NBC TV Ratings So Far

johnjm22

Pseudo Intellectual
Aug 2, 2005
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14,497
The reason why hockey is a niche sport in a America is primarilly due to climate.
 

Anisimovs AK

Registered User
Apr 14, 2006
3,324
1,401
Columbus, OH
While you are probably right that they are Bruins fans, where do you draw the line for combining markets? Cleveland is minutes from being equal distance from Pittsburgh and Columbus. Who gets to claim them?
The team with the most fans in the city.


So the Red Wings in that city's case
 
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Anisimovs AK

Registered User
Apr 14, 2006
3,324
1,401
Columbus, OH
I would guess that the Buffalo ratings have more to do with the Leafs being in the playoffs and a lot of Toronto fans living just across the border? I think this is more likely the case than Sabres fans tuning in...
Except their ratings are strong every year, and this is a middling rating conpared to previous years. As much as you would like the world to revolve around the Leafs, it sadly does not
 

Hockeyfan2390

Registered User
Nov 19, 2010
8,937
6,338
Kansas City, MO
The reason why hockey is a niche sport in a America is primarilly due to climate.

That's a factor, but as another poster pointed out, the cost of equipment is also a major factor.

It doesn't cost much at all for a basketball or a football. Even a baseball, glove and bat can be relatively inexpensive. Hockey equipment costs an arm and a leg, unfortunately.
 
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johnjm22

Pseudo Intellectual
Aug 2, 2005
19,399
14,497
That's a factor, but as another poster pointed out, the cost of equipment is also a major factor.

It doesn't cost much at all for a basketball or a football. Even a baseball, glove and bat can be relatively inexpensive. Hockey equipment costs an arm and a leg, unfortunately.
Expense is a factor, but I still say climate is the primary reason. Russia is a relatively poor country. There's lots of sports that aren't popular that are cheap to play.

ICE hockey can only be a non-niche sport in areas where ice occurs naturally.

Where is hockey the most popular? Canada, Sweden, Russia ect. Cold weather countries. Even in the USA in which states is hockey the most popular? Cold weather states.

This is also the reason why it's primarilly white people that play hockey; because northern areas are mostly populated by white people. The athletes in the winter olympics are mostly white.
 
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WeLoveHockey

Registered User
Apr 18, 2018
4
1
Not many people move from Toronto to live in Buffalo.

Oh... but they sure have no problems coming here to shop at our malls tho...they have bus tours that are packed with Canadiens every weekend. Most Torontonians I know love Buffalo...actually most people from out of town I know that have come here for any length of time love Buffalo.

And as for ratings coming from secret Leaf fans? Thats about the dumbest comment I've ever read. We HATE the Leafs. HATE.
 

WeLoveHockey

Registered User
Apr 18, 2018
4
1
I have trouble paying attention to hockey when my team isn't playing. I may tune in the third period. I still flip the channels even during the playoffs. Stanley cup finals seems better but the league does a poor job overall.
The league fails to mArket its star players. The game needs to change if they expect to attract more than just the average fan.
The lack of scoring and fighting limits the appeal to the novice viewer.
NHL IS A niche sport.
They don't even talk hockey on the Sports radio stations in many U.S. citirs.
When they do that team must be in the playoffs.
And cities that don't have hockey teams get no mention.

Its not a niche sport in Buffalo...they have hockey talk on the radio all the time and have a year round hockey talk show featuring Andrew Peters, Craig Rivet and Marty Biron on year round called "The instigators" from 10am-noon every weekday. The afternoon "Schopp and the Bulldog" show which runs form 3pm-7pm and then "The Nightcap" from 7pm-9pm have a lot of hockey related stuff too...

We love hockey, no two ways about it.
 

WeLoveHockey

Registered User
Apr 18, 2018
4
1
One of the most popular American teams, most championships by a US based team, arguably the strongest traveling fan base of a US based team, several of the greatest players in hockey history spent their entire (or the majority of) careers in Detroit, take your pick.

Buffalo has always been a good market, but it's definitely not better than Original 6 cities like Detroit or the other five.

Please...we are the best market in the US hands down and that only increased after the creation of the Harbor Center that basically created a top hockey center/training facility in the US which has brought myriad hockey events here.

Its one thing to love a team its another thing to love the sport. Those markets love their teams. We love the sport. Big difference.
 

