Wait a minute, ESPN

[ImTellinTim]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Yep, the 3-minute "throw the hockey fans a bone" Buccigross/Barry Melrose segment. A slap in the face more than anything.

[Mo]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Yes. They did the same for NASCAR. They treated it as if it didn't exist before 2007 (though they did show NASCAR on ESPN back in the 1990s, IIRC) when they started showing NASCAR races again (taking the last half of the season away from NBC). Then, all of a sudden, they had a NASCAR Now show and actually talked about it. Now, with NBC offering more money than ESPN from 2015+, ESPN will be losing NASCAR again, so I expect it to get almost no coverage in the future.

I've noticed a similar pattern with the NHL.

To be fair, there were a few years after FOX took over in 2001 when ESPN wasnt allowed inside the track to cover the race unless they paid for a ticket.(Deal nascar worked with FOX for like post race and daily coverage)

Also spite.

[Majingir]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

ESPN doesn't talk about the NHL. It's a combination of the average sports fan not giving a **** about the sport, them not having to promote it because they don't show it, and spite.

So basically if it's not "Americas Game", it's a sport that shouldn't be cared about? Face it, if NHL was dominated by americans, USA media would be all over it. Same can be said about soccer. If USA dominated at soccer, the media would care so much more about it and actually put it on the level of NBA,MLB,NFL and stuff, but since they don't, it's not seen as important,despite being most popular sport in the world.

To be fair...same can be said about other countries too. If Canadians dominated basketball or something, so many more people in the country would care about it. Maybe I'm wrong,but from a non americans perspective, it does come off as that way. USA media only caring about NBA,NFL,MLB and college sports.

I'd be willing to bet hockeys around as popular(if not more) WORLDWIDE than basketball(if not that,then there's at least more countries who play competitive hockey than basketball,and obviously more countries play hockey competitively than football(meaning american football). Hockey is popular in so many countries. Canada,USA,Russia,Sweden,Czech,Finland,Switzerland and many more places.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Basketball is much more popular worldwide than hockey.

And to ESPN, no hockey shouldn't be covered because - in the US - it's a regionally-centered sport that doesn't draw casual fans, and their business model is to not cover those kind of sports unless they show them.

[Jr.]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

People are surprised that hockey doesn't get coverage, knowing that it's not that popular in the US?

That's like being surprised college baseball doesn't get coverage outside of the CWS.

[kehlis]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

So basically if it's not "Americas Game", it's a sport that shouldn't be cared about? Face it, if NHL was dominated by americans, USA media would be all over it. Same can be said about soccer. If USA dominated at soccer, the media would care so much more about it and actually put it on the level of NBA,MLB,NFL and stuff, but since they don't, it's not seen as important,despite being most popular sport in the world.

To be fair...same can be said about other countries too. If Canadians dominated basketball or something, so many more people in the country would care about it. Maybe I'm wrong,but from a non americans perspective, it does come off as that way. USA media only caring about NBA,NFL,MLB and college sports.

I'd be willing to bet hockeys around as popular(if not more) WORLDWIDE than basketball(if not that,then there's at least more countries who play competitive hockey than basketball,and obviously more countries play hockey competitively than football(meaning american football). Hockey is popular in so many countries. Canada,USA,Russia,Sweden,Czech,Finland,Switzerland and many more places.

You spend way too much time over thinking just about everything...

BTW Tim, I was a big fan of the Wild tonight. Thanks for the big win!

[ImTellinTim]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

People are surprised that hockey doesn't get coverage, knowing that it's not that popular in the US?

That's like being surprised college baseball doesn't get coverage outside of the CWS.

Hockey fans should actually be happy with the TV deal that the league has right now. Every single playoff game is broadcast live in HD nationally. Couldn't say that even 5 years ago.

You spend way too much time over thinking just about everything...

BTW Tim, I was a big fan of the Wild tonight. Thanks for the big win!

The Avs better hold up their end of the deal. I don't care how bad St. Louis has been lately. They will crush the Wild in the first round. I would at least feel like there's a chance against any other team.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Hockey is mostly popular to cold weather countries and parts of the USA that have cold winters.

Around the world, the following countries play hockey in the world cup:

USA, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Russia, Slovakia, and Sweden

For countries that play basketball, you have 215 national teams.

http://www.ask.com/wiki/List_of_men's_national_basketball_teams

[ImTellinTim]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

You are missing many countries that have decent national hockey teams, but the sentiment is correct.

[kehlis]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Hockey is mostly popular to cold weather countries and parts of the USA that have cold winters.

Around the world, the following countries play hockey in the world cup:

USA, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Russia, Slovakia, and Sweden

For countries that play basketball, you have 215 national teams.
http://www.ask.com/wiki/List_of_men'...sketball_teams

Not sure what point that shows.

Fact is ESPN use to cover it every day when they had the rights to hockey and covered games.

They no longer have rights and no longer cover hockey at all for the most part.


Pretty clear what the reason is and it has nothing to do with cold winters...

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Not sure what point that shows.

Fact is ESPN use to cover it every day when they had the rights to hockey and covered games.

They no longer have rights and no longer cover hockey at all for the most part.


Pretty clear what the reason is and it has nothing to do with cold winters...

Point was in response to Majingar when he said hockey was more popular worldwide then basketball. Guess you skipped his post or something.

[kehlis]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Point was in response to Majingar when he said hockey was more popular worldwide then basketball. Guess you skipped his post or something.

No, I even responded to his post

Guess you skipped that?

I still have no idea what you are getting at or what it has to do with ESPN's coverage of the NHL.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Hopefully hockey never appears on ESPN again. I like what we have with NBC. Every playoff game on TV? Perfect.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

I'd be willing to bet hockeys around as popular(if not more) WORLDWIDE than basketball(if not that,then there's at least more countries who play competitive hockey than basketball

I was responding to that Kehlis. Nothing more, nothing less.

[kehlis]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

I was responding to that Kehlis. Nothing more, nothing less.

Fair enough then.

That's my bad, I thought the point of discussion in this thread was ESPN's coverage of hockey.