Article: NHL outdrawing NBA?

[Son of Detroit 0]

I did a quick search both manually and in the search feature, and I didn't find a duplicate topic on this. If there is a thread like this already out there, my apologies.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_dadd...?urn=nhl,123904

Very interesting. Also, if you look at the attendence for each team in the respective leagues:

26 out of 30 NHL teams draw at least 80% capacity

23 out of 30 NBA teams draw at least 80%

20 out of 30 NHL teams draw 90%

17 out of 30 NBA teams draw 90%

17 out of 30 NHL teams draw at least 95%

12 out of 30 NBA teams draw at least 95%

And this is including that hockey gets absolutely no national attention, and get broadcasted on Versus for christ sake.

If the NHL DOES come back to ESPN in a year or two, and I don't doubt that attendance and enthusiasm will get a big boom from it.

This is great to see, although I am a big fan of the NBA/Pistons as well. I just want hockey back into the limelight again like in the 90's.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

That would be fantastic news

[A.T.Hun 0]

That's an interesting article. Granted the NBA still outdraws the NHL because of larger arenas and the fact that hockey is still basically a regional sport. I think you could argue that that article is more of a worry to the NBA than it is a feather in the cap for the NHL.

I like watching the Pistons too, but so much of the offense is spread out the D and let the superstar go one-on-one. The solution a few years back was allow zone defense which unfortunately made the offense even more boring. The stars had a harder time taking it to the hole and teams just fire up brick after brick from the outside. I haven't the foggiest idea of what to do about it.

They quote Mark Cuban in that article. The NHL could really use to have him as an owner. He'd give the league a personality and some media savvy which it desperately needs.

Edited November 25, 2008 by A.T.Hun

[Barrie 900]

I did a quick search both manually and in the search feature, and I didn't find a duplicate topic on this. If there is a thread like this already out there, my apologies.

I always feel the same way when I start a discussion, and I laugh everytime a discussion starts this way. Matt and the boys run a such a tight ship here that many of us are worried when we start something.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

That's an interesting article. Granted the NBA still outdraws the NHL because of larger arenas and the fact that hockey is still basically a regional sport. I think you could argue that that article is more of a worry to the NBA than it is a feather in the cap for the NHL.

I like watching the Pistons too, but so much of the offense is spread out the D and let the superstar go one-on-one. The solution a few years back was allow zone defense which unfortunately made the offense even more boring. The stars had a harder time taking it to the hole and teams just fire up brick after brick from the outside. I haven't the foggiest idea of what to do about it.

They quote Mark Cuban in that article. The NHL could really use to have him as an owner. He'd give the league a personality and some media savvy which it desperately needs.

I would think that most NHL and NBA arenas have the same capacity, don't forget that several NHL teams have NBA teams play in the same building. Only problem is that the smaller playing surface in basketball allows for more fans, so I'd be curious to see the stats after that is taken into account.

[The Mule 0]

Is it just me, or is basketball an insanely boring sport?

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Is it just me, or is basketball an insanely boring sport?

It's entirely subjective.

I don't watch basketball as much as hockey or football, and I prefer college over NBA, but once it gets late in the season and into the playoffs I'll usually try to tune in a bit more, and whenever the local team (Hornets) comes on TV down here I'll watch. I played pick up basketball off and on throughout college, but a lot in the summer before I graduated college and really enjoyed playing it. If not for blowing out my knee, I'd probably still play in a basketball league somewhere around where I live.

I'm one that just likes watching pretty much any sport though.

Edited November 25, 2008 by SouthernWingsFan

[FunkedUp 29]

Attendance figures for NHL and NBA.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/attendance

[toby91_ca 620]

That's an interesting article. Granted the NBA still outdraws the NHL because of larger arenas and the fact that hockey is still basically a regional sport. I think you could argue that that article is more of a worry to the NBA than it is a feather in the cap for the NHL.

I like watching the Pistons too, but so much of the offense is spread out the D and let the superstar go one-on-one. The solution a few years back was allow zone defense which unfortunately made the offense even more boring. The stars had a harder time taking it to the hole and teams just fire up brick after brick from the outside. I haven't the foggiest idea of what to do about it.

