My country Denmark is for the first time participating in the A-group world championships and is in group with USA, Russia and Switzerland. And they have just beaten the U.S. 5 - 2 in the opening match OH YEAH!!! I know it isn´t your best players playing but this is still a major upset, so now we will take the russians tomorrow.
I must notice that the purpose of this post is not to make you all feel bad, but to kínd of get a feel for if you americans even knew they were playing the world championships right now. It´s kind of a shame that we never see the best players playing for their country in the same tournament apart from the olympics but what are you going to do... In Denmark nevertheless this is a huge deal so I felt the need to make a thread
Well done and congrats to Denmark. Lets hope this can help propel Denmark into a formidable international hockey country. Azim da Dream
Honestly, I didn't ahve a clue we we were playing....Just so you know, you won't find many people in the Southern U.S. who care about hockey. You've got to go up North to find most hockey fanatics.
Exactly. Is it me or is every playoff hockey game go into overtime?? It annoys me to no end, especially when I waiting to watch sportscenter.
Most hockey games i didnt care for but i was watching that game 6 i believe of the Colorado and Minnesota game and when the AV's came back with under like 3:00 to go i about **** my pants, was into it more than ever.
To be honest hockey really ain't my biggest thing either but damn I don't think you guys realize how big a sensation this is. The last time we played in the world championships in 1949 we lost 47 - 0 against Canada so we improved over the years I really didn't know it was only up north they cared about hockey though. What about the Dallas Stars they are pretty good it seems, but that off course does not they have a big following. Well perhaps you brought a crappy team but that guy Phil Housley he ain't all crap is he?? He was just being presented as this big star but I guess he could be if he is compared to his teammates.
To be honest, most people wouldn't know the US was even playing that game, especially with the lack of talent on the team. There were certainly a couple of NHL guys here and there on the team, but no one who still retains star status. Regardless, congrats on the win. I read about that 47-0 loss. OUCH! Every Canadian player had at least 3 goals in that game! Y'all are much improved now! And personally, I think there is something special about an NHL OT game. Just knowing it can last half the night, with players playing their guts out for that ONE goal that can end it....especially a game Seven. I just think the drama of each shot, each breakaway attempt, is too awesome. I'm from Houston originally, but going to college with some guys from Dallas really got me into the Stars. Hockey is also the best sport to watch in person. You lose so much on the TV screen as far as action goes. Just my $.02.
The Stars were a rather special situation. Dallas got a team that was already good....good enough that people would come to the games. It has been speculated for quite some time now that in order for an NHL team to survive in a city, like Houston, that traditionally doesn't follow hockey, that city would have to get a team that was already good, much like the Dallas situation. And most people think that even then, it would be a struggle for the franchise. Most people that I've heard speak on the subject even think that an MLS team would fare better in Houston than would an NHL team.
couldn't disagree more...if the NHL can work in Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, San Jose and Phoenix, it can work here. MLS is not a corporate game...comparing it to the NHL is almost like comparing college sports to pro sports. the cost structures are ENTIRELY different. You have to have a big corporate base ready to buy up suites for NHL games...you don't have that at MLS games
Oh, I think the NHL could work in Houston. In fact, I'd love to see and NHL team here. I just think that MLS could start with a larger in-place fan base with our latin community and the fact that ticket prices aren't nearly as high as they are for hockey. I wouldn't think it could work here if it weren't for Dallas. My point was simply that 1) a lot of people think hockey wouldn't work down here and 2) due to the cultural ties associated with hockey, you've got to admit that while the NHL could possibly succeed down here, it wouldn't be as easy as just diving in with a team. Again, I'm not disagreeing with you; I just don't think it'd be nearly as easy as it would in other cities and areas of the country.
There's no way the NHL would work in Houston. The fans don't even come out to support the basketball team, and within a couple years, they probably won't even support the baseball team. How the hell can you expect them to support a Hockey team? After saying that, I'd love to see a team in Houston, but I still don't think it would be a financially sound decision...
