WJC: What does it mean? How important is USA's gold to USA Hockey?

[NotABadPeriod]

There are really only three things that will really generate interest in the sport in the US:

1) Winning a gold medal in the Olympics

2) Major US market (like New York) winning the Cup

3) An American mega-star (like Crosby or Ovechkin)

Those things are what can make kids want to pick up a hockey stick.

What this win does is validate USA Hockey's youth development programs so that when those kids pick up a hockey stick they will become better players in this league. If USA Hockey has this kind of system in place after the Rangers Cup Win, or after the 1980 Miracle when kids were all of a sudden quite interested in the sport, they'd probably be churning out even more quality players--and who knows, maybe even have produced that mega-star.

 

[New User Name]

There are really only three things that will really generate interest in the sport in the US:

1) Winning a gold medal in the Olympics

2) Major US market (like New York) winning the Cup

3) An American mega-star (like Crosby or Ovechkin)

Those things are what can make kids want to pick up a hockey stick.

What this win does is validate USA Hockey's youth development programs so that when those kids pick up a hockey stick they will become better players in this league. If USA Hockey has this kind of system in place after the Rangers Cup Win, or after the 1980 Miracle when kids were all of a sudden quite interested in the sport, they'd probably be churning out even more quality players--and who knows, maybe even have produced that mega-star.

I agree. It's only a matter time before the "next one" is American

 

[Hendrydoso]

I haven't read this whole thread so I may be repeating but here goes.
Reporting from the hockey hotbed of Sacramento, Ca. I can tell you that the only way to get the game on tv was if I had direct tv, that's some limited viewership, however, there was a high school hockey game on one of the fringe fox sports channels. As far as I can tell only the people who are already fully involved in the world of hockey as fans would have even heard about this tourney. The day after my news-o-the day splash page on Yahoo probably had some juicy piece of gossip about Miley or Mariah, one of the M's, Madonna? An update on our bid to quash terrorism, the econoomy is bad, better, worse, a crazy play during a college football game, etc. A national WJC gold would provide a brief flicker of warmth to most good citizens, but it would last long.

 

[mimic]

Ok this thread made me curious so I did a "study" of a few people I talk to and all of them I polled watch some form of hockey. I didn't poll those that don't care about hockey and don't watch it.

Not all are into hockey 100%. Some watch only their team and could care less about any others, some watch all teams, some watch both college and NHL etc.

17 from Michigan

12 from Minnesota

3 from Boston area

4 from NY area

1 from Florida

I know it's not a study that's important or that holds any weight in the bottom line but just a fun one.

37 people-

watched any sort of hockey- 37

watched only the NHL- 31

watched only College- 6

watched High school- 25 (only those from Mich and Minn watched HS hockey)

watch Olympic hockey- 37

watched only the US in Olympic hockey- 29

watch Olympic hockey if the US is out- 9

watched the WJC- 0

Can name the WJ champion this year- 0

Can name the WJ champion of any year- 0

Ever heard of the WJ tourney- 0


There's a trend in my rudimentary study that goes along with what I assumed. At least as a start market the WJ tourney. Noones ever even heard of it in the US unless they know beforehand to even look for it. I would have never even heard of it in my life if not for the online hockey forums.

 

[Seguins Dragon*]

There are really only three things that will really generate interest in the sport in the US:

1) Winning a gold medal in the Olympics

2) Major US market (like New York) winning the Cup

3) An American mega-star (like Crosby or Ovechkin)

Those things are what can make kids want to pick up a hockey stick.

What this win does is validate USA Hockey's youth development programs so that when those kids pick up a hockey stick they will become better players in this league. If USA Hockey has this kind of system in place after the Rangers Cup Win, or after the 1980 Miracle when kids were all of a sudden quite interested in the sport, they'd probably be churning out even more quality players--and who knows, maybe even have produced that mega-star.

What about Ryan Miller??

What if he cleans up this year, wins Vezina and Hart... do you think that would help? Or because of his position that wouldn't spark too much interest?


And besides Miller, who is the best American player? Parise??... but he lacks the flashiness and plays on NJ so maybe doesn't get enough recignition on a national level?

 

[doakacola*]

What about Ryan Miller??

What if he cleans up this year, wins Vezina and Hart... do you think that would help? Or because of his position that wouldn't spark too much interest?


And besides Miller, who is the best American player? Parise??... but he lacks the flashiness and plays on NJ so maybe doesn't get enough recignition on a national level?

If Chicago wins a Cup it will be interesting to see what impact that would have
on youth hockey in chicago, a major media US city, especially with Kane being a vital cog in the team.

IMO the hockey infrastructure doesn't exist in the vast majority of areas of the US. Just look at how many football fields, baseball diamonds and basketball courts exist in the US. Then compare that to indoor/outdoor rinks in the US. The game just isn't played in great numbers in the huge majority
of the US, simple as that.