Spandrel Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Yeah, this is probably true, but thanks ESPN for an article gloating about the low ratings in the NHL Playoffs. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs2006...ht&lid=tab2pos2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Seats Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 This season has made me miss Empire Sports Network so much. There's nothing wrong with hockey, and it certainly can compete with the NBA, NFL, and MLB for major TV coverage. When it comes down to it, its cheaper for ESPN to produce poker tournament coverage and then hype it hype it hype it than it is to cover the NHL. No one liked watching poker until they saturated the screen with it. They created a market for something that was cheap to produce. Same thing for "reality tv." If the NHL can manage to get a deal with a major network, they need to be smart and promote the damn game. I won't go into how this could easily be done, because we've been over it before one here. By the way, I don't buy the "small market" argument about Buffalo. Does that number include Niagara Falls? What happens if you add Rochester? How many Torontonians are tuning in to watch the Sabres? How many expats around the nation are dying to watch coverage of this series? BradRiter - do you have numbers on how many online listeners tune into the games through WGR55.com? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWarner Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 OLN said the ratings in the Buffalo area for game 1 rivaled Super Bowl ratings. Rest of the nation, not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtconner Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 rating rating big martket smal market blah blah blah whoooo freeeking cares. just worry about getting good hockey and good players on the ice and let the stupid ratings worry about themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeyebrian Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Yeah, this is probably true, but thanks ESPN for an article gloating about the low ratings in the NHL Playoffs. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs2006...ht&lid=tab2pos2 This is to be expected. OLN is not carried on that many cable systems. ESPN wouldn't pony up an extra $5 mil to get the NHL tv contract and this article smacks of "I told you so" Even the weekend games on NBC run up against basketball, baseball, golf, horse racing and auto racing. I agree that the league has to take the short money to get on a major cable network - if not ESPN, then how about USA or TNT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 This is to be expected. OLN is not carried on that many cable systems. ESPN wouldn't pony up an extra $5 mil to get the NHL tv contract and this article smacks of "I told you so" Even the weekend games on NBC run up against basketball, baseball, golf, horse racing and auto racing. I agree that the league has to take the short money to get on a major cable network - if not ESPN, then how about USA or TNT ESPN's hockey coverage this year pretty much shows that it has been giving hockey the minimum coverage it can get away with. This year there have been spectacular goals every night. Sportscenter usually shows the top 10 dunks of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 This is to be expected. OLN is not carried on that many cable systems. ESPN wouldn't pony up an extra $5 mil to get the NHL tv contract and this article smacks of "I told you so" Even the weekend games on NBC run up against basketball, baseball, golf, horse racing and auto racing. I agree that the league has to take the short money to get on a major cable network - if not ESPN, then how about USA or TNT Before the OLN deal I thought that the NHL would end up back on USA. I thought USA did a solid job with it back some 15 years ago when they had it before. I know a national contract is a good revenue source for the league and all but it seems that every year when the playoffs roll around a network switches a game (or two) I'm watching because it's a blowout and Center Ice can't provide the feed of the original game because of exclusivity. IMO, screw national contracts - I have my Center Ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gross Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Before the OLN deal I thought that the NHL would end up back on USA. I thought USA did a solid job with it back some 15 years ago when they had it before. I know a national contract is a good revenue source for the league and all but it seems that every year when the playoffs roll around a network switches a game (or two) I'm watching because it's a blowout and Center Ice can't provide the feed of the original game because of exclusivity. IMO, screw national contracts - I have my Center Ice. That does raise an interesting question: how do Center Ice subscriptions match up to pre-strike? More? Less? The Same? Something to me says that Center Ice subscription trends would tend to follow ticket trends, but of course I have no data to say either way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 That does raise an interesting question: how do Center Ice subscriptions match up to pre-strike? More? Less? The Same? Something to me says that Center Ice subscription trends would tend to follow ticket trends, but of course I have no data to say either way... I got an automatic discount of something like $30-40 for this season. Don't tell anyone, but I'd pay twice as much for Center Ice. Virtually every game that's carried on TV in the US or Canada is on Center Ice, and IMO that makes it the best value in sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffalOhio Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 I got an automatic discount of something like $30-40 for this season. Don't tell anyone, but I'd pay twice as much for Center Ice. Virtually every game that's carried on TV in the US or Canada is on Center Ice, and IMO that makes it the best value in sports. The only way it could be better is if I could pick the feed that I see. That way, I could hear Rick and Jim, and get an amazingly better picture. For some reason, the MSG Buffalo feed has a clearer, brighter picture than other feeds, especially those FSN feeds. They could have all the games in HD, too. That would truly be awesome. Nothing like watching a game, then seeing "Available in High Definitition", only to have to watch it in regular mode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 The only way it could be better is if I could pick the feed that I see. That way, I could hear Rick and Jim, and get an amazingly better picture. For some reason, the MSG Buffalo feed has a clearer, brighter picture than other feeds, especially those FSN feeds. I agree about the video quality of a lot of the broadcasts. One thing I learned after growing sick and tired of NESN's crew was to pause the game (DVR), and wait for the WGR stream (from NHL.com) to catch up. My laptop's audio can play through the surround sound, so it worked out pretty well. And yeah, being able to pick which team's feed you watch would be awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradRiter Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 BradRiter - do you have numbers on how many online listeners tune into the games through WGR55.com? I don't right now, but I know someone who might. I'll get back to you if I find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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