Is ice hockey participation way up?

A-ha! So here are the 2009 numbers from the National Sporting Goods Assn. on sports participation -- which shows a 60 percent increase in ice hockey participation over 2008, according to this report.

And here's the latest 10-year trends:

 

I have no idea why hockey participation numbers would surge 60 percent in one year. My best guess is that the survey the last few years either was flawed or incomplete. 

What remains interesting -- and as I wrote last year -- is that ice hockey still lags behind sports such as muzzle loading, paintball and kick boxing. All three of those, I might add, make hockey look like a downright intellectual pursuit. 

Muzzle loading is for dummies who can't get their thrills out of modern firearms, paintball is for those who wish they could shoot someone legally and kick boxing is for those who are already brain damaged and would like to become more so. 

If I missed the story, please email me or leave a comment if you know why hockey participation has increased. Don't get me wrong -- I'd love to see the sport expand so there are more opportunities for everyone to play. I just don't see the numbers exploding at my local rink in Pasadena, which by the way is threatened with closure because the dumb-ass City Council doesn't think many people like to skate or play hockey. 

--S.H.

Some interesting stats on hockey participation

Just found this short FAQ on the National Sporting Goods Assn. website. This is an excerpt -- visit the site to read the whole thing:

Frequently Asked Questions about Hockey

Is hockey primarily a youth sport?

In 2009, the largest single age group playing hockey was 35-44 year olds, followed by 12-17 year olds.

How expensive is hockey?

Approximately 85% of all hockey players come from households with income of $50K or more.  Almost 30% come from households with $100K or more incomes.

Do girls/women play hockey?

Definitely.  And their numbers are on the rise.  In 2009, femals represented more than 27% of all hockey players.  In 1987, only 7.5% of the hockey players were female.  Almost half of the female hockey players in 2009 were of the pee-wee variety, 7-11 year olds.

I need to dig around to find some more detailed numbers, but it strikes me as kind of weird that there are more middle-age adults playing the sport than kids. If I was in the ice rink or hockey business, that would concern me.

--S.H.

Ice hockey: almost as popular as muzzleloading!

With the NHL playoffs in full swing, there's been a spate of media stories about interest in the sport. Exactly how much interest depends on who your listening to.

If, for example, you're listening to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, the "metrics" for pro hockey are good and improving -- and all is well in the land of pro hockey. 

If you're CBS Sports columnist Mike Freeman, there's something that doesn't smell right about a major league sport getting beaten regularly in the television ratings by reruns of "Homeboys in Outer Space."

My view: the TV ratings are a reflection of a deeper problem. No one plays ice hockey. Or those of us who do are freaks -- just 1.9 % of the population.

Take a look below. Dart throwing is more popular than ice hockey. So is loading up a muzzle and blowing the dickens out of something.

Where the hell do you get a muzzle? The pilgrim store? And don't those things blow up in your face?

The following charts are taken from the National Sporting Goods Assn. website. The gist of it: the as the nation's population keeps growing, fewer people are playing ice hockey.

Why does this matter?

If you want to create a fan base, I think you need people to play your sport. Granted, ice hockey will never be as easy to play as going to the local park to hit a softball or shoot some hoops. But most major metro areas do have rinks and all the guys I know who have started playing hockey in middle age remind of Edward Norton in "Fight Club" -- they've found what was missing.

So if I was a pro hockey executive, I'd be scanning the statistics below and perhaps not concern myself with the latest T-shirt toss or strobe light display. I'd be dialing up the local rink, asking the following question: "How do I get more of my fans playing the sport and spreading the gospel of ice hockey?"