Not to be outdone by Winnipeg – once an opponent in the NHL and now an opponent to get back into the league – Quebec City will also be playing host to pre-season hockey in the fall. Whereas Winnipeg will see the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks take on the financially unstable Tampa Bay Lightning on September 22, Quebec City will get to see another financially unstable franchise – the New York Islanders – go up against the Montreal Canadiens on October 2. Just as I made the case that the Lightning’s pre-season journey to Winnipeg could be testing the waters for the team’s potential relocation to the Manitoba capital, the same could be speculated about the New York Islanders getting a lay of the land for a possible move to Quebec.
Since the Nordiques left town in 1995, Quebec City has been the site of two pre-season tilts. In 2002, it saw the return of its Nordiques – reincarnated as the Colorado Avalanche – battle the province’s beloved Canadiens. And last year, the Canadiens paid another visit to Quebec City, this time against the rival Boston Bruins. But there is no obvious connection with this year’s opponent – the New York Islanders – unless, of course, you throw possible relocation into the mix. Just like the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Islanders are one of the weaker sisters in the NHL when it comes to finances, and rumours of the team’s relocation have been in the works for years (albeit, usually to another U.S. location).
Look for the Quebec City matchup to be on French-language RDS, whereas the Winnipeg game may get shutout from Canadian television. After all, neither the Blackhawks nor Lightning regional broadcasts are available in the Winnipeg area – at least for now, pending relocation of course!
Showing posts with label Boston Bruins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boston Bruins. Show all posts
Monday, June 21, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Generous Arithmetic
On May 14, when the league reported that CBC was averaging 1,860,000 viewers through the first two rounds of the playoffs, I couldn’t figure out why my calculations were only showing 1,835,000 over the same span of 37 telecasts. That is, until I discovered that the NHL and its broadcasting partners were presenting somewhat distorted numbers – in their favour of course – when issuing periodic updates about how “well” this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs have been doing in the television ratings department.
Take April 27 as an example. On this date, the public broadcaster issued a press release to announce that its round one average audience was 1,422,000. On average, CBC claimed that its Senators-Penguins series drew 2,000,000 per game, its Kings-Canucks matchup brought-in 2,031,000, its Avalanche-Sharks duel attracted 825,000, and its Bruins-Sabres tilt interested 736,000. But anyone bothering to take out a calculator and determine a weighted average for the four series (each of which lasted six games) would find that these numbers do not average 1,422,000 but, rather, 1,398,000. Even worse for CBC, the Senators-Penguins series really drew 1,965,000 viewers and not the rounded 2,000,000 figure, meaning that the public broadcaster’s true average audience for the first round was only 1,389,250 as opposed to the inflated 1,422,000. CBC’s generous arithmetic attributed an extra 32,750 viewers per game than were really watching. Over the entire 24-game sequence, this amounted to an aggregate audience overestimate of 786,000 – more than the average for the Bruins-Sabres series! No wonder the NHL reported a 1,860,000 average after two rounds as opposed to the 1,835,000 that I had calculated!
Fast forward exactly one month to May 27. This time, the NHL says that, through the first three rounds of the playoffs, CBC is averaging 1,950,000 viewers per game. Even if we take the inflated 1,860,000 figure as an accurate starting point after two rounds, the NHL’s numbers are still over the top. CBC’s third round coverage consisted of the entire Eastern Final, which drew an average of 2,673,000 over five games, and one game in the Western Final, which drew 1,257,000. Weighted with the 1,860,000 figure after two rounds (37 telecasts), these numbers only produce an average of 1,940,535 after three rounds (43 telecasts) – not 1,950,000. But, of course, the 1,860,000 figure was an over-estimate to begin with – using the real figure of 1,835,000 after two rounds would yield an average of 1,919,023. Again, this represents more than an “extra” 30,000 viewers per game.
The NHL and its broadcasting partners should be ashamed of themselves for publishing these twisted figures. Journalists should equally hang their heads for not having enough integrity to get out a calculator and verify a few numbers.
TONIGHT’S GAMES
No games scheduled
Take April 27 as an example. On this date, the public broadcaster issued a press release to announce that its round one average audience was 1,422,000. On average, CBC claimed that its Senators-Penguins series drew 2,000,000 per game, its Kings-Canucks matchup brought-in 2,031,000, its Avalanche-Sharks duel attracted 825,000, and its Bruins-Sabres tilt interested 736,000. But anyone bothering to take out a calculator and determine a weighted average for the four series (each of which lasted six games) would find that these numbers do not average 1,422,000 but, rather, 1,398,000. Even worse for CBC, the Senators-Penguins series really drew 1,965,000 viewers and not the rounded 2,000,000 figure, meaning that the public broadcaster’s true average audience for the first round was only 1,389,250 as opposed to the inflated 1,422,000. CBC’s generous arithmetic attributed an extra 32,750 viewers per game than were really watching. Over the entire 24-game sequence, this amounted to an aggregate audience overestimate of 786,000 – more than the average for the Bruins-Sabres series! No wonder the NHL reported a 1,860,000 average after two rounds as opposed to the 1,835,000 that I had calculated!
Fast forward exactly one month to May 27. This time, the NHL says that, through the first three rounds of the playoffs, CBC is averaging 1,950,000 viewers per game. Even if we take the inflated 1,860,000 figure as an accurate starting point after two rounds, the NHL’s numbers are still over the top. CBC’s third round coverage consisted of the entire Eastern Final, which drew an average of 2,673,000 over five games, and one game in the Western Final, which drew 1,257,000. Weighted with the 1,860,000 figure after two rounds (37 telecasts), these numbers only produce an average of 1,940,535 after three rounds (43 telecasts) – not 1,950,000. But, of course, the 1,860,000 figure was an over-estimate to begin with – using the real figure of 1,835,000 after two rounds would yield an average of 1,919,023. Again, this represents more than an “extra” 30,000 viewers per game.
