Does your location (Non-North American locations only) affect your affiliation?

[Bjornar Moxnes]

So I created this thread in curiosity of whether or not hockey fans from places that aren't in North America choose their teams based on the availability. And a part of availability also means time. For example a Swedish fan might be less inclined to follow Edmonton than Philadelphia due to not wanting to wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning just to watch a game (Just giving out random examples and using the weaker hockey market as a possible follower rather than the stronger market).

Right now I'm a die hard Flames fan, and my time zone is fine for me. I'm in Eastern time zone. But when I move to Iceland, I'm going to watch more Preds games because Preds games naturally start earlier (If you're wondering Iceland is 5 hours ahead). I'm also going to watch more Sens games, and heck even start to like the Leafs more just because the Leafs are doing fantastic and Leafs games usually start at 11PM in Iceland.

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[Phrazer]

Seems to be a disproportionate amount of Canucks supporters here in Australia. Which I attribute mainly to the amount of aussies who have gone and done a ski season in whistler.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Seems to be a disproportionate amount of Canucks supporters here in Australia. Which I attribute mainly to the amount of aussies who have gone and done a ski season in whistler.

Maybe racial and cultural factors have a role (Since both Australia and Vancouver have a lot of East Asians)? Canucks promote to the Asian community from what I've seen more than other teams for obvious reasons.

 

[Machinehead]

The Rangers pretty much have all the Norwegian fans now

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

The Rangers pretty much have all the Norwegian fans now

I actually know a girl in Norway who is a huge Minnesota fan because Minnesota and the Dakotas have the highest Norwegian concentration outside of Norway. But yes she says Rangers are popular among hockey fans because of Zucc. Bjugstad, Byfuglien, Craig Anderson, Ryan Johansen, Bjorkstrand are all part Norwegian. Bjorkstrand is actually purely Scandinavian, he's all 3 Scandinavian cultures (Swedish, Norwegian, and of course Danish his largest one). Just missing the Icelandic and Finnish to become a full Nord haha.

 

[flyingkiwi]

Of the few kiwi hockey fans I've come across there doesn't seem to be preference for teams located in a specific timezone, although the further west the game, the later in the afternoon for us. It was great over summer while I was studying, but now I have to watch almost every game delayed due to working full time.

You see a ton of people wearing Kings and Hawks hats etc but 99% of that is cause it's what makes its way into fashion/sports stores here. They probably think they're NFL or NBA teams tbh.

As far as fans go there seems to be more kiwi love for the Canadian teams than US ones, although I've never met another Jets fan from NZ in my life. The Pens seem popular-ish too.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Of the few kiwi hockey fans I've come across there doesn't seem to be preference for teams located in a specific timezone, although the further west the game, the later in the afternoon for us. It was great over summer while I was studying, but now I have to watch almost every game delayed due to working full time.

You see a ton of people wearing Kings and Hawks hats etc but 99% of that is cause it's what makes its way into fashion/sports stores here. They probably think they're NFL or NBA teams tbh.

As far as fans go there seems to be more kiwi love for the Canadian teams than US ones, although I've never met another Jets fan from NZ in my life. The Pens seem popular-ish too.

Apparently Preds-Pens game was more popular among Japanese fans than the Hawks-Bolts series just because Nashville and Pittsburgh have more similarities geographically to Japan than Chicago and Tampa lol.

 

[Atas2000]

So I created this thread in curiosity of whether or not hockey fans from places that aren't in North America choose their teams based on the availability. And a part of availability also means time. For example a Swedish fan might be less inclined to follow Edmonton than Philadelphia due to not wanting to wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning just to watch a game (Just giving out random examples and using the weaker hockey market as a possible follower rather than the stronger market).

Right now I'm a die hard Flames fan, and my time zone is fine for me. I'm in Eastern time zone. But when I move to Iceland, I'm going to watch more Preds games because Preds games naturally start earlier (If you're wondering Iceland is 5 hours ahead). I'm also going to watch more Sens games, and heck even start to like the Leafs more just because the Leafs are doing fantastic and Leafs games usually start at 11PM in Iceland.

I do not understand the concept of choosing a team as such. It would be random and unfounded. I support my home town team. I could get into supporting a team from the city I'd live in for a long period of time(but I would still be a fan of my home town team, that's for life). The concept of seruiosly supporting/following a team from overseas I have no connection to is weird to me. The only connection I have to the NHL are my countrymen playing there(may it not be for long). I only follow their careers without any real feelings for the teams. I wish them to do well(so obviously their teams to win games). Otherwise there are no factors that affect my liking or disliking or following any team in the NHL.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I do not understand the concept of choosing a team as such. It would be random and unfounded. I support my home town team. I could get into supporting a team from the city I'd live in for a long period of time(but I would still be a fan of my home town team, that's for life). The concept of seruiosly supporting/following a team from overseas I have no connection to is weird to me. The only connection I have to the NHL are my countrymen playing there(may it not be for long). I only follow their careers without any real feelings for the teams. I wish them to do well(so obviously their teams to win games). Otherwise there are no factors that affect my liking or disliking or following any team in the NHL.

Well we all have our reasons for choosing certain teams. I like Ottawa because of Karlsson, Alfredsson, and back in the days Spezza, so even though I've never lived in Ottawa because I was able to watch these players in action I like them regardless. I like Calgary because I lived there before and I also like Iginla and Kiprusoff. Stems for the fact that I generally like Calgarians as well. A lot of things in life even if it's no longer the same or doesn't exist anymore just sticks to you. Once you like and dislike something no matter how drastic those things change you just stick to it.

