The Big 3: NHL, MLB, NBA

by **Anthony303** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 9:26 pm

Which city will be the first to win all 3 in one year?

I say Boston will do it eventually.

**Sponsor**

by **MuayCrim** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 9:40 pm

If those are "The Big 3", then what's the NFL?

by **Cornbread Mafia** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 2:50 am

The big 3 in the US are the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The NHL is a distant 4th and that is being nice, I would argue that college football and basketball are both bigger than the NHL in the states.

As for the question I would pick boston or chicago but I don't really see it ever happening

by **irishmike357** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 6:48 pm

It depends does New York get credit for Knicks, Nets (soon), Rangers, Jets, Giants, Yankees and Mets? If so then it will be them. Either way I would pick NY to be the first state, even over CA and TX, which both have legit shots. The Knicks are putting together a very good squad, the Jets and Giants are both right there, and Yanks are obviously always a threat.

by **BallsDeep** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:26 pm

Detroit will win NHL, MLB, NBA, and NFL this year.. they need it. :lol:

by **lostsoul4012** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 1:02 pm

If Boston gets credit for the Patriots, it could be them too. Boston took the cup already, MLB playoffs are about to start and Red Sox are probably a wild card because I dont think they can take the division. The Celtics are the weakest link I think.

by **KjSwantko** » Sun Oct 02, 2011 11:38 pm

Cornbread Mafia wrote:The big 3 in the US are the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The NHL is a distant 4th and that is being nice, I would argue that college football and basketball are both bigger than the NHL in the states.

As for the question I would pick boston or chicago but I don't really see it ever happening

Actually not really, if you consider everything from salary, to merch revenue, attendence...hockey is right there now. NHL average salary is 2.4 Million, while the NFL is only 1.9 Million. NHL teams pull 15,000+ in attendance 2-3 times a week for home games. Not to mention hockey is exploding in nontraditional markets like Nashville and Tampa.

hockey is also the fastest growing sport of the 4 in the U.S. too; Yahoo had an article about it about a month ago. This past year alone for the sport-

-The NHL this season signed an unprecedented 10 year, 2 Billion dollar deal with NBC.

-The NHL Winter-Classic [the outdoor game on new years day that started in 2008] was one of the most watched sporting events in the nation last year. Plus had 71,000+ in attendance at Heinz field last year.

-The highly acclaimed NHL 24/7 HBO Series won the ESPY for Best Sports Documentary, and is expected to again this year.

-The U.S. in just the last couple years is now a world power in International competition- Winning Gold at yearly Under-18 tournaments, Under-17 tournaments, Gold at the World Juniors in 2009, and the Olympic Silver Medal in 2010 which saw record numbers tune in. The U.S. is for the first time producing many many great players.

-USA Hockey youth registration has record numbers every single year now, in just about every single part of the country.

-22% of the NHL is comprised of American born players now. Including 4 who just this season now wear the "C" for their team.

-the emergence of bonafide superstars like Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin who almost everyone has hard of, is also testament to the rapid expansion of the sport in the states.

-Plus, Michigan vs. Michigan State College hockey set some kind of world record this year with 113,411 in attendance. For a fucking college game!

....there my friend, you are now informed on the current state of hockey. Might as well pick a team and start learning

by **RustyCooter** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 12:33 am

lostsoul4012 wrote:If Boston gets credit for the Patriots, it could be them too. Boston took the cup already, MLB playoffs are about to start and Red Sox are probably a wild card because I dont think they can take the division. The Celtics are the weakest link I think.

Fail

Fuck Boston!

by **lostsoul4012** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 7:35 pm

RustyCooter wrote:
lostsoul4012 wrote:If Boston gets credit for the Patriots, it could be them too. Boston took the cup already, MLB playoffs are about to start and Red Sox are probably a wild card because I dont think they can take the division. The Celtics are the weakest link I think.

Fail Fuck Boston!