I just to make something clear. The NHL is not working in Atlanta. We're talking about a city that is probably a worse sports town than Houston. The fans can't seem to locate any of the arenas or stadiums. Turner field is 1/3 full. Thrashers games are 1/4 full and Hawks...Hawks a few 100 people(practically) show up. The only ticket in town are the Falcons. The NHL in Atlanta is a joke, sorta like Nashville and Columbus.
If the NHL wasn't about to blow up with labor disputes, Les would have made a play to get the Ottowa Senators down here. Hockey is going to be the biggest mess in recent pro-sports memory very soon.
but you got a 35 year lease there right? which means the team isn't going anywhere until i'm 63..if i'm a hockey fan in Atlanta, I call that "working." Band Geek Mobster -- you can't gauge fan support for bad teams and extrapolate out as to what it might be for a good team in an entirely different sport. the mavericks couldn't draw worth jack crap in the mid-90's...but the stars did very well. they had a new product and were a very competitive team. you can't look at their attendance at basketball games and say they won't draw for hockey games. in southern/western markets, you have to put a competitive product on the field/ice/court in order to sell tickets. it's that simple.
The Astros did put out a competitive product in the final years of the Astrodome and they still had below average attendance. The Oilers had bad attendance as well for their final 5-6 years (even when they were good). The Rockets didn't have sellouts during their competitive years until they actually won a title. It took a championship team to get regular sellouts for the Rockets. Keep in mind that these teams are all in sports that have much more fan interest than hockey. It would take the perfect situation (a hockey team that can win multiple titles in the beginning) to get fans to come out to see a hockey team in Houston. In my opinion, if it takes winning titles to get any sort of fan support from a city, then it is not worth going to that city...
1. The Astros attendance in the final Dome years was fine...it certainly was not below average. But I think you overstate the importance of attendance. Suites and media dollars are far more important. The Astros drew 3 million in 2000 (only a handful of teams have EVER done that)...they drew 2.75 in 2001...and 2.5 in 2002. Those numbers are more than respectable..they're great. 2 million is the benchmark for a good year at the gate. 2. Oilers -- come on, man!! the guy wanted a new stadium because he didn't have enough room in the dome. he was selling tickets at 110% capacity, according to his own numbers when he was trying to convince us we needed a new stadium. no..we didn't show up to watch a lame duck team rebuild to be good somewhere else. that's nothing to be ashamed of...in fact, it makes me quite proud. 3. Rockets - the Rockets went consecutive years selling out every game...some franchises haven't gone 1/2 year doing that. Again..you overstate the importance of attendance. 4. Most (but not all) cities require a winner to get support. Look around any league...name me the teams that SUCK but still draw. It's a VERY short list. A VERY short list. And even shorter when I ask you to name teams in the south/southwest that do that. It's reserved for cities that have had franchises for over a hundred years. The Cubs are a notable franchise...but cities like Dallas, Phoenix, LA, etc. dont' do that. Hell, the most storied franchise in the NFL, theCowboys, doesn't sell out games when they suck. 5. If the hockey team here is competitive, people will show...if they're a championship contender, they'll sell out. That's no different from most towns in the country. And if you're a hockey fan, all you want is a team here. Hockey is a very corporate game, and we have a rather large corporate base. Get them here...get them to sign an iron-clad 30 year lease...and you can worry about whether or not it's "working" 30 years later. Works for me!
Actually I think that an NHL team will initially draw well. Look at the Aeros. The first couple of years they existed (the new Aeros not the 70's teams). They drew over 10K per game. THey have dropped off in recent years but are still averaging in the middle of the AHL. They averaged 5,124(link ) this season which is slightly below the AHL average and 13th out of 28 teams. They also did this while competing with the Rockets(probably not much competition) and the Texans for sales, while all but 3 of the teams ranked above them play in markets that offer little to no competition(Cin,Chi,Phi being the exceptions). I think that at least for the first few years the NHL as a novelty would do well. If they could build a winne rthen it may hang on and continue to do well.
