Flyers lost their charm for Philadelphia fans

[Rich Nixon]

I think the flyers not being as popular these days is a generational thing to when I was a kid during the summer and during the winter every Park tennis court parking lot and damn near street corner the kids playing ball hockey . you go out these days I'm pretty much for the last 10 years and all those kids that would have been playing hockey are sitting in their damn houses on their tablets and phones and what not. I think me being one of those kids playing hockey had a lot to do with the passion I had for the game.

I lived on a big cul-de-sac (yeah I know boogie sentence) and that was my childhood...every day of summer all the kids from my neighborhood would convene with roller blades and sticks and we’d drag nets out of garages and play pretty much 4 on 4 or 5 on 5 until we were all drained, and then collapse into basements and fight over controllers to play NHL 97/98/99/whatever. We’d even drag out giant brooms and clear this huge asphalt circle of gravel at the start of every spring for smooth skating. Philly burbs were all about street hockey in the Lindros days.

 

[FlyOrange]

Although the article focuses on Philly area, I dont know if you can accurately gauge Flyers’ popularity just by looking in Philly and surrounding area because out of all Philly sports teams, I’d argue that the Flyers may have the biggest non-local fan base.

Sure the fan interest has waned a bit but they’ve also been blandly decent for too long that more news-y teams are getting more coverage is how I see it.

 

[Sawdalite]

I think the flyers not being as popular these days is a generational thing to when I was a kid during the summer and during the winter every Park tennis court parking lot and damn near street corner the kids playing ball hockey . you go out these days I'm pretty much for the last 10 years and all those kids that would have been playing hockey are sitting in their damn houses on their tablets and phones and what not. I think me being one of those kids playing hockey had a lot to do with the passion I had for the game.

If that were the reason... wouldn't it also be the case with Basketball, baseball and football who are not currently on a downswing in popularity -- granted MLB doesn't have the appeal nor popularity it did a while back, as America's Pastime -- The Sixers are having a rebirth after many Seasons of being practically ignored... and Football with a little dip in viewing is arguably at its greatest point in Philly... And I'd imagine that the kids of today, and the recent past, are also sitting at home with their Tablets ignoring the fresh air.

I don't doubt that that is a factor... but not one that is with the Flyers alone.

My thinking is that after the first Lockout that brought in the Cap, the Flyers Organization never was able to keep the old Flyers persona going on a consistent basis... Clarke, and later Homer, to a lesser extent, did whatever it took to keep the Flyers Contenders... The ReBuild, unlike Clarke's ReTools, has killed it for the once trying to be patient Fanbase... Face it, not being a Contender really sucks for Fans growing up with the Flyers Swagger.

JMO

 

[baudib1]

Soccer is bigger than hockey in the last two places I've lived, New York City and Las Vegas. In both places, during major games the bars are packed regardless of what time the games are played.

In Vegas the Knights are very popular and the arena is packed but by and large no one knows what hockey is. If I wear my Karlsson jersey out, I get a lot of attention and people come up to me and ask about the team and it's clear they don't watch at all.

 

[trostol]

Soccer is bigger than hockey in the last two places I've lived, New York City and Las Vegas. In both places, during major games the bars are packed regardless of what time the games are played.

In Vegas the Knights are very popular and the arena is packed but by and large no one knows what hockey is. If I wear my Karlsson jersey out, I get a lot of attention and people come up to me and ask about the team and it's clear they don't watch at all.

good to hear Vegas has something other than the lousy Rebels to get attached to..though the soccer thing sort of surprises me

 

[Psuhockey]

Soccer is bigger than hockey in the last two places I've lived, New York City and Las Vegas. In both places, during major games the bars are packed regardless of what time the games are played.

Only a handful of bars show soccer games, so its not that shocking that they are packed. It’s that way here in Philly too. However if only a handful of bars showed hockey games, I would wager they would be packed as well.

 

[Coinneach]

Is it possible?

 

[YEM]

I mean...the MLS is not even a top 10 soccer league in the world, can't see how that would happen

 

[Striiker]

Absolutely not...

 

[Coinneach]

Are Flyers a niche sport in Philly?

 

[GKJ]

Hockey is a niche sport in every city, it's just a very large niche. The Flyers don't have that giant star that has that kind of gravitas, the star attraction, the guy who is the top rung of the ladder in their sport like the Sixers have and the Phillies now have. Yet, within the league, the Flyers remain a marquee team.

When I was growing up, they didn't have to have that in hockey, but they did have Eric Lindros, and the Flyers were decidedly the #2 team in this town. Now they have to have star power because they don't have the ESPN-machine behind them like virtually every other sport does, and hockey just isn't that kind of sport. Ultimately they are in the entertainment business, and there's nothing must-see about the team, or really even the sport itself.

The Union passing the Flyers is nonsense, it's not possible for the same reasons. Not until the MLS becomes a destination for world-class level soccer players and as opposed to what it is right now which is mid-level development and a retirement tour for star players gracing us with their presence.

