If anything, the NBA and NHL regular seasons are too long. A 50 game regular season plus playoffs would be ideal, IMO. I don't really start following hockey until January of a season, But, like you said, if the teams keep selling tickets like they do, there's no reason for them to change their respective formats in those leagues.
Exactly ... you hear the vocal minority claiming things, but the actuality shows that either they're wrong OR people honestly don't give a shit
I'm sure the NBA/NHL do tons of market research to make sure they're optimizing their revenue when it comes to number of games played. They know much more about what the fans want than the vocal minority in the interwebz.
Ah - thank you! That is interesting - what is a knickerbocker? I've heard of the ice cream, is a knickerbocker something particular or just a word make up to describe New Yorker's?
Diedrich Knickerbocker was a character in the stories of Washington Irving written in the early 1800s about the colonial period. The character was a stereotypical Dutch settler in the New York area. It was later applied to the Dutch settlers in general and then became a name for the trousers that they wore. It widened its usage into New Yorkers in general. It was also shortened into knickers for a lady's undergarment.
BTW. I had to look up the ice cream. I've never heard of a knickerbocker glory. Apparently invented in honor of the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City but it would be known as a parfait in the U.S. Apparently it appears in the Harry Potter books but I must have just glossed over it not knowing what they were talking about.
Knickerbocker Glory is a name I remember from my childhood in England. Going to say it was frequently used back then (the 60's!), especially at more "up market" cafes, but I've no idea whether it's still in common use.
Yeah I don't like that it changes for each round. Also weird that it's a best of three at the start and becomes single elimination later. Which is the reverse of what American's are used to. Also don't like that it's potentially three matches reduces the drama and immediacy. And absolutely HATE that there aren't draws. My initial reaction is that it will reward the counter attack bunkering teams. Personally would love a single elimination format with 8-12 teams. Or, not to get to much "You be the Don", but I have always wondered if a two leg tie would work, but with the first tie breaker (after extra time in the second) being the higher seed. So essentially the higher seed starts the tie with a 1/2 goal advantage and I realize that some clubs would have nothing to play for by mid August, if only there were a system that kept bottom of the league clubs relevant until the end... Humm i think that's pretty subjective, the NBA only changes the format once, and doesn't change the rules for overtime over different rounds. And they are the top basketball league in the world with global superstars. That probably has more to do with the NBA's success than the playoff format
There were a few names like that in American/Canadian sports. The Brooklyn Dodgers got their name from how the residents of that borough were known for dodging around streetcars. The Montreal Canadiens are also nicknamed the "Habs", which is short for "Les Habitants", which was the name for the early settlers of New France. In college sports, you have quite a few teams named after the residents of their states, such as Buckeyes, Hoosiers, Sooners etc.
They know how to maximize their revenues, not what their fans want. Hockey fans bitch about the overly long regular season all the time, and casual fans all the time talk about how they don’t watch until the playoffs.
Speaking of way too long regular seasons....MLB. 162 games??? After opening day, who pays much attention until the All Star break? So many meaningless games. If any league would benefit from a shortened regular season or a format change it's MLB. MLS' bigger issue IMO is far too many coaches not going for the win in every game. As an example, west coast teams traveling east tend to rest players and end up going for a draw and vice versa. Even with wins being a first tie breaker, it still boggles my mind how many teams play for the "road point" in a league where there is no relegation.
162 is long, but is it too long? I don't know. Baseball is a game in which the lucky breaks can enable the worst MLB team to beat the best MLB team. They need a long season in order to establish who really is the best, not just the luckiest. Those early-season games don't seem meaningless to a team that is already 15 games out of first place by August.
One thing it says is that managers, clubs, fans are very much motivated to make the playoffs. esp in a season like the one coming, where only 11 clubs won't make the playoffs. It's embarassing not to, and clubs like to avoid embarassment, and making the playoffs is seen as a certain level of success, and they also like to give the appearance of success.
Sure, some fans complain about the format. But, NHL stadiums are pretty full, and the league signed its biggest media deal ever. The league seems to be giving the (majority) of the fans what they want. The type of fan who posts complaints on the internet isn’t representative of the fan base in general, IMO.
The same can be said of soccer too...... Also with 162 games that doesn't leave any time for rest and recovery which contributes to the unlucky/luck part of the game......
I don't know how much rest and recovery they need from games. Some years ago, a chubby MLB first baseman named John Kruk wrote an autobiography that he titled: "I Ain't No Athlete, Lady. I'm a Ballplayer." The amount of physical exertion in baseball is minimal compared to soccer.
For the record, none of the complaints are from the internet. They’re all from hockey fan friends, other friends, and bar talk. I’m not saying that’s better, but just setting the record straight. For sure, a large number of games means a non-fan like me gets to go because season ticket holders end up giving their tickets away, but no fan I’ve spoken with thinks it wouldn’t be a little better with less games. Baseball goes back to my original point, which is that sports execs know how to maximize revenues, but are not in the business of growing the game, or even their league long term. In my life time, MLB revenues have grown while MLB has lost its prominence in the culture. Baseball people I know, mostly youth baseball and softball, parents and coaches, are not happy about that. A lot of gray hair at MLB, I would not invest in that stock. Although, to be sure, when I watch a decent high school team, I’m reminded it is a good game. But MLB, with so many games and thus so low stakes, the slow pace and the constant advertising, no thanks.
mls is very boring league with out pro/rel. it is so anty climatic is crazy. watching mls watching is for sole purpose of hoping to see great game but skill level and excitement is nil.i mean people around the world watch football for exitment of battle for chmpionship or relegation and how will last few rounds go and all the calculations of what this team needs to do what this team needs to do. in mls this excitement is non existent because even bottom team does not have to anything if they fill like it. who can watch a league where players in last place or two above laast have no urgency or fight but are just costing it
Yeah, MLS is so boring it ranks in the top 10 worldwide in attendance. I guess people in the US are just bored, have too much money and decide to spend their money and time on watching a boring league. Too bad we don't have other more popular sports/leagues such as the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, college sports just like the rest of the world has so people won't be so bored here and go to those other sports which are more entertaining. If only we could be like the rest of the world. But nah, we are stuck with a boring ass soccer league as our only option of sports entertainment.
You wouldn't happen to know what the stats are for total attendance, top 3 divisions, across all countries? Like does total US attendance suffer below MLS while countries with more integrated league structures move up in the rankings. I'm thinking England still tops the list...
I was speaking to the fact that the NBA lets more teams into the playoffs than MLS, and people still flock to it (and that there's a tinker in it as well).
Yep they do. It's also the top basketball league in the world. So if you want to see the best basketball players you watch the NBA regardless of the playoff system.