The Most Popular Type of Hockey, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the type you think is the most popular!
Updated on May 8, 2024 06:53
Hockey has woven its way through countless cultures and climates, adapted to an array of environments, from icy ponds to indoor arenas. Each adaptation of the game brings its unique flair and set of rules, presenting fans with diverse styles to enjoy. Understanding which type captivates the audience the most provides valuable insights into sports preferences and regional affinities.
This website offers a dynamic approach to gauging the popularity of different forms of hockey. By casting votes, users directly influence the rankings, creating a continuously updated list that reflects the opinions and preferences of a global fan base. Engaging with this list not only helps highlight favorite variants but also stirs community interaction and discussion.
What Is the Most Popular Type of Hockey?
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189votes
Fabien Perissinotto · CC BY-SA 4.0The most well-known and popular form of hockey worldwide, with professional leagues in North America, Europe, and Asia.Ice hockey is a fast-paced and thrilling sport played on ice, involving two teams of skaters who compete to score goals by shooting a small rubber puck into the opponent's net. It is known for its physicality, speed, and skillful plays, making it one of the most exciting sports to watch and play.- Number of players: Each team typically has six players on the ice, including a goaltender.
- Equipment: Players wear ice skates, helmets, padded gloves, shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin guards, and use a stick to control the puck.
- Rink dimensions: Ice hockey is played on a rectangular rink that is approximately 200 feet long and 85 feet wide.
- Duration of play: A standard ice hockey game consists of three 20-minute periods, with stoppages in play for penalties, goals, and intermissions.
- Penalties: Players can be sent to the penalty box for various infractions, leading to power-play opportunities for the opposing team.
Ice Hockey in other rankings- Position 2 of 10 in Most difficult American sport
- Position 4 of 10 in Most difficult sport
- Position 5 of 10 in Most popular sport in Manchester
- Position 8 of 10 in Most beautiful sport
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226votesPopular in Europe, Asia, and Australia, with a large following in India and Pakistan. It is an Olympic sport, with both men's and women's teams competing.Field Hockey is a team sport played on a grass or turf field, with players using curved sticks to hit a small, hard ball into the opponent's goal. The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team. It is widely popular in many countries, especially in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
- Number of Players: 11 players per team
- Stick Length: 28-38 inches
- Ball Weight: 5-5.5 ounces
- Field Dimensions: 100-110 yards in length, 55-60 yards in width
- Goal Dimensions: 7 feet high and 12 feet wide
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331votesA variation of ice hockey played on asphalt or concrete, often with roller skates or inline skates. It is popular in North America, especially among youth and amateur leagues.Street hockey is a type of hockey played on a non-ice surface, such as a street, parking lot, or roller rink. It is a popular recreational sport that can be played by people of all ages and skill levels.
- Equipment: Street hockey is typically played with a ball, such as a tennis ball or street hockey ball, and players use hockey sticks to pass, shoot, and score.
- Playing Surface: Street hockey is played on a paved surface, such as a street, parking lot, or outdoor roller rink. Goals are often marked or improvised using various objects.
- Player Count: Street hockey can be played in various team sizes, ranging from one-on-one games all the way up to large-scale organized tournaments with multiple teams.
- Gameplay: The objective of street hockey is to score goals by shooting the ball into the opponent's net while defending one's own net. The game is typically fast-paced and highly dynamic.
- Rules: Street hockey often follows simplified rules based on ice hockey, but with certain modifications to accommodate the non-ice surface and varying player counts.
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422votes
Xknod03 at Czech Wikipedia (Original text: Koloman Knopp) · Public domainSimilar to street hockey, but played with a ball instead of a puck. It is popular in Canada, the United States, and Europe, with international tournaments held regularly.Ball Hockey is a type of hockey played on foot using a ball instead of a traditional puck. It is typically played outdoors on asphalt or concrete surfaces, but can also be played indoors on gymnasium floors. Ball Hockey is popular worldwide and provides a great alternative to ice or roller hockey for those who may not have access to ice rinks or roller rinks. The game follows similar rules and strategies as ice hockey, with the objective of scoring goals by shooting the ball into the opponent's net.- Playing Surface: Typically played on asphalt or concrete surfaces.
- Equipment: Players use a hockey stick and a ball, often a street hockey ball.
- Number of Players: Usually played with five players per team, including a goalie.
- Game Duration: Games are typically played in three 20-minute periods.
- Offside: The offside rule applies, with players required to stay onside when entering the offensive zone.
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517votesPlayed on roller skates or inline skates, with variations including inline hockey, rink hockey, and roller derby. It is popular in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, with professional leagues in several countries.Roller Hockey is a type of hockey played on roller skates or inline skates instead of ice skates. It is similar to ice hockey in terms of gameplay but is played on a hard surface such as a roller rink or concrete.
- Skates: Roller hockey is played with inline skates which have smaller wheels in a row.
- Ball/Puck: It can be played with either a ball or a puck, depending on the variation.
- Playing Surface: Roller hockey is usually played on a smooth, hard surface like a roller rink or outdoor pavement.
