Wednesday, January 02, 2008
The NHL's Winter Classic Is a Grand Success
by Jes
It's nice to see the NHL get some good news for a change, and the NHL's Winter Classic provided some much needed positive buzz with the American audience. For once, it wasn't some random incident of violence that got the screeching ravens off of their usual beer coolers and ranting about how Hockey is simply a bloodbath played by toothless goons.
No, the Winter Classic was treated with respect by NBC, and now the ratings are in ...
The NHL Winter Classic, broadcast New Year's Day on NBC, earned a 2.6 overnight rating and a 5 share (1-4:45 p.m. ET), the best overnight NHL regular season rating in more than a decade (Feb. 3, 1996 on Fox, six-game regional, 3.0/7). The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in the first U.S. outdoor game in NHL history. Twenty-year-old Sidney Crosby, the NHL's reigning MVP, scored the game-winning goal in a shootout.
The overnight rating also surpasses Wayne Gretzky's last game, which was broadcast on Fox (April 18, 1999, 2.5/6).
Top Ten Metered Markets:
1. Buffalo 38.2/58
2. Pittsburgh 17.7/30
3. Minneapolis 5.1/11
4. Denver 3.7/7
T5. Providence 3.5/7
T5. Las Vegas 3.5/6
7. St. Louis 3.3/5
8. Boston 3.2/6
9. Sacramento 2.9/6
T10. Richmond 2.8/5
T10. Hartford 2.8/5
Even up against college football games, the NHL still did well. As they say in Kazakhstan, "Niiice!"
Also, I order you to go and check out the photo gallery I cobbled together over at The NHL FanHouse, or you will be execute!
Jodie over at The Sidney Crosby Show will have her thoughts over the next 24-48 hours.
It's nice to see the NHL get some good news for a change, and the NHL's Winter Classic provided some much needed positive buzz with the American audience. For once, it wasn't some random incident of violence that got the screeching ravens off of their usual beer coolers and ranting about how Hockey is simply a bloodbath played by toothless goons.
No, the Winter Classic was treated with respect by NBC, and now the ratings are in ...
The NHL Winter Classic, broadcast New Year's Day on NBC, earned a 2.6 overnight rating and a 5 share (1-4:45 p.m. ET), the best overnight NHL regular season rating in more than a decade (Feb. 3, 1996 on Fox, six-game regional, 3.0/7). The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in the first U.S. outdoor game in NHL history. Twenty-year-old Sidney Crosby, the NHL's reigning MVP, scored the game-winning goal in a shootout.
The overnight rating also surpasses Wayne Gretzky's last game, which was broadcast on Fox (April 18, 1999, 2.5/6).
Top Ten Metered Markets:
1. Buffalo 38.2/58
2. Pittsburgh 17.7/30
3. Minneapolis 5.1/11
4. Denver 3.7/7
T5. Providence 3.5/7
T5. Las Vegas 3.5/6
7. St. Louis 3.3/5
8. Boston 3.2/6
9. Sacramento 2.9/6
T10. Richmond 2.8/5
T10. Hartford 2.8/5
Even up against college football games, the NHL still did well. As they say in Kazakhstan, "Niiice!"
Also, I order you to go and check out the photo gallery I cobbled together over at The NHL FanHouse, or you will be execute!
Jodie over at The Sidney Crosby Show will have her thoughts over the next 24-48 hours.
Labels: heritage classic, NBC, Outdoor games, tv, Winter Classic
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Didn't Miss Much, Eh?
by Jes
So, I go away for a week with little internet access and day-old newspapers (delivery is slow in Tofino) and expect to have to spend hours catching up on hockey news that I missed.
Fortunately, the rest of the NHL seems to have taken a vacation, since I can count the amount of noteworthy stories on one hand: Yashin goes back to Russia (ha ha!), Nedved signs with $parta Prague, Palffy confirms his signing with HC Skalica, Ray Emery breaks the bank, and not much else of note.
It was strange reading the daily newspapers and seeing ZERO inches dedicated to hockey coverage. For Canadian newspapers, this seemed like an impossible feat.
Some scuttlebutt today is surfacing over what NBC plans to do with their hockey coverage.
If this is true, then this means even less hockey coverage for poor American fans. We've already seen NBC treat the NHL like a poor third cousin, and now it's getting even worse for our favourite league-that-could.
Clement? What was he ever doing as a studio host in the first place? He's a good colour guy, but not a trained studio host, and it showed.
As for Ferraro, he's rather hit-and-miss with me. We get his stuff on the radio here in Vancouver, and he seems like a good guy to listen to. Unfortunately, he can revert back to the 'old boys club' mentality a bit too often for my liking.
So, I go away for a week with little internet access and day-old newspapers (delivery is slow in Tofino) and expect to have to spend hours catching up on hockey news that I missed.
Fortunately, the rest of the NHL seems to have taken a vacation, since I can count the amount of noteworthy stories on one hand: Yashin goes back to Russia (ha ha!), Nedved signs with $parta Prague, Palffy confirms his signing with HC Skalica, Ray Emery breaks the bank, and not much else of note.
It was strange reading the daily newspapers and seeing ZERO inches dedicated to hockey coverage. For Canadian newspapers, this seemed like an impossible feat.
