Hockey should be the most popular sport in America. There is constant action, the atmosphere is always energetic and an average game lasts no more than three hours.
However, hockey is the least popular among the four major North American sports; and then some. The rules, pace of play and involvement are all hurdles for new fans to grasp. These challenges make hockey a difficult sport to become a fan of.
Of course, football will always trump other sports, but when comparing hockey and basketball, it is puzzling why these two sports are not similar in popularity. Both sports play 82 games in a season, they start in the middle of October and they have similar playoff formats.
So, why is hockey not on the same level as basketball?
For one, the game might be too quick. There are 10 men, not including the goalies, on the ice at a time, skating around 15 miles per hour, circling a 3-inch rubber puck.
The best players move around like blurs on the TV, exceeding 25 miles per hour. Does the TV have a one-half speed setting?
If the eyes can not keep up, the bank account won’t keep up either. The cost to play is the highest in the U.S. among all childhood sports with annual costs slightly below $2,600. Equipment, travel and tournaments all add to the very steep cost of playing hockey in the U.S.
Hockey was not always foreign to Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley. In the early 2000s, the valley had three minor league hockey teams in the ECHL (formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League): the Stockton Thunder, the Bakersfield Condors, and the Fresno Falcons. Only the Condors remain and are now the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate for the Edmonton Oilers in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Of course, California has had its three main NHL teams since 1993, but NHL games are hard and expensive to attend. For a group of four in 2022, the average cost of attending an NHL game was $462.58, second only to a National Football League game.
All three California teams are about three-hour drives away from Fresno, so, why not experience free collegiate hockey in Fresno?
Fresno State brought high-level hockey back to the valley two years ago.
Fresno State brought back its hockey program after a four-year break. Many clubs were forced to stop operations due to COVID. In 2023, Bulldog hockey returned to the valley.
As part of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), the Bulldogs wrapped up their second season on March 2, at Gateway Ice Center. While it is not perfect hockey, the Bulldogs are bringing hockey culture back to the valley.
The Bulldogs might be invoiced for some WD-40, based on how many penalties they took, but the level that the Bulldogs play at is perfect for a new fan to start to understand the game. It is slow enough for fans to follow the action, but it allows for the skill players to make eye-popping plays that stick with a fan.
In their final game, the Bulldogs showed new fans everything that can be exciting in a hockey game: fights, big hits, silky-smooth goals and, most importantly, a Bulldog win that solidified a successful end to the Bulldogs’ campaign.
Even though the club is still in its infancy, the program looks forward to returning to the ice next season.
“We just want to build our numbers, be a competitive team and continue to win,” said forward Landon Welch.
Bringing the sport back to life in Fresno and the valley is crucial for the sport as a whole. It is a forgotten market that has plenty of potential fans who are eager to experience college hockey and beyond.