If you think the Blackhawks are "small potatoes" to any team in Chicago, you're out of your mind. Hockey isn't the most popular sport in the city, but it's pretty damn popular.

And comparing TV ratings of the NFL compared to anything is silly when they only play 16 games a year.

(10-10-2013 08:28 AM)7 Wrote:  If you think the Blackhawks are "small potatoes" to any team in Chicago, you're out of your mind. Hockey isn't the most popular sport in the city, but it's pretty damn popular.

And comparing TV ratings of the NFL compared to anything is silly when they only play 16 games a year.

All he originally said is that it's not the most popular, which even you agree with. You're overreacting.

That's not "all" he said. He clearly doesn't like hockey and was taking a shot at it.

(10-10-2013 08:31 AM)7 Wrote:  That's not "all" he said. He clearly doesn't like hockey and was taking a shot at it.

What he said was true though.. just because you apparently don't like that truth, doesn't change that.

They had a 30.2 this year for the Game 6 clincher and this is the prior years:
WMAQ-Ch. 5's coverage of Hawks' 4-3 victory over the Flyers on Wednesday averaged a 32.8 household rating

63.1 household rating for the Bears' 1986 Super Bowl XX victory over the New England Patriots on WMAQ- Ch. 5.
53.1 household rating for the Bulls' 1997 NBA title clincher against the Utah Jazz on WMAQ-Ch. 5.
52.1 household rating for Bulls 1998 NBA title clincher -- and Michael Jordan's final game for Chicago -- against the Utah Jazz on WMAQ-Ch. 5.
50.2 household rating for the Bears' 2007 Super Bowl XLI loss to the Indianapolis Colts on WBBM-Ch. 2.
47.1 household rating for the Cubs' loss to the Florida Marlins in the decisive Game 7 of the 2003 National League Championship Series on WFLD-Ch. 32.
42.0 household rating for the White Sox decisive Game 4 victory over the Houston Astros in 2005 World Series on WFLD-Ch. 32.

Hell, they're even behind the White Sox.. the city's second fiddle baseball team.

Hockey has come a really long way in the city, I'm a huge fan, but I'm also a huge NIU fan, and I'm not going to try to argue we're more popular in Chicago than Notre Dame.

To imply hockey isn't popular is absolutely untrue, especially in Chicago.

(10-10-2013 08:37 AM)7 Wrote:  To imply hockey isn't popular is absolutely untrue, especially in Chicago.

He didn't say it's not popular. He said it's not the most popular sport in Chicago. Which clearly is absolutely true. You're going MaddDawgz on us here, looking for a reason to be insulted when there isn't one. He really wasn't very negative about hockey at all, two sentences total about the sport, that were both true statements. I don't know why you're overreacting so much.

Even when they've won two Stanley Cups in 4 years, the numbers speak for themselves.

TV ratings are down across the board though. With the exception of Yankees/Phillies the last like 7 World Series have been the lowest rated World Series in history.

Look at the numebrs you posted, with the exception of Bears/Colts in chronilogical order.

(10-10-2013 08:46 AM)7 Wrote:  TV ratings are down across the board though. With the exception of Yankees/Phillies the last like 7 World Series have been the lowest rated World Series in history.

Look at the numebrs you posted, with the exception of Bears/Colts in chronilogical order.

The Cubs game wasn't even a World Series game, and the Sox game was recent enough to make the comparison revelant, against the Houston Astros, quite possibly the worst World Series matchup in 20 years and it still was a huge gap.

The Hawks aren't even close. And they've won twice in four years, been very competitive in the other years. Hockey simply isn't as popular as the other big sports yet.

The Bears in a super bowl would still blow the Hawks out of the water, and I would bet good money the Bulls in the NBA finals still wipe the floor with the Hawks. And this comes from a guy who would much rather watch the Hawks than Bulls. I'd imagine the Hawks are now settled in above the Sox, but below the big 3. Of course the Sox world series numbers suggest the Hawks might still even be below them.

The Bears in the Super Bowl will blow anyone out of the water.

Hockey is popular, it's nowhere close to the popularity of the other sports, two of those teams are awful.

The blackhawks are the exact definition of a bandwagon team, please indulge me if you think otherwise.

Not saying they are small potatoes, but relatively they have a long way to go.

Everyone loves the Bears, almost to nasium, you can't listen to sports radio without hearing about what Cutler had for dinner or some nonsense. And I'm a Bears fan.

The Bulls are an international favorite, thanks Michael Jordan.

The Cubs are one of the most loved franchises in the country and they suck. I still love them.

White Sox have a good following within the state.

If the Blackhawks play slides, which I don't anticipate, the bandwagon will slow. I'm curious how long the ride lasts.

Hello boys.....to clarify, I did take a dig at hockey, but only because I thought someone was implying it was the most popular sport in Chicago...and that is just sillyness

Of course hockey has gained prominence in Chicago piggybacking off the 2 cups won in recent years....i'm not daft, it's even getting radio airtime, which in 2008 was unheard of! I just think you have to take a larger sample size than say 5 years...and in that case, its clear Bears, then likely Bulls, Cubs, Hawks, Wolves, Sky, Sting.....then of course dead last, my beloved White Sox

Hockey is still behind football, basketball and baseball, and probably always will be.

(10-10-2013 09:12 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  Hockey is still behind football, basketball and baseball, and probably always will be.

Football will gradually drop in popularity. With the rule changes and injuries and liabilities, it will be two hand touch before long. Big hits will be a thing of the past.

(10-10-2013 09:40 AM)klake87 Wrote:  

(10-10-2013 09:12 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  Hockey is still behind football, basketball and baseball, and probably always will be.

Football will gradually drop in popularity. With the rule changes and injuries and liabilities, it will be two hand touch before long. Big hits will be a thing of the past.

It will still be ahead of hockey.

If you missed this on Saturday, Laurence with a nice "make-good" for the broadcast:

Laurence Holmes‏@LaurenceWHolmes12 Oct
Hey NIU fans not only will I have the highlights this week @nbcchicago, they're leading our college football segment tune in at 10:18 #NBC5

Crazy number kinda going with the discussion...

Around the same amount of people watched game 3 of the Blackhawks Redwings playoff series as did watch the NIU/Kent St MAC Championship.

2 million more people watched NIU/FSU in the Orange Bowl than the cup clinching game for the Blackhawks this past year.

(10-15-2013 08:47 AM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  If you missed this on Saturday, Laurence with a nice "make-good" for the broadcast:

Laurence Holmes‏@LaurenceWHolmes12 Oct
Hey NIU fans not only will I have the highlights this week @nbcchicago, they're leading our college football segment tune in at 10:18 #NBC5

I watched it because of him. It was nice but nothing special...though we had so few highlights you couldn't do much more.