With the NBA lockout likely claiming an entire season of basketball, many hockey fans have been anticipating a boost in popularity for the NHL.
This claim makes a lot of sense. Not only do NBA and NHL teams have multiple common markets, but their season and postseason lengths are identical and run at almost exactly the same time. With no NBA to compete with, it's easy to understand why the NHL would receive a boost in popularity, especially in the postseason.
Certainly some places need and will receive this boost more than others, and in cities like Detroit, Boston and Chicago, hockey is already more popular than basketball, but what cities need it the most, and what cities will get it the most?
The answer to both questions is the same. The Los Angeles Kings.
Why LA? Why not. You've got three huge markets in the United States, being New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. New York and Chicago already have good hockey teams with rich history. The Kings, on the other hand, have never won a Cup, were not an Original Six team and aren't in what could be considered a traditional hockey market.
Oh, and did we remember to mention that they ...
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Article written by Jordan Matthews
Los Angeles Kings: Did the NBA Lockout Come at the Perfect Time?
August 6th, 2011 by Jordan Matthews Leave a reply »
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