Why are NHL ratings so bad?

[___ Eats It]

So I'm sitting here anticipating tonight's game and I'm wondering to myself... how in the world can an unwatchable sport like the NBA pull in such respectable ratings during the regular season when arguably the most exciting sport out there can't draw a 3.0 national for it's Championship round?

I grew up with the sport, so maybe I'm slanted a bit, but you've got 30 teams of hard working, nice guys with a great ethnic mix working their asses off to win the most famous trophy in sports.  Plus, the action is non-stop end to end.

Contrast that with the NBA, which is pretty much the most boring crap to watch until the last minute of a close game, manned by egotistical thugs who thump their chests after hitting a routine field goal and can't bother to show up for practice half the time.

Granted, there is the violence element, but it's nothing you won't see from time to time in the NBA when Shaq takes a swing at someone, or Ron Artest throws a TV camera across the baseline.  I just don't get it.

Hockey is an AMAZING sport to watch, and an absolutely exhilirating sport to witness in person.  It deserves more respect from this country.

Thoughts?

[bulls96go]

don't care, no opinion

and that's the problem in a nut shell

[TripleB]

Hockey is an AMAZING sport to watch, and an absolutely exhilirating sport to witness in person.  It deserves more respect from this country.

Thoughts?

Take a look at the rising popularity of NASCAR and that will tell all you need to know about the declining taste and intelligence of American sports fans ...................... The NHL probably doesn't score enough for the average Joe sixpack, like soccer. They can't enjoy it for the beauty of the game ................ I'm a Florida native that really wasn't exposed to hockey until the Miracle on Ice, "Slapshot" and finally, the Lightning. I love it.

Maybe if they made the players skate it only one direction the simpleton masses would appreciate it more ...................

[Markeymark]

Basketball is a cheaper sport - all you need is a ball.

A town can set up a few playground courts a lot cheaper than building & maintaining an ice rink.

Hence, basketball is a lot more popular in this country.

If you notice, most places where hockey is popular are the places where ponds freeze over & neighborhood kids can go out & skate in the winter.

The NBA has also done a masterful job of marketing itself in the 1980's and 90's although the current crop of players has proven to be harder to market than in the Bird/Magic/Jordan years.

[smazza]

as a big hockey fan back when there were the original 6

I have wondered that myself

they should have changed rinks,rules to open game up after gretzky quit.

too much expansion

i watch games on my dishes on team's local channels

NHL never had a consistent national tv package

these are just thoughts why the game hasn't attracted more fans

i always love it

AS a child ny rangers were on tv all the time.

That is why i am a big proponent of televising all bulls games

it cultivates new fans