Seems like a no brainer: promote roller hockey. Its vastly cheaper to play organized roller hockey than ice hockey. Lower costs => more players => more fans => hockey becomes ingrained in American consciousness.
Been done. You must not remember the league called "Roller Hockey International."
I am surprised no one looks to TV watchability. Television is how the NFL surpassed the MLB as the national pastime in the US. Nothing else.
Well both MLB and NFL are the most 'watchable' sports out there, in that they appeal to the ADD crowd. You can sit and watch them in 5 minute intervals, the game is broken down to specific start and stop points.
They're also easier to watch and 'cheer' for without actually having a vested interest in the teams playing. Example in NFL, you can just cheer for the offense either way.
Basketball and Hockey are more fluid, there's no distinct stop/start points outside of the intermissions between frames.
As far as the 'soccer revolution' goes, well in the kids leagues in Canada - soccer (year-round) vs hockey (year-round) associations, I believe soccer now has a higher membership. Again, it's just simply because the cost is lower to get involved. That by far is the biggest barrier of entry to getting a grassroots campaign going anywhere for hockey is that it has a large cost of entry.
As far as why a professional soccer league hasn't taken off in NA (MLS still is largely considered an 'other' league imo) - it's because they're not the premiere league in their respective sport. If you could somehow get EPL games played in NA on a regular basis and have NA teams participate to the point where they can get into the Champions league - you'd probably see it considered more of a major sport in NA.
I think it's been said but the NHL needs more advertisment you only really see advertisment during NHL games which doesn't really get the league new fans, Also the idea of getting floor hockey going in schools would be great a lot of kids in the US don't have the luxary of playing ice hockey because all they have is expensive arenas they don't have ice out side... Floor hockey is a fun and cheap alternative a bunch of plastic sticks a little foam type puck ( I loved them ) some cheap goalie pads ( 20 $ for those little street hockey ones ) and a couple nets.
Well both MLB and NFL are the most 'watchable' sports out there, in that they appeal to the ADD crowd. You can sit and watch them in 5 minute intervals, the game is broken down to specific start and stop points.
They're also easier to watch and 'cheer' for without actually having a vested interest in the teams playing. Example in NFL, you can just cheer for the offense either way.
Basketball and Hockey are more fluid, there's no distinct stop/start points outside of the intermissions between frames.
As far as the 'soccer revolution' goes, well in the kids leagues in Canada - soccer (year-round) vs hockey (year-round) associations, I believe soccer now has a higher membership. Again, it's just simply because the cost is lower to get involved. That by far is the biggest barrier of entry to getting a grassroots campaign going anywhere for hockey is that it has a large cost of entry.
As far as why a professional soccer league hasn't taken off in NA (MLS still is largely considered an 'other' league imo) - it's because they're not the premiere league in their respective sport. If you could somehow get EPL games played in NA on a regular basis and have NA teams participate to the point where they can get into the Champions league - you'd probably see it considered more of a major sport in NA.
One major theory I've always had with hockey and it's success being limited is two fold.
1) The rules are too complicated for the casual fan. Why are they always stopping the play and waiting around to start back up again? If you watch long enough, or have played, you understand offsides, icing, penalties, etc. However, to the novice fan, it makes no sense and completely breaks the flow of the game.
2) The resources required to take up the sport, safely, are typically too expensive to generate growth. In the cold climates where you can find ice outside, it's relative to being able to find a basketball court or soccer field. The majority of the continent and time of the year conditions do not permit for ice to be down solid enough to skate. On top of that, the gear required to play the game is much more expensive. I don't know how much it costs to play hockey for a kid or group of kids, but compare that to the cost of a basketball, baseball and bat, or soccer ball and the cost is significantly more.
Off the ice, during the summer, with 20 neighborhood kids playing ball hockey down at the schools basketball court. All you need is sticks, a net, and a tennis ball. From the business perspective, all I care about is getting kids to become fans of the game so they could maybe have their kids play the game.
Compared to just bringing a basketball or soccer ball down if you wanted to play on that same court for those sports.
Introduce gambling into hockey and more people would be interested and become much more passionate about their teams with their money on the line! I know some may say this is a bit ridiculous but I am currently working at an English premier league club handling pre game betting and it is so ingrained to their fan culture that not only does it produce millions based on the actual betting, but it creates fans who follow the action that much more intensely, creating an atmosphere in which everyone wants to be a part of. This drives up TV viewership and attendance.
To implement this into hockey would obviously take a lot of time (This has been custom in the UK for years) but I really do feel it could work. Getting around all of the legislation and everything is another story however...
You can bet on games, easily as a matter of fact...
How would you suggest to promote it in a good fashion in the US, though?
You can bet on games, easily as a matter of fact...
How would you suggest to promote it in a good fashion in the US, though?
Proline.ca does some good commercials which I catch sometimes on CBC, but I don't understand how a good connection between gambling and the league could happen.
I don't disagree with your idea though. I have bet on tennis matches and watched them in entirety because of this.
Introduce gambling into hockey and more people would be interested and become much more passionate about their teams with their money on the line! I know some may say this is a bit ridiculous but I am currently working at an English premier league club handling pre game betting and it is so ingrained to their fan culture that not only does it produce millions based on the actual betting, but it creates fans who follow the action that much more intensely, creating an atmosphere in which everyone wants to be a part of. This drives up TV viewership and attendance.
To implement this into hockey would obviously take a lot of time (This has been custom in the UK for years) but I really do feel it could work. Getting around all of the legislation and everything is another story however...
OK, yes, but at the same time ball hockey is 10X easier to be able to play than ice hockey.
leaving Dallas, and Philly as the only consistently successful franchises in the top 10.