It's why Dave Scott is going to force the Flyers to be very aggressive in the off-season. Ed Snider would be rolling in his grave knowing that the Flyers were getting left behind. But hockey doesn't work in the same way where you could be the Phillies and decide you want to buy one of the the sport's biggest stars.

 

[Lotusflower]

Why do hockey fans even care what ranking the sport has amongst others.
If it was more popular would you stop watching?
Would you watch more? You barely ever hear these debates about the other 3. I enjoy the game for what it is so it doesnt mean **** to me whether or not the city or the burbs is following I just want my team to be good. Its Hockey's Napoleon Complex thing.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Is it possible?

LOL no

 

[Ruck Over]

Why do hockey fans even care what ranking the sport has amongst others.
If it was more popular would you stop watching?
Would you watch more? You barely ever hear these debates about the other 3. I enjoy the game for what it is so it doesnt mean **** to me whether or not the city or the burbs is following I just want my team to be good. Its Hockey's Napoleon Complex thing.

I only care from the selfish standpoint that if the sport were more popular, there'd be more, and better, coverage to increase my ability to consume the sport that I most enjoy.

But yeah, f*** all that other noise. It is spectacular though when the coverage in some unexpected cities exceeds that here. While 4th place is the spot they're in, especially in Philly, the coverage by the media, could be better. Better beat writers, better sports talk.

 

[rkhum]

I'm surprised, the Sixers are really ahead of the Flyers?
I also felt the Flyers, when I grew up from the 90s through 2000s, were #2.
But I was an outsider.

 

[Rebels57]

Hakstol and Hextall are gone.

This thread is no longer relevant.

Close er' up.

 

[magnumpi]

i commented earlier that I';d have no interest in the Flyers if I were a teenage boy.

But if the Flyers were to make a big splash this off-season things would change.

During the mid 90's to about 2000 the Flyers were the main topic on WIP. The Phillies were only discussed for someone to rant, and the Sixers were a non factor.
The Lindros element made them the hottest story in town.

There's been nothing to capture the imagination. If some big star becomes available, the Flyers have the prospect depth and the need to go all in for it.

 

[Coinneach]

 

[Lotusflower]

Is this..bad?
I know there's something like 600,000 households give or take in Philly so this would be like a little less than 10 percent of the city was watching in Feb?

 

[Embiid]

What is bad is a 2% chance of making the playoffs after last night's loss. What is bad is that Hart has been injured and my interest in the Flyers has dropped to pretty much zero again. What is bad is that we have another mediocre coach whose winning streak has single handedly destroyed our draft position again for naught. What is bad is this Flyers team having won a playoff series in how many years now? They better get their crap in gear next season bc they have the nerve to raise ticket prices as if they are getting Hughes.......just BAD!

 

[Coinneach]

Is this..bad?
I know there's something like 600,000 households give or take in Philly so this would be like a little less than 10 percent of the city was watching in Feb?

Sixers in bad years had much smaller audience.

 

[Psuhockey]

i commented earlier that I';d have no interest in the Flyers if I were a teenage boy.

But if the Flyers were to make a big splash this off-season things would change.

During the mid 90's to about 2000 the Flyers were the main topic on WIP. The Phillies were only discussed for someone to rant, and the Sixers were a non factor.
The Lindros element made them the hottest story in town.

There's been nothing to capture the imagination. If some big star becomes available, the Flyers have the prospect depth and the need to go all in for it.

Hughes might have been the only one to bring back the buzz to this franchise. I don’t think there is an established star available to do that. So now the only thing to get the casual viewer back is a long playoff run.

 

[Lotusflower]

Sixers in bad years had much smaller audience.

Even as a die-hard Sixer fan that's shocking. It'll be interesting to see if/how much it jumps next year.

We certainly have the potential to be very scary next year with the right personnel decisions?

Is this the 1st year that the Flyers have the LEAST prominent ownership of the 4?
Josh Harris is very visible very well-known, Middleton has become a cult hero with his first class plane rides to woo Bryce Harper, and of course everybody knows Lurie.

So weird going from Snider to whomever is in charge

 

[Starat327]

Hughes might have been the only one to bring back the buzz to this franchise. I don’t think there is an established star available to do that. So now the only thing to get the casual viewer back is a long playoff run.

If you get a marquee coach like Q, the interest is almost immediately renewed. Couple that with a big move that im sure Fletcher is going to make (and im sure most of us will hate), and you've got yourself a fan base again. I dont think they'll bring in a super star, but someone with a name that people can recognize and push the team to win now.

Flyers will be in much better shape next year just from the simple fact that they don't have Hakstol behind the bench to start the year.

 

[Psuhockey]

If you get a marquee coach like Q, the interest is almost immediately renewed. Couple that with a big move that im sure Fletcher is going to make (and im sure most of us will hate), and you've got yourself a fan base again. I dont think they'll bring in a super star, but someone with a name that people can recognize and push the team to win now.

Flyers will be in much better shape next year just from the simple fact that they don't have Hakstol behind the bench to start the year.

Fans don’t come to see coaches coach. The Flyers are going to have to win under Quenneville for anyone to actually care.