Duck's Hockey Market

First off, I am an Oilers fan, but i bring only peace (but no gifts ) :) So none of this Pronger this or Brian Burke and kevin lowe that.

I'm just curious about Anaheim as a hockey city. Like how is the intensity, the fan base, is it big, or small, passionate or passive.

Like of course edmonton is crazy, i'm just wondering how IS anaheim?

It depends where you go. If you are at the games you will meet plenty of people that are into it, if you are at newport beach, you probably won't

It's pretty well off. There still is room for Improvement. The fans I know are very passionate. Are the bandwagoners that are the hot drunk chicks that are at games, Well thats just a plus.

What else about our team would you like to know?

I don't think it is Edmonton Crazy that's for sure.

It's got its niche just like any small sport besides Baseball, Basketball and football in this country.


It's not a hockey country by any stretch.

are the players very active in the community?

I kinda figured that its not Edmonton crazy, but thats not really a bad thing either. Edmonton is a dwarf compared to Anaheim.

Usually Sell outs for every game? And how are the ticket prices? we are outrageous when it comes to that. Hopefully it might be cheaper for you guys?

The diehard fans are just as good as you'll find in any other city, there's just less of them. The overall fan base is fairly large, I'd say, but most of those fans aren't as knowledgeable about hockey as most Oiler fans are. Like I've got quite a few friends that go to games semi-regularly and know a good amount about hockey, but they aren't what I'd consider "passionate" fans.

The Ponda has sold out, what, 80 straight games? I'd say some of that is due to reasonable ticket prices and mostly due to the team's success.

In terms of the people that show up to the arena every night, the fan base is as good as any team. Most of our fans may not be the most hockey educated or fanatic but we root for our team as much as the next team. We're not a particularly loud or raucous crowd, at least not until the playoffs. But we enjoy ourselves none the less. You see a lot of personalized jerseys and signs and love for the players. We love our team, no doubt out it.

But Anaheim as a hockey city? Well first off the Angels own this town. Plain and simple. You'll never see a full Pond for a playoff rally before they even start. I'm sorry but you won't. Hockey is just not bred into the culture like it is in Canada. I mean it's not just that hockey is the number one option is Edmonton. You guys grow up with hockey and it's apart of your lives. All of us Ducks fans who go to every game love it. It's our favorite sport. But most of us leave hockey at the door (well not me specifically, hockey almost runs my life just ask my girlfriend). It's just a cultural difference. It's the same reason football (aka soccer) isn't as embraced here as everywhere else in the world. American football is. Baseball is. Basketball to a lesser extent. Hockey just got here too late and isn't organic to the region (got no ponds to skate on).

We like winners and we like entertainment. The die-hardness of our team lives and dies with our success. But the longer we stay good the more permanent fans we'll make. More kids need to play hockey and make it to the NHL for this community to really get on board with hockey the way Canadians and upper Midwesterners do. The Samueli's are doing a good job of growing this game here. Nothing would make me happier to one day have a kid playing in a state championship high school hockey game here in So Cal but we're a long ways away. But the few of us here love our hockey.

Oh and the Ducks are VERY involved in the community. Again a testament to our owners.

In terms of the people that show up to the arena every night, the fan base is as good as any team. Most of our fans may not be the most hockey educated or fanatic but we root for our team as much as the next team. We're not a particularly loud or raucous crowd, at least not until the playoffs. But we enjoy ourselves none the less. You see a lot of personalized jerseys and signs and love for the players. We love our team, no doubt out it.

But Anaheim as a hockey city? Well first off the Angels own this town. Plain and simple. You'll never see a full Pond for a playoff rally before they even start. I'm sorry but you won't. Hockey is just not bred into the culture like it is in Canada. I mean it's not just that hockey is the number one option is Edmonton. You guys grow up with hockey and it's apart of your lives. All of us Ducks fans who go to every game love it. It's our favorite sport. But most of us leave hockey at the door (well not me specifically, hockey almost runs my life just ask my girlfriend). It's just a cultural difference. It's the same reason football (aka soccer) isn't as embraced here as everywhere else in the world. American football is. Baseball is. Basketball to a lesser extent. Hockey just got here too late and isn't organic to the region (got no ponds to skate on).

We like winners and we like entertainment. The die-hardness of our team lives and dies with our success. But the longer we stay good the more permanent fans we'll make. More kids need to play hockey and make it to the NHL for this community to really get on board with hockey the way Canadians and upper Midwesterners do. The Samueli's are doing a good job of growing this game here. Nothing would make me happier to one day have a kid playing in a state championship high school hockey game here in So Cal but we're a long ways away. But the few of us here love our hockey.

Oh and the Ducks are VERY involved in the community. Again a testament to our owners.

I've got to agree with TheJoeMan (and really everyone else who is posting). Southern California in general just isn't that in to hockey. The die-hards are just as good of fans as anywhere else, but I can't count the number of times someone will ask me if I watch sports and when I say "hockey" they say "oh.... hockey sucks." It just shows you that there aren't many people who even sort of like it. But there is a market here that loves the team, for sure. Probably has a lot to do with the weather. There are no frozen ponds, and it snows about as often as a solar eclipse, so hockey isn't anything big. Sometimes I wish it were because I wasn't really exposed to it for a long time, but then I remember that this "smaller market" means less sellouts and slightly cheaper seats and I smile. :)

its great hearing this. Cause when people talk about how expansion doesn't work in California, or Florida (save the panthers) , it's kinda silly saying that. those markets have great attendance, (like look at Tampa, one year i can't remember, they were 3rd in attendance. Better than 4 canadian teams!)

I hope that it does grow even more. Your right, the ownership has really turned the Ducks into a growing market for sure.

