Hockey and fans...

Hockey can be exciting. Whether it be the Canadian team in the World Junior Hockey Championship that has won four straight victories, dominating the other teams with a total score of 32 – 5, or the American team, though losing to the Czech Republic by 3 – 1, held all spectators in awe as they fought an uphill battle while the score was 2 – 1. So many opportunities were misses by fractions of inches. The excitement was great; we must admire the tremendous effort put forward by the loser.

Canadians have a love for the game of hockey. Sometimes it is a love for the local team and individual members but those members are often traded and yet the fans remain. This holds true for other sports as well. In terms of leagues themselves, we have witnessed a reaction of “we couldn’t care less” from fans who have, by force of circumstances, deserted the locked out of National Hockey League teams in favour of other teams of more junior standing but where much excitement has been found anyway.

Canadian apathy for the NHL lockout was not foreseen by the players or the owners. A lesson learned that can be used by other sports teams. Fans can be fickle. They look for excitement and pleasure and desert quickly any “sinking ship”, to climb aboard any craft that is afloat. We may be saying good bye to the NHL, and the overpriced tickets to see sports action that can be seen elsewhere, costing much less. One’s entertainment dollar can only go so far and now, we can find exciting hockey at much lower prices. To the NHL, in the future, many may say “good riddance”!