ESPN doesn't hate hockey, exec just doesn't think it translates well

[BOSSMANPC]

I posted my comments there and I hope you do too.

Turn on ESPN during the season and usually the most you will see of hockey is during Friday's Not Top 10, highlighting the biggest bloopers of the week. After that there might be a mention of Sidney Crosby. There's not much room for anything else on the ice with 10 minutes of talking heads debating the latest topic in the NFL.

Ask any hockey fan what ESPN thinks of hockey and he/she will almost assuredly say the four-letter hates it. Hockey is that player in Little League that has to play so he gets a pinch-running spot in the last inning.

Ask ESPN Senior Vice President and Director of News Vince Doria, as Ed Sherman did, and you get a different answer, of course.

"We don't hate hockey. When I worked in Boston [as sports editor of the Boston Globe], I probably went to more Bruins games than Celtics. There's probably not a better in-the-house sport than hockey. Watching it live. My own personal feeling is that it never transferred well to television. I'm not exactly sure why that is.

"It's a sport that engenders a very passionate local following. If you're a Blackhawks fan in Chicago, you're a hardcore fan. But it doesn't translate to television, and where it really doesn't transfer much to is a national discussion, which is something that typifies what we do."

There is more to the story..

ESPN doesn't hate hockey, exec just doesn't think it translates well - CBSSports

 

[evolver115]

Vince can go take a flying leap

We don't need espeon

 

[Nasty_Magician]

He is right to an extent. Hockey is exponentially better in person. TV doesn't do the sound, speed and changes on the fly justice the way being there in person does. Also, if you are new to the sport I could see how following the puck on TV could be difficult, as often times it is in a blind spot. Knowledgable hockey fans know where the puck is because they can read plays.

 

[awaz]

I tell my friends that hate hockey that it's because they're not intelligent enough to comprehend so much going on so fast. Every other sport they get 8 second clips and 12 replays. Hockey is a grown man's game, other sports are for the meek and under developed.

I'm half serious about that.

 

[BF4L]

I think people when they get to a game are astounded by how much faster in real life it is than on TV. Hockey has been and always will be my favorite sport. ESPN is nothing but a bunch of DB's

 

[BF4L]

I tell my friends that hate hockey that it's because they're not intelligent enough to comprehend so much going on so fast. Every other sport they get 8 second clips and 12 replays. Hockey is a grown man's game, other sports are for the meek and under developed.

I'm half serious about that.

Actually your spot on. For the casual sports fan hockey is much harder to understand then say baseball and basketball. Thus you get pink hats at each and every NBA and MLB game. Screaming like they have been a fan all along.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

He is right to an extent. Hockey is exponentially better in person. TV doesn't do the sound, speed and changes on the fly justice the way being there in person does. Also, if you are new to the sport I could see how following the puck on TV could be difficult, as often times it is in a blind spot. Knowledgable hockey fans know where the puck is because they can read plays.

I know but it's not THAT hard to follow on TV. It is better in person I agree.

I tell my friends that hate hockey that it's because they're not intelligent enough to comprehend so much going on so fast. Every other sport they get 8 second clips and 12 replays. Hockey is a grown man's game, other sports are for the meek and under developed.

I'm half serious about that.

LOL, That's what I was thinking too! They need a break and 10 replays so they can understand what they just saw.

 

[evolver115]

He is right to an extent. Hockey is exponentially better in person. TV doesn't do the sound, speed and changes on the fly justice the way being there in person does. Also, if you are new to the sport I could see how following the puck on TV could be difficult, as often times it is in a blind spot. Knowledgable hockey fans know where the puck is because they can read plays.

Before the advent of high definition TV this was a pretty big problem... as the glowing puck of yesteryear demonstrated. With HD tv, I don't think that excuse holds as much water as it did before.

If Vince were telling the truth, he would have said that because disney doesn't have a broadcasting contract with the NHL they (espn) just don't have enough of a reason to report/commentate on the game.

It's always about the money

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I tell my friends that hate hockey that it's because they're not intelligent enough to comprehend so much going on so fast. Every other sport they get 8 second clips and 12 replays. Hockey is a grown man's game, other sports are for the meek and under developed.

I'm half serious about that.

It's true. I love football, but the main reason it is so immensely popular is not because it's that much better than other sports, but because it appeals to the short attention span nation we have become.

It's once a week, there are only 16 games, it is on Sundays when most people are not doing anything (plus it's in the winter when most people are inside), there's only something like 11 minutes of total action in a game so you only have to pay attention for seconds at a time etc.