Drytoast

Registered User
Sep 27, 2017
6,334
4,498
Its not a niche sport in Buffalo...they have hockey talk on the radio all the time and have a year round hockey talk show featuring Andrew Peters, Craig Rivet and Marty Biron on year round called "The instigators" from 10am-noon every weekday. The afternoon "Schopp and the Bulldog" show which runs form 3pm-7pm and then "The Nightcap" from 7pm-9pm have a lot of hockey related stuff too...

We love hockey, no two ways about it.

Is buffalo watching the Leafs? I guess we will find out if the ratings drop after saturday?
 

BigBadBruins7708

Registered User
Dec 11, 2017
13,578
18,344
Las Vegas
surprised providence is almost even with Boston. It’s like a fifth the population.

Rhode Island is a crazy hockey market no one outside of New England knows about.

Its a good size market...180k city pop, 1.92 million urban area pop, 1.6 million metro area pop

Strong HS hockey scene that has produced some big names (like Lou Lamoriello), and schools like Mount St Charles, Hendricken and LaSalle

College level is strong considering the size of the state...PC has a recent nat'l title and has become a big dog in Hockey East, Brown is in the ECAC, and URI dominates the ECHA.

RI also has a long and strong pro hockey history. The Reds were one of the premier AHL teams for decades, from 1926 to 1977. Winning 4 Calder Cups and 9 regular season titles. They had many greats pass through like Bower, Brimsek. And played to packed houses in a fun old barn...the RI Auditorium, which had chicken wire for boards.

Since they started in 1992, the P Bruins have been one of the top AHL teams in terms of attendance, success and support. They pull 8000+ per game every year and have had strong success on ice.

Long story long...Providence is a hockey market and is always near the top in ratings for Bruins games and hockey in general.
 

Big McLargehuge

Fragile Traveler
May 9, 2002
72,188
7,741
S. Pasadena, CA
Surprised that the LOS ANGELES-ANAHEIM market didn't make the Top 10.

You shouldn't be. The Lakers post a ~1.8 rating locally and are probably the most popular local team in the region. The sheer size, scope, & demographics of this region basically prevent anything from getting a high rating aside from Team Mexico football/soccer. Doesn't really matter much when that 1.8 holds reaches about the same number of eyes as a ~17.5 in Buffalo.
 
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Nalens Oga

Registered User
Jan 5, 2010
16,780
1,053
Canada
The reason why hockey is a niche sport in a America is primarilly due to climate.

Nah, it's because Bettman and co only have one strategy for promoting it: expansion and hope. No marketing acumen, no knowledge of setting rules to increase offense/point totals/records/drama.
 

AgentBrodeur

Registered User
Jul 19, 2016
513
181
new jersey
Look, I am an American, I grew up in Little League baseball and is ingrained into the united states and still has a very strong foothold even over "pop warner" football, or you school elementary "basketball team"

Personally, as I got older, from a spectator point of view and eventually player of ice hockey, and watching playoff hockey, i do not see how any sport can come close as entertaining. But all will say that is just one persons opinion when I talk to a football fan(of which i was myself)

Baseball can be fun to play, but freaking slow to watch. Also the cost for equipment, etc for our strained educational system(s) financially for hockey gear, ice time, ice rinks, goalie equip, in comparison.

Now soccer has become an absolute explosion (which can sometimes translate into allot of hockey fans/players)

The NFL really went down ever since Kapernick thing, I think its recovering

Hockey in the last 5-10 years has absolutely exploded here in the US. Recently its even going up even another notch (i.e. Devils games being sold out ..wait what?....lol)

The NHL has to continue to invest in America with rink help, and equipment. New Jersey Devils do a great job with the secondary rink and hosting so many games and teams (men and women)

I know they are going all in on China now as I saw a couple positions on the job boards.

On another topic, if we let the young guns play this year in the Olympics USA vs Canada, it would have been absolutely insane, as even with the obstacles noted above, we are producing more top talent then ever before and spit that crosby goal out of our mouth finally. The NHL is never going to get away from this problem every year, and has to come up with a perm solution
 

Gnashville

HFBoards Hall of Famer
Jan 7, 2003
13,683
3,510
Crossville
I would guess that the Buffalo ratings have more to do with the Leafs being in the playoffs and a lot of Toronto fans living just across the border? I think this is more likely the case than Sabres fans tuning in...
Or they are Sabers fans that hate the Leafs and want to see them lose.
 

