PRIDE DESPITE LOCKOUT

By Emily Maag 


Despite the ongoing National Hockey League turbulence, student fans remain dedicated to the sport. 

NHL is the most popular hockey league in the United States, including 23 U.S. teams and seven Canadian teams. Yet, hockey fans can be hard to find in Indiana.

“I think we ended up in a place that has professional teams all around it, but we don’t actually have one,” Michael Behrens, a sophomore meteorology major, said. “Living in Indiana, there’s [St. Louis] Blues fans, there’s [Chicago] Blackhawks fans [and] there’s [Detroit] Red Wings fans. There’s no central base you can market to because there’s just so many different affiliations.”

Behrens became a fan of hockey, particularly the Blues, after following the St. Louis Cardinals. He said it is hard enough trying to find ways to watch the games on television, let alone find hockey fans. His fellow hockey followers root for rival teams.

“The friends that I do have that are into hockey are Chicago Blackhawks fans,” Behrens said. “I think it definitely makes it harder because there’s no unifying factor. I mean, you all like hockey, but no one likes each other’s team.”

Hockey fans have bigger worries than finding games on television or friends to watch them with this year. The NHL has locked out all of its teams for the beginning of the 2012-2013 season. 

As of publication, all games through Dec. 14 have been canceled, taking away more than a third of the season, according to NHL News. The NHL has also canceled two large events in 2013: the Winter Classic, which was scheduled to take place in Ann Arbor, Mich., and the All-Star Weekend, which was scheduled to take place in Columbus, Ohio. 

“They need to figure out some sort of long-term agreement just because canceling seasons is not a good way to bring in new fans to a sport, or even keep fans that aren’t even all that into hockey,” said Behrens, predicting a drop in viewership if the NHL returns for the remainder of the planned season or for a 2013-2014 season.

This lockout is the second in less than 10 years. The owners are looking to adjust where revenue from the games goes, according to a Huffington Post article. Currently, the players receive 57 percent, and the owners are looking to decrease this. Recent talks had the owners and players at a 50-50 agreement, but there was never a final decision.

“It’s frustrating just knowing that they’re holding the whole season just because they’re greedy,” Addison Brush, a freshman telecommunications major, said. “It’s all about the money and not the fans.”

Brush has still been able to experience hockey during the lockout. He began playing the game at age 3, and he is in his sixth season of refereeing. He spends his weekends traveling to referee tournaments, such as the North American Prospects Hockey League, which is a developmental league for scouts.

Brush said he frequently gets questions about his large referee bag as well as his professional dress. He’s gone almost every weekend to referee games, causing him to work harder during the week, but he said he believes the trade-off is worth it.

“It matures you as a person because you’re dealing with kids your age,” Brush said. “When they’re calling you ‘sir’ — as a referee — it gives you that sense of power, almost, and maturity.”

The power and maturity doesn’t come without frustration. Brush said a lot of people still do not understand his passion for hockey, but it could be comparable to what some football fans feel. 

“They don’t understand that it is addicting,” Brush said. “Working for hockey, anything to do with hockey is addicting. It’s one of those things where, when you’re in it, you have a passion for it.”

Although people may not understand his passion just yet, he said he wants to talk to more people about hockey and “show them the real game.”

“I just wish people knew more about hockey than just a couple people here or there on campus,” he said. “I’d say probably only 10 percent really know the true game of hockey.”