They quote Mark Cuban in that article. The NHL could really use to have him as an owner. He'd give the league a personality and some media savvy which it desperately needs.

So far during the 2008/09 season:

Average NHL attendence = 17,101

Average NBA attendence = 17,264

Not really much of a difference.

Not sure the NHL needs an owner like Mark Cuban, isn't he up on insider trading charges from the SEC? Granted, it's only alleged.

[Dano33 41]

Is it just me, or is basketball an insanely boring sport?

I'm with ya, i can't even really say that i am a Pistons fan anymore because i have next to no interest in them.

[hallelujahlogic 1]

Is it just me, or is basketball an insanely boring sport?

yeah, man.

[Guest Shoreline]

I like playing basketball, myself, with street rules (few fouls to keep the game going), but watching it is simply awful.

Basketball lost interest to me when players who represented the "sport" image of the game over the "bling bling" image of the game were succeeding. Not only that, but you get spoiled by the continuous play of hockey when basketball constantly calls slap fouls to take "free throws", then you have the No Fun League making so many rules about such useless s*** (like one guy lining up one foot behind the other, still behind the "line of scrimmage") the game gets bogged down like the court system -- then the insult of actually "downing" the ball to end time rather than keep playing til the last second. (Won't get into baseball)

Edited November 26, 2008 by Shoreline

[RedWingfaninCO 43]

Is it just me, or is basketball an insanely boring sport?

Yes. I especially can't stand how the last 5 minutes can last for 15.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I like playing basketball, myself, with street rules (few fouls to keep the game going), but watching it is simply awful.

Basketball lost interest to me when players who represented the "sport" image of the game over the "bling bling" image of the game were succeeding. Not only that, but you get spoiled by the continuous play of hockey when basketball constantly calls slap fouls to take "free throws", then you have the No Fun League making so many rules about such useless s*** (like one guy lining up one foot behind the other, still behind the "line of scrimmage") the game gets bogged down like the court system -- then the insult of actually "downing" the ball to end time rather than keep playing til the last second. (Won't get into baseball)

I think it told me all I needed to know when I nearly fell asleep at the last game I went to. Never, EVER go to a baseball game without friends because you will drift off.

[Cern 0]

Is it just me, or is basketball an insanely boring sport?

I find that the case with football, baseball, AND basketball, honestly.

[VM1138 1,921]

Those are nice numbers and all, but all it really proves is that hockey fans or more devoted to the NHL than basketball fans to the NBA. I don't think it really indicates general interest.

Though I can definately see the NHL out-doing the NBA in a few years for ratings and maybe coverage someday.

EDIT: And if I can chip in on my opinions of other sports:

I really only watch hockey, but I do know follow other sports enough to know generally what's going on.

Basketball: The sport itself isn't boring. It's fun to play, and college basketball is okay. But the whole culture of it turns me off, and the general pansiness of the athletes. Also, as someone mentioned, the "strategy" of fouling out every time someone touches the ball in the last minute or so is irritating. But basketball can be fun to watch the last quarter.

Football: I understand why lots of people like it, but I don't watch much. It's too stop-go. Gotta admire the athleticism, though, they're tough athletes. I don't think it's quiet as involved and "deep" as many people like to think, but the last half of the football game in the playoffs can be fun.

Baseball: This one bewilders me. This sport is not fun to watch, whether it be college, pro, or whatever. It has no appeal to me. There's virtually no real strategy as football, basketball, and hockey fans are used to. There's no "down to the wire" excitement because of the game being split into innings. The commentators can put you to sleep because there's so little to say. Lots of dead air over radio broadcasts. The fact that there is so little player vs. player action also hurts it. Also, so many freaking games as to render individual games almost meaningless.

It started as a relaxing Sunday sport for a reason, like golf. Not exactly high-caliber sports material. Why it's so popular is beyond me. Because it's so easy for anyone to play?

Edited November 26, 2008 by VM1138

[sjradio 0]

Is it just me, or is basketball an insanely boring sport?

