Define Every NHL Team's Market

[GrkFlyersFan]

Oh, how about Yukon for Vancouver?

 

[TBF1972]

Toronto: Universe

you mean, they are equally hated everywhere!?

 

[Rufus T Firefly]

Oh, how about Yukon for Vancouver?

I can't answer for Yukon, but right next door in Alaska, that will probably become Kraken territory more than anything else. It has a pretty transient population, so it's always going to be a mix of things, but the Seahawks have tried to expand their footprint there (ex. merchandise in local shops), and Seattle is a popular weekend destination for Alaskans, so I can see the Kraken becoming the largest team there, but probably not by a majority of the population, and not for a while yet.

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

Given the fact that I live in Denver and can't watch Avalanche games on cable TV, I'm a little surprised that you have Colorado as part of the Avs market. Seems like they'd actually broadcast games where their fans are.

Is this just that you don't have the right sports package? Who is getting their games?

 

[Dewey Eye]

might want to add eastern Ohio and a lot of western maryland to Pitt's market. there are a few hundred thousand Ohioans who live within 50 miles of downtown Pittsburgh and couldnt give a crap about the Browns, Bungals or Blue Jackets

 

[Spargon]

Ontario isn't just blanket Leafs. Many northern ontarians prefer Sens Habs or Jets.
From like London to Windsor slowly transitions to Redwings. Habs and leafs have fans all across Canada due to original 6.

 

[DeysArena]

You can also find Bruins fans in the Maritimes because they often get TV channels from New England.

 

[Raging Bull]

The Leafs :

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Yep. Live on/near Hilton Head (SC)- and though you may see some half-hearted CAR (or Hornet for that matter) regalia hanging in a random sports bar- to the extent you run into hockey fans- they’re mostly CHI/CBJ/BOS transplants/retirees that still support those teams (or me an NYI fan)- OR they’re TB fans b/c they’re only a couple states away- and so great.

and soon, Savannah joins the ECHL, SO what will be the split between them and Greenville.

 

[HajdukSplit]

When I grew up in Central NJ the majority of fans were Rangers fans but the Devils did have more younger fans as they grew up with the team during their 90s cup years. You had a smattering of Flyers fans but I wasn’t quite in south Jersey (Monmouth County). Islanders fans are pretty much nonexistent in NJ unless you have a connection to LI and I would say their market is limited to LI and Queens

Now in central Florida (near Orlando) hockey isn’t too popular other than the transplants (mostly Rangers, Bruins and the Canadian snowbirds). You do see some Lightning stickers and license plates here but not as much as other sports and so far in the two years here I’ve only seen one person wearing a Panthers hat

 

[Bank Shot]

The Leafs :

I don't think anyone in the States gives two figs about the Leafs.

 

[John Mandalorian]

For the Colorado Avs, it’s almost the same as for the Broncos (even though hockey’s less popular than football) but since there’s not a team in KC, it might expand their region of appeal. For Colorado, I’d say it’s as follows:

Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.

It’s a massive area but these places aren’t as densely populated as much as a lot of other places.

In Eastern Kansas and Nebraska, you might see more Hawks and Blues fans toward the eastern parts of those states mixed in with Avs fans. But for a lot of them, the relocation and SC in 1996 put hockey on their radar.

But hockey is also not a predominant sport in a lot of these states.

 

[HotDish]

Poor Iowa not included.

Minnesota is Dakotas and western Wisconsin.

Minnesota is making a play for Iowa because their AHL is in Des Moines and I believe Minnesota is making a play for an ECHL team in Iowa City. Right now the Blues have TV rights for Iowa, but the state is definitely blackhawks territory.

Would love to get hockey as a whole big in Iowa, use to live in the state. They definitely have a hardcore hockey fanbase, but small.

 

[Gnova]

All of Manitoba isn't Jets territory.

Manitoba's French communities are still firmly Habs land and MB has a lot of French communities.

Outside of French communities and as you move further from Winnipeg the Leafs have a significant fanbase, not a majority but probably in the 20-30% range.

 

[Gnova]

Ontario isn't just blanket Leafs. Many northern ontarians prefer Sens Habs or Jets.
From like London to Windsor slowly transitions to Redwings. Habs and leafs have fans all across Canada due to original 6.

Its not due to original six. It is due to decades of the CBC only showing Leaf and Hab games on HNIC.
Any teams west of the ON border got very infrequent national TV exposure although the Oilers fared a bit better because of 99.
Through the 80s we only saw the Jets on regional broadcasts by local TV stations.

 

[VA Oil]

I'd argue that Carolina also has portions of southern/southwest Virginia. I know more Canes fans than Caps fans.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Is this just that you don't have the right sports package? Who is getting their games?

AT&T TV and DirectTV are the only providers in the Denver market who have an agreement in place to carry Altitude. There is no way to get Altitude on a channel offered by Comcast.

