NORTH SOUTH SPLIT

Since the Lockout, with the exception of the Ottawa Senators, who built their rink ten area codes from downtown in the nations capital (take notice Ice Edge in Phoenix), every ticket has been sold to every game played in the Canadian NHL cities - Every one of them – for 4 years.

Impressive indeed.

Unfortunately there seems to be two NHLs right now when it comes to attendance – the north, and the south.

We predominantly travel through the southern swath of the league and witnessing half filled arenas is becoming the norm – and not just in the desert.

Conversely, check out a northern location along the 30 team circuit and it is jammed with spectators. (Detroit is an exception but there are economic issues at play there.)

The league just came out with a presser that trumpeted strong attendance levels, record levels I believe. And those figures are no doubt correct but they ignore the split that those who travel outside of the frozen north, northeast US, and metro New York areas see forming.

The NHL has a cash cow in Canada (or is that a moose? A cow moose then) and they are reaping the benefits from the renaissances going on in Chicago, Boston, Washington, and Pittsburgh, However, the games are drawing flies in Florida, Atlanta, Nashville and a smattering of other so called “non-traditional” markets.

Why?

I have a three-prong theory:

1. Lack of decent teams and playoff success in southern markets
2. Lack of disposable income for Joe Fan, and lack of corporate entertainment money from companies. (Football wins until January)
3. Lack of time within broadcasts to explain and teach the game to those who didn’t grow up on it, along with poor local community involvement/marketing/awareness of the players.

Sure, every market can’t be Montreal, and every struggling southern team can’t pull up stakes and move to Ontario, but ignoring the needs of the teams closest to the equator as you go about toasting each other in heavy winter coats saying “look at the numbers”, that isn’t going to be very good in the long run either.

The last lockout was, amongst other things, about money and the stability of Canada’s teams. Maybe they should seriously contemplate a “Look-out” for the sagging South.