Seventy-Three Percent Of Hockey Fans Will Put The Shopping Bags Down On Black Friday To Watch The Bruins Faceoff Against The Rangers

November 20, 2013

Boston Strong: 62 Percent of Hockey Fans Say the Bruins Will Overtake the Rangers in the Discover-NHL Thanksgiving Showdown™

RIVERWOODS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 20, 2013-- You won’t see any in-store power plays or body checks from avid hockey fans shopping for doorbuster deals the afternoon of Black Friday this year. The majority of fans plan to watch the Discover-NHL Thanksgiving Showdown™.

In a new survey of 800 hockey fans released by Discover, 73 percent said they plan on watching the Boston Bruins take on the rival New York Rangers. Eleven percent said they plan to shop, while 9 percent said they plan to record the game while they shop and watch it later.

Regardless of whether they are watching the game or not, a healthy majority of hockey fans think the Rangers don’t stand a chance against the Bruins. Nearly two-thirds, 62 percent, said the Bruins will beat the Rangers in this historic match-up between two of the National Hockey League’s (NHL®) Original Six™ teams. Only 20 percent believe the Rangers will win.

Fans Love Hockey on Black Friday

Just as football is synonymous with Thanksgiving Day, hockey on Black Friday has created a loyal following as well. In fact, 31 percent of hockey fans prefer hockey on Black Friday.

And what if there was hockey on Thanksgiving Day? If it was a rivalry game, nearly half, 48 percent, of all hockey fans are willing to hold off on the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy if they had a chance to see their favorite NHL team play live.

Hockey Rivalries Help Define the Sport and Family Ties

Discover’s survey asked hockey fans various questions related to rivalries, and fans definitely feel rivalry games are more significant than non-rivalry games. Seventy-percent of hockey fans are either somewhat or much more likely to watch or attend a rivalry game versus a non-rivalry game. Only 25 percent said they would watch a game regardless of the matchup. Other results about rivalries include:

  • 37 percent of hockey fans think the historical significance between teams is the most important factor in determining an NHL rivalry. Twenty-five percent said geographic proximity, while 13 percent said number of times a pair of teams met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs®.
  • 31 percent think the Chicago Blackhawks versus the Detroit Red Wings is the NHL’s best rivalry. Coming in second place was the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Philadelphia Flyers at 17 percent. The New York Rangers versus the Boston Bruins finished third at 16 percent.

When it comes to rivalries between friends and family, a majority, 52 percent, said they have a rivalry with someone in their lives. When asked who they have a rivalry with:

  • 47 percent said a friend
  • 28 percent said their sibling
  • 17 percent said spouse or significant other

It’s interesting to note that nobody said they had a rivalry with their Mom, but Dad was not as lucky. Six percent of women said they have a rivalry with their Dad, while only 1 percent of men said the same.

About the Survey

This survey of 800 National Hockey League Fans was conducted on Nov. 12-14, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. Interviews were conducted both over the phone and with an online panel.

About Discover

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the Discover card, America's cash rewards pioneer, and offers home loans, private student loans, personal loans, home equity loans, checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts through its direct banking business. It operates the Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.discover.com/company.

NHL, the NHL Shield and the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup are registered trademarks and NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.
© NHL 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Source: Discover Financial Services

Discover
Matt Towson, 224-405-5649
matthewtowson@discover.com