2012-2013 Official NHL thread

[CrimsonWeltall]

I get TNT, I don't get NBC Sports. I find it hard to believe that TNT isn't included in the basic tier cable line-ups. NBC sports is not covered in most of the basic tiered cable lineups where I live.

 

TNT is totally basic cable.

 

According to this site, TNT is available in 98 million homes, slightly more than ESPN.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/I...arch-cable.aspx

 

NBC Sports is available in 78 million.

[IlliniKrush]

Well, this is a ploy by NBC to get more people demanding their rather excellent NBC Sports Network. Seriously, the channel rocks. Their studio sports programming and "the Lites" are simply superb.

 

It's smart for them, and the NHL is lucky to be in their corner and treated so well. The broadcast is just top notch.

 

I don't care of someone with little interest in Game 2 can't flip to it in between watching reruns of Friends.

Exactly.

 

I wish they'd play the games in my backyard, because that'd be convenient, but alas I will figure out a way to watch NBC and/or NBCSN. It's not hard.

[Jake]

In my basic cable package, we have ESPN, TNT, Big Ten Network -- anything in the basic cable package is available in HD to HD subscribers.

 

My cable in Pontiac, IL (a mere 90ish miles from the UC) DOES offer the NBCSN. However, there is no tier that exists in which they offer it in HD. It costs a ton to get to the tier where you get it in SD. That tier doesn't even include NFLN, NBATV, MLBN, NHLN, which are not offered at all. It should be impossible that fans in the Blackhawks' home market have to buy the most expensive tier of cable to see the games, and can't even see it in HD at that...and any hockey fan knows that watching hockey in SD is a totally different experience than HD and it is true of hockey more than any other sport.

[Steve9347]

I don't have and don't want DirecTV or Comcast.

 

I'm not entitled to be able to watch the games for free OTA, but I can still b**** about it.

Actually, NBC is so nice that they allow you to watch the games for free via an app.

[Jake]

Actually, NBC is so nice that they allow you to watch the games for free via an app.

 

I believe that is only true if you are subscribed to a cable/satellite provider that plays nice with NBC. At least, I had to sign in with my cable account to stream on my computer.

[LittleHurt05]

TNT is totally basic cable.

 

According to this site, TNT is available in 98 million homes, slightly more than ESPN.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/I...arch-cable.aspx

 

NBC Sports is available in 78 million.

 

Yet there aren't any NBA Finals games on TNT or ESPN. They are all on ABC, what a concept!

 

I'd pay for HawkVision if I had to to watch the Stanley Cup Finals, but yet I still think it's very dumb that the games are on different channels, including a less popular cable channel.

[Rowand44]

We can get a suite for game 1 for 45 g's, who's in?

[StrangeSox]

I believe that is only true if you are subscribed to a cable/satellite provider that plays nice with NBC. At least, I had to sign in with my cable account to stream on my computer.

Yup, same was true for the Olympics.

[StrangeSox]

Exactly.

 

I wish they'd play the games in my backyard, because that'd be convenient, but alas I will figure out a way to watch NBC and/or NBCSN. It's not hard.

exactly. if you don't want to have a $100+/month cable bill, you must be a Friends-watching moron.

[IlliniKrush]

Yet there aren't any NBA Finals games on TNT or ESPN. They are all on ABC, what a concept!

 

I'd pay for HawkVision if I had to to watch the Stanley Cup Finals, but yet I still think it's very dumb that the games are on different channels, including a less popular cable channel.

Well we've already covered the reasons why they are there. It's not like they ARE on Hawkvision, making people pay each game.

 

My solution - this isn't directed towards you because like you said, you'd watch regardless - if you don't want to watch, or if it's too difficult for you to find NBCSN, don't watch.

[IlliniKrush]

exactly. if you don't want to have a $100+/month cable bill, you must be a Friends-watching moron.

I really wish non-hockey people would stay out of the thread. SCF brings out everybody.

 

You already said you don't really have a good reason to b**** about it. You could go to a friend's house, go to a bar, there are other ways to be able to watch the game if it's THAT much of a concern to you.

[cabiness42]

I don't have and don't want DirecTV or Comcast.

 

I'm not entitled to be able to watch the games for free OTA, but I can still b**** about it.

 

Just wondering what you do have? You need CSN to see the bulk of Sox/Bulls/Hawks regular season games, and NBCSN is included in the same package as CSN for at least some providers.

