Coinneach
Registered User
Hi, friends
I will post for you some passages from my interview with sport journalist Chris Long from KSTP.
The full interview you can find here (in Czech): Pohled z Minnesoty: Děti ve městech preferují basketbal, mimo ně ale vládne hokej - nhlnews.cz
Minnesota is reputed to be a hockey region. We know the slogan "The State of Hockey". Does hockey in Minnesota really have a privileged position?
Minnesota definitely is a hockey-crazy state. The high school hockey tournament plays in front of 19,000 fans at the Minnesota Wild's arena. That's not just for the championship, but for the semifinals as well. The entire state pauses to watch the entire tournament on live television. There are also five teams in the state playing the highest level of college hockey. Several have won national championships within the last few years. Hockey is very much a part of everyday life here in Minnesota.
In the Czech Republic nearly every child kept a stick in his hand on a frozen pond during his childhood. Is it similar in Minnesota? Or do the children in Minnesota prefer (like in the rest of the USA) cheaper basketball?
Hockey is still very much the favored sport in the winter, but basketball is also very popular. While youth hockey was very strong in the cities (Minneapolis and St Paul), the changing demographics in the inner cities has reduced the popularity of hockey - with many more children playing basketball. However, in every other part of the state, hockey is still more popular than basketball. You made the point about hockey being expensive? That's definitely a problem for the kids in the city who want to play. It's far easier (and warmer!) for them to play basketball.
The most popular sport team in Twin Cities are Vikings. But what's the next order? Are Wild more popular than Wolves and can they catch in popularity Twins?
The Vikings have always been #1, and are way out ahead of all the other teams. Traditionally, the Twins have been #2 - but at times the Wild have definitely approached the Twins for the #2 slot. The Twins are in the middle of a long run of bad seasons, which has the fanbase a little but turned off. If the Wild could put a strong season together and a deep playoff run, their overall standing would certainly rise. Everything else in town - college and pro - is behind the Vikings, Twins and Wild.
Agglomeration Minneapolis - St. Paul has a new team - Minnesota United FC. Soccer is experiencing a huge boom in USA. How much popular is this team in Minnesota?
Minnesota United has a small, but fiercely loyal, fanbase ... and it is growing rapidly. The fans they have are very faithful, and are doing a nice job in spreading the word. They just completed their second season in Major League Soccer and made great strides each year in growing their fanbase. Next year, they open their own new soccer-specific stadium that will give them a massive boost in popularity. They have been playing in the college football stadium - which isn't an ideal setting for soccer. I expect United's growth to be very positive in the next few years. The region has definitely accepted them, and has put soccer on the state-wide sports map.
I will post for you some passages from my interview with sport journalist Chris Long from KSTP.The full interview you can find here (in Czech): Pohled z Minnesoty: Děti ve městech preferují basketbal, mimo ně ale vládne hokej - nhlnews.cz
Minnesota is reputed to be a hockey region. We know the slogan "The State of Hockey". Does hockey in Minnesota really have a privileged position?
Minnesota definitely is a hockey-crazy state. The high school hockey tournament plays in front of 19,000 fans at the Minnesota Wild's arena. That's not just for the championship, but for the semifinals as well. The entire state pauses to watch the entire tournament on live television. There are also five teams in the state playing the highest level of college hockey. Several have won national championships within the last few years. Hockey is very much a part of everyday life here in Minnesota.
In the Czech Republic nearly every child kept a stick in his hand on a frozen pond during his childhood. Is it similar in Minnesota? Or do the children in Minnesota prefer (like in the rest of the USA) cheaper basketball?
Hockey is still very much the favored sport in the winter, but basketball is also very popular. While youth hockey was very strong in the cities (Minneapolis and St Paul), the changing demographics in the inner cities has reduced the popularity of hockey - with many more children playing basketball. However, in every other part of the state, hockey is still more popular than basketball. You made the point about hockey being expensive? That's definitely a problem for the kids in the city who want to play. It's far easier (and warmer!) for them to play basketball.
The most popular sport team in Twin Cities are Vikings. But what's the next order? Are Wild more popular than Wolves and can they catch in popularity Twins?
The Vikings have always been #1, and are way out ahead of all the other teams. Traditionally, the Twins have been #2 - but at times the Wild have definitely approached the Twins for the #2 slot. The Twins are in the middle of a long run of bad seasons, which has the fanbase a little but turned off. If the Wild could put a strong season together and a deep playoff run, their overall standing would certainly rise. Everything else in town - college and pro - is behind the Vikings, Twins and Wild.
Agglomeration Minneapolis - St. Paul has a new team - Minnesota United FC. Soccer is experiencing a huge boom in USA. How much popular is this team in Minnesota?
Minnesota United has a small, but fiercely loyal, fanbase ... and it is growing rapidly. The fans they have are very faithful, and are doing a nice job in spreading the word. They just completed their second season in Major League Soccer and made great strides each year in growing their fanbase. Next year, they open their own new soccer-specific stadium that will give them a massive boost in popularity. They have been playing in the college football stadium - which isn't an ideal setting for soccer. I expect United's growth to be very positive in the next few years. The region has definitely accepted them, and has put soccer on the state-wide sports map.
