NHL All-Star Game Proves Success Of Southern Strategy
- Tuesday, February 1, 2011 9:41 AM
- Written By: Josh Marks
When the National Hockey League expanded to the southeastern United States, there were many skeptics in traditional northern cities. How can a sport played on a sheet of ice by Yankees, Canucks, Russkies and Nordic people possibly survive and thrive in a market more used to college football and NASCAR?
Well, this past weekend's NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, North Carolina, showed the hockey world how far the sport has come in this very non-traditional market. Yes, professional ice hockey can succeed south of the Mason-Dixon line.
The Research Triangle and the Carolina Hurricanes organization put on a first-class event. The Caniacs (Carolina fans) were gracious hosts and incredibly respectful of the players gathered in their state. I didn't hear a single boo during the game, even for the players on rival teams like Washington, Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Only loud, enthusiastic cheers for all the participants.
And, despite some awkward moments at Friday night's first ever fantasy draft (see my previous post), the new format gets an A+ overall. Saturday night's skills competition was one of the most entertaining ever, and Sunday's game had a competitive edge you don't normally see in the traditional East-West format. Team Lidstrom edged out Team Staal 11-10 in a back-and-forth barn burner.
Even though there have been recent financial struggles in Atlanta, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Nashville and South Florida, the action-packed weekend in Raleigh is an encouraging sign that being located in the South doesn't have to be an obstacle to building a successful franchise.