I feel you, the only Boston team I actually like is the Celtics but they are getting old. But, Boston probably has the best chance. Only city that consistently has playoff teams in all three sports. Personally, I dont think its gonna be done, period.

by **BestWayKilla** » Tue May 22, 2012 3:03 am

Cornbread Mafia wrote:The big 3 in the US are the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The NHL is a distant 4th and that is being nice, I would argue that college football and basketball are both bigger than the NHL in the states.

As for the question I would pick boston or chicago but I don't really see it ever happening

Shut your filthy mouth. Hockey is the real shit, compared to the NHL the other 3 leagues are filled with pussies and hockey is bigger worldwide than those 3 sports combined. If the TV networks ever gave hockey the respect it geserved it wouls be bigger. College sports suck, they are boring as shit. The NHL will get bigger because they learned their lesson with the lockout, and as the other leagues go into lockouts the NHL will just get bigger. ESPN missed the boat after the lockout and their loss is NBC's gain. Just wait, the NHL will get up there.

by **3cuerpos** » Sun May 27, 2012 1:01 am

Let's go KINGS LETS GET THAT STANLEY CUP BITCHEZZZZ

by **Spanish Inquisitor** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:16 pm

BestWayKilla wrote:
Cornbread Mafia wrote:The big 3 in the US are the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The NHL is a distant 4th and that is being nice, I would argue that college football and basketball are both bigger than the NHL in the states.

As for the question I would pick boston or chicago but I don't really see it ever happening

Shut your filthy mouth. Hockey is the real shit, compared to the NHL the other 3 leagues are filled with pussies and hockey is bigger worldwide than those 3 sports combined. If the TV networks ever gave hockey the respect it geserved it wouls be bigger. College sports suck, they are boring as shit. The NHL will get bigger because they learned their lesson with the lockout, and as the other leagues go into lockouts the NHL will just get bigger. ESPN missed the boat after the lockout and their loss is NBC's gain. Just wait, the NHL will get up there.

Firstly, the toughness of the athletes who compete in hockey in comparison to the other three sports is basically irrelevant if you're trying to rebut the quoted statement. What does having the toughest athletes have to do with how big a sport is?

Besides, I'm afraid that claiming that hockey is bigger than basketball worldwide is a bit of an exaggeration.

by **BestWayKilla** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 7:28 pm

Spanish Inquisitor wrote:
BestWayKilla wrote:
Cornbread Mafia wrote:The big 3 in the US are the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The NHL is a distant 4th and that is being nice, I would argue that college football and basketball are both bigger than the NHL in the states.

As for the question I would pick boston or chicago but I don't really see it ever happening

Shut your filthy mouth. Hockey is the real shit, compared to the NHL the other 3 leagues are filled with pussies and hockey is bigger worldwide than those 3 sports combined. If the TV networks ever gave hockey the respect it geserved it wouls be bigger. College sports suck, they are boring as shit. The NHL will get bigger because they learned their lesson with the lockout, and as the other leagues go into lockouts the NHL will just get bigger. ESPN missed the boat after the lockout and their loss is NBC's gain. Just wait, the NHL will get up there.

Firstly, the toughness of the athletes who compete in hockey in comparison to the other three sports is basically irrelevant if you're trying to rebut the quoted statement. What does having the toughest athletes have to do with how big a sport is?

Besides, I'm afraid that claiming that hockey is bigger than basketball worldwide is a bit of an exaggeration.

No, it isn't. Hockey is played in Canada, the USA, Russia, and the majority of Europe principally, and in plenty of other countries you may not have expected. Hell, Japan fielded an Olympic team in 2010. Hockey is a far more international sport than basketball. I don't mean to sound like an elitist here, but I'm of the opinion most people can't follow hockey because it's too fast for them. To hockey fans though, sports like football, basketball and especially baseball are so pathetically slow they are nigh unwatchable. I'm sorry, but i'm sick of people shitting on hockey. Just because you don't follow it don't act like it's irrelevent.

by **Spanish Inquisitor** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 5:41 pm

BestWayKilla wrote:No, it isn't. Hockey is played in Canada, the USA, Russia, and the majority of Europe principally, and in plenty of other countries you may not have expected. Hell, Japan fielded an Olympic team in 2010. Hockey is a far more international sport than basketball. I don't mean to sound like an elitist here, but I'm of the opinion most people can't follow hockey because it's too fast for them. To hockey fans though, sports like football, basketball and especially baseball are so pathetically slow they are nigh unwatchable. I'm sorry, but i'm sick of people shitting on hockey. Just because you don't follow it don't act like it's irrelevent.

