NBC | NHL to Sign New Deal

[jstewismybastardson]

It doesn't bother me really, but it is depressing seeing the attendance for Florida Panthers games. In other words, I wouldn't mind if more people started watching, though it's not going to have any affect on whether or not I tune in.

well theyre not watching their current local game broadcasts there either (averaging 3000 households per broadcast) so I dont know what being on espn would do

 

[devs30rko]

Whats that a 130% increase in tv revenue yearly? The nhl just buttfucked espn, and made out like gangbusters in the process

 

[Ties5o11]

Apparently the NHL will go way out of its way to not reach the casual fan. Sure, NHL fans will tune into versus, but 75% of sports fans in America don't even know where Versus is on the dial.

But I am in the minority, since most people on this board seems to agree money is more important than growth.

 

[maddogmark25]

Apparently the NHL will go way out of its way to not reach the casual fan. Sure, NHL fans will tune into versus, but 75% of sports fans in America don't even know where Versus is on the dial.

But I am in the minority, since everyone on this board seems to agree money is more important than growth.

The NHL went after the casual fan before, in the 90's, and it didn't get them very far.

This deal allows the traditionalists to get their large amount of coverage while (when Comcast begins to promote this new NBC sports network that Versus will become) being more gradual in its introduction of the sport to casual fans. Everything in the 90's happened too fast, this seems like a more gradual approach to attracting new fans.

Besides, don't you need money to grow?

 

[pixburgher66]

Like Boss said, getting into anything with ESPN would've been very dangerous. Sure, that first year we'd be in the honeymoon stage with it, especially since there'd be no NBA/NFL in the way, but as the years progressed we'd start to hate it. Intermissions would cut away to NBA scores and other junk we didn't care about. That and the basic RFA status the NHL had due to the matching thing with VS, I don't think ESPN had much of a chance.

 

[Ties5o11]

Besides, don't you need money to grow?

Yes, but having money does not imply growth. Taking teams out of large American markets and placing them in small Canadian markets, while simultaneously placing your games on a channel nobody watches, is not growth.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

Apparently the NHL will go way out of its way to not reach the casual fan. Sure, NHL fans will tune into versus, but 75% of sports fans in America don't even know where Versus is on the dial.

But I am in the minority, since everyone on this board seems to agree money is more important than growth.

No hockey fans love the sports and will watch the game. So I go to BK and you go to McD I could care less.

I want to watch the game I love because I love it. You go to the biggest store because it's the biggest. You shop at WalMart? Good for you.

 

[maddogmark25]

Yes, but having money does not imply growth. Taking teams out of large American markets and placing them in small Canadian markets, while simultaneously placing your games on a channel nobody watches, is not growth.

I know there are large amounts of people living in these areas, but I wouldn't call Glendale and Atlanta large sports markets

There's alot of people in the south that just won't watch hockey no matter what...better to put teams where they will actually watch to increase stuff like merchandise sales, etc.

 

[Ties5o11]

Like Boss said, getting into anything with ESPN would've been very dangerous. Sure, that first year we'd be in the honeymoon stage with it, especially since there'd be no NBA/NFL in the way, but as the years progressed we'd start to hate it. Intermissions would cut away to NBA scores and other junk we didn't care about. That and the basic RFA status the NHL had due to the matching thing with VS, I don't think ESPN had much of a chance.

So what? They can have a mini sportscenter during intermissions, what do I care- I'm in the john on or on SportsHoopla during intermissions as it is. The best case scenario would be NHL on both Versus and ESPN.

Instead, the NHL is, and will continue to be, a niche league like the MLS. That seems to not bother people on this board, which is fine for them, but I would prefer to see some growth.

 

[Ties5o11]

No hockey fans love the sports and will watch the game. So I go to BK and you go to McD I could care less.

I want to watch the game I love because I love it. You go to the biggest store because it's the biggest. You shop at WalMart? Good for you.

So you find a game thats sold out equally as enthralling than a game with 3,000 people in attendance?

 

[Comeds]

Ah, it was the Preakness, you're right.

ABC probably would too, but I'm not going to rejoice and act like NBC is awesome. They are awful.

I dont really want to defend NBC, fact is I do not remember when I last watched one of their weekend afternoon games. My guess is last playoffs. I am more happy about Versus over ESPN.

you mean you didn't appreciate the Tenticle Envy segments with Milbury and Grapes yesterday?
expertly moderated my McLean, I thought.

Sadly that isn't the feed of the game I got to watch yesterday.

