I actually think that Hockey is a NICHE sport and don't want everyone to like it or get it. I don't like Basketball at all so I don't bother watching. I am tired of Hockey floundering in the Southern Markets, they like basketball and football down there. I get the fact that hockey is a regionalized game they just don't get it in the sunshine states. They don't really have frozen ponds or winter down there. Look at the Florida Panthers and the Atlanta Thrasher and now the Phoenix Coyotes, no one cares and no one goes to their games.
When I was in Georgia for two were there was two whole stinking hockey games on TV. Two. There were zero commericals for the Thrasers not one. That's fine I will live in the north freeze and watch hockey. So maybe USA and Canada is like the Gophers and the Sioux.