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10:09:00 AM EDT
Hearing Rainbo Conversation -- Stereolab
Minor League?
Pete McEntegart of SI.com offers up the opinion that hockey is no longer a major league sport:
Stop sending letters to the editor about how hockey is ignored by your favorite sports publication. In fact, it is accorded a respect that far outweighs its interest to most readers.
Let's count the pastimes that rank above hockey in terms of national interest: the NFL, the NBA, baseball, college football and college basketball, NASCAR and golf, at the very least. Big Four? Hockey, like Northwestern, is fortunate to stick in the Big Ten.
I've always been a very casual hockey fan -- I liked the Kings growing up mostly because the idea of Hockey in Los Angeles was just so silly -- but I would have to agree it's always been something of the runty cousin of the big league sports of baseball, football and basketball. I think that's fine, personally, since not every sport has to be huge huge huge. But I can understand if true hockey fans are offended at the idea their favorite sport has more in common with, say, Arena Football, than witht he NFL.
Is hockey still a major league sport, in terms of media and public interest? Or has it been cruising on its rep? I'm interested to know what you think.
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So there's this story they told me in Law School...
Back when VCRs first came out, the movie studios sued Sony for making the Betamax, saying the only purpose for the machine was to violate their copyright. So Sony wanted to prove that there was a lot of stuff people could tape that the copyright owners didn't mind them taping.
Sony thinks, OK -- the highest rated show every year is the Superbowl. So they go to the NFL and ask, "Hey, do you mind if people tape the Superbowl?" And the NFL said, "yeah, we mind."
So then Sony thinks, OK, what about the NBA finals? If we can get basketball on board, then we can convince football to come along. So they asked the NBA if they mind if people taped the NBA finals, and the NBA said, "Yeah, we mind."
So then Sony thinks, OK, we'll go to baseball. If we can get baseball, then we can get basketball, and then we can get football. So they ask MLB if they mind if people taped the World Series, and MLB said, "Yeah, we mind."
So then Sony thinks, OK, we'll go to hockey. If we can get hockey, they we can get baseball, then basketball, then football. So they ask the NHL if they mind if people taped the Stanley Cup. And the NHL said, "Really? People tape the Stanley Cup?" -
I've been watching hockey since '97 and have to say that it seems to be apathy that is causing the game to be reduced to, as Pete puts it, "NBC won't fork over a dime to the league until (or unless) it breaks even." We're reaching a point where stars like Hull, Yzerman,and Messier are getting to retirement age, stars like Jagr, Modano, and Bondra just dissappoint, and the future replacements are few in coming. There are bright spots (Tampa Bay in the finals, players like Iginla and St. Louis, (Kovalchuk and Heatley for the Thrasher in me)) but overall it seems the interest isn't growing, hence the sad deal made with NBC. But at least I can safely say I'd rather watch it instead of Arena Football....
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{secret, secret:} I'm with you~
I can count real 'sports' on one hand and
then CUT OFF that hand. Nevertheless,
as long as the Flyers are winning, i'll give
the Hockey a pinky. Meanwhile, SmartyJones
is a good horse...let's define Terms^ -
YES, hockey is a major league sport!!!! My husband was a hockey player and my son currently plays hockey and we live in the south where hockey is slowly gaining support and momentum (go Thrashers!!!) Hockey is one of the most exciting sports out there. My son is at a try out tonight for a Junior A team that plays out of New England (the scout came to Georgia to scout kids). In the newspapers, hockey is mentioned on the very last page here...which is a shame because it's such a wonderful sport (in my opinion).
5/23/04 9:45 AM