About six months ago, I wrote about hockey needing a celebrity couple to attract US attention to the sport due to its low TV ratings. New York Islanders Centre Mike Comrie is rumoured to be dating pop star/actress Hilary Duff. Could this be the couple the NHL has been waiting for?
Before I answer that question, let's talk about celebrities that date outside of their industry. It's so interesting to see how they react to being exposed to a whole different type of fans. Hilary's used to teeny boppers trying to dress like her and screaming and fainting at the sight of her. But with a boyfriend in the NHL, she's being exposed to hockey fans now too. And passionate hockey fans are a whole different sort...especially angry ones. After Comrie refused to sign a contract with the Edmonton Oilers before the 2002-03 season for personal reasons he refused to disclose, he became one of the most hated Oilers in team history. Whenever he returns to Edmonton, Oilers fans always BOO him whenever he touches the puck. With hockey fans all of a sudden taking notice of the pop queen, she sensed that she might get attention from more than just her Duff-loving fans when she visited Edmonton this week on her current concert tour. Those Edmonton fans don't forget those who diss their city (Pocklington and Pronger for example) and I suspect that Hilary was worried that as the girlfriend of a hated ex-Oiler, she wouldn't escape the wrath of the Oilers fans. So, she decided to kiss a little Edmonton ass. And so, this week in Edmonton, she donned a paper hat and apron and dished out food to the homeless. Hilarious.
If we look at it the other way around, Hilary's fans are now getting to know Mike Comrie as well. But this is the reason I don't think this celebrity couple will not be the one to change the interest level in hockey. Somehow I don't think the exposure to teenage girls is going to save the NHL.
Although...imagine if it did. What if hockey became uber-popular with the teen girl crowd? Oh my Lord...we'd have to wear ear-plugs to the games to protect our ears from the high-pitched screams, they'd replace the beer stands with stands selling Bratz dolls in hockey jerseys, and we'd have to endure seeing our hockey stars in gag-inducing poses on posters from Tiger Beat magazine in school lockers. AHHHH.....please, no!
