Hockey the 4th, 5th, 6th..... Sport?

Question

Watching the Memorial Cup on the NHL Network got me thinking why do people always call hockey the 4th sport?

With so many American Junior teams pulling in at least a 1000 people at the gate and some teams up in 5000. How can people really consider Hockey a funky, niche or cult sport?

I will not argue that Football is king in American but in most small towns and or cities you get maybe 5 or 6 home games a year compared to 30 or 40 hockey games.

Yeah Hockey might not be a huge "TV" sport but seeing how can see your own lads down at your own barn, doesn't the boys in the show come second?

Anyways love to hear your takes and add-ons

Answer 1

I totally agree with you. I personally love hockey and when you watch in person it is the best even better then baseball and football... I think the nhl lost a lot of its fans because of the lockout. and then verus picked it up which i find was an awful descion... In my world the order of sports in the united states would be:

1)Football

2) Hockey

3)Baseball

4)Nba( i really find this sport boring)

5)Golf

6)Nascar

7)Tennis

8)Soccer

how do you find this order???

This is a really good question.

Answer 2

I would say it is third, if it was my choice second.  I don't rate baseball as a great sport.  Too many have nots and not enough haves.  Basketball is second, hate to say it but it true and football is number 1.

Answer 3

It's kind of stuck in a circle. Hockey can't get more popular without better TV coverage in the US and they won't get better coverage until it gets more popular.

Football would be a lot less popular if ESPN et al kept telling people how bad/boring the sport is and didn't brag it up to be the greatest thing in the world.

Answer 4

Its based on ratings and revenue.  I personally think hockey should be the number 1 sport in the world (maybe not the middle east... I just can't see that happening.) But it pisses me off more people watch a bunch of thugs with squeaky shoes doing jack **** and getting paid for it, or as those people call it basket ball. Football is a good sport that just doesnt appeal to me.  It is too slow and the WOWs come few and far between in my opinion.  Baseball is another sport i have a hard time watching because of the slow pace and frequent stops in play.  Last on my **** list is nascar, im not going into this cause its NOT a sport, and if you think it is **** you.

  The reason hockey isn't watched on TV as much as baseball or football is people don't understand all the penalties and rules and dont care to learn them.  I don't understand this one bit seeing how football has many more and much more complicated rules than hockey but over half the country will watch it.  On top of the people not understanding hockey, it doesn't translate well to TV unless you have been to hockey games before, if you have it is much better than any other sport cause the cameras are right in the stands it is like being there (In HD).

Answer 5

4th.

I think Football is the #1 followed by Baseball and Basketball. But I think that the popularity of baseball and absketball are decining so I think hockey will get a lot more popular for the next 5-20 years.

Answer 6

Id say were 4th behind 1. Football 2. Baseball 3. Basketball.

For me personally (and a lot of Detroiters), Hockey is 1.

Answer 7

On a National level it is the 4th in popularity. And I might add a distant 4th at that. It's unfortunate but that's the way it is. It's more of a regional/weather related issue.

Answer 8

4th.If i could chose 3rd i would.

hockey is awesome.

maybe chose first or second but not 5th or 6th.

Answer 9

Because that's what the American media says and people are forced to follow like cattle. If hockey is aired as much down there as it is up in Canada (for example, on espn), you can bet that it'll be even more popular than it was back in the mid-'90s.

Answer 10

All depends on the state. If you live in Minnesota or Michagan, hockey is by far the most popular sport. Getting 19,000 people at state. But, if you live in a state other than that it is mostly football, basketball, and whatever else.

Answer 11

baseball, football, and basketball appeal to more races and cultures. Hockey has alot more of a caucasion following. in states that are predominantly african american, the other 3 will rule.