Friday, July 22, 2005
NHL Hockey on HBO?
With the NHL searching for one or more national TV deals in the USA, here is an interesting option that Michael Hiestand of USAToday looks into - HBO (Home Box Office)
Still, I like the thought of having some 'all-access' NHL games. If you really wanted to get inside the game of hockey, let's hear more of the 'banter' from the ice and the benches.
When the CBC's board-mikes caught Brian Skrudland curse-filled tirade to the ref about a penalty he took during a Panthers/Flames game many years ago, it certainly brought the viewing experience to a different level.
The NHL could certainly attract a 'mature' audience (for lack of a better word) with a 10-game package on HBO. HBO is known for its great production capabilities, so why not take advantage if HBO were willing to talk?
As the NHL seems ready to play games again, it has no national U.S. cable TV deal. An idea: Put games, with players and coaches miked live, on ad-free HBO, where anything goes with on-air expletives.Given Gary Bettman's foolish quest to eliminate fighting from the NHL, I doubt he would consider having hockey in this format. I can't imagine too many of the players would want everything on air, either.
"That's intriguing," HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg says. "The only issues would be how much (money) they'd want and the games' significance. I'm not sure regular-season games would have the heat we'd need. But if they gave us an open book, we'd fill the pages."
Still, I like the thought of having some 'all-access' NHL games. If you really wanted to get inside the game of hockey, let's hear more of the 'banter' from the ice and the benches.
When the CBC's board-mikes caught Brian Skrudland curse-filled tirade to the ref about a penalty he took during a Panthers/Flames game many years ago, it certainly brought the viewing experience to a different level.
The NHL could certainly attract a 'mature' audience (for lack of a better word) with a 10-game package on HBO. HBO is known for its great production capabilities, so why not take advantage if HBO were willing to talk?