I'm in no way shitting on hockey or saying it's irrelevant. I'm just saying it's just not more internationally relevant than basketball.

I don't know where you're from, but I'm from Europe and I can't think of many countries where hockey is more popular than basketball other than the scandinavian ones. Even in Russia, I guess hockey is popular over there, but basketball has always had a massive following in the former USSR as well.

Overall, I'm quite convinced that basketball is more popular than hockey in Europe. Also, if you go down the south border of the US, it's no contest, especially in countries like Puerto Rico, Brazil or Argentina, where basketball is fairly popular. Same happens in Australia, for instance. I have no idea about Africa or Asia, but honestly I can't imagine the Africans playing more hockey than basketball.

I don't know, I'm just speculating here, but I'd say that Michael Jordan is much more popular world wide than Wayne Gretzky, for example. I also think that if you ask random people in different countries about active basketball players and active hockey players, more people will know who Lebron or Kobe are than whoever the star in the NHL is right now.

But hey, I might be wrong.

by **BestWayKilla** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:00 pm

Spanish Inquisitor wrote:
BestWayKilla wrote:No, it isn't. Hockey is played in Canada, the USA, Russia, and the majority of Europe principally, and in plenty of other countries you may not have expected. Hell, Japan fielded an Olympic team in 2010. Hockey is a far more international sport than basketball. I don't mean to sound like an elitist here, but I'm of the opinion most people can't follow hockey because it's too fast for them. To hockey fans though, sports like football, basketball and especially baseball are so pathetically slow they are nigh unwatchable. I'm sorry, but i'm sick of people shitting on hockey. Just because you don't follow it don't act like it's irrelevent.

I'm in no way shitting on hockey or saying it's irrelevant. I'm just saying it's just not more internationally relevant than basketball.

I don't know where you're from, but I'm from Europe and I can't think of many countries where hockey is more popular than basketball other than the scandinavian ones. Even in Russia, I guess hockey is popular over there, but basketball has always had a massive following in the former USSR as well.

Overall, I'm quite convinced that basketball is more popular than hockey in Europe. Also, if you go down the south border of the US, it's no contest, especially in countries like Puerto Rico, Brazil or Argentina, where basketball is fairly popular. Same happens in Australia, for instance. I have no idea about Africa or Asia, but honestly I can't imagine the Africans playing more hockey than basketball.

I don't know, I'm just speculating here, but I'd say that Michael Jordan is much more popular world wide than Wayne Gretzky, for example. I also think that if you ask random people in different countries about active basketball players and active hockey players, more people will know who Lebron or Kobe are than whoever the star in the NHL is right now.

But hey, I might be wrong.

What side of Europe? Western? The majority of Eastern Europe, basically every former Eastern Bloc country, has a very strong hockey culture. As far as names go, you won't hear about indivivual hockey players' names because of the difference between the culture in the two sports. Basketball is a sport entirely based around emphasizing individuals, while hockey is a sport where people identify more with the team as a whole. That said, I'd wager most hockey fans could name the majority of players on their team, first line to fourth, while basketball fans wouldn't know the names of every player on their team. I can name every single player currently on the Bruins roster. I'll prove it:

Zdeno Chara
Dennis Seidenberg
Patrice Bergeron
Shawn Thornton
Daniel Paille
Gregory Campbell
Brad Marchand
Milan Lucic
David Krejci
Nathan Horton
Rich Peverley
Chris Kelly
Johnny Boychuk
Brian Rolston
Andrew Ference
Tuukka Rask
Anton Khudobin
Tim Thomas
Jordan Caron
Marc Savard (technically, probably won't play again but is still signed)

That was off the top of my head and with a few minutes of thinking. And go figure, I forgot only Tyler Seguin, Adam McQuaid, and Mike Mottau.