I think that hockey could be a lot more popular in the US if college hockey gained more of a following.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are probably the most followed and well-known hockey team in Indiana, despite the fact that the Fort Wayne Komets and Indy Fuel are professional teams.
Fans of NCAA teams tend to be young since they're in college.
But overall, I think that hockey's main problem is the players' lack of presented personality.
McDavid is pretty much a young Kessel at this point, except less likeable. Practically no one in the non-hockey markets within the Midwest has ever heard of McDavid.
Gretzky and Crosby are much more famous and I would argue that they were better at acting as faces of the sport. People here still talk about Gretzky's time on the Indianapolis Racers.
Modern NHL players, for the most part, are almost too professional. They never say anything interesting in interviews and it all comes across as being superficial. Even most CHL players are already very polished by the time they are drafted into the NHL.
Russian players used to be villainized because of the natural USSR and USA rivalry. Now Russian players are beloved by fans because they're more willing to actually show the quirkiness in their personalities.
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