Is this the year the cup comes home? [Canada]
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And yet, Canada still has more hockey fans.
The NHL already knows the fan base in Canada is a given, but desperately wants to build a bigger fan base in the US. They will continue to support teams in unlikely cities, in an effort to capture the American fans. It's pretty obvious that their strategy is working, as the number of American pro hockey players is growing rapidly. The influx of quality players from the US is a good thing for the game and for the NHL.
I don't see a Canadian winning the SC this year, but it will happen sometime in the upcoming years. Most of the teams are trending upwards, so their chances will be just as good as any other team.
There is no evidence to suggest there are more hockey fans in Canada - on the contrary - which is why there are more teams in the US.
Truth is Canada just doesn't have the markets to support more teams because Canada doesn't have the population hence economics.
- Aug 24, 2011
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Is this a common belief in Canada or is this one of those crazy things you read and have to be reminded not to generalize a group of people based on what a few crazies are doing?
This is such pathetic elitism. Just because there is a higher percentage of hockey fans in Canada doesn't mean you Canucks up north are bigger fans. I don't even know what that means, bigger fans? Like when you watch every game your team plays and talk about it the next day at school/work the girl doing the exact same thing in Florida or California or Texas, hell even New York or Chicago, somehow aren't as big of fans as you?
Give me a break. Hockey has no home. It's played all over the world and is loved by people everywhere.
This is such pathetic elitism. Just because there is a higher percentage of hockey fans in Canada doesn't mean you Canucks up north are bigger fans. I don't even know what that means, bigger fans? Like when you watch every game your team plays and talk about it the next day at school/work the girl doing the exact same thing in Florida or California or Texas, hell even New York or Chicago, somehow aren't as big of fans as you?
Give me a break. Hockey has no home. It's played all over the world and is loved by people everywhere.
That is the key "higher percentage of fans (related to population)" not more total fans than there are in the US.
For some reason Canadians forget Canada only has 30,000,000 people.
I don't know why they believe the US fanbase is any less than their own as far as numbers.
I'll say this much - more US fans went to NHL games this season (or any season over the past 25-years) than Canadians.
Not So Mighty
Enjoy your freedom, you wintertimer.
Pepe Silvia
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I'm offended by your lack of respect for Chicago.
I think I'm going to make a thread about it now.
You are right for sure but keep in mind the 7 Canadian teams bring in a third of the league's revenue with 4 of those teams residing in metropolitan areas of around 1 million people.
Sure but out of the 30+ million, how many like Hockey? Probably a majority that's for sure.
Now compared to the U.S, how many would rather watch Basketball, Nascar, Football, etc.. instead of Hockey?
The northern states have tons of hard core fans, and a decent sized group of casual fans. But in the south Hockey is probably like 5th most watched sport..if that.
I am not trying to sound elitist but per capita, Canada is way more hard core into Hockey.
At the same time, Canada is in no way entitled to the cup. It has to be earned like any other trophy.
Of course, because there are fewer Canadian teams, and most Canadians are fans of Canadian teams. That means by de facto amongst the league leaders in revenue. I'll bet merchandising makes up the majority of that revenue to boot.
Well, per capita is irrelevant when there are enough fans to support a team.
A city can support a franchise if its population is 3 million and only 5% are hockey fans, not so much in a city with a population of 300,000.
Also, hockey does pretty well in the south.. yea, Atlanta didn't work out.
Well duh. There are 30 teams, 7 of which are Canadian. If the arenas are the same size, American teams could be at just half capacity and still get more people in than if Canadian teams sold out every game. Go figure?
Savannah Skunk
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If what you say is true, then perhaps it is time for Canada to re-create its own league in which the 'economics' work for passionate Canadian fans... the ones who fill the arenas on a nightly basis and don't have to be given tickets to show up during a Stanley cup playoff game.
There are many great American markets for hockey and many great fan bases. Look no further than the four American original six and the expansion of several fantastic fan bases: St. Louis, Philly, Pittsburgh, the Islanders and New Jersey, Minnesota, Colorado, and the California teams (for example) - but to presume that the Canadian markets aren't strong enough to support a team is false.
There are seven strong Canadian teams and another two to three markets that could support a club: Markham, Hamilton, and Quebec. I'd even argue that Regina could support one. Nevermind that the best time to invade Canada is 7:00 EST Saturday evening when a huge percentage of the entire population is tuned into CBC... oh.. wait... Rogers Sportsnet.
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Savannah Skunk
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As an American, I definitely understand what Canadians mean by this.
If a Canadian team/s kept winning the World Series or Super Bowl for 2 decades, we Americans would lose our collective minds. There would be so much hatred that the two countries could not possibly exist in any forum at all about it. Hell, us Americans can't even coexist on ANY FORUM EVER about football as it is unless we are fans of the same team.
They want a party in their streets with their team. Doesn't matter the team in Detroit or wherever won it made up of Canadians. That party will be in Detroit etc.
Even though, for a Canadian team to win the World Series, Super Bowl or even an NBA Championship that team would have to be made up of mostly or all Americans, that's the same that Canadians are talking about here in hockey. And imo, they handle it a LOT better than us Americans ever would if the situations were reversed. Jmho.
If a Canadian team/s kept winning the World Series or Super Bowl for 2 decades, we Americans would lose our collective minds. There would be so much hatred that the two countries could not possibly exist in any forum at all about it. Hell, us Americans can't even coexist on ANY FORUM EVER about football as it is unless we are fans of the same team.
They want a party in their streets with their team. Doesn't matter the team in Detroit or wherever won it made up of Canadians. That party will be in Detroit etc.
Even though, for a Canadian team to win the World Series, Super Bowl or even an NBA Championship that team would have to be made up of mostly or all Americans, that's the same that Canadians are talking about here in hockey. And imo, they handle it a LOT better than us Americans ever would if the situations were reversed. Jmho.
Acallabeth
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Yeah, i will definitely cheer for the Habs in the Rangers-Canadiens conference finals and then, if they win, in the finals.
Not So Mighty
Enjoy your freedom, you wintertimer.
BonMorrison
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Mr Pipe
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Sure seems like they weren't good enough to win that given year. They were good enough for 2nd place, as history shows us.
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