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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The National Hockey League hit the jackpot with the popular buzz around the Canada vs USA 4 Nations Face-Off final won by Team Canada, 3-2, in Boston Thursday night.
Layer on President Donald Trump’s crack about Canada being the 51st state of the United States and you had some extra political drama thrown into the four-team exhibition tournament that also included Finland and Sweden.
The nationalism at work in the U.S. was fuel for the NHL’s mid-season break games that replaced the All-Star Game festivities that even made a pitstop in Las Vegas, which hosted the All-Star action in 2022.
The NFL and NBA All-Star Games have become boring and irrelevant without players buying into the exhibition.
But the NHL 4 Nations’ two games between the United States and Canada reversed the all-star doldrums thanks to the national pride at work.
But will this NHL event spark an increase in hockey business in the United States? People who typically don’t follow the NHL perhaps focused attention on the U.S.-Canada games, but will they spend money to attend NHL games and watch the product on TV? There will probably be a small spike, but nothing transformational.
The NHL still needs to work on appealing to fans of color and reach demographic bases that do not consume the hockey product.