 

[MrThomas]

How about in Canada Sasquatchewa province? Is that for Winnipeg Calgary or Edmonton?

 

[sabremike]

I grew up in upstate NY (Capital district) and can't say I knew a single Sabre's fan. It's definitely Rangers territory, followed by Bruins then Habs as you got further north. Add in some Islander fans here in there. Sabre's are more of a Western NY only team aside from their Ontario fans.

Living in Arizona now I'd say it's a Blackhawks market lol

The biggest reason for that is that Albany is filled with people from downstate due to being the state capital.

 

[sabremike]

I can't answer for Yukon, but right next door in Alaska, that will probably become Kraken territory more than anything else. It has a pretty transient population, so it's always going to be a mix of things, but the Seahawks have tried to expand their footprint there (ex. merchandise in local shops), and Seattle is a popular weekend destination for Alaskans, so I can see the Kraken becoming the largest team there, but probably not by a majority of the population, and not for a while yet.

Thanks to The White Horse it may end up becoming Sabres Country.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

The biggest reason for that is that Albany is filled with people from downstate due to being the state capital.

Albany's not Rangers territory, you might make a case for Binghamton based on history

 

[b in vancouver]

Bruins have a huge following in the Maritimes. Remember it’s the closest NHL market for us.

Bruins are probably the most popular American team right across Canada. Chicago is probably second and then Detroit, Philly and Pittsburgh - but in my experience The Bruins are the most hated/loved U.S. team north of the border - and it's usually one or the other as very few hockey fans in Canada are indifferent to The Bruins and are the U.S. team that people talk about the most.
This is anecdotal and my opinion. I've been all over Canada but of course not everywhere nor always talking hockey.

 

[b in vancouver]

Its not due to original six. It is due to decades of the CBC only showing Leaf and Hab games on HNIC.
Any teams west of the ON border got very infrequent national TV exposure although the Oilers fared a bit better because of 99.
Through the 80s we only saw the Jets on regional broadcasts by local TV stations.

Saturday night CBC-
Montreal vs. Boston? Nah, it's not like it's the best rivalry in hockey.
Battle of Alberta? Nah, it's not like it's an amazing rivalry between two star-studded teams.
Vancouver? pshaw, we'd have to start a bit later.
Habs vs. Nordique? it's not like it's an amazing rivalry or anything.
Ottawa? do they have a team?
Winnipeg?

What? The Leafs vs. The Northstars to see which team will be in last place! sign Canada up.
Ballard might as well have owned the C.B.C. on Saturdays.
Funnier because The Norris division was so bad. HNIC probably showed more of the No Stars, Dead Things, Boos and Badhawks then, y'know, The Flames. I'm exaggerating - but not by much.

 

[AM]

In some cases this is easy, but some areas are less clear. I also wonder about places like Wisconsin or Saskatchewan, or some of the northern provinces like the Yukon Territories or Nunavut. I'm sure this'll generate some controversy since there are battleground areas.


ANA: Orange County CA, San Diego(? since their AHL team is there)
AZ: Arizona
BOS: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, most of Connecticut
BUF: Upstate NY, parts of extreme southern Ontario(?)
CGY: Southern Alberta
CAR: North Carolina, South Carolina
CHI: Illinois, Indiana, Southern Wisconsin(?)
COL: Colorado, Utah(?), Wyoming(?), Montana(?)
CBJ: Ohio
DAL: Texas
DET: Michigan, Ontario in Windsor area
EDM: Northern Alberta
FLA: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, South Florida in general
LA: Most of Southern California
MIN: Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, North Dakota(?), South Dakota(?)
MTL: Quebec, Maritimes(Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island)
NSH: Tennessee
NJD: Northern and Central New Jersey
NYI: Long Island(Nassau County, Suffolk County New York)
NYR: New York City, Southwestern Connecticut, Westchester County, Rockland County, Orange County New York, also dips into NJD and NYI markets
OTT: Far-east Ontario, far-west Quebec
PHI: Most of Eastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey(Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, Cumberland County, Cape May County, Atlantic County), Delaware
PIT: Western, Central and Northeastern Pennsylvania, West Virginia
STL: Missouri, Southern Illinois
SJ: Bay Area, Northern California
TB: Gulf Coast Florida
TOR: Ontario
VAN: British Columbia, Washington(? Though if so, not for long)
VGK: Nevada
WSH: DC, Maryland, Virginia
WPG: Manitoba

EDM, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and beyond, besides around Calgary.

 

[HotDish]

All of Manitoba isn't Jets territory.

Manitoba's French communities are still firmly Habs land and MB has a lot of French communities.

Outside of French communities and as you move further from Winnipeg the Leafs have a significant fanbase, not a majority but probably in the 20-30% range.

No one is saying that the states and provinces are all one fanbase. Just what is the by far largest fanbase in each one? I think it is safe to say Manitoba is Jets territory.

this is like making the arguement that Illinois is St. Louis territory since southern Illinois tend to be more St. Louis fans.