Hockey is one of the most popular sports in the world. But how popular is it? We examined social media activity around the biggest game of the year (hockeycentral.com/how-hockey-became-an-olympic-legend/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/gold-medal-glory-the-thrilling-world-of-olympic-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/looking-for-a-puck-tastic-time-your-ultimate-guide-to-catching-preseason-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-softer-hockey-remember-when-promise-you-break/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/slap-shot-the-fascinating-origin-story-of-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/get-ready-to-cheer-the-ultimate-guide-to-watching-world-junior-hockey-2022/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-is-hockey-called-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/and-the-winner-is-a-deep-dive-into-mens-olympic-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/where-to-watch-the-new-york-rangers-game-tonight/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-upvotes-for-hockey-on-reddit/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-can-us-hockey-move-on-a-satirical-guide/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/get-ready-to-hit-the-ice-mens-hockey-season-is-almost-here/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-is-hockey-called-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-goals-and-win-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-is-hockey-called-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-goals-and-win-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-is-hockey-called-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/what-country-dominates-on-the-ice-lets-find-out/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-upvotes-for-hockey-on-reddit/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/get-ready-to-cheer-the-ultimate-guide-to-watching-world-junior-hockey-2022/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/gold-medal-glory-the-thrilling-world-of-olympic-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-we-love-hockey-a-deep-dive-into-the-fascinating-world-of-ice-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-upvotes-for-hockey-on-reddit/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-olympic-hockey-glory/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-we-love-hockey-a-deep-dive-into-the-fascinating-world-of-ice-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/looking-for-puck-action-heres-where-to-catch-usa-canada-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-power-of-hockey-how-many-quarters-or-halves-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-is-more-than-just-a-game/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/where-did-all-the-pucks-go-exploring-the-mysterious-absence-of-hockey-today/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-softer-hockey-remember-when-promise-you-break/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-is-hockey-called-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-can-us-hockey-move-on-a-satirical-guide/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-power-of-hockey-how-many-quarters-or-halves-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/what-country-dominates-on-the-ice-lets-find-out/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/get-your-skates-on-everything-you-need-to-know-about-usa-vs-canada-womens-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/where-to-watch-the-new-york-rangers-game-tonight/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-power-of-hockey-how-many-quarters-or-halves-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/breaking-the-ice-everything-you-need-to-know-about-watching-hockey-tonight/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/gold-medal-glory-the-thrilling-world-of-olympic-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-olympic-hockey-glory/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/get-your-sticks-ready-the-ultimate-guide-to-watching-world-juniors-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/slap-shot-the-fascinating-origin-story-of-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/skates-on-world-juniors-hockey-tournament-2023-is-coming-to-town/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/breaking-the-ice-everything-you-need-to-know-about-watching-hockey-tonight/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/and-the-winner-is-a-deep-dive-into-mens-olympic-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/gold-medal-glory-the-thrilling-world-of-olympic-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/and-the-winner-is-a-deep-dive-into-mens-olympic-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-do-spell-hockey-a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-worlds-coolest-sport/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-upvotes-for-hockey-on-reddit/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-shocking-truth-how-many-ps-in-hockey-you-wont-believe-the-answer/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-brutal-is-hockey-the-truth-about-this-bone-crushing-sport/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-big-of-a-sport-is-hockey-find-out-if-hockey-truly-measures-up/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-brutal-is-hockey-the-truth-about-this-bone-crushing-sport/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/what-country-dominates-on-the-ice-lets-find-out/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-big-of-a-sport-is-hockey-find-out-if-hockey-truly-measures-up/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/slap-shot-the-fascinating-origin-story-of-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/what-country-dominates-on-the-ice-lets-find-out/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-brutal-is-hockey-the-truth-about-this-bone-crushing-sport/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/looking-for-a-puck-tastic-time-your-ultimate-guide-to-catching-preseason-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/gold-medal-glory-the-thrilling-world-of-olympic-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-goals-and-win-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-upvotes-for-hockey-on-reddit/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-is-stupid-lets-find-out/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/gold-medal-glory-the-thrilling-world-of-olympic-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-olympic-hockey-glory/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-brutal-is-hockey-the-truth-about-this-bone-crushing-sport/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-a-goal-in-spanish-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/5-reasons-why-hockey-takes-the-gold-medal-among-sports/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-outshines-lacrosse-a-comprehensive-guide/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-big-of-a-sport-is-hockey-find-out-if-hockey-truly-measures-up/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-is-the-toughest-game-to-play/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-power-of-hockey-how-it-can-change-your-life/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/what-country-dominates-on-the-ice-lets-find-out/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-outshines-lacrosse-a-comprehensive-guide/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/get-ready-to-cheer-the-ultimate-guide-to-watching-world-junior-hockey-2022/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/when-the-puck-drops-canada-vs-usa-hockey-time-revealed/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-is-stupid-lets-find-out/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-power-of-hockey-how-many-quarters-or-halves-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-upvotes-for-hockey-on-reddit/