Really to me, Orange County and LA aren't much of anything towns. So many people are spread out across such a big area... There just isn't much of a 'city' feel like there are in other cities. I mean, you can drive up the 5 freeway for 100 miles and see buildings surrounding you the whole time. Even with baseball and basketball being bigger, it's not like the whole county is in flames about it. You just notice some flags on cars, and some people wearing Angels, Lakers gear. Similar to hockey.


This area really isn't overly dedicated to anything that much, with the exception of USC football. I have no idea why people love that stuff so much.

Really to me, Orange County and LA aren't much of anything towns. So many people are spread out across such a big area... There just isn't much of a 'city' feel like there are in other cities. I mean, you can drive up the 5 freeway for 100 miles and see buildings surrounding you the whole time. Even with baseball and basketball being bigger, it's not like the whole county is in flames about it. You just notice some flags on cars, and some people wearing Angels, Lakers gear. Similar to hockey.


This area really isn't overly dedicated to anything that much, with the exception of USC football. I have no idea why people love that stuff so much.
This.

There's a small hardcore base for each and every sport. The Ducks core is probably smaller than the Kings core. But it's just as knowledgable and rabid as any team's. But by and large, there isn't really that big of a following for anything.

There's also a middlecore section who are fans, but don't attend everything and are moderate in knowledge and merchandise purchasing. This is still a pretty big group.

Then there's the scads of bandwagoners who go to whatever's winning (USC is the biggest winner now, so they're huge. 5-9 years ago, no one cared about USC). This is most of the rest of the like 20 million or whatever who live in So Cal.

Here's a somewhat interesting article about Hayward I thought might go here.

As popular and well liked as Hayward is with Ducks fans, many Kings followers harbor entirely different opinions. Internet message boards often teem with comments about Hayward, a lot of them less than complimentary.
Hayward's teen-age daughter, Courtney, tipped him off to the phenomenon a few years ago.
"She would go online, I suppose to some of the blog sites or whatever, and say 'Dad, you have to read this. You won't believe what they're saying about you,'" Hayward said. "I would just laugh, and Courtney thought it was quite funny."

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/hayward-fans-kings-2174969-ducks-think

I bet "Gayward" gave him a good chuckle.

Remember the classic "OMFG did you hear Gayward mispronounce Norstrom's name again" -line.

Which is especially funny when 99% of the Kings fans can't pronounce the name correctly either.

its great hearing this. Cause when people talk about how expansion doesn't work in California, or Florida (save the panthers) , it's kinda silly saying that. those markets have great attendance, (like look at Tampa, one year i can't remember, they were 3rd in attendance. Better than 4 canadian teams!)
.

I can't personally speak for the Ducks market, but after winning the cup they have definitely improved their fanbase. Granted they may be mostly fair weather fans, to sell out 80 straight games is impressive. I went to the last Sharks/Ducks game last season and we were introduced to some pretty darn knowledgeable fans. Some of which are now friends. But there are the naive/ignorant ones, but they're all over. Last season a bunch of Oiler fans were in SJ for a game and a few of them didn't know Roloson's name. Go figure...

Now in regards to Nor-Cal and my Sharks, I wouldn't even understand the argument about expansions not working in California. The Sharks have been a hit here since day one, and we haven't even reached the SCFs. Sharks hockey is pretty darn popular in the SJ, and the entire Bay Area (and extending to Sac/Reno) and the Central Valley. The Sharks have actually been a model expansion club for "non traditional hockey markets".

So not to take this thread TOO off course, but I think California as a state has a lot of potential for producing not only strong fan bases, but talent as well. We have one of the largest population of Roller Hockey players in the country, and the Ice population is growing fast. Not to mention the kids who were BORN and raised with a hockey team nearby are just starting to come of age to be noticed. Expect to see much more in the near future. :yo:

Last season a bunch of Oiler fans were in SJ for a game and a few of them didn't know Roloson's name. Go figure...

Pretty sure I sat behind those guys at a Ducks game last year.

Our fan's are hotter than you're fans...THAT'S FOR SURE.

Our fan's are hotter than you're fans...THAT'S FOR SURE.

That's a pathetic post in every way...Content, grammar and spelling. That's for sure.

You make the whole fanbase look bad.

That's a pathetic post in every way...Content, grammar and spelling. That's for sure.

You make the whole fanbase look bad.

WTF is your problem, it's just a joke man. And the grammar was intentional because some nights at the game all you get is drunk college kids. Jeezus, quit wearing thongs when you type because they are really effecting the way you treat others.

WTF is your problem, it's just a joke man. And the grammar was intentional because some nights at the game all you get is drunk college kids. Jeezus, quit wearing thongs when you type because they are really effecting the way you treat others.

Too funny..

USC football is huge right new because they've been a top team for quite a few years. Same thing with the Angels.

There is no sports fan as fairweather as one in Southern California. There's too many things to do instead of watching a losing team, unless you're a hardcore fan.

That's a pathetic post in every way...Content, grammar and spelling. That's for sure.

You make the whole fanbase look bad.

highly unnecessary post.

LA and Orange are not hockey towns at all, really most people do not really follow or know anything about hockey. Its Laker country for the most part until we finally get a football team.

are the players very active in the community?

I kinda figured that its not Edmonton crazy, but thats not really a bad thing either. Edmonton is a dwarf compared to Anaheim.

Usually Sell outs for every game? And how are the ticket prices? we are outrageous when it comes to that. Hopefully it might be cheaper for you guys?

I question Edmonton's crazy in this case. Big fans.. but I was talking to so called fans this past week.. and they thought the regular season started 2 weeks ago :shakehead