Edited June 10, 2013 by HickoryHuskers

[Steve9347]

I believe that is only true if you are subscribed to a cable/satellite provider that plays nice with NBC. At least, I had to sign in with my cable account to stream on my computer.

No sign in required with the app.

[Steve9347]

Just wondering what you do have? You need CSN to see the bulk of Sox/Bulls/Hawks regular season games, and NBCSN is included in the same package as CSN for at least some providers.

He apparently has rabbit ears and a bug up his ass.

[cabiness42]

He apparently has rabbit ears and a bug up his ass.

 

Well, if you only have rabbit ears then you can't watch the vast majority of Sox/Bulls/Hawks regular season or playoff games unless you stream them illegally online, and if you're doing that I don't see the point in complaining about having to do it two more times.

 

[Jake]

The facts of the matter are the NHL doesn't make TV deals for hardcore fans. They need to grow their brand and expand the individual fanbases of certain clubs as well as make more Americans like hockey. Putting the SCF on a channel that a huge portion of the TV-watching cannot get or in many cases does not even know exists just smacks of irrelevance. If hockey wants to be a niche-y sport that does not have widespread viewership (like tennis, which has lots of fans but nothing when compared to NFL/MLB/NBA), they will have to cut some teams.

 

Hockey at its best should be something that every sports fan cares about and right now that just isn't the case. Don't be a snob and just dismiss the people that can't or won't inconvenience/extend themselves for hockey right now. The sport we like suffers. I can't prop up the NHL just by buying sweaters, NHL Gamecenter, etc. They actually need new/reinvigorated fans. Sticking two of the biggest 4-7 games of the season on NBCSN is the worst way to do that.

 

 

[Chisoxfn]

TNT is totally basic cable.

 

According to this site, TNT is available in 98 million homes, slightly more than ESPN.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/I...arch-cable.aspx

 

NBC Sports is available in 78 million.

I will say this...I guess NBC sports is pretty wide spread. I didn't realize NBC sports was previously OLN and VS and this is just the 3rd rebranding of the network. I guess that better explains the 78 million.

[Jake]

Just wondering what you do have? You need CSN to see the bulk of Sox/Bulls/Hawks regular season games, and NBCSN is included in the same package as CSN for at least some providers.

 

I bet he can watch the Super Bowl, the World Series, and the NBA Finals in their entirety OTA

[cabiness42]

I bet he can watch the Super Bowl, the World Series, and the NBA Finals in their entirety OTA

 

The Super Bowl most definitely attracts viewers who do not otherwise watch sports on cable. The World Series still gets a handful, but not nearly as many as they used to. I don't know a single person who is watching the NBA or NHL finals but isn't interested enough in sports to get channels like CSN or NBCSN. You could stick a couple of the NBA Finals games on ESPN and it probably wouldn't matter a whole lot.

Edited June 10, 2013 by HickoryHuskers

[Steve9347]

The facts of the matter are the NHL doesn't make TV deals for hardcore fans. They need to grow their brand and expand the individual fanbases of certain clubs as well as make more Americans like hockey. Putting the SCF on a channel that a huge portion of the TV-watching cannot get or in many cases does not even know exists just smacks of irrelevance. If hockey wants to be a niche-y sport that does not have widespread viewership (like tennis, which has lots of fans but nothing when compared to NFL/MLB/NBA), they will have to cut some teams.

78 million homes in the US have NBC Sports Network. The rest have friends and bars and phones to call their provider and upgrade their tier for two weeks if it really means so much to them.

 

Given the fact that this hasn't been an issue throughout the last TWO rounds of NHL hockey, it's not an issue. We're not talking all 7 games, we're talking 2 games. If those two games are actually important to someone, they'll find them.

 

It's 2 games. Not all 7. What the f*** are we talking about here?

Edited June 10, 2013 by Steve9347

[IlliniKrush]

The facts of the matter are the NHL doesn't make TV deals for hardcore fans. They need to grow their brand and expand the individual fanbases of certain clubs as well as make more Americans like hockey. Putting the SCF on a channel that a huge portion of the TV-watching cannot get or in many cases does not even know exists just smacks of irrelevance. If hockey wants to be a niche-y sport that does not have widespread viewership (like tennis, which has lots of fans but nothing when compared to NFL/MLB/NBA), they will have to cut some teams.