Apparently the NHL will go way out of its way to not reach the casual fan. Sure, NHL fans will tune into versus, but 75% of sports fans in America don't even know where Versus is on the dial.

But I am in the minority, since most people on this board seems to agree money is more important than growth.

Both are important. However I see no reason to believe whatsoever that the games on ESPN would help the game grow at all. So the league is supposed to sign with ESPN because of the theory that a non hockey fan turns on ESPN just to see whats on, watches a game then suddenly becomes a fan? Or are they supposed to sign with ESPN so ESPN will start showing them respect? (hopefully?)

 

[Ties5o11]

I know there are large amounts of people living in these areas, but I wouldn't call Glendale and Atlanta large sports markets

There's alot of people in the south that just won't watch hockey no matter what...better to put teams where they will actually watch to increase stuff like merchandise sales, etc.

The difference between the North and the South is people in the South require their team to win to attend. Dallas, Tampa, Carolina, St Louis, and LA all turned out to be pretty solid markets when the team is winning. Florida, Atlanta, and Phoenix have had almost no success in this last decade.

The North does have stronger hockey markets, but you can not just play the sport in the North. Still, there are a lot of Northern markets that have shown to be very weak at some point over the course of the last decade- New Jersey, Pittsburgh, NY Islanders, Ottawa, Chicago...

 

[maddogmark25]

So what? They can have a mini sportscenter during intermissions, what do I care- I'm in the john on or on SportsHoopla during intermissions as it is. The best case scenario would be NHL on both Versus and ESPN.

Instead, the NHL is, and will continue to be, a niche league like the MLS. That seems to not bother people on this board, which is fine for them, but I would prefer to see some growth.

Hockey in itself is, and always will be, a niche sport.

No amount of time on ESPN will change that. (and by the looks of it, ESPN wasn't gonna offer much time for the NHL anyway)

 

[dash]

Just my opinion, but if would want to turn a casual sports fan into a hockey fan, you take them to a game live to get the full experience (speed, skill, hitting and atmosphere). You can't replicate that on tv, but once they're hooked, they'll tune in to get more of it.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Hockey in itself is, and always will be, a niche sport.
No amount of time on ESPN will change that. (and by the looks of it, ESPN wasn't gonna offer much time for the NHL anyway)

true ... some people can deal with "niche status" and still love the game ... some people dont need validation

it should be interesting to see the future of the newly renamed NBC Sports Channel vs ESPN ... looks like NBC wants to go head to head ... who knows what sports property they go after next ... and with Comcast as a carrier, you have to think the networks tv reach will grow over what Versus was in the past.

and if the NBA and NFL indeed end up not starting up in the fall ... watch out ... i could see growth in tv market share for the NHL in the states ... they look to be in a solid position

 

[jstewismybastardson]

some cdn stuff

Canadian TV rights expire at the end of the 2013-14 season. It’s believed that in the current frenzied competition between Canadian telcos for properties and rights the rights fees could equal the $200-million per year figure of the NHL’s U.S deal. That figure would no doubt squeeze out CBC, the current rights holder, which cannot amortize such a large payment across a secondary business-- as the telcos can.

 

[esls79]

Hockey on ESPN equals minimal growth and an old model - it doesn't work today. ESPN is an also ran - it is a television network with an outdated business model. The future for the NHL is with new media - video on demand, streaming live video, smartphones and IPads - somthing television cannot offer. Ed Snider's interests are much better off with this as Comcast is a powerful force in this arena.

Casual fans have too many options available to them today - in the past, if something wasn't on tv, they could flip to ESPN and maybe catch an exciting hockey game - this explains some of the growth over the past two decades. Now, if something isn't on, it's either on demand or dvr - the casual fan is not going to even bother checking out espn anymore. The options are to vast for this to happen anymore. New media, via Internet, cloud, smart phones, tablets computers (I can watch television on my IPad now, it's only a matter of time before all the broadcasters enter this arena) is the only way to go. The NHL as a league has embraced this over the past decade. As soon as I can buy an app for Center Ice, I will.

ESPN networks are not concerned with the business anymore - it's the advertising revenue. WIth ESPN, the entertainment has always come before the sports (it's in its name). ESPN 3 has partially embraced this concept, but it is only good for events it has the rights to (current programming, european soccer, etc) - to somebody in the States who wants hockey, all it has is KHL games.

It's a case of the league not needing ESPN anymore, but come this fall, ESPN may need the league. I'm sorry, growth does not equal putting the NHL on ESPN in today's day in age.

