What can make hockey more popular?

[sunndoggy8]

Out of the 4 sports, it is least popular, and creates the lowest amount of revenue. That's not just my opinion, but well documented..

So what can make the sport more popular and give it more of an appeal?

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[FUNKMAN]

You may call me crazy but start by eliminating most of the fights...
Of course there will always be some in a contact sport but create similar penalties as basketball, immediate dismissal and one game suspension for throwing a punch...
I believe the sport would gain more respect from the public and more parents would be more willing to bring their kids to the game ...
Make a football helment type helment with a facemask and make it mandatory to wear for all ages of Hockey, kids to pros, more parents would be willing to get their kids involved in the sport...
I love contact sports and played them all my life, to me there is no place for thinking that "fighting" is an accepted part of a game

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[Fallon]

How about ABC not sucking and put it on more than four times a season and only carry three playoff games.

With ESPN/ABC getting the NBA contract next year it's really going to hurt hockey's TV time even more.

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This message was edited by WWFallon on 2-22-02 @ 12:58 AM

[irishkb]

I would have to agree with Fallon that they need to put more games on basic tv.. and start showing some college games so that people will start to look forward the hockey draft and watching players... look at how much college football and basketball games are on the tv.. and look at how many people go to watch the draft of those sports.. you need to push college so it reflects the pro's...

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[Poison Ivy]

I would have to agree with Fallon that they need to put more games on basic tv.. and start showing some college games so that people will start to look forward the hockey draft and watching players... look at how much college football and basketball games are on the tv.. and look at how many people go to watch the draft of those sports.. you need to push college so it reflects the pro's...


that would be a really great idea....more college hockey on TV, also more AHL games. They show them sometimes on MSG (Hartford Wolf Pack ~ Ranger's farm team) I love them....they're fun!!

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[JustinR]

Elimate all european sounding names.

Add more black people.

End that netural trap bullshit.

Allow more fighting.

=More ratings.


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[Fallon]

they need to put more games on basic tv.. and start showing some college games

Yeah the only time I ever see local college hockey is on Fox Sports New England and show's some minor league games on AT&T's channel 3. That's not enough!

Add more black people.

Their are some. Hell the leading scorer Jarome Iginla is black.

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[Tall_James]

Cheerleaders. All that ice would make for some serious headlights.



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[Fallon]

Cheerleaders. All that ice would make for some serious headlights.

They have been using cheerleaders at some Olympic games in the front rows.

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[iscream22]

I know, that really sucks, that everybody loves and knows all the football teams, the only hockey teams most people know are the capitals, and the rangers..

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[Captain Rooster]

Two words.... EXPLODING PUCKS!

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[RF Godfather]

Bring back that light that FOX tried to do back in the day and make it look like PONG again, that would totally reek of awesomeness!

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[The Blowhard]

Sunny, I have been watching the NHL since attending my first Ranger's game in 1966, and I think about this subject quite often.
In my opinion, the game went to hell with all of the nasty stickwork, and the introduction of helmets.
The dirty stickwork has become out of hand, forcing players to wear helmets with visors and cages. Players lose all sense of identity, think about it. Would Bobby Hull be "The Golden Jet" with a helmet?
The players all look the same, it's almost robotic-like.
The stickwork has to be stopped with stiffer penalties and LONG suspensions. You have to market the players the way the other sports do. Could you pick out your favorite players out of a police lineup. Nope.
Also, expansion has killed the game. Too may teams, caused by owner's greed.
Regular season games have become hard to watch, especially when a Nashville or Columbus(Columbus? LOL) comes to town. The talent is watered down, and fans are paying high prices for garbage.
I would say change over to a bigger rink sixe, but again, more greed. The arenas have those "VIP" seats, bigger rinks equal loss of income.
Finally, I say the NHL get rid of the red line. I think it would be a wide open game, with longer passes and less offsides stoppage.

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[Poison Ivy]

Bring back that light that FOX tried to do back in the day and make it look like PONG again, that would totally reek of awesomeness!


Are you on crack?!?!?! That was the most annoying thing I have ever seen. Fox needs to work on their coverage of the ice and not on goofy special effects. This is a hockey game, not an episode of Star Trek.....
You have to market the players the way the other sports do. Could you pick out your favorite players out of a police lineup.

I could :) But yeah it would be nice to see some other players marketed...not just Wayne Gretzky

Also, expansion has killed the game. Too may teams, caused by owner's greed.


Expansion has hurt the league...it hurts every major sport. Do we really need ice hockey teams in Florida, Arizona and California??

Also the playoffs are a joke. They play 6 months of regular season hockey to see what 10 teams don't make the playoffs? What a joke, you have to be really bad *coughRangerscough* to not make the playoffs.

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This message was edited by Poison Ivy on 2-22-02 @ 9:36 AM

[fatty]

put more hockey on t.v. and enough of the 'ties'. i only started getting to hockey like 5 years ago and if there's one thing i hate is ties. just have a fucking winner already

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money sig!

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[impactplayer2k1]

3 simple words:

BENCH CLEARING FIGHTS!!!!

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[The Blowhard]

put more hockey on t.v

That's the problem. The ratings suck. The NHL needs to get it's act together, fast. And btw, the Flyers STILL suck, Ivy. :)

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[Poison Ivy]

And I still hate you Heckler :)

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[Captain Rooster]

Allow two line passes
Larger ice surfaces
Shootouts in the event of ties after overtime


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[Havenostaples]

The game isnt bad, the best teams have the best goalies its simple as that. To get more people watching they have to promote thier stars a lot more, and continue to to do a lot of off ice promotions, like they do with street and rolller hockey every year, cause it is the fastest growing sport around.

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[Doogie]

How about ABC not sucking and put it on more than four times a season and only carry three playoff games


Anybody see that abortion coverage that NBC did for the final medal game? They were taking advantage of every opporitunity they could to squeeze in a commercial and were missing game play after a while...

I think that the NHL should take a page from the olympics with the international rules. Bring back the shootout and the penalty shots. I agree with Heckler with the dirty stickwork. The NHL decides one year to crack down on stick handling the following not. That was one of the key reasons that Mario Lemiuex cited for leaving the first time...

Expansion has hurt the game but no more so than it has Baseball or Basketball. Dont worry about this aspect, these small town teams will not last...I know the league is over expanded when Tie Domi gets 15 goals a year...

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[Aldust19]

maybe get rid of the red line and two line passes.

al from li

[HordeKing1]

To make hockey more popular, get rid of the skates, uniforms, nets, sticks and players.

And start each game by banging 12 inch curved sticks together and chanting "One knock hockey, two knock hockey..."

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