No Canadian Teams in Playoffs Bad for Business
Prince George, B.C. – The NHL season wraps up this weekend and to the dismay of local businesses no Canadian teams will be taking part.
A new poll by Angus Reid indicates that means more than half of regular playoff viewers in Canada say they’ll either be watching less or tuning out completely.
That’s not only bad for the NHL, but for local pub owners.
“When there are Canadian teams playing we usually see the people coming out to watch the games more and they are more into it,” says Pat Gedison, manager of the BX Pub.
“It will probably negatively impact us,” adds Brock Gable, owner of both the Cowboy Ranch and Fore Bistro and Patio. “Certainly if Vancouver is in the playoffs it’s great and any of the western teams, it’s great. But with just American teams I think there’s less interest.”
Despite his disappointment though, he says his pubs will survive.
“It’s a slight disappointment but we don’t bank it all on NHL playoffs, absolutely not. We know better than that.”
According to the poll, 30% will watch about as much hockey as usual, 35% will watch less, and 19% won’t watch at all.
Comments
Shouldn’t be playing Hockey in May anyhow. The NHL got greedy by extending the season, let’s hope it bites them in the ass. I know I stopped following hockey a long time ago. It’s gotten plain silly.
It’s time to watch the Blue Jays now—-!!
I agree with Axman, too many games, too many teams. It’s watered down the product.
Also the lack of Canadian teams in the playoffs is not the sole issue. Overall viewership went down 16% in it’s first year since Rogers took over Hockey Night in Canada.
Maybe millenials and new Canadians couldn’t care less about professional hockey, no matter who broadcasts the games. I would expect to see a rise in the popularity of the drudgery known as Soccer to gain in popularity, especially among immigrants.
At least in soccer they don’t have to halt the game every few minutes to allow for a couple of players grabbing each other by their sweaters and punching each other bare fisted in the heads until one goes down! 7 million dollars a year players carrying on like morons? I gave up watching this idiocy quite a few years ago!
Growing up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. we all had our favourite teams based on a host of factors, the least of which was geography. Toni and Phil Esposito’s Mom lived down the road from me so I liked Boston. I liked Detroit because of their colors and there were so many black people living there which was strange and interesting to me. My buddy had an uncle playing for the Chicago Blackhawks so I liked them, too. Don’t care at all anymore b/c it’s all become too money-centered. Not sport, just business now and I don’t care for money grubbing.
“At least in soccer they don’t have to halt the game every few minutes to allow for a couple of players grabbing each other” .. no, they only have to half the game every couple of minutes because someone is writhing around on the ground like they are dying because of a fictiious kick to the shin. Or in the case of basketball stop the game every couple of minutes while to 7′ rack of bones slap each other silly like a couple of girls.
This fake diving is a maddening part of soccer alright. I agree! FIFA should get tough with the teams and players. Recently the possibility of a penalty box for obvious divers is under FIFA discussion. Finally they have goal line cameras in place now. It took decades to get that change approved. The World Cup is the only time I get interested in watching soccer. Alas, Canada still does not have a competitive national men’s soccer team!It usually ranks in the last ten or so worst teams globally.
half = halt
to = two
fingers going faster than the brain this morning apparently
How about getting outside & enjoying what is in our figurative & literal backyards? Playing sports is far more gratifying than watching.
Good for the Canadian economy with the weather the way it is! The players on the Canadian teams can golf in Canada instead of going south. Lol
I have a twelve-month of the year job, and make far less than the hockey players, so why not have them work for ten months for their paycheques. That still gives them a two month vacation.
Hahaha….now all the Vancouver Canuck fans can get back to their true passion’s ….chinese checkers and cricket. :-D
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