In an earlier post about Mike Keenan ascending to the presidency of the Browns, we had a throwaway line wondering where hockey's Mike Keenan was these days. To which commenter "HockeyBob" chastised us for not knowing that Keenan was coach of the Calgary Flames.
"HockeyBob" also questioned our devotion to hockey, or whether we simply used this blog to whine about the sport disappearing off the pro sports landscape, in part because of its decision to go with Versus and thus not be available to millions of would-be fans.
Which got us/me thinking ...
This is exactly what's wrong with the sport, and exactly why the ill-fated decision to go with Versus was a colossal mistake. If someone like me - who grew up obsessed with both watching and playing hockey, including several trips north of the border to hockey camp - is now ignorant of all that goes on in hockey because I don't have the kind of television access to it I should, then there's the problem right there. Why should it come down to "Islander505" inviting us over to watch just because he has Versus and I don't?
In other words, if the sport is leaving a willing customer who grew up idolizing Rod Gilbert is leaving him in the dark - or at the very least, making him pursue other cable/satellite alternatives because the sport is not readily available on basic cable - then how can that sport expect to attract new fans and grow to the point where it's more than a flyspeck in terms of ratings and exposure?
Just askin', "HockeyBob."
Enjoy the finals. It's Pittsburgh-Detroit, right?
Comments (12)
Ah, I detect a little "Versus Envy" this morning.
Had the morning coffee and bagel and noticed the "other paper that has a reporter on the finals beat" was saying that this just might be the best final in years?
(Although I hardly see how a 4-0 sweep by Detroit would make it into the "Best" category).
Anyhow Bob, you can thank that "other" Cornell grad for the state of affairs in the NHL.
Geez Glauber just because Cablevision charges high prices for their services doesn't mean you shouldn't get digital cable (you'll need a digital cable box by February 17th, 2009 anyway when analog signals stop existing). Versus should still be on channel 406 or so and free to all who have digital cable service (which I read somewhere 80% of people in the NY metropolitan area do). With that service you can also buy MLB Extra Innings (which if you buy it at the beginning of the season also gives you free access to NHL Center Ice and all the playoff coverage because those 2 services are on the same 14 channels in the system). You can also buy NHL Center Ice and watch Hockey Night In Canada (and Don Cherry) every Saturday night and get the first 45 days of the baseball season for free (see above).
Sandy:
I realize there are alternatives out there, but ever since cable came into existence, I've been one of those who can't stand paying huge sums for anything other than basic service. Yes, I'm cheap. But gee whiz. When the NHL was on ESPN, I got more than my share of games. So why pay more just to get what I used to get for free?
And it's not just me I'm whining about. It's the NHL that made the decision to take the money from Versus knowing that it wasn't available to a vast audience. I care about hockey, period. And when you can watch more Arena Football league games than NHL games on most basic packages, there is just something wrong with that.
It's not the cable companies I'm mad at. It's the NHL for being short-sighted and making its product largely irrelevant.
This whole thing started in the lockout season. I'm pretty sure that ESPN decided that they didn't want hockey anymore or would give them one game a week on ESPN2 and the NHL was forced to find another station to show games on. They probably didn't choose Versus, but had no other choice. I still don't see them having a lot of choice, ESPN says they may want to show NHL games. A national game of the week on Fox Sports Net really didnt work too well when they were Sportschannel USA., so they probably wouldn't do it again. USA and Spike should try hockey--they do wrestling and MMA, hockey fits in their quality programming lineups.
Hey you have the Islanders, Rangers and Devils for free almost every night of the week for about 240 games, plus NBC. I get the stinking Tampa Bay Lightning about 55 times a season and NBC and Versus and that still doesn't add up to 240 games (not including the hockey package of course).
Bob,
I share your pain right now.
Thanks to Fox and the shortsightednes of MLB, I can't get the Yankee game on MLB Extra Innings right now.
Every Saturday there are about a 1/2 dozen games blacked out on MLB Extra Innings thanks to that silly Fox contract.
Sandy,
I caught Jeremy Roenick on Rome's show the other day.
He was asked "If you were in charge of the NHL right now, what would you do".
His response generated a "Hmmm, not bad".outta me
He suggested the NHL sign a deal with a cable station LIKE HBO and have a couple of games a week. HOWEVER, these would be "reality type games", i.e. mikes and cameras everywhere and catch the language and the true "spirit" of the game. (Foul language sells on HBO)
Follow an injured player into the locker room and watch him getting stitched up and sent back out etc etc.
I thought.....hmmmm....good idea....but too good for the current hierarchy.
