Why don't you like hockey?

[GoOKC1991]

Don't want to derail the Barons thread so I will make this specific thread.


Obviously, we are losing the Barons and that's heartbreaking for me and other Barons fans and of course, our attendance has been awful, lot of that has to do with a lack of marketing, but also, many Oklahomans (and people in general), do not like hockey and I just wonder your reasons?

To me, hockey is just a fantastic sport. Fast paced, hard hitting, fights (Not the biggest deal to me, but it is part of the game), the playoffs are unlike any other sport, it takes a team to win, not one superstar will win you a cup (Crosby and Ovechkin have won a combined ONE cup), I could add so many more.

I have heard people say it is boring, they cannot track the puck and there is not enough scoring, to me, those just not are not good enough reasons.

What makes shooting a ball through a hoop so much more exciting than hockey? Heck, how can you be an Energy/Soccer fan but not a Barons/Hockey fan?

Want to hear everyone's thought.

[bradh]

I love hockey, and enjoy going to the Barons games. I just don't go enough I guess. If games were televised I would watch a good chunk of them.

[GoOKC1991]

I love hockey, and enjoy going to the Barons games. I just don't go enough I guess. If games were televised I would watch a good chunk of them.

Good for you! At least you are a fan of the game and team!

[bluedogok]

We go to a couple of Avalanche games a season and watch most of them. We went to one of the playoff games last year, my wife really got into it.

When I lived in OKC and Austin I had the NHL Center Ice package.

[Laramie]

It's not a matter of people not liking hockey; it's a matter of preference.

[Easy180]

Kind of indifferent when it comes to hockey which translated into me not attending any since the Blazers were around...I think once OKC got a taste of the big leagues the minor league teams went back on the shelf for many folks unfortunately.

[BBatesokc]

Used to have Blazers season tickets (a very long time ago). I was single and it was an excuse to get out of the house, because back in that day there were not nearly as many things to do in downtown.

Personally, the sport it too slow paced for me (scoring wise) and often times I'd find the fans to be completely annoying. Had tickets for a couple of seasons and then never had a desire to ever return.

In reality, I felt the same about the former Redhawks (slow pace of the sport). However, the atmosphere and the fact the games are outside made it to where I always enjoyed going 1-3 times a season.

[Lord Helmet]

Hockey is great. I love the NHL...but I'm not really into minor league sports I suppose.

[OKCretro]

I am a huge hockey fan, got to several nhl games a year. Had season tickets to the barons for 1 year, but the atmosphere is horrible. I think they kept the same game soundtrack from the blazers. Everything seemed outdated at the myriad.

[adaniel]

Hockey is very much a regional sport. Football, basketball, and baseball can be played anywhere. With hockey, you either are playing on some frozen pond (which simply won't happen this far south) or have to go to an enclosed ice rink, which aren't too common. Also, for a kid to get into hockey will cost a lot of money. Skates, gear, ice fees, etc. are not cheap. And if you don't make the connection as a kid you simply won't follow the sport as an adult. Other three sports, its a matter of buying a ball.

And while I don't think hockey is guided by some nefarious racist plot, it is a fact the NHL is the least diverse "big league" sport out there. People for better or worse won't follow something they can't relate to. Look at golf. Now that Tiger Woods is past his prime, golf viewership is way off and back to being a niche sport of the old, rich and white.

Personally for me, I find hockey to be a bit boring. I got free Dallas Stars tickets when I first moved down here and I nearly nodded off during the game. Around me, I noticed people playing on their phone, talking, and at least one person reading the newspaper. And the supposedly "exciting" thing about hockey, the fights, is an extreme turn off. What major professional sport is it okay to fight in the middle of the game? I have to listen to the NFL give PSA's about domestic violence, but the NHL beating the crap outta each other is perfectly okay? Makes no sense.

[bradh]

I actually like the spirit and intent of fighting in hockey. It began as a way to self police the game. At the lower levels where it's done just because some guy gets butthurt because he got checked hard, yeah that's annoying. When a guy gets what's coming because he boarded your star player? That's proper hockey fighting.

As far as the race/golf thing, you may not have as many WATCH golf now, but the impact Tiger had on the number of minorities who took up golf is astounding.

[GoOKC1991]

Hockey players are tough, grown men, they take hits, checks, etc for a living, them pounding each other is not really the same as a man beating on a helpless lady.

