tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7455035008347489130.post3173134476742198641..comments2023-08-15T04:42:48.398-07:00Comments on hockeytalkie: Hockey Central? Not By a Long ShotMs. Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04502833375421038578noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7455035008347489130.post-824715088398474302008-04-05T08:52:00.000-07:002008-04-05T08:52:00.000-07:00I wonder if this is something you see in pretty mu...I wonder if this is something you see in pretty much all cities that have a professional team in addition to a lower level team. <BR/><BR/>I know in Edmonton, this is the second go-around for Junior hockey. The Ice failed, and now they're trying to make a go of it with the Oil Kings. I'd have to look it up, but I don't think that their attendance has been especially stellar (they're also, what, the most expensive CHL ticket? Brilliant expansion marketing. Anyways, moving on). <BR/><BR/>I think there's a type of stigma in cities with professional teams, especially in Canada, where fans are expected to be pretty rabid. The Leafs are on the front page of the sports section pretty much every day, whereas it's pretty much impossible to find any mainstream Marlies coverage on a frequent basis. It's easy to start to develop a bond with the NHL guys; you hear their names day in, day out. If you want to become a rabid AHL fan, you actually have to extend the scope of your research on the team. Then you've got the whole "you cheer for the...who?" factor. <BR/><BR/>When I was home at Christmas, I took in a Marlies game and a Majors game. It was fun, and the hockey was good. But it wasn't the same. I knew one player in the OHL game (Jared Staal), and most of the ones I knew from the Marlies were called up to the big club at the time. The hockey appreciation factor was there, but the "oh man, did you see the sweet play by 'x'! That reminds me of that game when he did 'y'!" factor was missing.Darehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06059456740120789788noreply@blogger.com