NHL Can't Capitalize on NBA Lockout

The NHL was handed an enormous opportunity this season. The league’s biggest competitor, the NBA, is in the midst of a lockout with no end in sight. Many thought the NHL would seize this opportunity by stealing viewership and fans from the NBA. However, to this point the NHL has garnered little excitement, and with the possibility of its own lockout looming, the league could be in serious trouble.

Last year the NHL had one of its most exciting postseasons that included a seven-game Stanley Cup Finals that saw one of the league’s most beloved franchises win their first title in 39 years. This combined with the NBA lockout brought much optimism to a league that in recent years had fallen by the wayside in terms of national notoriety.

Being from Boston, I saw firsthand the amount of attention the Bruins received locally during last season’s championship run. It brought back memories of the immense fanfare the Celtics received during their 2008 championship season. When the Celtics won their championship, fans across Boston had great anticipation for the following season to see if the team could defend its title. This led me to believe that Bruins fans would boast similar eagerness, and the team had a real shot of passing the Celtics in local popularity.

The Bruins, however, have received little attention—not only nationally but most glaringly in the city of Boston. Unless the Bruins make another championship run, their popularity will be limited.

The Bruins are one of the most storied franchises in NHL history. NHL teams with less history that compete against NBA, NFL and MLB teams for notoriety in their city, will have a tough time gaining fanfare.

If a team coming off their first championship in 39 years can’t gain attention even in its local market, what team can? Unless a team can continually make deep runs into the playoffs, they will receive little to no attention. Despite its lockout, the NBA seems to still be miles ahead of the NHL. If an NHL lockout does happen next season, the league will take an insurmountable hit.