Hockey’s Popularity is No “Miracle on Ice” - SportsEvents Magazine (2024)

By Dave Flaherty

Of the four major professional sports, the National Hockey League has always lagged the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and National Basketball Association in terms of popularity.

But by no means does this mean that the sport of hockey itself is not popular and successful across the U.S. In the past few decades, America—whether it is in professional competition such as the Olympics or amateur play—has become a player in the world of hockey. The country can now stand alongside Canada and European countries that were once the sport’s perennial powerhouses.

According to USA Hockey, there were around 548,000 registered hockey players in 2021-22, a jump of approximately 95,000 from the previous year. However, the 2020-21 numbers were impacted heavily by the COVID-19 pandemic.

USA Hockey’s membership had been on an upward trajectory throughout most of the 2010s, peaking during the 2018-19 season with 567,000 players, up by more than 100,000 over 10 years. Just 30 years ago, there were only about 195,000 players registered for hockey in the U.S.

“While numbers dropped during the pandemic, we were able to keep our participation number just over 90 percent during the 2020-21 season. The 2021-22 season saw a tremendous rebound with a record number of new 8 and under players registering with USA Hockey; 7 percent higher than the previous record,” says Dave Fischer, senior director of communications with USA Hockey. “Additionally, the remainder of our youth numbers rebounded close to pre-pandemic totals, where we saw a drop in adult participation. With that said, we exceeded projections and are currently on pace to get back to pre-pandemic numbers. Female participation is fueling our growth, with a record total of players (25,038) in 8U in 2021-22.”

While hockey is usually associated with cold weather—and these areas in the U.S. have historically been the hot spots for the sport—this narrative is beginning to change.

“Florida has seen excellent growth in youth, and especially adults, with a 20 percent increase this past season. The same can be said for Missouri, Nevada, Washington, Arizona, and California,” Fischer says. “It is no shock that the NHL market provides a lot of motivation and excitement. Plus, we have seen an influx of new rinks in many of these areas or new rink management groups that relate to the local NHL club and a more effective operator.”

To continue building the sport across the board, USA Hockey has several programs in place.

“The first is our Hat Trick Challenge which provides local programs with a roadmap to increase their retention, acquisition, and conversion. The next is our increased focus on more Try Hockey for Free opportunities and administrative training to give more guidance for volunteers to operate world-class programs,” Fischer says.

USA Hockey also had a lot of success and learned many lessons from a new digital marketing campaign implemented last year and will continue this year.

“The NHL/NHLPA and their efforts utilizing the Industry Growth Fund have been monumental in relation to helping increase participation. Finally, we believe the extensive educational opportunities, outreach, and search for additional community partners to increase our inclusivity is going to help fuel continued growth,” Fischer says.

Another way USA Hockey looks to introduce new players to the game is through its national Try Hockey for Free events taking place in November and February.

“These events are notable as they drive over 20,000 families to experience youth hockey for the first time annually,” he says.

Even with such an optimistic outlook, Fischer acknowledges the current cost-of-living crunch is hitting hockey families just as hard as anybody.

“Like many things, the continued rising costs are putting a big strain on families, even in areas where the sport has traditionally been more affordable like Minnesota. Utility costs are rising, along with administrative costs, and equipment,” Fischer says.

College hockey in the U.S. continues to be a standout component of the game, with almost a third of all NHL players in the 2021-22 season being U.S. college hockey alumni. While hockey has gained popularity in the southeast, southwest, and western parts of the country, the strongest college programs remain in traditional hockey markets such as Minnesota and Michigan.

When it comes to hockey in the U.S., the crowning achievement likely remains “The Miracle on Ice” in 1980, when the men’s Olympic team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union 4-3, eventually winning the gold medal that year. Many will point to this moment when the country became aware of hockey on a national level.