On Sun, 6 Jan 2002, Clay Satow wrote:

> I was a volunteer helper a few years ago when the World Junior
> Championships were in Boston.  The hockey was wonderful, but the
> "crowds" were embarrassing.  I'd bet there was one round robin game
> (US/Canada) that filled more than 25% of the seats.  The finals weren't
> a sellout and the only thing that kept them from being an absolute
> attendance disaster was that there were a lot of Canadian youth hockey
> teams in town for Christmas tournaments.  Ain't no TV network who'd
> pick it up with crowds like that.
>
Y'all just gave an example of "hockey culture" which most of the US does
not have.  As of a couple of days ago NEXT year's World Junior games which
will be played in Halifax is virtually sold out.  Ratings even for the NHL
are miniscule compared to pituitary ball of the college or pro variety.  I
am aware that UNO has a great program with a good following, but nothing
like the Nebraska gridiron team.  The CBC just this weekend had a "Hockey
Day In Canada" which featured a few hours of amateur hockey followed by an
NHL tripleheader.  No over the air network would even contemplate that
type of coverage because the US is just not hockey oriented.

Yes, a few kids do grow up playing hockey, but it is not part of the
culture like other sports are.

Arthur Berman
North Vancouver, BC