Flyers vs. Sixers popularity contest
Who is more popular, the Sixers or the Flyers?
Flyers vs. Sixers popularity contest
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
I meant to get to this last week, not because I’m hockey’s greatest defender or anything, but just because. And this admittedly is a little bit of an odd time to be wondering who is more popular in town, the Sixers or the Flyers, given their recent spectacular demises. But, well, here goes.
On 950 ESPN, Mike Missanelli is a huge hockey hater. He’s a talented guy, he’s kicking ass in the ratings -- really an amazing thing to watch -- and that’s all fine. He doesn’t like the game and that’s not a big deal. Lots of people don’t like hockey (although I would argue that Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby throwing dueling hat tricks at each other in the same game is worth a look). But his insistence that there are “10 times as many” Sixers fans compared to Flyers fans is just wrong.
I know, I know, “10 times as many” is just a conversational shorthand. But by any standard, you can’t come up with anything approximating the claim.
Attendance, you know. The Flyers have outdrawn the Sixers for most of the last four decades. The haters dismiss that one with the idea that there are only 20,000 Flyers fans in town, and they all show up, and they have more money, and et cetera. OK, fine.
But television is different. Most everybody who wants cable has cable. There is no great economic barrier to getting it anymore. For the overwhelming majority of people in this area, watching the Sixers involves no economic burden. All it takes is click of your thumb.
And, well, the Sixers and Flyers were both just beaten in first-round playoff series after playing middling kinds of regular seasons.
In the regular season, the Sixers averaged a 1.4 rating (42,000 households) on Comcast SportsNet. The Flyers averaged a 2.4 rating (71,300 households).
In Game 5 of their playoff series against Orlando, the Sixers drew a 2.6 rating and peaked at a 4.1. In Game 3 of their playoff series against the Penguins, the Flyers drew a 5.2 rating and peaked at a 6.8, beating the CW and NBC in primetime.
One demographic: for ages 25-54, the Sixers did a 1.9 rating and the Flyers did a 4.6.
These are not isolated numbers, either. The Flyers have outdrawn the Sixers for years. These are real numbers, real facts, and they drive economic decisions by advertisers.
Now, we all remember 2001, when the Sixers went to the NBA Finals and enchanted the town. That was a special time. I will agree that basketball has the potential to build a bigger bandwagon than hockey in those kinds of moments because of overall familiarity with the sport among the people who climb upon bandwagons. But I also recognize that as a unique situation driven by two unique personalities, Allen Iverson and Pat Croce.
But day-in and day-out, the Flyers are a lot more popular than people think -- even here, even today. Hockey is not as popular as basketball but the Flyers are, in many ways, more popular than the Sixers.
Mikey Miss is an idiot and very annoying.........he says alotta stuff that makes no sense.......Another person currenntly making no sense is the guy about 50 comments up who says the MLS will overtake the SIXERS......Sorry to tellya bigguy, soccer blows more than the NBA ..ILUVPHILLYCITYOFCHAMPIONS!!!!!!!— ILUVPHILLYCITYOFLOSERS- There would be a hell of alot more people at a Sixers paradeAnd no not because there is more of a chance of the Flyers fans being employed and having to work that day.(i kidddddd.i'm more of a Sixer fan)— Mon
HOCKEY IS A CULT! Basketball is a sport.- I have not watched the NBA since AI left Philly... That was HEART even though he was kind of a thug... he hustled every play... that is all I ask = hustle.— Skena
- I can not imagine why anyone thinks or has ever thought the Sixers are more popular than the Flyers. This reminds me of a question Mike Greenberg of the MikeandMike show on ESPN ask Peter Gammons. He asked him who is more popular right now the Celtics or the Red Sox, and Peter responds, well honestly, the Bruins. Hockey is more popular then media lets on. The media is kind of a xenophobe when it comes to sports; hence the reason hockey and socer constanly get a bad rap in the United States.— LGbalsac
Comment removed.- i don't know a single person who actually watches the sixers. i don't know anyone who owns any sixers gear. and i don't know anyone who gets excited when NBA season rolls around. flyers town, hands down. i thought that was common knowledge.— teddy_lowe
- Flyers are a solid three in this town. The fact is the Sixers had slipped behind the Phantoms in terms of interest. Now that the Phantoms are gone, the Sixers regain the 4 spot.— Repubrebirth
- Who cares, they are both third rate to Eagles and Phillies!!!— rayne215
- Sixers are boring and the NBA is boring. Most any game that is close ends with 20 minutes of fouling the other teams players until finally time runs out. It is just terrible.— LGbalsac
- Eagles is the number one sport franisise in philadelphia and the only one without a championship (no im not including that 1930 something win) WE WANT A SUPERBOWL!— rayne215
- Anyone here name a player from the Sixers that comes off the bench??? I tried watching the Orlando series, I probably know more guys on the Phantoms then the Sixers. Whoever question Chicago saying the Blackhawks are behind the Bulls? Check the attendance, the Blackhawks led the league in attendance this year. ALso, the Nets are more popular then the Rangers?? Last I checked Jay-Z is moving them because of bad attendance. All i know is, if I need to get a good night sleep, I will put on ESPN to watch NBA highlights which I might add yawn!!!! Least hockey players appreciate what they are doing compared to the NBA where it is all about the money, not the pride and passion. Anyone who watched Crosby and Ovechkin last night like them or not, will admit that was a hell of a game. Last time I say something like that in the NBA, the 80's Magic,Dr. J, Bird, MJ, etc. when it was fun to watch. I stopped watching the NBA in the mid 90's when I realized I was falling asleep.— cote32
- Missanelli always has baited hockey fans with badmouthing the sport...even when he was at Wip several years ago so it's not a suprise...as far as him staying at the top of the ratings he won't ...he will get comfortable with the gig and as he has done countless times with every place he has worked including several radio and Tv gigs he has had... he will lose control and F*** it up..He can't help himself .— tacony50
- Longtimefan, I totally agree, not only that can you tell the producers to tell the camera guy to stay with the action when there is pushing and shoving and maybe, just maybe a fist to the face, instead of panning the camera to reflect the goalie or something else stupid.— PEFF
- mj and tke, can you write your books on some other blog page please.— PEFF
