats had and uptick in 2001. the Celts had an uptick in 2007. Lets not pretend the B's fans aren't just as fickle as any of the other 3 sports. Have the Bruins ever out drawn the Celtics?
This is falling off the rails fast. The idea behind my original point was that, in the winter, the Boston market does fluctuate, and can be hockey>basketball heavy. It's absolutely true that bars will play Bruins games over Celtics games. And yes, they absolutely have outdrawn the Celtics in certain years. How wouldn't that be the case if they're at 100% attendance since 2010? It is a prevalent hockey town, in a very very hockey focused State.
Now to the comment above, The Red Sox had the longest sell out streak in (North American) professional sports history at 820 games. Before that? The Trail Blazers between 1977 and 1995... How often do you think Portland sold out after that streak? How about before it? The Red Sox, before that streak and after that streak, have continued to sell out games at a clip only contended by the Chicago Cubs. Way more games than the Yankees, in a market that's not close to the same size. I would say that, in general, US cities and their markets fluctuate in every sport with the exception of football. Philadelphia? Look at the 76ers/Phillies numbers over the last two decades. New York? Same deal. Chicago? They were paying people to come to Blackhawks games. I'm sure the Minnesota Twins attendance is very very underwhelming. Heck, look at the Wings.. It's been headlined that there were empty seats all over the place in Detroit this year. Does that make Michigan less of a hockey state?
So, if your point is that the Bruins over the course of their ~95 year history have had down years with down attendance, and in Minnesota's ~15 years, they have had less fluctuation in attendance, then I guess I'd concede? Doesn't seem like a real strong argument. The point of this thread isn't even to talk about professional statistics.. Popularity is compromised of youth % playing the sport, high school hockey popularity, college hockey popularity, output of each state, and yes, professional market share.
So, again... Using the above criteria as indicators, I'd say Minnesota, Michigan/Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Upstate New York.
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. Hear me out......