- Team Size: Teams typically consist of four or five players, including a goalie.
- Equipment: Players wear similar protective equipment as in ice hockey, including helmets, gloves, shin guards, and elbow pads.
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616votes
Connormah · CC BY-SA 3.0A modified form of ice hockey played by athletes with physical disabilities, using sledges instead of skates. It is a Paralympic sport, with teams from around the world competing.Sledge hockey, also known as sled hockey, is a popular type of ice hockey designed for individuals with physical disabilities. It is played by athletes sitting on sleds with two blades underneath and using double-ended sticks to propel themselves and handle the puck.- Sled Design: Sleds have a metal frame with a seat mounted on top and two blades underneath.
- Stick Design: Double-ended sticks are used, with one end featuring picks to allow propulsion and the other end used for puck handling.
- Blade Material: The sled blades are made of stainless steel.
- Rules Adaptation: The sport follows the rules of ice hockey with some adaptations to accommodate the limitations of sleds.
- Para Ice Hockey Category: Sledge hockey is part of the Para ice hockey category.
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79votesA team sport played on ice, with similar rules to ice hockey but with a different puck and a focus on skating and passing skills. It is popular in Canada, with over 50,000 players registered.Ringette is a popular type of ice hockey primarily played by women and girls, characterized by its specific equipment and gameplay rules. It was created in 1963 in North Bay, Ontario, Canada.
- Players: Usually played by two teams, each consisting of six players: a goalie and five skaters.
- Equipment: Players use a straight hollow rubber ring instead of a puck, and wear specific protective gear including a helmet with a facemask, shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin guards, and gloves.
- Stick: Players use a straight stick with no blade, featuring a rubber tip at the end to help control and pass the ring.
- Gameplay: The objective is to score goals by shooting the ring into the opponent's net while following specific rules such as the requirement to pass over each blue line before entering the offensive zone.
- Zones: The rink is divided into three zones: defensive, neutral, and offensive. Each zone has specific restrictions for players involving placement and responsibilities.
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89votesA type of indoor hockey played with lightweight sticks and a plastic ball. It is popular in Europe, with professional leagues in several countries and a growing following in Asia and North America.Floorball is a fast-paced indoor hockey sport that originated in Sweden in the late 1960s. It is often referred to as 'innebandy' in Scandinavian countries. The game is played with two teams of five players each, including a goalkeeper. The objective is to score goals by getting a plastic ball into the opposing team's net using lightweight sticks.
- Number of players: 5 players per team
- Equipment: Plastic sticks and a lightweight plastic ball
- Playing surface: Indoor court with a hard floor
- Goal size: 1.6 meters wide and 1.15 meters high
- Game duration: Generally three periods of 20 minutes each
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911votesA team sport played on ice, similar to field hockey but with a ball and larger playing field. It is popular in Scandinavia, Russia, and other parts of Europe, with a World Championship held annually.Bandy is a popular type of hockey that originated in the Nordic countries. It is played on ice with teams of 11 players, using a small ball instead of a puck. The objective of the game is to use sticks to score goals by shooting the ball into the opponent's net.
- Ball: Small spherical ball
- Number of Players: 11 players per team
- Field of Play: Large ice rink, typically larger than ice hockey rinks
- Playing Surface: Ice
- Sticks: Curved sticks similar to field hockey sticks
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106votes
Underwater Hockey
Alan BlakeA unique form of hockey played on the bottom of a swimming pool, with players using snorkels, fins, and short sticks to push a weighted puck. It is popular in Australia, New Zealand, and several other countries, with a World Championship held every two years.Underwater Hockey is a unique and dynamic sport played at the bottom of a swimming pool or other aquatic venue. It was originally created to provide divers with a way to maintain their fitness and diving skills during the winter months when open water diversions were not possible. The game involves two teams, each consisting of six players, who use small sticks to push a puck along the pool floor towards the opposing team's goal. Players wear snorkels, masks, fins, and water polo caps for protection.- Year of Invention: 1954
- Number of Players: 6 per team
- Objective: Score goals by pushing the puck into the opponent's goal
- Equipment: Snorkel, mask, fins, water polo cap, gloves, stick, and puck
- Playing Area: Pool bottom or underwater arena
Underwater Hockey in other rankings- Position 7 of 10 in Most random sport
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About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular type of hockey. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or type is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 2631 views
- 234 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each type once every 24 hours. The rank of each type is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular type of hockey
Hockey is one of the most popular sports in the world, and there are various types of hockey played across different regions. The most popular type of hockey depends on the country and the culture. In North America, ice hockey is the most popular type of hockey, while field hockey is more popular in Europe and Asia. Roller hockey is also a popular variant, especially in countries like Spain, Portugal, and Brazil. Despite the differences in rules and equipment between these types of hockey, they all share the same basic principles of teamwork, skill, and athleticism. At StrawPoll, we provide a platform for fans of different types of hockey to share their opinions and vote on their favorite teams, players, and moments.
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