Hockey is far and away the most regionalized of the big four sports in the USA. I am not sure it would take first place in any major market but there are areas were it is definitely a strong number two--upstate New York for example, and parts of New England and the Midwest. There are many areas where it is definitely more popular than basketball. And, don't underestimate how committed the hockey market is in places like Boston and NYC and Chicago and Minneapolis etc. Even in cities where the NHL may be the least popular of the big four sports, it may have the most loyal fanbase.
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