NBC Renews with NHL

[Madison Hawk]

From today's Michael Hiestand's USA Today column:

NHL continued:

NBC, in its third season airing NHL games, Tuesday used its option for next season. The deal remains largely unchanged — NBC, without paying a rights fee, will carry 10 regular-season games and up to 15 postseason games. New wrinkles include regular-season games getting a consistent time slot at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday.

Variables yet to be worked out include time slots for Stanley Cup Finals games and whether there will be another outdoor game after the league's entertaining experiment in Buffalo on New Year's Day. (Possible sites include New York's Yankee Stadium as well as Chicago's Wrigley Field and Soldier Field.) Says NBC Sports President Ken Schanzer: "We'd love to do (an outdoor game) again."

Lead-in coverage of NFL draft to get more air - USATODAY.com

 

[Ramy]

I think they do a decent job with Hockey.

 

[yourbeliefs]

From today's Michael Hiestand's USA Today column:

NHL continued:

NBC, in its third season airing NHL games, Tuesday used its option for next season. The deal remains largely unchanged — NBC, without paying a rights fee, will carry 10 regular-season games and up to 15 postseason games. New wrinkles include regular-season games getting a consistent time slot at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday.

Variables yet to be worked out include time slots for Stanley Cup Finals games and whether there will be another outdoor game after the league's entertaining experiment in Buffalo on New Year's Day. (Possible sites include New York's Yankee Stadium as well as Chicago's Wrigley Field and Soldier Field.) Says NBC Sports President Ken Schanzer: "We'd love to do (an outdoor game) again."

Lead-in coverage of NFL draft to get more air - USATODAY.com

Gee.. 25 games.
If the NHL was smart they'd make the NHL Network like ESPN (minus carrier fees) and offer it as a standard channel. Maybe it's all about how the provider carries it (I have D*), but I would watch some more NHL games if it didn't mean I needed to pay an extra fee.

 

[Jimbo]

Gee.. 25 games.
If the NHL was smart they'd make the NHL Network like ESPN (minus carrier fees) and offer it as a standard channel. Maybe it's all about how the provider carries it (I have D*), but I would watch some more NHL games if it didn't mean I needed to pay an extra fee.

Well, It's FREE on D*

Jimbo

 

[slocoma]

No mention of a game between Philly and Pittsburgh at Beaver Stadium as the outdoor game... that sucks. I'm hoping that will happen.

 

[Peter Parker]

I thought that the outdoor game in yankee Stadium was already set. Or si this in addition to that?

 

[yourbeliefs]

Well, It's FREE on D*

Jimbo

huh? I don't get the NHL Network on my system, or at least not on my tier. I have America's Choice plan, and whenever I switch to that channel it says, "Channel not Purchased." I don't have any special sports plans.

 

[Jimbo]

huh? I don't get the NHL Network on my system, or at least not on my tier. I have America's Choice plan, and whenever I switch to that channel it says, "Channel not Purchased." I don't have any special sports plans.

I have D* and the old TC package and it has always been on, ever since it was turned on

Jimbo

 

[Digital Dude]

12:30 Eastern time slot, hip hip freakin hurray....not! Another year of eastern conference teams or the Wings. Yawn.

 

[ehren]

why can't NBC do doubleheaders like ABC. One east game and one west game. STUPID NHL!!!

 

[jtgrace1]

12:30 Eastern time slot, hip hip freakin hurray....not! Another year of eastern conference teams or the Wings. Yawn.

true, no games from west of detroit....and until they remedy the ridiculous unbalanced schedule probably very few western visiting teams either; that said, how can you blame NBC for scheduling the wings, rangers, pens, flyers, bruins to the max....the only teams that can bring ratings even in their own home market

 

[SandraC]

why can't NBC do doubleheaders like ABC. One east game and one west game. STUPID NHL!!!

Because they'd rather have three hours of bad ratings than six........


Sandra

 

[odictamis]

how can you blame NBC for scheduling the wings, rangers, pens, flyers, bruins to the max....the only teams that can bring ratings even in their own home market

But they bring no ratings either, so give some other teams some exposure too, who knows, maybe someone that doesn't watch hockey will find a Edmonton vs. Calgary matchup interesting? I for one HATE seeing the Redwings/Rangers every weekend!! Most non-hockey people probably think there are still only 6 teams in league now, like there were decades ago.

I love hockey, Bettman, NBC and VS are ruining this sport! All the owners b*tch about money, but allow to the league to give out another "FREE" tv deal. It sucks!! I want Bettman's head now! I want someone who can market this sports correctly!

 

[riffjim4069]

12:30 Eastern time slot, hip hip freakin hurray....not! Another year of eastern conference teams or the Wings. Yawn.

