Slowly but surely, the debate has begun amongst hockey enthusiasts and bloggers as to whether the game should remain on Versus or switch over to ESPN in the coming years. The rumors began after the NHL extended their contract with NBC for another 2 years, which brings them to the end of the 2010-2011 season. Coincidentally, after the 2010-2011 season ends, so does the NHL's contract with Versus. Gary Bettman was able to land the NHL a monster deal before the lockout (remember the glowing puck on Fox?) and may be lining the league up for a move to ESPN/ABC after the current contract expires. The question, would a move to ESPN be good for the game? Ratings and attendance are up throughout the game, and a portion of the credit needs to go to Versus who broadcast games throughout the regular season by making hockey the networks number one priority, and in addition provided a multitude of playoff games throughout the postseason. The one knock on Versus - not every cable provider offers the channel; so a hockey fan in a suburb of Los Angeles is forced to listen to Ducks playoff games on the radio as they're unable to see them on TV. Would the jump to ESPN garner more viewers? Obviously, but you do have to wonder about the amount of coverage the NHL would get on such a network. Former ESPN anchor, and current Bruins play-by-play man Jack Edwards offers his two thoughts on the matter in a recent interview with Steve Lepore;
I’m not a hero, I’m just telling you the facts. I mean, that’s what it is and you know, this whole idea that hockey will do better if you put it back on ESPN is a delusion. It is completely delusionary. It’s more convenient, certainly. But it’s not going to be better for the sport, because it’s going to be behind golf, it’s going to be behind women’s basketball and, you know, I’m not dissing those sports.
But what I am saying is, if it were my place, if it were my call, I know where the passion is, and I’d rather have 1% of the audience is totally nuts about the sport, than I’m just gonna’ watch it because it’s on. But the people who make the decisions in the accounting department, who see the ratings numbers, are going to go purely on the number. The context of what it means to people has nothing to do with their judgment, and their actions speak much more loudly than their lip service on that.
So at the end of the day, is the jump to ESPN/ABC one that the NHL should consider after the current contract expires. With players like Ovechkin, Crosby and Zetterberg, the game hasn't been this marketable since Mario Lemieux came into the league. With more viewers and exposure, the game could grow to new levels and potentially lead to an increase in revenue as well as the salary cap. Versus does have it's limitations, however no other network was willing to give the game a chance after the lockout, and making hockey their number one priority is something that ESPN would be unable to do under any circumstances. What's the best way for hockey fans to continue to appreciate their game? Remaining with Versus or jumping ship to ESPN?
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Good topic here and I'm torn on what the NHL should do next when the Versus/NBC contract expires.
ReplyDeleteHere are some arguments for both as I really can't make up mind on what is the best route for the NHL to take.
Versus/NBC Pros -
- As you alluded to, the hardcore fans are always going to watch the NHL on TV, therefore Versus does a great job making the NHL a priority, and as Jack Edwards pointed out, the NHL will always play second fiddle to other (minor) sports.
Versus/NBC Cons -
- Perception - Versus will always be remembered as the Outdoor Life channel and the fact they have such a variety of programming, it gives an air of illegitimacy to the NHL as far as the casual observer is concerned. It is tough to build a greater fan base with the continued perception that the NHL is a second tier sport and not up there with the NBA MLB & NFL.
- NBC Con - the NBC/NHL agreement is a joke and almost an embarrassment to the NHL. Where the NFL TV contract adds $30m per team for revenue sharing, the current NHL TV contract revenue is only $3m per team. NBC PAYS NO FEES FOR BROADCASTING RIGHTS (yikes) and one further, they actually SHARE advertising revenue!! are you kidding me!
ESPN/ABC - I actually enjoyed watching the NHL on ESPN/ABC (remember when ESPN2 was all about NHL Hockey?)
I do think having the NHL back on ESPN/ABC would "look" better for the league and as you said, along with the current marketing possibilities of Ovie/Syd etc, now might be the time to make the move when the next contract expires.
Cons are right in line with what Edwards said. It is almost selling out to go back to ESPN/ABC especially after the job Versus as done in building up the game, although somehow NBC won an Emmy for their promotion of the Winter Classic.
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A couple of things to consider - in talking to some sports writers & NHL Office execs, I know that the pet project of CEO John Collins is NHL.com and expanding through digital media.
The bread & butter of the NHL is putting people in the seats and spending money on shirts & memorabilia.
Therefore, from what I've been told, the NHL has been doing a ton of work to build up their digital media segment - things like NHL.com, NHL Center Ice, & NHL Mobile.