I think it depends, I work a lot of high school basketball games, and I've worked a few D2 College basketball games. I think that games on that level are more exciting than the NBA game.

I think when you have student sections screaming and making noise the whole game, it is more exciting than a NBA game.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

So far during the 2008/09 season:

Average NHL attendence = 17,101

Average NBA attendence = 17,264

Not really much of a difference.

Not sure the NHL needs an owner like Mark Cuban, isn't he up on insider trading charges from the SEC? Granted, it's only alleged.

only 13,366 seats a season...

13,366 x $9(cheapest joe seats w/out taxes or any other ticket fees/parking/food)= $120,294

yeah... 120 grand... not much difference.

Edited November 26, 2008 by CaliWingsNut

[eva unit zero 271]

Baseball: This one bewilders me. This sport is not fun to watch, whether it be college, pro, or whatever. It has no appeal to me. There's virtually no real strategy as football, basketball, and hockey fans are used to. There's no "down to the wire" excitement because of the game being split into innings. The commentators can put you to sleep because there's so little to say. Lots of dead air over radio broadcasts. The fact that there is so little player vs. player action also hurts it. Also, so many freaking games as to render individual games almost meaningless.

It started as a relaxing Sunday sport for a reason, like golf. Not exactly high-caliber sports material. Why it's so popular is beyond me. Because it's so easy for anyone to play?

You do realize that the hardest thing to do in sports is to hit a baseball?

As far as strategy, there is plenty. You may not understand it or recognize it, but that doesn't mean it's not there.

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

interesting. the stats are skewed, however, because 6 of the nhl's 30 teams are canadian. how does attendance compare between the sports in the US alone i wonder.

[VM1138 1,921]

You do realize that the hardest thing to do in sports is to hit a baseball?

As far as strategy, there is plenty. You may not understand it or recognize it, but that doesn't mean it's not there.

It is hard to hit a baseball, and especially to hit it as far as they do. That is also the only truly challenging thing to do in the sport. Which puts it far behind sports like football where tehre is a lot going on or hockey where you shoot, move, pass, deflect, set up plays all at once.

And as far as strategy, it's not that I don't understand it. It's that it's not there. Sitting your pitcher after a few innigns is not a real "strategy."

[seeinred 1,488]

only 13,366 seats a season...

13,366 x $9(cheapest joe seats w/out taxes or any other ticket fees/parking/food)= $120,294

yeah... 120 grand... not much difference.

Are you being sarcastic? Because 120 grand isn't much of a difference at all.

It is hard to hit a baseball, and especially to hit it as far as they do. That is also the only truly challenging thing to do in the sport. Which puts it far behind sports like football where tehre is a lot going on or hockey where you shoot, move, pass, deflect, set up plays all at once.

And as far as strategy, it's not that I don't understand it. It's that it's not there. Sitting your pitcher after a few innigns is not a real "strategy."

The strategy in baseball is almost solely on the manager and on positioning and substitutions really.

[Doc Holiday 0]

It is hard to hit a baseball, and especially to hit it as far as they do. That is also the only truly challenging thing to do in the sport. Which puts it far behind sports like football where tehre is a lot going on or hockey where you shoot, move, pass, deflect, set up plays all at once.

And as far as strategy, it's not that I don't understand it. It's that it's not there. Sitting your pitcher after a few innigns is not a real "strategy."

Do you know anything about playing baseball?

[Doc Holiday 0]

only 13,366 seats a season...

13,366 x $9(cheapest joe seats w/out taxes or any other ticket fees/parking/food)= $120,294

yeah... 120 grand... not much difference.

You know per team it is only 6,683 seats total. So about 60 grand lost. Not much from a business perspective.

[Konnan511 1,736]

You know per team it is only 6,683 seats total. So about 60 grand lost. Not much from a business perspective.

So this is me drunk logic Doc since it is 530 am where i am, and btw I agree with you on HFboards alot!, if you think about it its is 60 Gs timse 30 teams hwich is almost 2 millions in extra league revenuee that could be eaned plus pakring and suhc for the gamse, maybe that could be enough to keep the cap where it is or even raise it an extra millions? Go wings!!1