Winter Classic 2012: NHL Must Learn from 24/7 to Grow Sport

Few things beat the experience of watching a hockey game. It has the speed and back-and-forth nature of basketball, but the trouble scoring of soccer. Any goal could be the one that decides the game. 

The reason that the NHL is still the fourth of the "Big Four" sports in the USA is that we don't know the players as much. How many people would recognize the best player on their local team if they bumped into him on the street? 

A year ago, the NHL's Winter Classic tied in with HBO's 24/7 series. Players, coaches and even front office personnel of the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins had their lives filmed, and we got four one-hour episodes where the players were accessible. 

They're doing the same thing this year, and it's an absolute hit. While not always appropriate for young audiences, it's a brilliant show. You get to know the people who are playing the game. They're a little more than just a faceless hockey player. 

What the NHL needs to do is to find ways to get players on all of their teams that kind of exposure. No, I am not talking about a 24/7 series for every game. That needs to be reserved for the Winter Classic. But there needs to be a way to connect the player with the fan. 

I am not a Penguins fan at all, but Sidney Crosby's ongoing battle with concussions bothers me. Sure, it's partially because I don't like seeing anyone have that kind of injury, let alone the game's best player. But what's also at play is that, last year, I saw four episodes of 24/7 that featured Crosby heavily. 

I like him. He seems like a fun person. Watching him interact with his teammates reminds me of the way that I interact with my friends. 

That's something that we get in the NBA. Anyone who really doubts that needs to watch some old clips of Lebron James when he was on the Cavaliers. That team had a closeness. That's part of the reason why his sudden departure was so shocking. 

We got that. We could relate to Lebron.

Watching him play, he comes off as superhuman. Seeing him and the way he interacted with his teammates/friends reminds me of something: This guy's the same age as I am. Sure, he's a much better basketball player (and he's richer), but there are far more commonalities than differences. 

With the exception of 24/7, hockey doesn't give us that personal appeal. 

If you're a fan of the game, you sit back and watch the game. If you're not a fan, you have no reason to watch. If you have some kind of connection with the players that goes beyond their athletic ability, you have a reason.

When you have that reason and watch, then you have a distinct chance of becoming a fan of the game. It's a good cycle for the sport. 

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