 

[dash]

Hockey on ESPN equals minimal growth and an old model - it doesn't work today. ESPN is an also ran - it is a television network with an outdated business model. The future for the NHL is with new media - video on demand, streaming live video, smartphones and IPads - somthing television cannot offer. Ed Snider's interests are much better off with this as Comcast is a powerful force in this arena.

Casual fans have too many options available to them today - in the past, if something wasn't on tv, they could flip to ESPN and maybe catch an exciting hockey game - this explains some of the growth over the past two decades. Now, if something isn't on, it's either on demand or dvr - the casual fan is not going to even bother checking out espn anymore. The options are to vast for this to happen anymore. New media, via Internet, cloud, smart phones, tablets computers (I can watch television on my IPad now, it's only a matter of time before all the broadcasters enter this arena) is the only way to go. The NHL as a league has embraced this over the past decade. As soon as I can buy an app for Center Ice, I will.

ESPN networks are not concerned with the business anymore - it's the advertising revenue. WIth ESPN, the entertainment has always come before the sports (it's in its name). ESPN 3 has partially embraced this concept, but it is only good for events it has the rights to (current programming, european soccer, etc) - to somebody in the States who wants hockey, all it has is KHL games.

It's a case of the league not needing ESPN anymore, but come this fall, ESPN may need the league. I'm sorry, growth does not equal putting the NHL on ESPN in today's day in age.

It's still early, but this is a leading candidate for post of the day, in my opinion.

/rep

 

[postmaster]

Hockey on ESPN equals minimal growth and an old model - it doesn't work today. ESPN is an also ran - it is a television network with an outdated business model. The future for the NHL is with new media - video on demand, streaming live video, smartphones and IPads - somthing television cannot offer. Ed Snider's interests are much better off with this as Comcast is a powerful force in this arena.

Casual fans have too many options available to them today - in the past, if something wasn't on tv, they could flip to ESPN and maybe catch an exciting hockey game - this explains some of the growth over the past two decades. Now, if something isn't on, it's either on demand or dvr - the casual fan is not going to even bother checking out espn anymore. The options are to vast for this to happen anymore. New media, via Internet, cloud, smart phones, tablets computers (I can watch television on my IPad now, it's only a matter of time before all the broadcasters enter this arena) is the only way to go. The NHL as a league has embraced this over the past decade. As soon as I can buy an app for Center Ice, I will.

ESPN networks are not concerned with the business anymore - it's the advertising revenue. WIth ESPN, the entertainment has always come before the sports (it's in its name). ESPN 3 has partially embraced this concept, but it is only good for events it has the rights to (current programming, european soccer, etc) - to somebody in the States who wants hockey, all it has is KHL games.

It's a case of the league not needing ESPN anymore, but come this fall, ESPN may need the league. I'm sorry, growth does not equal putting the NHL on ESPN in today's day in age.

That is a great post.
And sorry to get off topic but I get so sick of hearing that hockey is a niche sport. Maybe a niche fanbase in the US but that is it. Hockey is a worldwide sport with multiple leagues and players getting drafted from a lot of countries other than just North America. It is even in the Olympics.
If any sport is niche, it is American football. It has never been proven to succeed anywhere other than USA and Canada. Players never get drafted from other countries.
Football is one of the biggest niche sports in the world but of course it is king here in the US and hockey is the niche sport.

 

[johnnytata]

i have done a 180 on this. last week i was feeling all about putting the nhl on espn fro name recognition.

then i remembered where i live, washington dc, and thought about the only team this city cares about, the redskins, and thought about how far name recognition really gets you.

name recognition and name brand are false idols. espn doesn't give a shit about sports anymore. espn is the home of mike wilbon, who doesn't know jack shit about the game, who hasn't taken the time to actually learn the game, but spouts off about the goonery. espn takes once reputable journalists (i.e. wilbon) and turns them into sensationalist ambulance chasers.

espn is all about style and flash over substance. espn is all opinion and no fact. espn is where skip bayless and colin cowherd take ridiculous, extreme stances to get "hits" on their "sportsnation" message boards. espn is not selling sports. espn is just a dressed up, slicked-out, fake-rolex wearing snake-oil salesman and someone i would never willingly let into my house.

espn is the shortcut method to growth and recognition, and in my opinion shortcuts can get you killed dead.

hockey has slowly grown as a sport, and will continue to grow slowly, but every step since the lockout has been in the right direction. i think if we are patient, we'll all eventually get what we want.