 

Hockey at its best should be something that every sports fan cares about and right now that just isn't the case. Don't be a snob and just dismiss the people that can't or won't inconvenience/extend themselves for hockey right now. The sport we like suffers. I can't prop up the NHL just by buying sweaters, NHL Gamecenter, etc. They actually need new/reinvigorated fans. Sticking two of the biggest 4-7 games of the season on NBCSN is the worst way to do that.

The NHL has to make the best deal available to them at the time. I believe they got like 2 billion over 10 years for this. In the long-run, developing NBCSN is the best way to grow the game. You have a channel that puts hockey #1. Without a cable deal, you'd have one game a week somewhere. That won't accomplish much.

 

People who watch only the championship series/game of a sport don't really help grow the sport. For a lot of them, it's something they do all the time, year after year, and it doesn't change. Let's not make this out to be something it's not. The NHL lives off the die-hard fans, the ones buying tickets, watching games, buying merchandise. People who are b****ing about 2 games on a cable channel aren't exactly going to turn into die-hard fans. They can still watch up to 5 of the other games this series, and multiple games throughout the playoffs on the weekend.

 

I'm just so sick of hearing this stupid line year after year. OMG every game isn't on ESPN or ABC or NBC or some s***. Deal with it. It's the 21st century, channels besides ABC, NBC, and Fox exist.

 

The NHL's goal every year isn't to bendd over backwards just to please Johnny No Hockey to get him to come watch a few games in the SCF. And if Johnny No Hockey is concerned with watching more games, he'll now realize he needs to grab NBCSN.

 

Hockey's doing perfectly fine. Look at the ratings, look at the attendance. If some people find it too difficult to watch NBCSN, that's fine. If they were that concerned with watching it, they'd figure out a way.

 

It's really just America these days. Everything has to be as easy as possible for people or they don't want to bother. It also has to be free. I challenge your take on "the sport we love suffers." No, the deal's the same, the games are still on always will be. Missing out on a few people that just want to b**** about NBCSN isn't going to change the way I'm able to consume hockey.

 

As far as I'm concerned, hockey is a niche sport, always will be. When a team in a particular city is great, it'll be a lot bigger at the time.

[LittleHurt05]

Well we've already covered the reasons why they are there. It's not like they ARE on Hawkvision, making people pay each game.

 

My solution - this isn't directed towards you because like you said, you'd watch regardless - if you don't want to watch, or if it's too difficult for you to find NBCSN, don't watch.

 

In the long run though, more exposure is a good thing for hockey. With what could be a thrilling championship series, the NHL would be better off if every game was on NBC and they didn't have to succumb to NBC's contract terms, and that sucks IMO. The game seems to be thriving, time to show it off not hide it.

[StrangeSox]

Well, if you only have rabbit ears then you can't watch the vast majority of Sox/Bulls/Hawks regular season or playoff games unless you stream them illegally online, and if you're doing that I don't see the point in complaining about having to do it two more times.

 

It's not that big of a deal. It sucks and is inconvenient and hockey is the only major sport that doesn't put their championship on broadcast television. I just found some of the comments in this thread about people not being REAL fans if they don't have cable package XYZ funny.

 

I don't have much time usually to sit around and watch a Sox/Bulls/Hawks game. I'll have it on the radio while I'm working in the garage, cutting grass, etc. so it's not a big deal. I'd have MLBtv if it weren't for the dumb-as-hell blackout rules.

[southsider2k5]

We can get a suite for game 1 for 45 g's, who's in?

 

I've got $10

[IlliniKrush]

In the long run though, more exposure is a good thing for hockey. With what could be a thrilling championship series, the NHL would be better off if every game was on NBC and they didn't have to succumb to NBC's contract terms, and that sucks IMO. The game seems to be thriving, time to show it off not hide it.

If the whole series was on there, I'd agree. But, I get why they are doing this, what deal they have here, and that this has been the precedent for years.

 

I think the assumed effect of 2 games on NBCSN is greatly exaggerated. People will watch these games if they want to find them. The ratings will still be through the roof, not absolutely plummet in 2 and 3.

 

It's still hilarious that NOW this is an issue for some people. The past 2 rounds, outside a few games, have been NBCSN. It goes back to my last post, where it's for the sake of tuning into the championship series, that makes it an issue for those types of people.