Some scuttlebutt today is surfacing over what NBC plans to do with their hockey coverage.
In the United States, changes are in the works for NBC's hockey telecasts. Sources say the studio show will be scrapped now that Brett Hull has left to take a front-office job with the Dallas Stars.
Replacing Hull will be Mike Milbury, the former NHL player and general manager. He is likely to work on-site as a commentator.
NBC is expected to drop Bill Clement as the host of the NHL broadcasts. The status of analyst Ray Ferraro isn't clear.
If this is true, then this means even less hockey coverage for poor American fans. We've already seen NBC treat the NHL like a poor third cousin, and now it's getting even worse for our favourite league-that-could.
Clement? What was he ever doing as a studio host in the first place? He's a good colour guy, but not a trained studio host, and it showed.
As for Ferraro, he's rather hit-and-miss with me. We get his stuff on the radio here in Vancouver, and he seems like a good guy to listen to. Unfortunately, he can revert back to the 'old boys club' mentality a bit too often for my liking.
Labels: musings, NBC, vacation
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Der Kommisar's in town, whoa uh oh..
If Gary Buttmann were shot in the head, he'd probably turn the situation around and say that the extra oxygen getting into his brain was a good thing.
From tsn.ca, Buttman is up to his old shtick
On a day in which the NHL announced a U.S. TV contact with NBC that has no money up front and a new cable agreement with ESPN worth half the former deal, the league's commissioner was all smiles.
``The future for us on (U.S.) national television couldn't be more bright,'' Bettman said. ``We couldn't be more thrilled.''
The NHL's two-year deal with NBC is the same type of revenue-sharing agreement the network has with the Arena Football League. NBC will take the first chunk of income from advertising to cover production expenses, the NHL takes the next chunk and the two split additional revenue equally.
Couldn't be more bright?
No guarantee money, and a television contact on par with the Arena Football League??
There is no way that hockey can be considered on par with Baseball, Football, or Basketball in the USA.
I just hope NBC decides to make a real go of this thing and plough some serious marketing into there NHL games. If they do, then NBC can profit big and the NHL can get some $$ back.
Otherwise, this is a big step backwards, no matter how much Glade Buttmann sprays on the media.
From tsn.ca, Buttman is up to his old shtick
On a day in which the NHL announced a U.S. TV contact with NBC that has no money up front and a new cable agreement with ESPN worth half the former deal, the league's commissioner was all smiles.
``The future for us on (U.S.) national television couldn't be more bright,'' Bettman said. ``We couldn't be more thrilled.''
The NHL's two-year deal with NBC is the same type of revenue-sharing agreement the network has with the Arena Football League. NBC will take the first chunk of income from advertising to cover production expenses, the NHL takes the next chunk and the two split additional revenue equally.
Couldn't be more bright?
No guarantee money, and a television contact on par with the Arena Football League??
There is no way that hockey can be considered on par with Baseball, Football, or Basketball in the USA.
I just hope NBC decides to make a real go of this thing and plough some serious marketing into there NHL games. If they do, then NBC can profit big and the NHL can get some $$ back.
Otherwise, this is a big step backwards, no matter how much Glade Buttmann sprays on the media.
NHL to switch to NBC
TSN.ca reports that the NHL will be signing a new TV deal with NBC starting 'next' season (04 or 05, whenever they play hockey. No $ figures have been given yet.
Under the deal, the league will not receive the kind of upfront fees that are common in most network television contracts. Instead, the NHL and NBC will share revenue, with the network covering its production and distribution costs.
Yikes! In addition to the fact that the NHL is going to take a big paycut, the NHL isn't even guaranteed a dollar figure from this deal.
But I'm sure Der Kommisar Gary Buttmann is loving this...he can cry 'poor' even more, claiming that the NHL is getting greatly reduced revenues.
I'd love to see how Buttmann puts his usual positive spin on this situation.
Probably something along the lines that this new TV deal is revolutionary because it 'shares' revenue (More like the network gives the NHL the spare change).
It's obvious to anyone with half a brain (Although maybe not Leafs fans, j/k), that the NHL has not made gains in the US TV market, and has actually gone backwards.
The deal is only for 6-7 regular season games and playoff games...so it's not as if that kind of contract is going to bring in the 'bling bling' anyhow.
Under the deal, the league will not receive the kind of upfront fees that are common in most network television contracts. Instead, the NHL and NBC will share revenue, with the network covering its production and distribution costs.
Yikes! In addition to the fact that the NHL is going to take a big paycut, the NHL isn't even guaranteed a dollar figure from this deal.
But I'm sure Der Kommisar Gary Buttmann is loving this...he can cry 'poor' even more, claiming that the NHL is getting greatly reduced revenues.
I'd love to see how Buttmann puts his usual positive spin on this situation.
Probably something along the lines that this new TV deal is revolutionary because it 'shares' revenue (More like the network gives the NHL the spare change).
It's obvious to anyone with half a brain (Although maybe not Leafs fans, j/k), that the NHL has not made gains in the US TV market, and has actually gone backwards.
The deal is only for 6-7 regular season games and playoff games...so it's not as if that kind of contract is going to bring in the 'bling bling' anyhow.
Labels: marketing, NBC, NHL, tv
