A few comments and reasons here. Hockey isnt a sport that is widely played because there is a sizable financial barrier upon entry. Just to play roller hockey you are looking at $100+ for skates and a stick(I would never suggest just these 2 but it is all you really need for entry). Ice hockey infinitely more expensive. Full set of USED gear will run at least $400. Ice time for me is anywhere between $10 and $20 for 1-2 hours of ice. Leagues can run $500 for 20ish games(covers jerseys, insurance, ice, refs). It is stupid expensive.
Its harder to pick up and play then any other sport out there. Anyone can shoot a basketball, swing a bat(at an easy pitch or tee), kick a soccer ball or run with a football. Skating is %90 of the difficulty of the game, its tough to be a competent skater much less a good skater. Shooting a puck, actually lifting it off the ground, is tough. Ive been working on a slapshot for the better part of a year and still have %0 accuracy. Its a tough game to play and expensive.
Depending on where you live you will not be able to play at all. Every town has a field for foot/base/futbol and basketball courts. Ice rinks are rare and expensive and roller rinks/surfaces are even more rare. The more people that play the larger your audience will be.
On the ESPN thing. ESPN has buried NHL coverage since they had a deal in place to show NHL, but it got swiped from them by NBC. They have been bitter since. Less overall coverage = less viewers.
Getting an XBOX One for me is like being in a bad relationship but staying together because we have kids. XBone we have 20000+ achievement points, 2+ years of XBL Gold and 20000+ MS points. I think its best we stay together if only for the MS points.
Nintendo Treehouse is what happens when a publisher is confident and proud of its games and doesn't need to show CGI lies for five minutes.
-Jim Sterling