No doubt that hockey is a great sport....though not a "TV" sport.
It requires the promo that you get with ESPN coverage.
When you are an ESPN sport you get better treatment on sportscenter.
You get more respect as a major sport.
Ask you friends that are sports fans:
In the past 12 months, what have you watched more, NHL Hockey or Poker?
My guess is that it would not even be close
Bob,
Yes, it is Pittsburgh-Detroit. Don't fret, remember only games 1 and 2 are on Versus, then the rest of the series switches to NBC.
It actually is quite ironic that you started this interesting topic considering what Neil Best would call your "regular job".
The NHL's contract with Versus had its origins in Comcast's strategy to develop an outlet which had sufficient carriage to make it a viable contender for the NFL's late season Thursday/Saturday night package which was on the horizon at the time. It is very interesting to ponder what the cable sports landscape would look like today had that been successful. The NHL would have benefitted greatly from some good cross-promotion and would have been on a network that does not suffer the carriage issues it faces today. The NHL's biggest miscalculation may have been the power of the backlash from ESPN. Brian Kenny actually spoke this week on 1050 about the NHL "arrogance" in the negotiations with ESPN.
However, I believe the biggest problem is overshadowed by this issue. I still play hockey as an adult. A lot of guys who I play with who are "core" hockey hockey fans are turned off to the game by the quality of Versus' coverage. It is geared too much to the casual fan and insults those who are well versed in hockey. These same people became re-vitalized when Cablevision quietly added the NHL Network to the same sports tier that standard defintion Versus is on. This is what you should really be clamoring for.
Isles505, that "all-access" idea was actually done this year in LA for a Ducks-Kings game. Fox Sports west had a traditional broadcast and Fox Sports Prime Ticket had an ice-level view with bench audio, cameras following the trainers, etc. It's interesting but probably a better one-off idea like the Winter Classic. Also, the Fox blackout may not be so much short-sighteness by MLB as the 1PM ET are not balcked out on MLB.TV, which MLB receives all the revenue for. It's the future.
Finally, Thank you for the great honor of including me in the post title. It was definitely cool (or I should say kewl, for internet-speak) to see my nom de plume in bold in my blog reader today.
I also feel for you Islander505 at least I got to hear the game on the Yankee affiliate out of Tampa and as Hockey Bob states if you choose to (it is not something I want however) you can buy MLB Extra Innings on the internet (the same stuff they tried to blackmail us to buy last year when they almost switched to exclusive coverage on satellite until the immortal John Kerry stopped baseball by threatening their anti-trust exemption) or you can buy the radio broadcasts (like I do) for $15.
The other idea by JR is interesting but has a fatal flaw, HBO is a premium channel and has less viewers in their universe than even Versus has. Who knows if the rabid hockey fan can even afford HBO?
Hockey Bob also makes an interesting thought about how hockey broadcasts are not geared for the serious fan. However, I think all sports are like that. I remember how much I resented Bob Costas for talking down to me when he broadcast baseball on NBC. Like he was a professor and I was the idiot student who knew absolutely nothing. Football isn't as blatant in that way but still a student of the game doesn't need some of the BS you hear on games. Basketball is basketball, it's simple.
With apologies to my friend BG, Dish Network is available to everyone, Vs. is on Dish. You want Vs.? Get Dish.
However, if my Buddy Bob wants to watch the game, he's more than welcome to head out my way and watch it in HD with me, I'll even throw in some fine wine (Since Bob is one of those rare Merolt sipping Hockey fans who doesn't drink beer.)
BBiB will get a charge out of this... I've broken Bens cardinal rule again, I'm rooting for my beloved Pens, but I just placed a bet through one of my favorite employees who 's in Vegas this weekend.
I've got the Wings in game one.
What can I say? I'm a winner either way. I win the bet ($$$) and my Pens lose, or I lose the bet, and my favorite hockey team is one step closer to the Cup!
Hockey Night In Canada - Finals Game 1
http://www.justin.tv/richsportsonline
Black and Gold bets against his own team in the Stanley Cup Finals....
Is there no honor in this world?
(I know, I know....there's two kinds....get honor and stay honor).
What's next?
Pete Rose gets into the HOF?
Art Schlichter yelling "bingo" in the local Church?
Best rooting for Duke in LAX? (oh that's right, the Dukies are done).
Baumbach buys season tickets to the Isles?
Chicago Norm seen devouring a large pepperoni/extra cheese in Lower Manhattan?
Glauber devotes a whole week on his blog to FOOTBALL?
Where's my Jameson?