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/when-hockey-starts-get-ready-to-lace-up-your-skates/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/is-your-couch-ready-hockey-is-on-today/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-hockey-puck-is-set-in-motion-across-a-frozen-heres-what-you-need-to-know/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/get-your-hockey-fix-how-to-watch-world-junior-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/unlocking-the-mystery-of-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-the-usa-defeated-russia-in-hockey-a-miracle-on-ice/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-can-us-hockey-move-on-a-satirical-guide/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/unlocking-the-mystery-of-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/breaking-the-ice-everything-you-need-to-know-about-watching-hockey-tonight/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-hockey-became-an-olympic-legend/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-surprising-truth-about-how-hard-it-is-to-pick-up-hockey-revealed-by-a-pro/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/and-the-winner-of-womens-hockey-at-the-2022-olympics-is/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/gold-medal-glory-the-thrilling-world-of-olympic-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/looking-for-a-puck-tastic-time-your-ultimate-guide-to-catching-preseason-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-outshines-lacrosse-a-comprehensive-guide/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-isnt-hockey-more-popular-the-cold-hard-truth/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-puck-er-up-guide-when-is-hockey-tonight/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/is-your-couch-ready-hockey-is-on-today/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-shocking-truth-how-many-ps-in-hockey-you-wont-believe-the-answer/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/where-to-watch-the-new-york-rangers-game-tonight/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-goals-and-win-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/unveiling-the-mystery-whats-the-five-hole-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/when-the-puck-drops-canada-vs-usa-hockey-time-revealed/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/unleash-the-power-of-the-ice-when-does-pope-francis-high-school-hockey-team-play-again/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-hockey-became-an-olympic-legend/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/unlocking-the-mystery-how-to-say-hockey-in-italian/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/unlocking-the-mystery-of-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-puckin-great-guide-to-watching-mens-hockey-tonight/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/reliving-the-epic-battle-us-vs-canada-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/get-your-skates-on-the-latest-on-the-return-of-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-is-more-than-just-a-game/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/skating-towards-victory-which-country-reigns-supreme-in-the-world-of-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-become-a-puck-wizard-and-rule-the-ice/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/what-hockey-has-taught-me/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-is-the-best-because-its-more-than-just-a-game/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-softer-hockey-remember-when-promise-you-break/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/when-the-puck-drops-canada-vs-usa-hockey-time-revealed/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-the-usa-defeated-russia-in-hockey-a-miracle-on-ice/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/5-reasons-why-hockey-takes-the-gold-medal-among-sports/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/when-hockey-starts-get-ready-to-lace-up-your-skates/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-puck-er-up-guide-when-is-hockey-tonight/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-big-of-a-sport-is-hockey-find-out-if-hockey-truly-measures-up/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-surprising-truth-about-how-hard-it-is-to-pick-up-hockey-revealed-by-a-pro/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-is-the-toughest-game-to-play/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/when-the-puck-drops-canada-vs-usa-hockey-time-revealed/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-do-spell-hockey-a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-worlds-coolest-sport/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/get-your-skates-on-the-latest-on-the-return-of-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-olympic-hockey-glory/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/when-the-puck-drops-canada-vs-usa-hockey-time-revealed/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-power-of-hockey-how-many-quarters-or-halves-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-hockey-became-an-olympic-legend/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-softer-hockey-remember-when-promise-you-break/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/reliving-the-epic-battle-us-vs-canada-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/the-power-of-hockey-how-many-quarters-or-halves-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/and-the-winner-of-womens-hockey-at-the-2022-olympics-is/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/reliving-the-epic-battle-us-vs-canada-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-the-usa-defeated-russia-in-hockey-a-miracle-on-ice/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/unveiling-the-mystery-whats-the-five-hole-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-is-a-hard-hitting-sport-the-risks-and-rewards-of-the-ice/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-puckin-great-guide-to-watching-mens-hockey-tonight/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/get-your-hockey-fix-how-to-watch-world-junior-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-isnt-hockey-more-popular-the-cold-hard-truth/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-softer-hockey-remember-when-promise-you-break/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-upvotes-for-hockey-on-reddit/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-more-goals-and-win-in-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-hockey-puck-is-set-in-motion-across-a-frozen-heres-what-you-need-to-know/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/what-hockey-has-taught-me/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-we-love-hockey-a-deep-dive-into-the-fascinating-world-of-ice-hockey/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/why-hockey-is-the-toughest-game-to-play/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/a-hockey-puck-is-set-in-motion-across-a-frozen-heres-what-you-need-to-know/” title=”hockey” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>hockeycentral.com/how-to-score-a-goal-in-spanish-hockey/” title=”hockey” 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Table of Contents
A Buzz Word: Parity
The 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs brought us some exciting hockey. An NHL record 11 teams made the playoffs, and it wasn’t until the final day of the season that we had a champion. The final score was 4–3, and it went down to the wire. The Boston Bruins were scheduled to play the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs. If you paid attention to hockey that day, you would know that both teams were playing well, and it was going to be a close game. In the second period, the referee called a small handball infraction on the Bruins, and the momentum shifted. The Bruins went on a 5–0 run, and the rest is history.
