Wait a minute, ESPN

[SpectralThundr]

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.

While I do like that every playoff game is nationally televised, I hate hate hate that part of Comcast's/NBC's deal locks out the local networks beyond the first round of the playoffs. I'd much rather watch a Nesn telecast with Jack and Brick than have to be subjected to the NBC crew, nothing against Doc but having to put up with Mcguire and Slick Eddie drives me nuts.

[Watson]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

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

I admit that I am OS' lone true college baseball fan, but that statement won't be true for much longer.

ESPN is starting to slowly pimp college baseball more and more. Last year was the first year that every single regional game was televised thanks to ESPN. It's true that most of them were on ESPN3, but the point remains. There's even the occasional ESPN2 game throughout the year.

It just goes to show that ESPN is trying to run a business, and one way to drive up ratings is exposure.


wow. much tapatalk. very mobil.

[slickdtc]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

The only reason I'd like hockey to be on ESPN is for the exposure and subsequent coverage boost. Otherwise, the NBC deal is great. Games on NBC, NBCSN, and I think CNBC too.

To Watson: I'm surprised college baseball hasn't gotten coverage outside of the CWS. Shorter season, college pride, being able to see the future stars of the MLB perhaps... You'd think it would be bigger. I support growing the exposure of college baseball.

[mgoblue]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

I like watching some Coyotes games, and usually end up skipping national games.

I like that all playoff games are on tv, that's huge cause otherwise I'd miss some Wings playoff games.

I really miss the tandem of Gary Thorne and Bill Clement, along with Darren Pang....they were a stellar announce team IMO.

[spidertour02]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Their website is especially infuriating -- they rarely put NHL stories on the main page, and when they do, it's almost always something freakish and horrible, as if they're deliberately trying to discredit the league or make them look bad.

As if to support my case, the first NHL story to show up on their front page for quite a while is Ryan Malone getting busted for DUI and cocaine possession.

I'm tellin' ya, this looks intentional.

[Antec]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

I think it's a little bit seeing what you want to see. There's a headline about the Bruins clinching the best record in hockey right above that one.

Also they have been going breaking news ticker on Dorial Green-Beckham getting kicked off Mizzou all day. I guess ESPN hates Football.

[TracerBullet]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

I remember last year when Chicago forced that game 7 with Detroit (I think that was the game, I just remember it was something important in a series that had to with Game 7 or getting there), ESPN had some random Yankees game as their front page main story. During a conversation on Twitter with ImTellinTim we kept including how stupid that was. About 10 minutes after our conversation started, they changed it to the hockey game.

Didn't take much longer for it to change to basketball, but that one was acceptable since I think that was the night the Spurs clinched their spot in the Championship.

[C the Lyte]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Hockey, or at least the NHL, hasn't done itself any favors with its labor disputes either.


Same with NASCAR and its WWE style "make the rules up as we go".


I hate saying soccer is filling that niche role, or the void where hockey was, but IMO that's the way I feel it is going.

[SPTO]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

Hockey, or at least the NHL, hasn't done itself any favors with its labor disputes either.


Same with NASCAR and its WWE style "make the rules up as we go".


I hate saying soccer is filling that niche role, or the void where hockey was, but IMO that's the way I feel it is going.

The NHL won't have any more issues for the foreseeable future as they have a long term labor agreement that is actually working out nicely for both sides. I do think the NHL owners will want to put a clamp on the rising cap however I can see that easily rectified. The NHL is a 1.5 billion dollar sport now which is far more than it ever used to generate.

As for soccer, it's been "filling that niche" for 20 years now! The MLS is still pretty small time when you look at it. The only reason soccer has some traction is because of the popularity of the EPL and I find it interesting how ESPN has a soccer show now. That being said, I think if the NHL is properly marketed it can fill a niche like it did just before it reached the height of its popularity in the US in 1994. If you remember/or aren't old enough the NHL was riding an all time high in the US market. People were saying that hockey was becoming the third biggest sport dethroning basketball.

I do think a lot of the problems the NHL faces in the US still has to do with perception. Like it or not, ESPN holds a ton of sway in the minds of the casual sports viewer and ever since they've been without the NHL they've pretty much buried it. I saw (or read can't quite remember) a story a year or so ago and the head of ESPN had the balls to say that they cover the NHL as much today as they did back in the day LOL! ESPN is a lot like the WWE. Everything that's not owned by them doesn't exist.

[slickdtc]

Wait a minute, ESPN

I thought the labor agreement had an out in 4 or so years. Or maybe that was the last one.

I don't buy the lockouts affecting new fans because when it comes back it's better then ever. Alienating current fans? Definitely. Driving people away? I don't think so.

It's a regional sport and a niche national sport. And it's fine that way. I don't think there's much room for growth for any sports now. Like, lacrosse isn't gonna come up and dominate all sports broadcasts. There's wiggle room but the foundation is laid for the sports in power and the "other" sports.

It's when the NHL tries to push its way into our conscience that it's gonna fail. Capitalize on who you have, don't spread yourself thin by getting into bad markets. It takes time for hockey to take hold in places, but other places its just a nuisance. Florida is a ****ty pro sports state. Same for Atlanta, and Phoenix. Those places will never touch the Boston's, Philly's, NY's of the world.

[Segagendude]

Re: Wait a minute, ESPN

They do more coverage of soccer (either US or World Cup) than hockey. And I couldn't care less about soccer...