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Canada should have more teams I think, although if I go to Miami I definitely would pay 7$ dollars to watch that game, but I prefer Key West to Miami.This is an argument in favor of having an NHL team in Quebec.
This is an argument in favor of having an NHL team in Quebec.
Yeah, exactly. The Nordiques were closed down and I think that the Phoenix team took their slot. Phoenix, IIRC, is nearly bankrupt and the NHL is running that team. Real good idea there. So I'm not surprised to see all these southern teams struggling to get any fans. It just looks bad and it shows that the league is not really focusing on their core demographic. Hockey, from what I'm told, is the equivalent to our MLB, NFL, and NBA all rolled into one in Canada with a very high percentage of viewers in the country. Having the NHL in NYC making dumb decisions hurts the sport.
I also think that NBC is covering the NHL with about the same skill as they did the Olympics and that doesn't help. The games I've watched have included some pretty obvious programming errors and problems that a producer/director should have caught....like showing the Claude Julien pep talk last night for two minutes without the audio. Just dumb. Why can't I get CBC? :lol: That said, I just discovered that I get the NHL Network on my cable (schweet).
And on an odder note.....I also think it is odd that they don't sing "Oh Canada" at NHL games since most of the viewers are Canadians, most of the players are Canadians, and it is truly a Canadian sport. They did this at all Middlebury games...the American and Canadian anthems...so I just assumed it was done at all hockey games. But I guess I'm the one that might be odd.
The Nordiques actually became the Avalanche -- and the Avs promptly won the Cup on the year that they moved. If they move the Coyotes, Quebec hopes to be in play. The big reason the Canadians started losing their hockey teams was because they were financially uncompetitive because of the exchange rate. With the Canadian dollar strong against the US Dollar, there's more parity now. It could only be a question of time. However, Quebec still suffers from the same problem that made Lindros and his/mom spurn it: small market. There's also the question of whether the corporate fanbase is present in Quebec to pay for luxury boxes and premium seats.
There's no question about Canada's hockey obsession. I know I've crossed the 45th Parallel when every TV station has wall to wall to wall hockey coverage.
Re: Anthems: I think playing the Canadian anthem is appropriate given the composition of the participants (i.e., the athletes) and that the Cup itself started as a Canadian trophy.
That's funny that the Colorado team won in its first season. Good points on why they had a tough time in Canada....but I know that the exchange rate is now (slightly) better.
That's funny that the Colorado team won in its first season. Good points on why they had a tough time in Canada....but I know that the exchange rate is now (slightly) better.