From: dougm@hal.com (Doug Moran)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey
Subject: Re: Why hockey isn't popular in the U.S. (was Re: BOB GETS THE BELT BACK!)
Date: 14 Dec 92 19:46:31 GMT
Reply-To: dougm@hal.com (Doug Moran)
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Organization: HaL Computer Systems, Inc.; Campbell, CA
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In-reply-to: gln@cs.arizona.edu (Gary L. Newell)

In article <28032@optima.cs.arizona.edu>, gln@cs (Gary L. Newell) writes:

> Soccer - I rest my case. There are few sports with more similarities than
>hockey and soccer in the United states. 10-15 years ago this country started 
>a serious campaign to make soccer succeed in the united states? Well folks
>it didn't work. Why? Because it is not the type of sport americans like.
>It is slow paced, has unpredictable breaks in the action, and simply
>doesn't lend itself to over-analysis. 

Soccer has a number of disadvantages as far as it being a television
spectator sport (vital for popularity in the US):

o) Most of the action takes place at midfield
o) There are very few shots on goal
o) Players spend almost as much time passing the ball backwards as
   forwards (try explaining *that* to a novice!)
o) The field is so large, you can only see it with a long shot, making
   the action look far away and (let's face it) slow
o) Most goals look like accidents more than anything else



>The scary part
>for hockey is that soccer is popular at the youth level - has been for some
>years now - and it is still not going anywhere. Unlike hockey, it is
>cheap to play, can be played anywhere in the country and is easily
>organized.

That's why it's so popular at the youth level.  Soccer is probably the
most fun sport to *participate in* there is.  Personally, I have
competed in baseball, basketball, swimming, fencing, ultimate frisbee,
track, and soccer, and soccer is far and away the most fun (although
ultimate is pretty close).  But as far as watching it, forget it.

The main difference between soccer and hockey to me is that in hockey,
it almost always looks like you're about to score, whereas in soccer, it
*never* looks like you're about to score.  And when there *is* a score,
there's frequently so many people in front of the goal, you can't tell
who *did* score.

Hockey has other advantages:

o) there are many fewer people on the rink
o) a penalty takes a player off the ice
o) off-sides is *much* simpler
o) the action is faster
o) Hockey is thought of as a Canadian sport, while soccer is thought of
   as a Latin American sport.  While there are plenty of Quebecois in
   hockey, they also speak English.  Where do the best soccer players
   come from?  Brazil, Spain, Italy, Germany, and so on.  There is a
   language barrier, and a cultural barrier.

I think hockey *can* be made popular in the US.  How?  I don't have all
the answers, but some ideas (for televised games, at least)

o) Keep a running tally of shots-on-goal, and replay them during breaks
   in the action.  This will help educate the fans on how to watch the
   game.
o) Explain the jargon.  What's offsides?  What's a two-line pass?  Why
   are there delayed penalties?  What's this icing business?  What's a
   "line"?  Why is it important?
o) Point out the non-obvious things.  Tell folks that a new line is now
   on the ice.  When changing on the fly, do a quick-cut to the bench to
   *show* fans what it means -- don't just keep the camera on the
   defenseman sitting behind his own net with the puck.  During breaks
   in the action (especially before power plays) *explain* power play
   strategy, both offensive and defensive.  Throw in more stats, such as
   goalie save percentage and GAA.  (You want more baseball fans, you
   use more stats).
o) Personalize the players helmets.  The goalies frequently have unusual
   helmets -- why not the players?  Encourage it.  It's tough to tell
   those guys apart, especially when they're wearing helmets with masks.

I think that hockey *can* be made popular in the US -- it just needs
some thought and energy.  Hell, this old-time baseball fan has become a
serious hockey fanatic.  If me, why not others?  Here's hoping.
-- 
    Doug Moran        | A worldwide shortage of #2 pencils has left many tech
   dougm@hal.com      | writers unable to take notes or doodle during meetings,
 {...}!hal.com!dougm  | forcing them to pay attention or end the meeting by
 HaL Computer Systems | flinging live poisonous insects at the other attendees.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey