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[FUBAR McDangles]

There is certainly racism in professional hockey, and I say that as someone who truly believes that hockey is the greatest sport on Earth.

Don Cherry, someone who is often lauded as a Canadian national treasure, someone who gets 5 exclusive minutes of playtime every Saturday during the season, someone who has written multiple books and makes ridiculous amounts of money for his hockey insight, is one of the most racist and xenophobic people in sports media ever.

For many executives and other media types, there is a "Right Way" to play Hockey, and its basically only Canadians and some Americans that play it that way. Minorities and European players are constantly ripped by a vocal minority of press people for not playing hockey the right way.

PK Subban, a top-10 defender in the NHL, was just traded after donating literally millions of dollars to childrens hospitals, being a fan favorite, and making the team tons of money in revenue off jersey sales and media attention, was just traded for a declining white defender who was formerly a top-10 defender but is now closer to top-30. Subban was also left off the Canadian World Cup team for reasons unknown, even after multiple players pulled out due to injury.

A good chunk of the fans are racist. When that Caps player scored the game winning goal to eliminate Boston in the playoffs a couple years ago, the reaction on social media was insane. Wayne Simmomds talked a few months ago saying reception for minorities in some cities is very negative.

It is a small but vocal group that puts this bad spin on hockey, but they get far more attention than they should, especially in comparison to other sports. And quite frankly it pisses me off.

 

[Frimaire]

He said "Canada's pretty white." Which it is. Almost 90% of Canadians are considered "Not a visible minority." And that's Canada's term, not mine. I'm not Canadian, but those numbers compare with states in the US like Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana... and if you asked me, I'd say "Yeah, those states are pretty white."

This link says it's like 80% though?
76% if you're not counting first nations people.
Unless I'm reading that chart wrong...
Not saying that's not still a majority, but it's a lot less than 90%

 

[Messofanego]

China
Chinese Taipei
Hong Kong
India
Japan
Kazakhstan
North Korea
South Korea
Mexico
Mongolia
Qatar
Thailand
Turkey
UAE

Thats a quick list of a few members of the IIHF. There are quite a few more members from all over the world.

Didn't know these, thanks. Although apart from Mongolia and maybe Kazakhstan, these are all quite warm countries. Where would they train?

 

[capitalCORN]

Not speaking at all of the NHL but...
Hockey itself skews to the upper economic scale. Whether it's the sheer amount of cost (equipment, ice time...), or environmental conditions that best accommodate talent growth. It's no secret that most people in non-western nations (or people of colour within western countries) suffer in these conditions. Continue the cycle generation after generation, and you get a pretty homogeneous situation, which doesn't help bring people in due to lack of representation.

 

[HariKari]

Didn't know these, thanks. Although apart from Mongolia and maybe Kazakhstan, these are all quite warm countries. Where would they train?

On indoor sheets, like every place in the NHL that doesn't get winter ice.

 

[HackTheSlash]

I live in Northern Ontario. Hockey is pretty much a way of life here. Yes it is a "rich sport" to play and get involved in. And where i live there may be 10 black families. (Majority in my city are French/Canadian or Italian/Canadian)

I remember just a couple years ago how a couple fans in Detroit threw some bananas at Wayne Simmonds. But racism exists in the sport for sure. I would agree with FUBAR. Its a small vocal minority. But its there sadly.

Im not sure i believe however the Subban thing was driven by racism though. The coach in Montreal is known to be a twit and hard to get a long with. And i know there was a rift there.

I have to say though, i believe the sport s getting more diverse though. Im a season ticket holder for our OHL team. And i am seeing more and more ethnicity on the various teams that come through.

 

[Messofanego]

On indoor sheets, like every place in the NHL that doesn't get winter ice.

Ah, ok.

 

[entremet]

In the NBA they are called enforcers.

They're relics of the past these days though. The NBA got soft.

Draymond is one of the few.

 

[mdubs]

Your friend has no understanding of hockey at all OP. The part about the Subban trade is particularly silly as if the league conspired to put him on some random team. People are laughing at Montreal right now, and he is going to win a cup with Nashville.

 

[User 479360]

What teams and countries do these non-white people play for? Only ice hockey countries I'm seeing are Canada, USA, Russia, and European countries.

All around the world = North America & Northern Europe, predominantly white populations.

As mentioned above, there are a lot of other countries that play hockey and have competed in tournaments or relegation tournaments on the international level, including Japan.

The NHL also does not discriminate against people of ethnicity who are good enough and interested in playing professional hockey. Some examples include Kevin Weekes, Georges Laracque, Wayne Simmonds, to name a few.

Hockey isn't a sport that attracts as many minorities. Basketball and football seem to be more of a draw.

 

[SystemBug]

You're clearly not Canadian. I'm from a town called Brampton, outside of Toronto. Non-whites outnumber whites by 3/1.

Dude Brampton is not representative of all of Canada. There is fucking Georgetown right beside it. Look how white that place is

 

[CloudWolf]

In the Netherlands hockey is generally regarded as "that sport rich kids play". So, yes, it's a white man's game.

 

[highrider]

To me it is. I have no interest in hockey but I see many Capitals fans on the metro during the season. I've never seen a non-white person going to the game. That's out of thousands, so yeah. I always think about the old Nat X bit from SNL. We have not yet felt the need to dominate another sport.

 

[darscot]

Social economics is a huge part of it. You need financial support to go far in hockey and its only getting worse. It really sucks now with all the private hockey programs they have pulled all the talent out of minor hockey. If you can't afford to play there you playing against weaker competition.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

It's not about to takeover but plenty of black people watch hockey here. Probably the exception more than the rule. There is even a hockey rink in west philly that has an all black youth hockey team. was going to sign my son up.

Of the major sports, hockey is the most expensive to play correctly, it does not translate easily for most poor people. However as the urban economics landscape progresses (more money, same hood) you see things like Black Hockey evolve.

 

[Hari Seldon]

Social economics is a huge part of it. You need financial support to go far in hockey and its only getting worse. It really sucks now with all the private hockey programs they have pulled all the talent out of minor hockey. If you can't afford to play there you playing against weaker competition.

Yeah in America I don't think just playing regular high school hockey would be a viable path to the NHL. The level of competition is just too low unless you were in very specific parts of the country. Your family would have to pony up for one of those fancy private boarding schools which is out of the cost range for even middle class white families. This is unlike baseball, football, or basketball, where the level of public highschool competition is better than anywhere else in the world in that age range.

 

[Sheroking]

There is certainly racism in professional hockey, and I say that as someone who truly believes that hockey is the greatest sport on Earth.

Don Cherry, someone who is often lauded as a Canadian national treasure, someone who gets 5 exclusive minutes of playtime every Saturday during the season, someone who has written multiple books and makes ridiculous amounts of money for his hockey insight, is one of the most racist and xenophobic people in sports media ever.

For many executives and other media types, there is a "Right Way" to play Hockey, and its basically only Canadians and some Americans that play it that way. Minorities and European players are constantly ripped by a vocal minority of press people for not playing hockey the right way.

PK Subban, a top-10 defender in the NHL, was just traded after donating literally millions of dollars to childrens hospitals, being a fan favorite, and making the team tons of money in revenue off jersey sales and media attention, was just traded for a declining white defender who was formerly a top-10 defender but is now closer to top-30. Subban was also left off the Canadian World Cup team for reasons unknown, even after multiple players pulled out due to injury.

A good chunk of the fans are racist. When that Caps player scored the game winning goal to eliminate Boston in the playoffs a couple years ago, the reaction on social media was insane. Wayne Simmomds talked a few months ago saying reception for minorities in some cities is very negative.

It is a small but vocal group that puts this bad spin on hockey, but they get far more attention than they should, especially in comparison to other sports. And quite frankly it pisses me off.

I wouldn't put it past Cherry to also be a racist, but as far as I know, he's avoided any kind of race commentary. He's just a xenophobic jingoist. Maybe I'm wrong?

As for the Subban thing, he's very charitable but has always had a controversial personality. Not everyone agrees he's a top-10 defenseman or is better than Shea Weber now (and Shea Weber was at one point the BEST defenseman in the world, not merely top-10), and that trade has a very mixed reception at worst. I don't think you can put that, or his exclusion from Team Canada, onto racism based on the evidence.

Jarome Iginla had no trouble making that team several times.

 

[darscot]

Yeah in America I don't think just playing regular high school hockey would be a viable path to the NHL. The level of competition is just too low unless you were in very specific parts of the country. Your family would have to pony up for one of those fancy private boarding schools which is out of the cost range for even middle class white families. This is unlike baseball, football, or basketball, where the level of public highschool competition is better than anywhere else in the world in that age range.

It's the same in Canada, high school hockey teams are just for fun. You do get top players that play but they play for kicks. No one really cares who wins and there is no hitting. It basically just a place to get cheap ice.

 

[terrible]

It's a rich persons game most of all.

 

[Tabris]

well, hockey is largely a "canadian man's game"

and canada's pretty white.

Actually Canada has the most diverse city on the planet in Toronto. And Vancouver is close to, or over half asian demographics. Most of the urban population is quite diverse in Canada.

It's just not a sports that's been adopted by many of our immigrant populations except coming from Europe.

 

[darscot]

Jarome Iginla had no trouble making that team several times.

Its funny you mention Jarome I have wondered if his incredible legacy might have unintentionally hurt PK. Just such massive shoes to fill and Jarome is the definition of team player and sportsman (I'm a Canuck fan he fucking killed us). PK does have a history and I have no idea if it's justified but there is smoke, Team Canada is so selective, you really have to have the entire package. They think there is a chance you create ripples you're staying home. There is a long list of white players that people thought should make the team that didn't.

 

[3N16MA]

Actually Canada has the most diverse city on the planet in Toronto. And Vancouver is close to, or over half asian demographics. Most of the urban population is quite diverse in Canada.

It's just not a sports that's been adopted by many of our immigrant populations except coming from Europe.

Canada has some incrediblely diverse cities and greater Toronto and Vancouver have a very large minority population.

However 3/4 of the country is white. Not as high as some are making to be but Brampton, Toronto, Vancouver don't really represent Canada's demographics accurately.

 

[Represent.]

The game needs to expand more globally. Theres a "world cup" going on right now and theres like, 7-8 teams. And those teams are the same 7-8 teams as always. The fact that even the UK sucks/doesn't invest in hockey goes to show how VERY poorly the sport has been managed.

 

[Spinoff90]

Obviously more white people play it just like there are more colored people in basketball etc. But as somebody that grew up in Calgary with the Flames and Iginla it is hard to see the league is some racist out of control league that won't let colored men play too. Iginla is one of the most respected players in the history of the league from the media, players and fans around the league. The same can't be said for Subban who was long rumored to have locker room issues with other players etc. Much like Phaneuf when we traded him for an awful return not long removed from his Norris finalist season where he was considered one of if not the best young defender in the league. So saying the only reason he was traded is his skin color is a bit of a reach IMO. As for Team Canada at the WCH it isn't like he was the only omission either. I am sure most NHL fans would agree the likes of Letang and Giordano being left out over players like Bouwmeester makes little sense too. Or Kessel being left off the US roster. Not everybody can make it at the end of the day. Especially with Subban who is constantly said to be a bit of a loner. There is nothing wrong with that but in a short tournament where the team needs to find chemistry in a hurry being a bit of a loner might not be ideal to that.

Now are there racist players, fans, owners etc. You can bet on it but there are in all sports so it is hardly fair to just pinpoint hockey as a racist sport. There have been plenty of race or homophobic related controversies in sports in general unfortunately.

 

[DopeyFish]

The game needs to expand more globally. Theres a "world cup" going on right now and theres like, 7-8 teams. And those teams are the same 7-8 teams as always. The fact that even the UK sucks/doesn't invest in hockey goes to show how VERY poorly the sport has been managed.

This isn't the fault of the NHL.

There are leagues all over the place, but if countries do not invest in talent, they are unlikely to have talent.

UK is getting a team in the KHL and China just got one.

There's a potential high level Israeli hitting the draft in a couple years and a couple potential high level Japanese players a few years after that.

There hasn't been a major star from a true non hockey nation, yet. That is what hampers growth.

It is not cheap to do ground roots for this stuff if there isn't enough support from communities.

NHL has been pondering doing an NHL Europe, buuut the talent pool isn't deep enough on NA side... It's slowly getting there, though.

 

[~Devil Trigger~]

Hockey and Football(American) share the issue of expense and equipment.

but Football is played on land and almost any condition and casually everywhere.

Hockey needs a specific space and condition to be played even casually. I use to horse around with my cousins when i use to visit them in Montreal as a kid, playing around with hockey sticks in the yard, but its no where near the real thing.

Plus sports is largely cultural, history, being influenced by racial segregation, placed Hockey away from most onn-white/Europeans. So they got a longer way to go compare to other sports.

 

[malfcn]

The two biggest leagues in the US are in San Jose and Columbus. But there is cost, accessibility and culture.

The biggest problem is accessibility. That problem is rooted in cost, all around. Rinks are expensive to operate and maintain. Equipment is also expensive to purchase and maintain. And yearly insurance, and frequent league fees. Now factor all of that requires a team, and then teams.

In the 90s hockey was one of the fastest growing sports. That was due in part due to the rise is roller blades, helping roller hockey. I think the NHL tried to foster street and roller hockey to build the sport. That is also why they put some teams in 'questionable' markets.

For some reference, I play goalie. I'm a bit spoiled and do not have to pay league fees. But that is because of my investment in equipment. Quick run down: skates $350, leg pads $1600, jock $100, pants $250, chest $400, glove $450, blocker $350, helmet $400, stick $100, jersey $100, bag $100. Also tape and sharpening.

I am less familiar with player prices, but it's a bit overwhelming if you want to start out. Then there is yearly $50 insurance, and probably average $250 three times a year for leagues.

Spoiler

Plus beer fund.

 

[User 479360]

How'd I forget about Iginla, the GOAT?

 

[Represent.]

This isn't the fault of the NHL.

There are leagues all over the place, but if countries do not invest in talent, they are unlikely to have talent.

UK is getting a team in the KHL and China just got one.

There's a potential high level Israeli hitting the draft in a couple years and a couple potential high level Japanese players a few years after that.

There hasn't been a major star from a true non hockey nation, yet. That is what hampers growth.

It is not cheap to do ground roots for this stuff if there isn't enough support from communities.

Well thats good news, never knew about those countries getting a team in the KHL. Also never knew about the potential high level Japanese/Israeli draft picks. Names?

But still, thats a good start, but more needs to happen. The league could use a few more Subbans, even just personality wise.

 

[DopeyFish]

Well thats good news, never knew about those countries getting a team in the KHL. Also never knew about the potential high level Japanese/Israeli draft picks. Names?

But still, thats a good start, but more needs to happen. The league could use a few more Subbans, even just personality wise.

Aito Iguchi is the more talented of the 2 players from Japan, dont remember the other guys name lol

David Levin is the Israeli

 

[Cake Boss]

Social economics is a huge part of it. You need financial support to go far in hockey and its only getting worse. It really sucks now with all the private hockey programs they have pulled all the talent out of minor hockey. If you can't afford to play there you playing against weaker competition.

This.

The cost for hockey is getting worst and worst with these stupid schools. Classrooms on top of hockey rinks!! They just built one here in Ottawa.

 

[Mission]

How'd I forget about Iginla, the GOAT?

This is where I am going to go. Like others have said Hockey at the pro level is predominantly a rich person's game. Even in Canada there isn't much of a promotion system for kids who show talent from poorer communities.

On the other hand, Canada's reserves of Aboriginal (Indians to the USA folk) have very large participation; at least here in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The small town teams play against their teams at junior leagues and adult "fun" or amateur leagues. While those folks aren't necessarily poor there's no way so many of them are playing without some support and that means the game is actively being promoted there. So it's not only sold to whites.

Even in the small town where I spent my high school years I think there was one black family in town and they played all the sports including hockey and curling.

Even in the 70s in Toronto when my brother was big into hockey most of his friends were minorities and they were all friends through hockey. We were on the edges of Mississauga though so maybe getting into those areas where people saying there's an irregularly high number of "visible minorities".

 

[HyperCroutons]

Hockey may be predominantly white but it is almost solely geography. Ted Nolan, really pulling the race card, the guy did not get shunned for the color of his skin, there was a shit storm of rumors of him fucking a players wife. That is not going to go over well. I can't think of a single black hockey player that wasn't loved by his fans. Nashville may have got the better of Montreal but its not like the trade is not understandable in hockey. Your friend seems completely uninformed.

I think the rumor was Nolan was getting it 'on' with Hasek's wife but regardless if it was true or not he didn't get along with Hasek or the GM at the time. That probably hurt Nolan's chances at getting another coaching job in the NHL for a while but I think he was offered an extension to stay on as Sabres coach in the late 90s but he declined it.

But like everyone else has been saying playing hockey is expensive also its not as easy to play a pick up game like you could with basketball or football. It depends on the time of the year, the location you live in, and if you have access to a Ice rink. Also my old boss's son got drafted into the NHL and she was telling me the training and travelling he had to do to get there and its pretty intense.

 

[User 479360]

Hockey Night in Canada is now presented in Punjabi.

 

[Lyn]

I imagine things would be a lot different if it weren't such a difficult sport to gain access to.

The sports with a lot of diversity in them (basketball, football, baseball, etc) are ones that almost any child can play in their backyard, park, or in the street. The cost is no more than a ball to play with. Thus, children of all backgrounds grow attached to these sports, some with dreams to make it to the major leagues.

Hockey on the other hand is difficult as it requires access to an ice rink which is not very popular outside of large cities, at least where I am. I grew up in a small southern town in Texas. The nearest ice rink at the time was well over an hour away. I always wanted to try it but I simply never got the chance. Even in my 30's I have never set foot on ice. It is just too much hassle to get to, unlike other sports where I can just hop right outside the door, head to the nearest park, and play with friends.

I don't really follow hockey outside of when Houston had a minor league team (woo Aeros!), so I can't really comment on the specific culture related to it. I can imagine racism does exist there, but I also imagine the sport would be a lot different if it were more accessible to children in poor and rural areas. Then you would have more people wanting to get in and pushing for change.

 

[lightskintwin]

It's funny at the posts in this thread when historians have found that the innovations that created the game today was pioneered by the descendents of African American Slaves in Nova Scotia.

The slapshot was created by Blacks.

Black Ice - CHL Colored Hockey League, Nova Scotia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coloured_Hockey_League

The Real Roots of Hockey

 

[jello44]

There is certainly racism in professional hockey, and I say that as someone who truly believes that hockey is the greatest sport on Earth.

Don Cherry, someone who is often lauded as a Canadian national treasure, someone who gets 5 exclusive minutes of playtime every Saturday during the season, someone who has written multiple books and makes ridiculous amounts of money for his hockey insight, is one of the most racist and xenophobic people in sports media ever.

For many executives and other media types, there is a "Right Way" to play Hockey, and its basically only Canadians and some Americans that play it that way. Minorities and European players are constantly ripped by a vocal minority of press people for not playing hockey the right way.

PK Subban, a top-10 defender in the NHL, was just traded after donating literally millions of dollars to childrens hospitals, being a fan favorite, and making the team tons of money in revenue off jersey sales and media attention, was just traded for a declining white defender who was formerly a top-10 defender but is now closer to top-30. Subban was also left off the Canadian World Cup team for reasons unknown, even after multiple players pulled out due to injury.

A good chunk of the fans are racist. When that Caps player scored the game winning goal to eliminate Boston in the playoffs a couple years ago, the reaction on social media was insane. Wayne Simmomds talked a few months ago saying reception for minorities in some cities is very negative.

It is a small but vocal group that puts this bad spin on hockey, but they get far more attention than they should, especially in comparison to other sports. And quite frankly it pisses me off.

Don Cherry is a flaming douchebag.

Also, Simmonds had a banana thrown in his direction during a preseason game in London, Ontario.

It's not about to takeover but plenty of black people watch hockey here. Probably the exception more than the rule. There is even a hockey rink in west philly that has an all black youth hockey team. was going to sign my son up.

Of the major sports, hockey is the most expensive to play correctly, it does not translate easily for most poor people. However as the urban economics landscape progresses (more money, same hood) you see things like Black Hockey evolve.

This is thanks to Ed Snyder, dude loved the game of hockey and wanted to give everyone a chance to play.

 

[lightskintwin]

Nova Scotia is considered the place of origin of modern ice hockey. The quantity of natural ponds ideal for skating, combined with the British gaming tradition helped facilitate the geographic and social conditions necessary for the development and creation of the game now known as Canadian hockey.

The roots of Canadian hockey originated with the North American Indians but early African-Canadian players also helped shape the sport. By the mid-1890s, in an era when many believed blacks could not endure the cold, these African-Canadian athletes defied myths and developed a revolutionary style of hockey that was fast moving, tough, acrobatic, exciting, and entertaining.

During the late 1890s games between black club teams in Nova Scotian towns and cities were arranged by formal invitation. By 1900, however, the Coloured Hockey League of the Maritimes was created and was headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The Colored Hockey League produced players and athletes comparable to any in Canada. These Black Nova Scotians changed this winter game from the primitive "gentleman's past-time" of the nineteenth century to the modern fast moving game of today. Led by skilled and educated leadership, the Coloured League emerged as a premier force in Canadian hockey and supplied the resilience necessary to preserve a unique sports culture that still exists. Unfortunately, their contributions were ignored as hockey players copied elements of the black style and often took credit for black hockey innovations.

Some of these innovations important to the modern game of ice hockey included the "slap-shot" and the practice of goalies going down on the ice in order to stop the puck. Despite these and other important contributions to today's game of hockey, there are no monuments to the Coloured Hockey League of the Maritimes.

Although the League continued to be prominent until the mid-1920s, racism, World War I, and dramatic changes in the Nova Scotian economy all played a part in the League's demise. Nonetheless the Coloured Hockey League of the Maritimes changed the way hockey was seen and played in early Canada.

http://www.blackpast.org/gah/coloured-hockey-league-maritimes-1890s-1920s

 

[Boudica]

I wouldn't put it past Cherry to also be a racist, but as far as I know, he's avoided any kind of race commentary. He's just a xenophobic jingoist. Maybe I'm wrong?

As for the Subban thing, he's very charitable but has always had a controversial personality. Not everyone agrees he's a top-10 defenseman or is better than Shea Weber now (and Shea Weber was at one point the BEST defenseman in the world, not merely top-10), and that trade has a very mixed reception at worst. I don't think you can put that, or his exclusion from Team Canada, onto racism based on the evidence.

Jarome Iginla had no trouble making that team several times.

It doesn't matter what they agree on, the stats prove that he is. People were complaining about how celebrates for crying out loud, and yet no one gave a flying fuck when Jagr salutes or other classic play celebrations. Let's not forget how he was being booed in many arenas across the league, in cities the Habs had no fucking rivalry with. There were players who were constantly punished for illegal plays who never received the same treatment Subban did. Fuck the Habs for trading Subban, fuck Therrien, and fuck that lying sleazeball Bergevin.

 

[MrCunningham]

You're clearly not Canadian. I'm from a town called Brampton, outside of Toronto. Non-whites outnumber whites by 3/1.

I wouldn't say that the ratio is 3/1 where I live, but the first nations do make up about 30% of the population. One of the most famous NHL players to come out of my town (not born here, but lived here in his youth and played local hockey) in recent years is Carey Price who is first nation and has two Olympic gold medals for Canada. A lot of first nation kids here wear Montreal Canadian jersey's because of him, and I live in British Columbia.

But yeah, Hockey is still mostly dominated by white people. No surprise since most of the players come out of Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland and such. Of course American's too.

 

[KurtSloane]

From that perspective, is NBA a black man's game?

Seems to be an overrepresentation in comparison to US population demographics.

Are there any move to get more white kids involved? Or Hispanic kids?

 

[Giant Robot]

The two biggest leagues in the US are in San Jose and Columbus. But there is cost, accessibility and culture.

The biggest problem is accessibility. That problem is rooted in cost, all around. Rinks are expensive to operate and maintain. Equipment is also expensive to purchase and maintain. And yearly insurance, and frequent league fees. Now factor all of that requires a team, and then teams.

In the 90s hockey was one of the fastest growing sports. That was due in part due to the rise is roller blades, helping roller hockey. I think the NHL tried to foster street and roller hockey to build the sport. That is also why they put some teams in 'questionable' markets.

For some reference, I play goalie. I'm a bit spoiled and do not have to pay league fees. But that is because of my investment in equipment. Quick run down: skates $350, leg pads $1600, jock $100, pants $250, chest $400, glove $450, blocker $350, helmet $400, stick $100, jersey $100, bag $100. Also tape and sharpening.

I am less familiar with player prices, but it's a bit overwhelming if you want to start out. Then there is yearly $50 insurance, and probably average $250 three times a year for leagues.

Spoiler

Plus beer fund.

For reference this is how much it is to play in a BEER league at San Jose Ice:
Winter Season: 24-26 games = $10,000/team (~15 skaters)
Summer Season: 16-18 games = $7,500/team (~15 skaters)

There's an insane amount of teams at San Jose Ice during any season, something 182 teams.

I can't imagine what real development hockey camps for kids cost.

 

[mdubs]

The game needs to expand more globally. Theres a "world cup" going on right now and theres like, 7-8 teams. And those teams are the same 7-8 teams as always. The fact that even the UK sucks/doesn't invest in hockey goes to show how VERY poorly the sport has been managed.

I suggest that you do some more research on this before commenting - the World Cup is run by the NHL, not the International Ice Hockey Federation. The IIHF puts on a World Championship each year, which is not watched widely at all by many hockey fans because it isn't best on best and nobody here particularly cares about the result.

Hockey is not comparable in the way that it functions internationally to the the international status of other sports - the IIHF gets pushed around (rightly imo) by the NHL. The IIHF may gets some power in some pie in the sky scenario where another league emerges that can even get close to the level of play and popularity that the NHL has right now. The NHL isn't going to fly to London or wherever you want them to go to build rinks and stuff. The sport needs to catch on first, or infrastructure needs to be provided by government or wherever. Who pays for the rinks? The NHL certainly isn't going to, and I'm sure Hockey UK or whoever doesn't have the cash for that. So please think about these things before you say that hockey has been managed poorly - there are demographic realities in play here particularly when the expenses of hockey infrastructure have to compete against other much more popular sports for fans and funding.

 

[User 479360]

The World Championship the IIHF runs is really weird. Having a team made up of the odd NHLer (who's been beaten out of the playoffs) and a lot of Canadians who play in the Swiss League/weren't good enough to make the NHL doesn't interest me a ton. Especially when they're mostly playing against Swiss pro teams.

I love the Olympics, and am liking the World Cup, although it's not the same. It's best on best, though, and that's necessary.

 

[shintoki]

The vast majority of players in the country come up the upper Midwest or upper Eastcoast.

Think about it like this, there are more players in the League from Alaska than Texas.

 

[uncelestial]

You're clearly not Canadian. I'm from a town called Brampton, outside of Toronto. Non-whites outnumber whites by 3/1.

Uhhh, anyway, Canada is 80% white.

 

[grumble]

I don't know about any institutional racism in hockey, but because of the cost of the sport, it's unpopularity in most urban areas, and that the sport has always been most popular in colder countries that incidentally have whiter populations, it's become a white sport.



That guy is totally wrong. Hockey goon has nothing to do with the loaded term 'thug.' A goon is any hockey player whose job it is to lay some big hits, but really isn't a good hockey player. It's not even about fighting really.

Also, a WWF Jobber, the Goon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inrl4MPddFk



He said "Canada's pretty white." Which it is. Almost 90% of Canadians are considered "Not a visible minority." And that's Canada's term, not mine. I'm not Canadian, but those numbers compare with states in the US like Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana... and if you asked me, I'd say "Yeah, those states are pretty white."

That link shows the white population as of 2011 to be 76% of the population, not almost 90%, and the trend is changing fast enough that 2016 data would be quite different.

 

[toweringinferno]

From that perspective, is NBA a black man's game?

Seems to be an overrepresentation in comparison to US population demographics.

Are there any move to get more white kids involved? Or Hispanic kids?

This doesn't make any sense.

 

[Tabris]

Uhhh, anyway, Canada is 80% white.

Yeah, rural Canada keeps that number way too high. Urban centres are the most culturally diverse in the world though, well Toronto at least. Vancouver isn't as diverse due to mainly being Asian demographics. I believe Han Chinese will soon become the majority demographic in Vancouver over the next 10 years.

Vancouver is the most 'Asian' city outside Asia article.

Forty-three per cent of Metro Vancouver residents have an Asian heritage. The only major cities outside Asia that come close to Metro Vancouver for their portion of residents with Asian backgrounds are San Francisco (33 per cent Asian), London, England (21 per cent), Metro Toronto (35 per cent), Calgary (23 per cent) and Sydney, Australia (19 per cent). We look at the ramifications.

Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of Rural Canada. I'm always proud of my country, but a lot less proud when rural Canada comes up as that tends to be the source of a lot of our racism, anti-immigration, homophobic, etc speech. We all have a good time with Don Cherry and his "good ol' Canadian boy" talk because he's a senile old man, but that's the shit that keeps immigrants from playing hockey.

I mean I guess that's the same everywhere between rural and urban communities as shown in #Brexit between London and rural UK. It's weird that they would be so focused on anti-immigration in Rural Canada, when as you say the demographics aren't there. Immigrants aren't moving into Rural Canada, they are moving to Vancouver and Toronto.

EDIT - Oh, and another part of the equation is a lot less people play hockey in urban areas due to other activities, while it's a lot more common in rural Canada because there tends to be less activities to do.

 

[User Name Here]

All the people who want to play profeasionally, but can't play in the NHL should just make their own league.