Anyone ever notice that NBC will ignore great games in the NHL to instead watch Cindy Crosby whine for 2 1/2 hours? Was anybody a little confused when they marketed the Devils vs. Rangers game on Feb. 9th as a battle for 1st place when the Rangers were 6-8 points back at that point if I remember correctly? Anyways, I brought this up because they're airing a Flyers vs. Penguins game on the 22nd instead of the top two teams in the EC playing. I mean how many times can you play the same matchups over and over again. HEY NBC, IT GETS BORING.
2009-03-10T00:55:02Z
Hey Erica, maybe I'd watch Penguins hockey if that's what they played. All I ever see from them is olympic diving.
2009-03-10T21:34:49Z
Enough with the crying about how it gets ratings, if I wanted a whine and cry fest, I would've watched a Pens game on NBC. And yes, I do appreciate seeing other teams, but I prefer watching NHL network when they pick up hockey night in Canada, at least I can see two games in a night and I get to see the WC for a change. Plus anybody who thinks watching the Rangers is exciting, is retarded, they are like watching paint dry, not to mention the Rags commentators are the WORST, I've heard them mistake all three forwards on the ice as Malkin...in one replay, when they played the Rangers. At least NBC has Doc though, there's one +
2009-03-10T21:40:17Z
New question, who thinks NHL network should pick up contracts to play a bunch more out of market games? I think that they should try to pick up games for markets that wouldn't usually see them. I know I would love to sit at home and watch one EC game at 7 and a WC game at 10 just like when they pick up HNIC.
P.S. NHL network, you should stop saying you're going to air the 2003 EC finals between Ottawa and NJ and then not airing it, twice I've set my tivo for it and once I got AHL hockey instead, which was ok, but not what I wanted and second time I got a hockey is for everyone special, which was boring me out of my mind.
Erica2009-03-10T00:45:27Z
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I don't think you've seen many Pens games if you honestly think Sidney Crosby whines for 2 1/2 hours straight. Apparently what he does do is draw in viewers, so... HEY ALEX, IT GETS RATINGS.
ADD: Diving? Yeah, yeah, after whining about whining, I could have figured that's where you were going next. Anyway. Even as a Pens fan, I would love to see NON-PENS games on NBC. I'm sorry, but NBC is in the business of getting the most ratings and games involving the Pens draw more ratings.
Check out LITY's answer to the Q Justin #91 asked/linked below me.
ADD2: Oh look, the Pens/Panthers game tonight is NOT on VS. The Flyers/Sabres game is.
ADD3: (Perhaps this one is the charm...) Crying about ratings? Why would I cry about my team drawing ratings? Again, your Crosby jokes have all been said before. Be original at least.
Anyway, it's not just the ratings you know. Whose jerseys sell the best? Sidney Crosby's. You don't have to like Crosby to have a brain enough to know that he's popular. If you're sick of how popular he is, join the club. Even I get tired of the attention he gets in Pittsburgh. For example, when he gets interviewed over other Pens players who might actually give an INTERESTING, NON-PC interview (Sid's pretty boring).
NBC & VS NEED RATINGS THOUGH. They can't appease just ALEX, you know, they're a business so they want to show the product which draws them the most ratings. (Eh, I prefer my Pens games on FSN Pittsburgh, by the way.)
Pay for Center Ice already so we don't have to see you whine here anymore. Jeez, you're like the Crosby of the hockey section...
I think versus has come a long way the broadcast is a lot better than it was a few years ago. NBC is great except for pierre mcguire. But I cant see how choosing Versus of ESPN would lead to more exposure for the league. 99% of people in America have no idea what channel versus is. I love hockey and I forget the channel number lol. I guess versus offered more money I dont really get it.
NBC has the worst coverage. Their play by play is reduced to 2 people talking about the players past instead of what is happening on the ice. VS is a little bit better in that regard and has actually improved from last year. I think VS does a quality job in between periods. I usually mute the game while the play is happening and listen to music while I watch the game. NHL network thinks the only teams are in Canada, unless the Canadian teams are playing an American one. I wouldn't have a problem with that if they were called something like the Canadian hockey network, but NHL network sounds like they should be covering all teams equally.
Laying Low- Not an Ivy Leaguer2009-03-10T09:39:11Z
As much as it sucks to see the same teams constantly, the Pens are one of the best ratings markets for hockey. NBC doesn't have the same restrictions as Versus, which limits a team to a total of nine appearances, so you see more teams. Versus is still better than when ESPN started showing hockey to promote ESPN 2, and gets better ratings despite being in fewer households. And would it be any different if it was on ESPN? They specialized in showing the same teams over and over again.
Leafsfan29-Embrace the drought!2009-03-10T04:58:29Z
I hate to point this out, but NBC is in the business of...well, making money. Unlike CBC, they don't get federal government funding. They are a publicly-held company beholden to their shareholders.
NBC is going to show regular season games that will draw ratings. Ratings help NBC sell ad revenue, which is a huge chunk of their revenue stream, and is why they actually can make a small profit on hockey.
If you look at the big ratings draws right now, New Jersey isn't one of them. Detroit, Pittsburgh, NYR, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Washington, and currently Boston and Chicago are big ratings drivers.
As much self-righteous crap that the hordes of bandwagon Pittsburgh fans spew out about his 87-ness (trust me- I have no use for them or his 87-ness), the fact is that with Pittsburgh back in the mix, it makes sense. Crosby has the intellect and wit/wisdsom of desk furniture (sorry- that's insulting to desk furniture), but for a litany of reasons, there are those that seem to like him, and NBC seems to think they can push ads at these people.
I know it seems unfair that these decisions are purely ratings driven, but when these other teams can pull in ratings (Washington being a good example- four years ago you avoided them with a 40' pole, now it's all different). Chicago is another good example.
I'll allude to what an earlier answerer pointed out- would you prefer that there be no free-to-air hockey on US television? Because guess what- that's your next option. Fox has made its bed with NASCAR (and baseball come April), CBS is pretty golf-laden (plus US college basketball in March/early April); not really sure what other options are out there unless you have a lot of moving parts.