Unpopular Opinion: I’m more excited about the XFL in Seattle than the NHL
Dec 7, 2018, 6:42 AM | Updated: 11:14 am
(AP)
(AP)
November has been a big month for additions to the Seattle sports scene, between the NHL and the XFL announcing new teams. But not everyone is looking forward to hockey in the Emerald City.
“I’m more excited about the XFL coming to Seattle than the NHL coming to Seattle,” said KIRO Radio’s Gee Scott. “I’m way more excited. I know about three players in hockey — there’s no appeal to it.”
RELATED: Can the XFL actually sell itself to a reluctant Seattle?
Despite the relative excitement the city appeared to have in the wake of the NHL’s announcement, Gee pointed out one, important fact.
San Francisco Demons fan Chris Wright, 11, from Benicia, Calif., holds up a sign during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Xtreme, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2001 in San Francisco in their first XFL game. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
“The crazy thing, is all four of us here on the show, none of us have been to a professional hockey game,” he argued.
Compare that to the extreme football league, and there’s no contest for Gee.
“I love [the] XFL because it’s going to be football,” he said. “It’s going to happen in 2020 — by the way 2021 will be when hockey is played here — XFL is going to be eight cities, Seattle is going to be one of them, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Not everyone agreed with him, though.
“I was not impressed with the last XFL product,” said KIRO Nights co-host Drew Barth. “I think the 2.0 version of the XFL will be better than the first version, however I don’t know what I’m necessarily looking forward to.”
How does he explain his lack of interest in hockey? With the same reason he doesn’t watch basketball.
“You know how much NBA I follow right now?” Drew asked. “Not much at all because there’s no team here anymore. I feel like you need to have an inherent reason why you should follow a sport. Because there is no professional hockey team as of yet, I have not followed professional hockey.”
For KIRO Radio’s Frank Shiers, the choice between the NHL and XFL is no choice at all.
“I would say I will ignore both of them equally,” he quipped.
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Tune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 7 pm for KIRO Nights with Jack Stine.