 

[HolyJumpin]

Watching the Blues in Taipei wasn't the worst. Hop down to 7-11, grab a coffee and some grub and take in the game 13 hours ahead.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Watching the Blues in Taipei wasn't the worst. Hop down to 7-11, grab a coffee and some grub and take in the game 13 hours ahead.

Haha just this year back in January and February I was in Kaohsiung. Some good moments, but honestly it changed my views and perspective on things. Taught me while national, cultural, religious, etc. pride is acceptable, it should never be forced nor should it be devoted if you don't want it to be. Really made me realize that I should pursue what I want to do aka eventually open up an ice hockey school in Iceland and live a life there. I think promoting the Leafs is a good way to introduce Icelanders more to ice hockey. So I'm fortunate to be in Toronto. Hockey is not really the type o sport to enjoy early in the morning in my honest opinion.

 

[Huokaus]

I do not understand the concept of choosing a team as such. It would be random and unfounded. I support my home town team. I could get into supporting a team from the city I'd live in for a long period of time(but I would still be a fan of my home town team, that's for life). The concept of seruiosly supporting/following a team from overseas I have no connection to is weird to me. The only connection I have to the NHL are my countrymen playing there(may it not be for long). I only follow their careers without any real feelings for the teams. I wish them to do well(so obviously their teams to win games). Otherwise there are no factors that affect my liking or disliking or following any team in the NHL.

You described my feelings quite well. I kinda feel like I'm missing out in the investment of having one clear favorite team, "my" team, but I simply can't choose one without any real connection. I follow Finnish players and the teams they play for and I hope the teams do well, but after the Finnish guy(s) leave the team I don't particularly care about the team anymore. I still do have varying amount of sympathy for different teams regardless of whether they have Finns or not; there's a few teams I almost could call myself a fan of (but still can't), and there's some teams that I dislike etc., but it's ever so slight.

 

[CalgarySnow]

I’m from the UK now living in Calgary, first and foremost I’m a Habs fan as that was the team most often shown other than the Leafs, now living here in Calgary I do look out for my hometown team but I’m still Habs first. I also watch Dallas as when we had no Canadian teams in the playoffs I needed a team to support, chose them because they have the best eye candy (Seguin and Benn). Shallow yes lol. Still like Dallas though

 

[Statto]

You'd think.

I'm a Kings fan in the UK, and games start at 3am for me. It's a right pain, but changing teams is unforgivable in my world. When I started following hockey all I got to see was a highlight show once per week and it was usually a week behind. Location wasn't an issue.

I picked the Kings as at the time it was the only place in NA I'd been to. I couldn't honestly say who I'd pick if I were to start following hockey today.

So I will be a Kings fan until I die and for that pleasure I will continue to mess up my sleep pattern regularly.

 

[hangman005]

Living in NZ it took a while to find my team, started of with the Islanders brief stint with the kings before falling in love with the Calgary Flames, the 04 cup run helped alot, as did having Iggy and Kipper. But Vegas having a team has shaken things up a bit, as Vegas is the only North American city I have been too, my best friend lives there and it has a special place in my heart, which is why I'm a Golden Knights fan too.

 

[ItalianCanuck1]

No.

I'm a Canuck fan in Italy and obviously 80 % of the games start at 4,00 am.

I watch live all the games that start between 1-2 am so basically the east's road trips.
Then, I watch the 3-4 am during the weekend.

For other games, I must wait the day after.

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

Timezone is pretty irrelevant for a Finn, most games start after 1am anyways (during winter time, 2am and later during summer).

 

[LemmyUlanov55]

Well, didn't know about times zones as a little kid. More than 20 years later, it occurs to me I could've made a more wise decision than cheering for Edmonton. Time difference is 8 hrs., so their home games usually start around 4am here. Makes me watch more (eastern) road than home games every year. Every sunday afternoon game for the Oil is much hated by the fans, but a gift to me.

 

[Zamboni Parade]

I chose to play as Buffalo back in NHL 99 because they had Hasek and it went from there. Eastern time zone is a nice bonus seeing as most games start at 1 am, honestly I can't imagine following a team in the west and watching them play from like 3:00 to 6:00... props to everyone that does.

 

[Butch 19]

The Rangers pretty much have all the Norwegian fans now

Yeah, I've noticed that...

 

[Slap]

I guess my Oilers fandom is a product of Kurri, Tikkanen and Ruotsalainen being there during the good times when I was a kid. We also lived there briefly while my dad was working on a building.
The timezones don't matter much to me because I work night shifts in a position that allows me to watch hockey while the process is running. My job is a joke pls don't tell my boss.

 

[FinPanda]

I do not understand the concept of choosing a team as such. It would be random and unfounded. I support my home town team. I could get into supporting a team from the city I'd live in for a long period of time(but I would still be a fan of my home town team, that's for life). The concept of seruiosly supporting/following a team from overseas I have no connection to is weird to me. The only connection I have to the NHL are my countrymen playing there(may it not be for long). I only follow their careers without any real feelings for the teams. I wish them to do well(so obviously their teams to win games). Otherwise there are no factors that affect my liking or disliking or following any team in the NHL.

Yeah, pretty much this. I hope that Finns do well but that's my only real connection.

 

[Elvs]

I think many europeans have a favourite NHL already when they are kids and are unaware of time zones.

It wasn't until I got older and started to follow the league closely I realized the Ducks play their home games at 4 AM (my local time). But it's not as bad as people think. I might even prefer it to the east coast games starting at 1 AM, which I'd typically fall asleep watching in the 2nd or 3rd period. When games starts 4 AM it's easier to get some sleep before puck drop.

I'm happy I didn't grow up an Avs, Wild or Preds fan. Their home games typically start 2 or 3 AM here. That's the worst imo.