[GoOKC1991]

The cost of the game is a fair argument and not everyone can afford to play it.

[Paseofreak]

I really, really love hockey. Reportedly, I attended my first game at the age of two weeks. I attended every single home game for the Knoxville Cherokees (charter ECHL team), the Knoxville Speed and two years of the Knoxville Ice Bears. Hockey on any AHL ice is high quality. However, after attending maybe five Barons games I decided never to pay for that experience again. It was flat out the worst professional sporting presentation I've ever seen. The off ice activities were bush league, cheesy and well, just absent any excitement. There was never any sense of a crowd or that it was a privilege to be there, especially given some of the characters that did regularly attend. You know, the ones that cannot explain what offsides or icing means, but scream the loudest for the fights.

[jerrywall]

Never could get into it. Had trouble tracking the puck when I tried to watch, and since then just never got into it. It's one of the only sports I don't follow.

[Jersey Boss]

Never could get into it. Had trouble tracking the puck when I tried to watch, and since then just never got into it. It's one of the only sports I don't follow.

Is your reference on the puck in person or on television? I know many have said this about the television experience so that is why I ask. I have been a fan of the NY Rangers for better than 40 years and as far as post season play, no other sport comes close. I think one of the factors is the fact that home ice has less of a bearing of playing at home than it has in the other 3 major sports. As far as the racial diversity aspect, I think the fact that fewer than 50% and probably more like 25% of NHL rosters have Americans. This could also be a factor in the decline of baseball, though not the only one. It is hard for many to relate to a sport dominated by foreigners, and soccer has the same disadvantage.

[jerrywall]

Yeah, it's on television. I'm sure it's more enjoyable in person. I have trouble watching baseball on TV too, but since I grew up going to games I've been able to keep my interest up there. Never went to hockey growing up, and just never developed the interest.

[Stew]

Because it's even more monotonous than soccer. Perhaps if I was a drinker I might see it different but I ain't so I don't.

[Dave Cook]

Hockey in this part of the world is a real challenge. There are two ways of looking at the sport; from a player's perspective and from a business perspective.

I played hockey for years. As a result, every time I walk into the arena, I look at the game from a players perspective. How good is the ice? What type of style are they playing? Is it a third game in three nights? Etc.

Unfortunately, 95% of the fans that attend a game in Oklahoma City are looking at the game from a business perspective. How much is chuck-a-puck? Why did they get rid of the old announcer? What did the organization not throw a Christmas party for season ticket holders? Why is it so hard to get an autograph from players? How come I didn't get my same seat from last year? etc. etc.

From a hockey player's perspective, the business side of hockey operations is just noise. Who cares about the stinkin announcer? Who gives a flip about a Christmas party or bowling with a bunch of smelly hockey players? Who pays attention to the music?

Hockey in Canada doesn't have these issues. People look at the game with a better perspective. Unfortunately, hockey in this part of the world forces ownership groups to spoon-feed fans that need to be made special. And Pordigal apparently did a bad job of that (don't know. I was too busy watching hockey).

[Achilleslastand]

I went to a fight once and a hockey game broke out.........

[Dustin]

I cant follow the puck. I'm a healthy 23 year old with perfect vision, and I cant seem to concentrate on it.

[Edgar]

Junior ran all the fans off. That's what happened to hockey in OKC. Nothing to do with the market, little to do with the Thunder.

[Dave Cook]

Junior ran all the fans off. That's what happened to hockey in OKC. Nothing to do with the market, little to do with the Thunder.

Which only proves that Okies suck (no offense). To allow your ill feelings for an owner to keep you from paying $10 to watch the number one team with the best offense in all of the 30-team AHL is as bush league as this city.

[GoOKC1991]

I go to the games to watch the players play hockey, they have nothing to do with the upper management issues and deserve support.

[skanaly]

Hockey is my favorite sport, barely above basketball. It's fast pace, intense, and exciting. I personally don't see how so many people aren't interested (but that's just my opinion)

I do think the farther north you go, the more popular hockey is. Look at Detroit, Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Vancouver...huge hockey cities. I've been to a game in Toronto and in Chicago and I have to say the energy and participation with the crowd is unreal, almost equivalent to our very own Thunder games (those who have been know what I'm talking about). I've also been to a Dallas Stars game...and well, it was boring. Half the crowd was into it, and the atmosphere was nothing like the ones up north.

Since we're so far south, I think its just not something the average people like...