Perhaps if the Sharks ever won a Stanley Cup, or had a professional hockey team for that matter, along with more than just a few dozen fans then perhaps they too could be seen on national TV. San Jose is just another one of "those cities" who do not rate a NHL franchise IMO. The NHL needs to implode (get rid of at least 6 teams) and dump Gary Bettman (aka Mr. Suck or Mr. Ikilledhockey) from their ranks.

Additionally, NBC's coverage of the NHL playoffs has improved this season...but there is still a long way to go! My biggest complaint about this years hockey season is that FiOS TV does not offer Versus HD at this time. I still miss StarChoice and their coverage of hockey.

 

[SandraC]

Perhaps if the Sharks ever won a Stanley Cup, or had a professional hockey team for that matter, along with more than just a few dozen fans then perhaps they too could be seen on national TV. San Jose is just another one of "those cities" who do not rate a NHL franchise IMO. The NHL needs to implode (get rid of at least 6 teams) and dump Gary Bettman (aka Mr. Suck or Mr. Ikilledhockey) from their ranks.

Oh my...a few dozen fans? Have you actually watched a game from the Shark tank? They are among the loudest fans in the league. This city doesn't need an NHL franchise?????

Too much wrong with this post to even debate properly.


Sandra

 

[Digital Dude]

Oh my...a few dozen fans? Have you actually watched a game from the Shark tank? They are among the loudest fans in the league. This city doesn't need an NHL franchise?????

Too much wrong with this post to even debate properly.


Sandra

He's just jealous the Sharks have made the playoffs 7 of 8 years, and the Caps barely made the playoffs this year.

Jealousy is an easy thing to see.

 

[Jimbo]

true, no games from west of detroit....and until they remedy the ridiculous unbalanced schedule probably very few western visiting teams either; that said, how can you blame NBC for scheduling the wings, rangers, pens, flyers, bruins to the max....the only teams that can bring ratings even in their own home market

But they bring no ratings either,

The Wings don't bring in ratings ?????
Of course they bring in ratings.
Would you like to see the rating without them ???

Every time I turn hockey on it's the Penguins or Rangers.....

Jimbo

 

[riffjim4069]

He's just jealous the Sharks have made the playoffs 7 of 8 years, and the Caps barely made the playoffs this year.

Jealousy is an easy thing to see.

Caps? I am a native Detroiter! I have only been to one Capitols game in my life...and that was game 3 of the 1998 Stanley Cup Final at the MCI Center when Detroit swept Washington, less than a year after sweeping Philadelphia.

This is the Wings 17th straight playoff appearance, 7th Conference Final since '95, and (hopefully) 11th Stanley Cup.

 

[riffjim4069]

They are among the loudest fans in the league. This city doesn't need an NHL franchise?????

The same thing was said about the old Atlanta Flames hockey club...and the similarities don't end there: both teams have won zero (0) President's Trophy, zero (0) Stanley Cups, and have participated in exactly zero (0) Stanley Cup Finals. It's just my opinion, but I would like to see the NHL remove six of the following teams from their ranks: Carolina, Florida, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, San Jose, Nashville, Phoenix, Columbus, Anaheim or Los Angeles. I have nothing against the fans, but these are not exactly hockey havens and their "average fan" does not follow the sport...and their kids certainly don't lace-up a pair of skates and invade the frozen ponds and backyard ice rinks each winter. I don't know folks in the San Jose area, but in my neighborhood we always had several backyards rinks (some with outdoor lighting) in additional to two nearby (hopefully) frozen ponds. Heck, my brother and I even had a goal setup in our basement and never did a week pass during the sping-summer that my brother and our friends didn't put on the pads and practice our "Bobby Hull" slap shots or pretend we were as quick as Bobby Orr or as skilled as Gordy Howe. Does this routinely happen in San Jose? I doubt it!

Plus, the small percentage of real hockey fans south of the Mason-Dixon line want to see teams like Boston, Detroit, Montreal, Philadelphia and not Nashville, Florida, Phoenix, Florida, and Tampa Bay. If given a choice, do you really think Joe Bubba sitting in front of his TV in Highpoint NC is going to watch Carolina or NASCAR? Perhaps this may change after a prolonged period of Global Cooling, but not until then. The reason the NHL has so many problems is largely due to granting franchises to cities that don't rate one. You can call it hockey snobbery, but I call it a fact that is based on lifestyle, ratings and figure$. The NHL needs to shed itself of a lot of dead ice; time to get rid of all the hockey predenders.

Again, this is just my opinion. Also, a very good article on the NFL over here.

 

[darrencp22]

:up