I’m pretty sure that the basic answer is that the audience likes to see fights.
That’s why the punishment for fighting is relatively small. If the league gave severe punishments for fighting, players would be forced to stop fighting.
Because the punishment is relatively small, players are more likely to start a fight. When players are in the middle of fighting, it is more dangerous for a referee to interfere, so they let them fight until they find a less dangerous moment to break it up.
You’ve missed out on “great” stuff like the time every semi-pro player on the ice threw gloves down and started brawling before the first puck drop of the game, due to an old rivalry that likely had nothing to do with any of the players on the teams.
The penalty boxes didn’t even have standing room. Glorious because of how silly it was.
I’d be fine with fighting dying off, as I’m sure it makes some kids not want to play who otherwise would, but at least a lot of the pro stuff does stop the fights these days, so we are getting there…
I’m pretty sure that the basic answer is that the audience likes to see fights.
That’s why the punishment for fighting is relatively small. If the league gave severe punishments for fighting, players would be forced to stop fighting.
Because the punishment is relatively small, players are more likely to start a fight. When players are in the middle of fighting, it is more dangerous for a referee to interfere, so they let them fight until they find a less dangerous moment to break it up.
That is why referees let the players fight.
IIHF and European leagues banned fighting a long time ago because there’s no audience for it outside north America.
You’ve missed out on “great” stuff like the time every semi-pro player on the ice threw gloves down and started brawling before the first puck drop of the game, due to an old rivalry that likely had nothing to do with any of the players on the teams.
The penalty boxes didn’t even have standing room. Glorious because of how silly it was.
I’d be fine with fighting dying off, as I’m sure it makes some kids not want to play who otherwise would, but at least a lot of the pro stuff does stop the fights these days, so we are getting there…
counterpoint: I think we ought to introduce fights into baseball.
There’s fights in baseball. It’s gotten rarer and there are now automatic suspensions for the instigators.
If the shortstop can’t clothesline someone stealing third then we’re not talking about the same thing my dude, add fighting to baseball.
I think we can go farther… fights in tennis? Cricket? Cutting? Golf?
Actually that last one would be pretty good if we kept the same whispering announcers.
Snooker, because they wear suits and have to keep one foot on the ground at all time.
One of those snooker bats could take an eye out