Thrashers moving to Winnipeg

[wyvernmcd]

I wonder how many of the Winnipeg hockey fans followed their allegiance to Phoenix, and if so, if they're willing to drop that allegiance like a bad habit to root for the Winnipeg Thrashers.

Brian, you are assuming that a lot of fans (Winnipeg fans) put up with the move and though they didn't like it being moved, would still follow that team. My feeling is that once Winnipeg moved, many of these fans looked around the area and went to or watched teams more local to them. The aspect that it moved from the cold north to the burning desert really offends many of the Canadiens and groups (like True North and the 49th Parallel) were really offended that was a plausible option for relocation site(s).

People danced in the street when the True North buisness "accidently" leaked a story about the completed purchase of the Atlanta franchise 2 weeks before it was confirmed in an official press conference.

I'd think they wouldn't think twice about who they used to follow, they would follow the home team.

[MikeO]

That is a short-sighted view. That is like saying "Vancouver should win the cup so it can be brought back to Canada. This is a complete mis-statement.

The Cup stays in the hockey hall of fame more than 250 days  every year North of the 49th parallel (that's Canada territory for those of you that dont have a globe handy).

"Basketball should stay in the US. "

Same view. Its played worldwide and there are many pro leagues in the world but from that point of view, the players outside of the us are wasting their time.

Hockey gets almost NO COVERAGE in the USA. Hell even ESPN which covers everything from softball to spelling bee's didn't want hockey because nobody watches it in this country. That isn't a knock on the sport, its fans or anyting of the sort. I enjoy hockey. But face facts, in the USA it gets lower ratings than poker, golf, and sometimes tennis. It's a canadian sport. The canadian fans love it to no end. They deserve to have another team up in canada. Want to grow hockey in North America, put it in city's where the fans actually give a s#it about it!! Like Canadian city's.

[wyvernmcd]

Hockey gets almost NO COVERAGE in the USA. Hell even ESPN which covers everything from softball to spelling bee's didn't want hockey because nobody watches it in this country.

Incorrect.

ESPN originally carried hockey games and carried many games when the birth of ESPN2 arrived on cable tv. They primarily showed more western conference games but ESPN and ESPN2 showed hockey games on a weekly basis and was the main TV coverage of ALL of the NHL playoff games.

What happened is the NHL commisioner didnt like something in the ESPN contract and bailed out of it thinking that another network would be able to provide hockey coverage to those who do not have access to cable (or who don't go to sports bars to watch games). Now he feels that since NBC has agreed to spread out the message of the NHL that it will reach a wider audience and will provide more coverage including having tv coverage to every single playoff game starting next season so there will no longer be a coverage of 1 game when 4 others are potentially on. He feels that it was good enough considering that ESPN (from my understanding) only has ABC to do provide sports coverage. NBC is hoping that they can spread out the coverage over all of the NBC network affiliates (which has a lot of stations and some in multiple languages).

Considering all of the sports that ESPN has to try to cover they have to expand to ESPN 3, Classic, news, and U (I thought there were more but I can't think of any right now) to cover softball tournaments from college.

BTW, the spelling bee on ESPN is a joke (because it is not a SPORT) and it sort of screws with kids who can get that far. I remember seeiing it on season where the kids were being interviewed while the competiton was going on. Most of the time that I have seen some coverage, that kid ends up losing. ESPN really should not send in interviewers to mess with the kids since its hard on them enough to come up with the spelling of words we would pretty much not use in our lifetime. Put it back on ABC, I would have no problem with it, not on a sports channel.

[MikeO]

Incorrect.

ESPN originally carried hockey games and carried many games when the birth of ESPN2 arrived on cable tv. They primarily showed more western conference games but ESPN and ESPN2 showed hockey games on a weekly basis and was the main TV coverage of ALL of the NHL playoff games.

What happened is the NHL commisioner didnt like something in the ESPN contract and bailed out of it thinking that another network would be able to provide hockey coverage to those who do not have access to cable (or who don't go to sports bars to watch games). Now he feels that since NBC has agreed to spread out the message of the NHL that it will reach a wider audience and will provide more coverage including having tv coverage to every single playoff game starting next season so there will no longer be a coverage of 1 game when 4 others are potentially on. He feels that it was good enough considering that ESPN (from my understanding) only has ABC to do provide sports coverage. NBC is hoping that they can spread out the coverage over all of the NBC network affiliates (which has a lot of stations and some in multiple languages).

Considering all of the sports that ESPN has to try to cover they have to expand to ESPN 3, Classic, news, and U (I thought there were more but I can't think of any right now) to cover softball tournaments from college.

BTW, the spelling bee on ESPN is a joke (because it is not a SPORT) and it sort of screws with kids who can get that far. I remember seeiing it on season where the kids were being interviewed while the competiton was going on. Most of the time that I have seen some coverage, that kid ends up losing. ESPN really should not send in interviewers to mess with the kids since its hard on them enough to come up with the spelling of words we would pretty much not use in our lifetime. Put it back on ABC, I would have no problem with it, not on a sports channel.

Hockey ratings on NBC and VERSUS suck. Can't spin that. Bottom line is in the United States Hockey is a "niche" sport. With regional fan bases in a few city's that actually care. Once again, not a knock on the sport, I love the sport. But its reality.

It's a Canadian based sport and the league should have more teams in Canada because those fans care more about it!

ESPN wants any and all things sports and gave the NHL a crap deal because that is what the NHL deserves honestly, nobody watches in America and only a few care (in relative terms).