Crazy: NHL game seen by 736 households in the largest metro area in the country.

[docmercer]

Though 736 may not be accurate, the fact that the AFL did better than hockey is doing IS. The AFL playoff game OLN had drew better than the average NHL playoff game OLN had the same year.

85k average salary in AFL and average attendance in buildings which hold 16-18k is 12k. If TV ratings were the only barometer, they can party into the night knowing they outdrew a league that outdraws then 40+ nights a year vs 8 and can pay their players an average over a mill a year.

 

[billhill999]

They are trying to bring down hockey because there aren't enough blacks in it.

That's because the only thing that's black is the puck, and the players are always smacking that around.

 

[AFLGuru]

Average attendance in the AFL if you took out Las Vegas and Grand Rapids would be well over 14K... they won't be in the league in '08. 85K is generous for the average salary though.

We're talking about TV ratings here though... And in terms of TV ratings, the AFL is 1-up on the NHL, and believe me... we're rejoicing...

 

[docmercer]

We're talking about TV ratings here though... And in terms of TV ratings, the AFL is 1-up on the NHL, and believe me... we're rejoicing...

LOL. I guess if you need something to cling to - beating the NHL in TV viewerships is something. It's not much though.

Not to split hairs - but taking out Vegas and GR doesn't push the attendance into the range you claim (at least not for 2006) Still tons of empty seats for this up and coming TV phenom NFL feeder league.

Hey, but good news for the AFL -- minimum wage looks on the rise to $7.25 across the nation :toast:

 

[AFLGuru]

Fine 13000 fans a game... whatever.

Remember, you're talking about a game that starter as a niche sport. I actually write for the website you linked up to. I'm certainly a bigger fan of the AFL than any other sport. Back in the day (the early-mid 90s), nobody ever would've dreamt of the AFL becoming mainstream. Now it's ranked right there with the NHL in this country... that IS something to cling to for a sport that was ranked behind some dipcrap hockey and lacrosse leagues in the early 90s.

 

[neverbeanother#7]

They still play hockey?

 

[harrington]

No body gives a crap about hockey except Canadians.

 

[MattRain]

Bunch of opinions from a lot (not all) of people who wouldn't watch hockey if they were giving away NASCAR tickets.

How much smaller do you want the goalie pads? How many more penalties and how much more open ice do you need? The game is a blast to watch now, and except for the odd team (NJ/Calgary) it's the best show in town. Montreal/Pittsburgh the other night was probably the best game I've seen all year. Scraps, 8 goals, Overtime and a shootout. I wish I'd stop hearing about how the league needs to "sell" itself.

Without a TV deal where they whore themselves out to networks that want dancing robot cartoons and glowing pucks - the league survived the lockout and regained fans faster than MLB did.

Bettman stood by while the league refused to act on the clutch and grab, but went to the wall and helped save the clubs in Canada when the dollar was killing them. He then worked with the Alberta teams to negotiate a better tax deal with their government. He then bent the rules on lotto for the teams to help with the revenue disparity. He worked tirelessly to keep Buffalo IN Buffalo, and is doing the same for Pittsburgh. I was lucky enough to meet him at a Kings game - and I believe 100% he loves this game. Bettman promised the fans and owners a cap - and now every team is on a level playing field when it comes to bidding on top talent. He delivered what he said he would - and every fan is better off for it.

It's a great league - but it's obviously not for TV for most Americans. The league is thriving without a TV deal - so if you don't want to watch it - feel free not to.

Absolutely correct, and great post.

It still saddens me to see Bettman trying to grow a sport that, IMO, actually needs to downsize itself to regain some strength. He's acting like a typical delusional businessman, ignoring the fact that his company's product is a tough sell right now in the U.S. There are too many teams in weak U.S. markets, thus the star players are a too spread out and many matchups are completely uninteresting. They should go back to about 20 teams.

 

[Fishhead]

No body gives a crap about hockey except Canadians.

Come down to Tampa ............you would quickly find out that you are 110% wrong.

 

[MattRain]

Come down to Tampa ............you would quickly find out that you are 110% wrong.

You guys are lucky as hell to have such an exciting first line. I know many Montrealers who would gladly trade the whole Habs team against yours.

 

[PokerKingJim]

Thoroughly enjoying following the Penguins this year. Watch nearly every game and am loving it. Crosby/Malkin/Fleury/Staal and the rest of the young guns make for great entertainment and they are red hot at the moment. NHL definitely underrated

 

[Fishhead]

You guys are lucky as hell to have such an exciting first line. I know many Montrealers who would gladly trade the whole Habs team against yours.

Actually, many residents here do not realize how special this team truly is(for star appeal anyway).

Lacavalier and St.Louis alone make this a very special team.........

 

[Fishhead]

Actually, many residents here do not realize how special this team truly is(for star appeal anyway).

Lecavalier and St.Louis alone make this a very special team.........

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>

GOALS</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=3><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=44>

</TD><TD vAlign=top><TABLE height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" align=right><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3px; PADDING-TOP: 3px" bgColor=#ffcc00>ALEXANDER OVECHKIN</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff height=2>

</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 10px" bgColor=#ececec><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=txt16Strg>WSH</TD><TD class=txt16Strg align=right>33</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=3 height=1>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=txt11><NOBR>2. MARTIN ST. LOUIS</NOBR> </TD><TD class=txt11 width=35>TBL </TD><TD class=txt11 align=right width=30>32 </TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#afb088 colSpan=3 height=1>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=txt11><NOBR>3. VINCENT LECAVALIER</NOBR> </TD><TD class=txt11 width=35>TBL </TD><TD class=txt11 align=right width=30>32 </TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#afb088 colSpan=3 height=1>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=txt11><NOBR>4. DANY HEATLEY</NOBR> </TD><TD class=txt11 width=35>OTT </TD><TD class=txt11 align=right width=30>31 </TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#afb088 colSpan=3 height=1>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=txt11><NOBR>5. MARIAN HOSSA</NOBR> </TD><TD class=txt11 width=35>ATL </TD><TD class=txt11 align=right width=30>31 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[SportSavant]

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

but the lightening are currently poised to make the playoffs. may even be a top seed and are still available out there @ 50/1

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr class="bg2" align="right" height="17" valign="middle"><td align="left">1. [URL="http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/teams/page/BUF"]Buffalo[/URL]</td><td align="right">53</td><td align="right">74</td></tr><tr class="bg2" align="right" height="17" valign="middle"><td align="left">2. [URL="http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/teams/page/NJ"]New Jersey[/URL]</td><td align="right">52</td><td align="right">68</td></tr><tr class="bg2" align="right" height="17" valign="middle"><td align="left">3. [URL="http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/teams/page/ATL"]Atlanta[/URL]</td><td align="right">54</td><td align="right">66</td></tr><tr class="bg2" align="right" height="17" valign="middle"><td align="left">4. [URL="http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/teams/page/OTT"]Ottawa[/URL]</td><td align="right">53</td><td align="right">62</td></tr><tr class="bg2" align="right" height="17" valign="middle"><td align="left">5. [URL="http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/teams/page/MON"]Montreal[/URL]</td><td align="right">52</td><td align="right">62</td></tr><tr class="bg2" align="right" height="17" valign="middle"><td align="left">6. [URL="http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/teams/page/TB"]Tampa Bay[/URL]</td><td align="right">53</td><td align="right">58</td></tr><tr class="bg2" align="right" height="17" valign="middle"><td align="left">7. [URL="http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/teams/page/CAR"]Carolina[/URL]</td><td align="right">54</td><td align="right">58</td></tr><tr class="bg2" align="right" height="17" valign="middle"><td align="left">8. [URL="http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/teams/page/PIT"]Pittsburgh[/URL]</td><td align="right">50</td><td align="right">58</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[SportSavant]

