Those of you who are anti-American and hockey fans (I’m neither) may feel bitter-sweet about this poll: Canada’s game has few U.S. fans.
Apparently in the U.S., hockey just beats out wrestling as far as popularity goes. Just 3 per cent said hockey was their favorite sport to watch.
As the hockey powers fiddle, the interest of fans in the United States is going up in smoke, according to the latest Gallup poll.
In a survey released earlier this week, the U.S. polling agency found that the percentage of Americans who described themselves as hockey fans—23 per cent—was ranked 10th among 11 sports. Ahead of professional wrestling, but trailing everything from college football to figure skating.
More worrisome for those concerned about the interest in hockey in the U.S. market—where 24 of the National Hockey League’s 30 franchises are based —is that the proportion of Americans who say they are fans of hockey is in rapid decline, falling from a peak of 34 per cent in February of 2002.
The poll suggests the dip in popularity may be directly related to the NHL’s lockout of its players, noting that professional baseball experienced a similar dip in popularity during the 1994-95 players’ strike.
The poll found when Americans were asked what was their favourite sport to watch, only 3 per cent said hockey, ranking it sixth—trailing figure skating but ahead of golf.
| Percentage of Fans of Sports in the United States | |||
| Yes, a fan | Somewhat | Total fans | |
|
Professional football |
58 % | 6 % | 64 % |
| College football | 47 | 7 | 54 |
| Professional baseball | 43 | 9 | 52 |
| College basketball | 35 | 6 | 41 |
| Figure skating | 34 | 7 | 41 |
| Professional basketball | 33 | 5 | 38 |
| Auto racing | 25 | 5 | 30 |
| Professional golf | 22 | 8 | 30 |
| Professional tennis | 18 | 6 | 24 |
| Professional ice hockey | 18 | 5 | 23 |
| Professional wrestling | 8 | 2 | 10 |
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