Bobad,

Ice hockey is very much a minority sport in the UK, in terms of both players and spectators. It's only popular in the few places that have ice rinks (Sheffield, Nottingham, Belfast, etc.) and its entire national fan base, in terms of those who turn up for a game, would leave plenty of seats vacant in Sheffield Wednesday's 40,000-capacity stadium.

Bear in mind that some 200,000 people turned out in appalling weather yesterday to watch games in the Championship alone (that's the English second division, pyramid-wise). Add to that the Premier League games spread over three days, all the FA Cup ties, and a whole myriad of non-league games and we're talking about more than a million turning up for 90 minutes of footballing ecstasy or nightmare.

In other words, sorry, but the overwhelming majority of the sports-going public here couldn't give a damn about ice hockey.