If anyone is looking for a play today, our resident hockey expert 'Vegas Vic' has several in the NHL room....

with one very interesting one:

Tampa Bay Lightning -130

The Rangers Achilles heel last year was that they were a one line wonder. Shut down Jagr and you shut down New York. So they pick up free agent Brendan Shanahan to spell Jaromir the angst of carrying this team’s fortune on his back. In the last 22 games Shanahan has scored in only four games. So much for spelling any relief. Consequently in the last 22 games Jaromir has tallied a goal in only 5.Consequently in the last 19 games the Rangers have fallen out of the playoffs winning only 7 times. See a pattern here?

Over the same time frame the Lightning have played 20 games, winning 14. They are gaining momentum and confidence. Over their last 11 games their scoring is up, (3.36 goals per game), PP is scoring at a 29% clip, (10/35), and their defense has been better.

Johan Holmqvist is on an amazing run and it could be argued that he is the hottest goaltender in the NHL at present. He has allowed only 28 goals in his last 13 starts, (2.15). 8-2 in his last 10. He owns a .950 save percentage in his last five games, winning four of them. His only loss in the last 8 games was in a 2-0 showdown against Marty Broduer.

In looking at tonight’s game the key perspective for me is on the injury front. The Rangers have lacked a competent defense all year. That being said they took steps in rectifying this problem including waiving Sandis Ozolinsh and long time Ranger Darius Kasparaitis. Up comes Thomas Pock. Dropping Ozolinsh and Kasparaitis had immediate effects on the Ranger D. In the last 6 games New York has allowed only 9 goals. Lunqvist has stepped up his play considerably and has shown glimpses of his consistent rookie performances of last season. However tonight he will be missing his top pair of defenders in Marik Malik, (plus 18 +/-), and Michal Rozsival, (25 points in 50 games). Taking their spots are 24 year old Bryce Lampman and 22 year old Daniel Girardi.

Suddenly half of the New York defense are AHL call-ups. Martin St. Louis and Vinny LeCavalier, (64 goals combined in 53 games), will be looking forward to this opportunity. Tampa Bay leads the Rangers by 4 points for the last playoff spot but have played two more games. Absolute must win game for the host Lightning.

 

[Fishhead]

The LIGHTNING are a SUB .500 club @ home.............PASS.Currently 70-30 on attending tonights affair with Viking, Billsey, and possibly Hawkeye.

 

[VegasVic]

With all apologies to Timothy Leary…
Turn off….tune off…and drop out.

New Jersey/Florida?
No one is a bigger hockey fan than me and I’m not sure I’d bother watching that boring matchup unless I had a substantial vested interest.

New Jersey is still trapping and winning games but are turning off fans everywhere by doing so. New Jersey has the 4<SUP>th</SUP> best record in hockey and ranks 5<SUP>th</SUP> from last in attendance.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[VegasVic]

Incidentally, one thing the story doesn’t mention was this game took place on Hockey Night in Canada, (Saturday night). Any true hockey fan had the option of watching several other games on the Center Ice package.

 

[PokerKingJim]

Pens with another win today against the Caps 2-0. Fleury was outstanding yet again and the underrated Pens D held Ovechkin completely in check. Rapidly improving Pens have won 8 or 9 and the one loss was an OT loss. Rematch with the Habs tomorrow. Those of you not following an NHL team really are missing out on a great sport

 

[VegasVic]

Pens with another win today against the Caps 2-0. Fleury was outstanding yet again and the underrated Pens D held Ovechkin completely in check. Rapidly improving Pens have won 8 or 9 and the one loss was an OT loss. Rematch with the Habs tomorrow. Those of you not following an NHL team really are missing out on a great sport

Pittsburgh, far and away, is the most exciting team in hockey to be watching.