What's more popular in the United States? MLS or NHL?

Question

What's more popular in the United States? MLS or NHL?

Answer 1

NHL by far

Answer 2

nhl for sure, nobody gives a c**p about mls, at least nobody i know

Answer 3

Hey i'm from the detroit area and let me tell you i don't watch too much hockey.  But hockey is at least violent and fast paced.  Soccer is probably the most boring sport since watching two old guys play bache ball.

Answer 4

The NHL, without question.  This isn't just coming from being a hockey fan but the facilities and ticket sales and TV contracts don't even compare.... and think about this:  a average Amercian sportsfan (who does not watch hockey or soccer) should be able to name at least 5 NHL stars... this wouldn't be true with MLS.

Answer 5

I am not sure of the current numbers, but it used to be that more people played soccer than hockey but more people watched/attended the NHL than MLS.  I know that the NHL still outdraws MLS and gets better television ratings (does MLS even have a television contract?).  The numbers may have changed regarding actual participation.  Hockey surpassed a few of the other sports in participation in the last few years.

Answer 6

NHL, who the h**l watches soccer?

Not in North America at least...

Answer 7

Probably hockey because people here like to play soccer rather than watch it.

Answer 8

NHL

Answer 9

The NHL Because what are Hockeytown's in the states Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Paul MN, Buffalo NY, Denver CO, Soccertown's in US One That's Los Angeles.

Answer 10

Hockey is definitely popular. I don't know anyone who actually watches soccer. I know people who played it in high school, but they were never interested in the MLS. I know tons of people who love and watch hockey.

Answer 11

I'm gonna say the NHL beause at 1st I didn't know what MLS was.

Answer 12

NHL by far.

Answer 13

Nobody watches MLS in North America. Hands down hockey is way more popular.

Answer 14

NHL. Pro Soccer in the US sucks.

Answer 15

well it's in the hockey section so the answers are to be expected.

and i thing that schmitty guy is right on.

probably the nhl is more known but i wouldn't discount the mls (which i hate), but more americans know of their mls soccer teams than their local hockey teams, and ofcourse with the debacle that is beckham i'm sure that the league has raised their profile. by the way mls bites.

Answer 16

While soccer is a popular sport to play, Hockey has a bigger following.

Answer 17

NHL by far is more popular. Even though they aren't doing as well anymore, there are a lot of die hard hockey fans out there.

There's probably more New York Ranger fans then MLS fans put together.

Answer 18

Definitely hockey

and I'm not just saying that because I'm a hockey fan

played by 5 year olds- soccer

Answer 19

Definitly the NHL besides MLS is a joke

Answer 20

NHL. I can tell you here where I live we have had two MLS teams fold since that league started. But our two NHL teams are going strong.

Answer 21

If by MLS you mean Major League Soccer, than by far the NHL. There are four major sports leagues in the United States, and they are (in order of popularity) the National Football League (American Football), Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League.

As you can see, Major League Soccer doesn't even make the list. We may never know why, but soccer just isn't as popular in the United States as it is in the rest of the world.

Answer 22

With the hockeytown's comments, don't put St. Paul with the other cities.  St. Paul is a far superior "hockeytown" to the others mentioned.  Take the NHL out of the other cities and hockey would DIE there.  Take the NHL out of St. Paul and it wouldn't even phase them, hockey would flourish there as it alwasy has.

Answer 23

defiantly the NHL

Answer 24

NHL, by a wide margin.  For one thing, there are 24 American NHL teams compared to only 13 teams in MLS.  In terms of TV, ESPN2 airs one MLS game a week, while Versus airs two NHL games a week, along with NBC airing one game a week during the last part of the season.  As far as I know, the MLS does not currently air any games on network television, perhaps the finals are on ABC.

As an example, the Columbus Crew average about 5,000-6,000 fewer people per game than the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The Jackets also air games on Fox Sports Net, while the Crew can only manage the small-time Columbus Sports Network.

More people play soccer, but hockey has the bigger following.

Answer 25

i won't defend MLS but people need to understand the league is growing every year.  they just put  a team in philly and there are two more scheduled to be added by 2011.  i know i know, but that league is not as bad as people think.  but the answer to your question is hockey.  the youth and more importantly the skill of the players has and is continuing to draw new fans everyday.  the lockout a few years back REALLY hurt the league and its a shame they have to slowly crawl back but they will, and hopefully the nhl and the fans will be better for it.

Answer 26

NHL by far. MLS is rarely watched by anyone however soccer is played by a lot of people. and im not even sure if they even have a television contract.

Answer 27

Well both of them aren't that big, but NHL. Soccer in America is a joke!

Answer 28

NHL destroys the MLS.

There are more fans of Euro soccer in this country than the MLS kiddy league.

Euro soccer is great, in this country it sucks.

Answer 29

the nhl draws higher attendance ratings, and better television ratings, however, the mls is starting to mke a comeback, they have a television contract with espn, players like beckham coming in, and with the amount of hispanic immigrants coming in, they could very soon pass the nhl in attendance, and possibly tv ratings

Answer 30

nhl, i never even hear about mls

Answer 31

Seeing that we live in North America - NHL. MLS is really stupid, like come on isn't soccer mostly for Europe? Edmonton had the MLS Exhibition game 5 days ago where it was Vancouver Whitecaps vs. LA Galaxy. It wasn't even sold-out, and the tickets that were sold were only for the people who wanted to see Beckham. MLS sucks.