So I think the strategy is to be cutting edge on the digital media front and come hard with that (the NHL.com site is great btw) and hopefully in several years the NHL will be in a better position to negotiate a more lucrative TV contract that will alleviate (hopefully) ticket prices.
The NHL wants to make it as easy as possible for the casual fan to get in the game and they are doing that through Twitter and NHL.com.
The only way to have any negotiating leverage for a lucrative TV contract is to show the demand by a large fan following is there, and I think the digital media onslaught by the NHL is the strategy they are using to do so.
Didn't know that in regards to the digital media push; makes sense the way the world is going. Selfishly, I'd much rather see the NHL remain on Versus and continue to get access to basically every playoff on game on TV and catch a few games outside my market during each week of the year as well. However, as you pointed out; as long as the NHL is on Versus it will be looked down upon by fans of other sports solely because they aren't on the same networks as the other big sports. If the NHL jumps to ESPN; they'll get more coverage despite being behind the NFL, NBA and MLB. Fans of hockey will still watch, and hopefully some more casual fans can be drawn in.
ReplyDeleteIt's extremely frustrating to be inundated with talk about the Red Sox and Patriots that you can't get away with it; yet there are only a handful of people I can talk Bruins (or hockey in general for that matter) with; and most of the time I can only talk to those people before or after a game at the Garden. Bringing it to ESPN would hopefully open the gates a little bit. Combined with the digital push; moving the game to ESPN may not be my personal preference, but it'd be best for the game in the long run (presuming they don't have another brutal lockout after 2012 or whenever it's being discussed). Ideally, it'd be nice to see the NHL let Versus have a game or two a week, or pickup coverage come playoff time (ala NBA and TNT) just for the fact they were willing to give the NHL a chance when no one else would.
Well Dan - Try living in NYC and watching a B's game!!! It is brutal. I had to buy the NHL Center Ice Package last year for the playoffs for $80, which is about what a bar tab would be for one game, so I deemed it worth ordering.
ReplyDeleteHere is what frustrates me - aside from Boston & NY markets (and maybe a Dodger game after the 3rd inning when people actually show up), when you see MLB Baseball on TV, the stadiums are empty. I'm not even talking about the outfields, but rather the 1st & 3rd baselines like 30 rows up.
My roommate is a sportswriter for Sports Illustrated and we have NBA debates all the time. I classify myself as liking basketball in general, hating NBA basketball, and loving college basketball.
But since NBA/MLB are all over the place - TNT, ABC, ESPN - the average couch potato just perceives them as more legitimate sports. It is almost like 'out of site out of mind' with the NHL with the current setup. If NBC would pick up weekly games instead of just every couple of weeks + the winter classic, I think that would help too.
Google - 'Mike Dilorenzo', he is in the NHL League office and there are several interviews out there with him talking about the Digital Media Strategy of the NHL.
Also of note - met with some Bruins people a couple of weeks ago and they mentioned that the sales guys are basically just doing relationship management at this point b/c they are almost completely sold out of season tickets. So that is a good sign for Bruins fans and maybe it will provoke more TV time on NESN & the new "SportsHub 98.5" talk time on the radio.
Either way - great topic on the post and keep them coming, it is nice to get a good back & forth going.
Yeah I can imagine it being difficult to get anything out of market - especially trying to follow a team specifically. Agreed completely on the basketball statement as well; players are way too selfish and egotistical for my liking - I'll watch the C's cause they're the hometown but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteNBC picking up weekly games would be great; the only problem is when would they air? They certainly wouldn't allow the league to have prime time 8PM slots during the week. A move to ESPN/ABC/TNT would potentially open up some of the networks to air 1 or 2 NHL games a week (with a possible doubleheader one of the nights.) The only problem with being acquired by ESPN in that regard is the NHL season runs essentially concurrently with the NBA. Where would the NHL games fit into the TV schedule? There's a lot of kinks to be worked out if that route is chosen.
Will take a look at the Digital Media Strategy some point later today; thanks for the heads up.
Interesting note regarding the Bruins sale department. I put off fixing my car and purchased season tickets for this year back in May (since the Winter Classic my seats have risen $900 a piece - can't wait for renewal!) and they had a decent amount of open seats at the select a seat event in early June. Interesting to hear they're pretty much gone. Last figure I heard was 13,000 season tickets sold; which leaves about 4000 free seats. Curious to see where that number is now.
I thought NESN's coverage of the B's was great this past year; though being on the same network as the Red Sox is going to cause issues from time to time. Very excited about the Sports Hub for two reason a) finally some REAL competition for WEEI; a station that has become so deluded with crap the past decade it's barely recognizable as a sports station...and b) Being on the same network as the Patriots is bound to garner more interest in the local hockey team. Can't complain with that.