When many people in the UK think of sports, they tend to think of football or tennis – but what about ice hockey? Ice hockey is a great sport that is popular around the world with countries like Canada seeing it as their priority. Of course, this is not the case in the UK, despite it increasing in popularity in recent years.
Here, we are going to discuss some of the reasons why ice hockey is overlooked in the UK. Keep reading to find out more.
British Ice Hockey
First, we thought we’d look a little more about ice hockey in the UK and the teams that stand out. The Sheffield Steelers are one of the best teams to take to the ice and they are often very dramatic in the pregame which is what they are known for. This team have been around since 1991 but have seen an increase and decrease in popularity over the years.
Of course, there are plenty of other great teams in the UK including the Belfast Giants and the Cardiff Devils. These are the teams that fans love to come and watch on the ice.
Is It Overlooked?
While these teams are extremely popular in the UK, there are simply other circumstances that have led to ice hockey being overlooked. This is due to the popularity of other sports such as football which is known as the nation’s favourite sport. There just isn’t as much support for the national Ice Hockey team as there would be if the England football team made it to the World Cup.
It isn’t all the fault of football as the people in the UK have other things keeping them occupied. Whether they are playing on the latest top online bingo site or playing poker against their friends with a few beers, they aren’t sitting watching ice hockey matches. There are so many other games that are taking over, especially when it comes to new technology and the devices that are on offer. Sadly, this is just a sport that isn’t enjoyed as much on such a large scale.
Why Isn’t It As Popular?
Many people believe that ice hockey isn’t as popular in the UK as other games and sports because few people have had a chance to play it. With games like football, fans have grown up playing on their school team or with their friends in the park. With ice hockey, it is much harder to get involved but it is possible.
Is There Hope?
The great news for ice hockey fans is that this sport is increasing in popularity as the teams in the UK see more success. Newspapers are writing more about these teams and the squads are getting more appreciation. For those who are interested in ice hockey, we suggest that you keep up with the latest leagues and possibly even get involved yourself. This sport has a lot to offer and it deserves to be one of the most popular in the UK.
matt
29th December 2020 at 9:52 am
Ice hockey is overlooked in the UK because it has never had any tv coverage and is not constantly talked about on the BBC breakfast tv show, unlike football, cricket, tennis, golf etc, which are always discussed daily. If a survey was carried out, It would most likely show that many people do not know ice hockey was even played in the UK. The BBC have never shown UK ice hockey and yet they are happy to take tv licence fee money from ice hockey players and supporters.
A sure way to gain some popularity would be to take celebrities from past dancing on ice shows from tv, have a series of Saturday night shows with a selection of celebrities and UK ice hockey players, with shows of training and progress all building up to a live final in one of the major cities. Another way would be just to show GB Women ice hockey live, showing how they compete in such a tough fast pace sport.
However I know this is just wishful thinking, because ice hockey as exciting as it is just isn’t cricket or football and the tv programmers will promote what they think is best for the British public.
Hugh Grant
20th June 2023 at 11:11 am
Not as exciting as cricket!!!! Watching paint dry is far more exciting than cricket.