Hockey was once one of the four major American sports. The big four were the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League. But yet, even as some in those group dominate the others (the NFL dominates all sports in terms of popularity), the NHL has not been able to really keep up with the others.
However, hockey as dropped off the list of major sports. Right now, NASCAR racing is likely more popular with the general public than NHL hockey. Once one of the most important sports in the US, hockey is now seemingly shut out of the top tier looking in.
Why did the NHL suffer this rapid decline? Was it the lockout which caused there to be no 2004-2005 season? The lockout was only a symptom of a deeper problem; sadly, it all has to do with money rather than the merits of hockey as a sport. NHL franchises began finding themselves in a sticky situation; salaries for players continued to climb even as revenues declined for many teams. Other than hugely popular franchises like the Rangers and the Red Wings, teams found themselves simply unable to pay the salaries commanded by many NHL players.
They weren't making enough revenue to pull it off. Revenue is brought in for sports teams through several areas, the most important of which are television rights and ticket sales. As the popularity of the sport waned, these sources of income did as well. Therefore the lockout was a result of the problem, not the cause of the problem.
While the lockout wasn't in itself the cause of the NHL's problems, it certainly didn't help. When hockey returned to television in the 2005-2006 season, ESPN passed on the broadcast rights for NHL games. OLN (now known as Versus) picked up the broadcast rights - this network has a much smaller reach than ESPN and correspondingly shallower pockets. As a result, the NHL continues to have financial difficulties and many hockey fans are unable to receive NHL games at all, something that does not bode well for the NHL's ability to recapture the attention of sports fans.
There is also the problem that many fans think that hockey is a sport which doesn't lend itself well to the medium of television. Fans prefer to watch hockey games in person; and NHL games are often sold out. However, hockey fans think that some of the speed and the finesse of the sport are lacking in televised games. Sadly, this has led to hockey being harder and harder to watch at all and there are a lot of people who may never know just what they're missing.
Therefore the answer to the question is that no, hockey is no longer one of the major sports in this country. It has lost it's place in that upper echelon, and is struggling for a strategy to get back. It needs to find a way to make its television games more exciting, while also getting those games aired in a spot where more people can view them. Until both of those happen it may be hard for the NHL to regain the spotlight it once had.
However, hockey as dropped off the list of major sports. Right now, NASCAR racing is likely more popular with the general public than NHL hockey. Once one of the most important sports in the US, hockey is now seemingly shut out of the top tier looking in.
Why did the NHL suffer this rapid decline? Was it the lockout which caused there to be no 2004-2005 season? The lockout was only a symptom of a deeper problem; sadly, it all has to do with money rather than the merits of hockey as a sport. NHL franchises began finding themselves in a sticky situation; salaries for players continued to climb even as revenues declined for many teams. Other than hugely popular franchises like the Rangers and the Red Wings, teams found themselves simply unable to pay the salaries commanded by many NHL players.
They weren't making enough revenue to pull it off. Revenue is brought in for sports teams through several areas, the most important of which are television rights and ticket sales. As the popularity of the sport waned, these sources of income did as well. Therefore the lockout was a result of the problem, not the cause of the problem.
While the lockout wasn't in itself the cause of the NHL's problems, it certainly didn't help. When hockey returned to television in the 2005-2006 season, ESPN passed on the broadcast rights for NHL games. OLN (now known as Versus) picked up the broadcast rights - this network has a much smaller reach than ESPN and correspondingly shallower pockets. As a result, the NHL continues to have financial difficulties and many hockey fans are unable to receive NHL games at all, something that does not bode well for the NHL's ability to recapture the attention of sports fans.
There is also the problem that many fans think that hockey is a sport which doesn't lend itself well to the medium of television. Fans prefer to watch hockey games in person; and NHL games are often sold out. However, hockey fans think that some of the speed and the finesse of the sport are lacking in televised games. Sadly, this has led to hockey being harder and harder to watch at all and there are a lot of people who may never know just what they're missing.
Therefore the answer to the question is that no, hockey is no longer one of the major sports in this country. It has lost it's place in that upper echelon, and is struggling for a strategy to get back. It needs to find a way to make its television games more exciting, while also getting those games aired in a spot where more people can view them. Until both of those happen it may be hard for the NHL to regain the spotlight it once had.
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