Compare that to hockey where there may not be a stop in play for half a period. The strategic dump ins, simple but great defensive plays, line matchups, are all lost on people that can't focus for extended periods of time.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

It's true. I love football, but the main reason it is so immensely popular is not because it's that much better than other sports, but because it appeals to the short attention span nation we have become.

It's once a week, there are only 16 games, it is on Sundays when most people are not doing anything (plus it's in the winter when most people are inside), there's only something like 11 minutes of total action in a game so you only have to pay attention for seconds at a time etc.

Compare that to hockey where there may not be a stop in play for half a period. The strategic dump ins, simple but great defensive plays, line matchups, are all lost on people that can't focus for extended periods of time.

I love football too but this number blew me away. There are only 12-15 minutes of actual play in an NFL game! I didn't believe it until I took a stopwatch and timed it. Think about the money you pay to attend and NFL game and break it down by dollars per minute VS an NHL game.

WOW!!

 

[jstewismybastardson]

pardon the pun ... but this espn executives comments about hockey not being good for tv are a total smokescreen ... he wants to avoid the topic that is the elephant in the room ... that is ... because espn doesnt have the tv rights they are "blackballing" the sport and not giving it any coverage

deadspin had this story this morning and included this quote that wasnt in the story you linked boss:

When asked if things would be different if ESPN still aired hockey games on the network, Doria said:

Listen, I guess if we were rights holder, there probably would be a little more attention paid to it. It's typical that would happen. We might throw it to commentators who were inside the building. Now we're not inside the building.

yah think?

 

[BF4L]

I have not watched ESPN in ages. I would rather watch American Idol or Dancing with has beens or something

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Before the advent of high definition TV this was a pretty big problem... as the glowing puck of yesteryear demonstrated. With HD tv, I don't think that excuse holds as much water as it did before.

If Vince were telling the truth, he would have said that because disney doesn't have a broadcasting contract with the NHL they (espn) just don't have enough of a reason to report/commentate on the game.

It's always about the money

true!

/rep

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

I have not watched ESPN in ages. I would rather watch American Idol or Dancing with has beens or something

Ditto.

And I've never watched either of those, as well.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

pardon the pun ... but this espn executives comments about hockey not being good for tv are a total smokescreen ... he wants to avoid the topic that is the elephant in the room ... that is ... because espn doesnt have the tv rights they are "blackballing" the sport and not giving it any coverage

deadspin had this story this morning and included this quote that wasnt in the story you linked boss:

When asked if things would be different if ESPN still aired hockey games on the network, Doria said:

Listen, I guess if we were rights holder, there probably would be a little more attention paid to it. It's typical that would happen. We might throw it to commentators who were inside the building. Now we're not inside the building.

yah think?

Good post stew. I think they DO want to have the games. Maybe just maybe Gary B told them to fuck off?

 

[4thstreet]

I tell my friends that hate hockey that it's because they're not intelligent enough to comprehend so much going on so fast. Every other sport they get 8 second clips and 12 replays. Hockey is a grown man's game, other sports are for the meek and under developed.

I'm half serious about that.

Spot on
My bud could not for the life of him figure out why Jagr was on the ice all of a sudden with no stoppage in play.It is "the" only sport that has substitutions on the fly.

ESPN fucknuts probably wouldn't be able to keep up with the speed of the game,to be able to announce it.

 

[Destroydacre]

I honestly couldn't care less what ESPN thinks about hockey. NBC has done an admirable job covering the sport and there's also the NHL network as well. Like many others I never watch ESPN at all anymore either, except for the rare occasion that one of my teams happens to play a game on the channel. MLB, NFL and NHL networks are all light years ahead of ESPN and they get my viewership if I'm interested in catching up on recent events.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Good post stew. I think they DO want to have the games. Maybe just maybe Gary B told them to fuck off?

I dont think thats really the case ... i think it was more Ed Snider telling Gary and the rest of the owners that he had this vision of eventually/potentially buying NBC and starting a sports network ... which he did

 

[jstewismybastardson]

its amazing how the coverage of hockey magically changes when you watch Sportscentre instead of Sportscenter lol

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I dont think thats really the case ... i think it was more Ed Snider telling Gary and the rest of the owners that he had this vision of eventually/potentially buying NBC and starting a sports network ... which he did

Ratings probably don't show it yet, but they're off to a good start. You have two kind of niche sports with loyal fan bases in hockey and MMA, combined with the fact that they will cross market on NBC during football season. I wouldn't be shocked if NBC strikes a deal with another major sports league in the coming years.