Gnashville

HFBoards Hall of Famer
Jan 7, 2003
13,683
3,510
Crossville
Hey look, a Nashville fan attempting to take a shot at the city that their team is playing. Thats not too predictable.

Don't be that guy. There are a lot of good hockey markets not on that list. You don't need to hamfist an insult in every post you make.
He is responding to an article in the Denver Post which crapped all over the city of Nashville, the Predators organization, fans, and team. The hack reporter is hated by Avs fans also.
 

Pay Carl

punished “venom” krejci
Jun 23, 2011
13,094
3,192
Vermont
Surprised with Boston at 4...could be a lot of their fans are tuning in to the NESN broadcast w/ Edwards?

That’s what I’ve been doing, I’m sure many are

Bruins are also a New England team, they are just as big in many surrounding states as they are in Boston itself. The Boston TV market only includes Boston and I believe part of southern NH. Vermont, Hartford, Providence, Maine, western MA, etc are all different markets by TV standards
 

MattySnipes

Registered User
Jan 26, 2018
12,457
12,447
'Mecca' of Hockey
That’s what I’ve been doing, I’m sure many are

Bruins are also a New England team, they are just as big in many surrounding states as they are in Boston itself. The Boston TV market only includes Boston and I believe part of southern NH. Vermont, Hartford, Providence, Maine, western MA, etc are all different markets by TV standards
Yea, exactly. I completely missed Providence in that list lol. Boston's market in general is huge, you can't just look within Boston like you state.
 

WJCJ

Registered User
Sep 27, 2017
1,641
686
Surprised with Boston at 4...could be a lot of their fans are tuning in to the NESN broadcast w/ Edwards?

Probably, I know that if I still lived in the area I would be watching NESN if the game was on and I believe it is on NESN for the first round at least. NESN also covers Providence as well.
 

johnjm22

Pseudo Intellectual
Aug 2, 2005
19,399
14,497
Nah, it's because Bettman and co only have one strategy for promoting it: expansion and hope. No marketing acumen, no knowledge of setting rules to increase offense/point totals/records/drama.
I can't tell if you're joking or not.

But I'll just say it's not a coincidence that the only areas where hockey is a non-niche sport is in cold weather areas.
 

triggrman

Where is Hipcheck85
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May 8, 2002
31,627
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hfboards.com
That's a factor, but as another poster pointed out, the cost of equipment is also a major factor.

It doesn't cost much at all for a basketball or a football. Even a baseball, glove and bat can be relatively inexpensive. Hockey equipment costs an arm and a leg, unfortunately.
High end equipment is expensive period. I play hockey so I know the cost there. My son plays baseball, 3 bats, one composite, one alloy (for the colder weather games) and one Old Hickory wood bat. The composite was $449 (Easton Ghost X), the alloy (DeMarini Voodoo balanced) $299, and the Old Hickory was $145. He pitches and plays 1st base, so he needs 2 different mits, $250 each both are Rawlings HOH. The bats will last atleast 2 years now before he outgrows them, except the wood, which of course can break. The gloves should last atleast 2 years.

Kids sports are expensive at higher levels.
 

HunterSThompson

[}=[][][][][]
Jun 19, 2007
4,480
1,097
Washington, DC
Could Buffalo's strong numbers despite not having a team in the playoffs have anything to do with not having a baseball or basketball team? Lack of local sport competition puts hockey playoffs on a premium. Are Buffaloans Blue Jays and Raptors fans? Or are they Yankees and Knicks fans? Maybe they are other.
 

KnightofBoston

Registered User
Mar 22, 2010
19,777
6,018
The Valley of Pioneers
I think you have to include the Providence numbers into the Boston media market.... those have to be mostly Bruins fans.

Bingo, bingo. Bruins fans are one of the largest NA sports followings country wide. You'll see lots of Bruins fans show up all over, the routinely take over sunrise and glendale, and recently saw huge swaths of them in Colorado and Tampa (many points their cheers muffled out the home fans)

But it's really strong in New England in general, especially in providence/all over Rhode Island, place is basically an extension of Boston and the inner cape

Surprised with Boston at 4...could be a lot of their fans are tuning in to the NESN broadcast w/ Edwards?


Bingo again, one of the games (I think game 1 or 2) rated 9 something if my memory serves correctly
 

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