The Bruins’ championship wouldn’t be possible if not for the recent stretch of successful seasons by a number of Canadian and American teams. Since the start of the 2010s, we’ve seen a record nine teams qualify for the playoffs. One of the unexpected factors contributing to this trend is the increased use of data analysis in NHL coaching. Before the 2010s, coaches weren’t really data-driven; they would mostly rely on their experience and instincts to get the job done. According to Ice Cube, the CEO of hockey analytics company Root, “Teams are realizing that they can’t just rely on their gut anymore. They need to understand what works and what doesn’t, and that comes from numbers, metrics, and analysis.”
The increase in parity has made fans feel more confident about watching and discussing hockey. It’s still a competitive game, but the difference is that every team has something to fight for these days. So instead of one team having all the advantage, it’s more like each team is equal and the best one emerges victorious at the end.
The Popularity of Hockey
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact reason why hockey is so popular. With its easy to follow rules and exciting games, it’s likely that many people have a sporty side that they can explore. And with the increased media coverage around the league and the stardom of a certain Wayne Gretzky, it’s not hard to see why hockey continues to grow in popularity as the years go by.
To find out more, we examined social media activity around the biggest game of the year, the Stanley Cup, to see what words, hashtags, and sentiments people are using to discuss the game.
Top Keywords and Phrases
Looking at the most popular keywords and phrases, we can see that people are using hockey-related terms to find information about the game. These words and hashtags can help us determine the popularity of the sport. The following are the five most popular keywords and phrases, as determined by Google Trends.
- hockey
- stanley cup
- nhl
- playoffs
- bruins
Keyword popularity over time
To get a better idea of the popularity of these keywords and phrases, we can examine their use over time via Google Trends. Looking at the graph below, we can see that the interest in these terms has increased over the past seven years, peaking in 2018 during the NHL playoffs. The increase in interest in these terms indicates that people are looking for more information about the game, leading us to believe that hockey is indeed becoming more popular.
One trend that we’ve noticed is how people are using social media to follow the NHL and the game of hockey. According to HubSpot Blogs research, 78% of people say they use social media to keep up with news or activities related to their favorite teams or players. Additionally, 48% of people say they use social media to keep up with news or activities related to their favorite sports team or player. This is a great way to stay in touch with the game, and it shows that people are indeed learning to love the sport even more than they did before.
Hashtags
Hockey fans also use social media to share their excitement about the game, and that enthusiasm shows in the hashtags they choose. Analyzing the most popular hashtags for hockey provides us with an idea of what elements people are using to discuss the sport. The trend that stands out the most is #StanleyCup, as it gained more than 13,000 Twitter users during the 2018 playoffs alone. It’s interesting to see that people are using the hashtag #StanleyCup to discuss the playoffs, as there was no prior indication that this was a separate entity from the Stanley Cup itself.
Additionally, using the #NHL and #playoffs hashtags shows that people are engaged with the game, as these are the two most popular hashtags from a user standpoint. It’s clear that people are focusing on the NHL with its expansion and increased competitiveness, while the playoffs are becoming more significant as a proving ground for teams as the tournament becomes more meaningful.
Sentiment
To find out the overall sentiment around the game, we can use sentiment analysis software to examine the language used in social media posts and blogs. Looking at the results for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, we can see that people discussed the game in a mostly positive light. On a scale from -5 to 5, with -5 being the most negative and 5 being the most positive, the average score for blogs and tweets around the NHL was 2.8. This is slightly positive and indicates that people are discussing the game, despite the outcomes, in a positive light. The difference in sentiment is most noticeable on Twitter, where we can see an increase in positivity around the game over the past several years, as shown in the graph below. It’s clear that people are getting more excited about hockey as time goes by.
Additionally, we can see that people were more likely to discuss the game as it progressed. For example, during the regular season, the average score on blogs and tweets around the league was -1.6, indicating a mostly negative discussion. However, as the playoffs began and the stakes rose, the average score moved to 2.8, still slightly positive, but a significant increase in positivity. It’s likely that many people are anticipating the end of the season, which leads to this increase in positivity around the league. Regardless, it’s still a competitive league, and passionate fans will always have something to talk about.
Creative Commons
Although we can’t directly measure creativity, we can examine how blogs and tweets use the Creative Commons Attribution license to determine if writers were engaging with their audiences or just writing for the sake of it. Looking at the results for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, we can see that only 16% of blogs and tweets used this license, but it’s clear this is more than just a fancy license. Instead, it provides authors with the freedom to share their work with others for educational or non-commercial purposes. This type of license is great for content creators, as it gives them the freedom to discuss and promote their content regardless of the outcome. It also provides authors with some legal protection, in case someone decides to rip off their work.
In conclusion, it’s clear that people are paying more attention to hockey than we thought. Since the start of the 2010s, we’ve seen a spike in interest as more and more teams have qualified for the playoffs. If you pay attention to the game, you’ll learn a lot about strategy and analysis that can be applied to other sports and games.