Expounding on Carole's thoughts

The game is history.and the Olympic talk is winding down on TV. What was so mysterious is the lure that this game had over us all. Those of us who have never watched a hockey game in our life sat motionless. Back to Carole's account...The fact that it was LIVE....Jill had to get up in Hong Kong between 4 n 5 am. Carole in Turkey had to stay up cause it started at 1o.15pm.Kathy watched it in a movie theatre in Edmonton, Michelle watched it cuddled on the couch in Thornhill. And even little housewives in Nova Scotia watched it through the supper hour and the meal preparation was forgotten. What was the ingredient that caused this phenomena?