The NHL and its broadcasting partners should be ashamed of themselves for publishing these twisted figures. Journalists should equally hang their heads for not having enough integrity to get out a calculator and verify a few numbers.
TONIGHT’S GAMES
No games scheduled
Friday, May 21, 2010
Last Hurrah for TSN
After more than a month of furious action on TSN, the curtain closes tonight on the specialty channel’s coverage of this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs with game three of the third round Blackhawks-Sharks series from Chicago. This spring has seen the network establish a number of hockey milestones and, even though luck sometimes played a part, those involved with the station should give themselves a pat on the back for a job well done. In chronological order, the network can report these impressive numbers:
- TSN’s coverage of the first round Canadiens-Capital series ranks as the most-watched playoff series ever on the specialty channel with an average audience of 1.8 million viewers over seven games. Game two of this series earned TSN its highest NHL playoff audience ever at 2.1 million viewers . . . that is until this figure was surpassed in game seven of the same series with an audience of 2.8 million.
- The network ranked first, fourth, fifth, and seventh in APH ratings in the first round, despite the fact that TSN selected its series in the third, fifth, seventh, and eighth draft spots.
- The specialty channel’s game seven coverage of the second round Flyers-Bruins series earned the network its highest audience ever recorded for a game not involving a Canadian-based team at 2.1 million.
- TSN’s game one coverage of the third round Blackhawks-Sharks series, which drew an audience of 1.225 million (not including NBC viewers), earned the highest APH for any afternoon game played throughout this year’s playoffs at 0.136 – beating even CBC’s game two afternoon coverage of the Canadiens-Penguins series (again, not including NBC viewers).
The most telling milestone from above was the second bullet point – even though the network selected its first round series from a position of weakness in comparison to rival CBC, the specialty channel was rank ahead of the public broadcaster in many of the APH ratings. In fact, after removing the three first round series in which Canadian teams participated, TSN ranked first, second, and fourth for the remaining all-American matchups with CBC placing third and fifth. So, whereas CBC will always benefit from its near-stranglehold on Canadian teams in the playoffs, viewers appear to prefer TSN when the playing field is levelled and Canadian content is no longer part of the equation. This either means that (a) TSN does a better job than CBC in selecting the all-American series, thereby attracting more viewers than CBC, and/or (b) TSN delivers a better overall broadcast than CBC, thereby attracting more viewers than the public broadcaster. Either way, the NHL on TSN team deserves the credit.
THIS WEEKEND’S GAMES:
Tonight
Sharks at Blackhawks - Game 3, 8 p.m. (TSN)/(RDS)
Saturday
Flyers at Canadiens - Game 4, 3 p.m. (NBC)/(CBC)/(RDS)
Sunday
Sharks at Blackhawks - Game 4, 3 p.m. (NBC)/(CBC)/(RDS)
Monday (Victoria Day)
Canadiens at Flyers - Game 5, 7 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Fog Clears on Third Round
Last night’s stunning Canadiens victory in game seven over the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins confirms the third of four participants in the next round of the playoffs. Although the NHL schedule makers will have to wait until Friday night’s game seven between Philadelphia and Boston before publishing the dates and start times for the third round games, we already have a pretty good idea of what the schedule will look like and what the implications will be for the various broadcasters.
Obviously, CBC will be showing the entire Canadiens series – regardless which team they face – and the ratings promise to be huge. However, because game 7 of the Flyers-Bruins series goes Friday night, the eventual winner of that tilt will not be able to begin the next series against Montreal until at least Sunday, meaning CBC won’t get the Habs for the traditional Saturday night timeslot. The other series between Chicago and San Jose – which will be split between CBC and TSN – also can’t get underway until at least Sunday because the San Jose arena has a prior commitment on Saturday. Thus, there will be no Saturday night hockey this weekend.
NBC resumes its playoff coverage on Sunday afternoon after a long hiatus and then continues coverage the following weekend with games on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon. So, unless the NHL schedules the Blackhawks-Sharks on back-to-back afternoons (which is highly unlikely given the travel distance between the two cities), there won’t be any Saturday night hockey next weekend either. Of the three NBC telecasts, the U.S. network will probably have to take the Canadiens series at least once because of the back-to-back phenomenon, meaning that CBC will have to cope with a minimum of one afternoon game for the marquee series.
It could go either way – but look for Bob Cole to call the Canadiens series for the public broadcaster with Jim Hughson working the Blackhawks-Sharks. Cole, who rarely travels to the west coast, has done a great job covering the Canadiens – particularly the games in Montreal – and it would certainly make financial sense for him to stay out east, given that he lives in Newfoundland. Jim Hughson calls British Columbia home – only a short distance from San Jose.
Meanwhile, before TSN gets to its limited third round coverage, it has the privilege of televising game seven between the Flyers and Bruins. With the Flyers looking to win the series after trailing 3-0, the specialty network may very well be in for another ratings bonanza . . . but nothing like what the network's sister station RDS is going to attract for the Canadiens third round presence.
TONIGHT'S GAMES:
No games scheduled
Obviously, CBC will be showing the entire Canadiens series – regardless which team they face – and the ratings promise to be huge. However, because game 7 of the Flyers-Bruins series goes Friday night, the eventual winner of that tilt will not be able to begin the next series against Montreal until at least Sunday, meaning CBC won’t get the Habs for the traditional Saturday night timeslot. The other series between Chicago and San Jose – which will be split between CBC and TSN – also can’t get underway until at least Sunday because the San Jose arena has a prior commitment on Saturday. Thus, there will be no Saturday night hockey this weekend.
NBC resumes its playoff coverage on Sunday afternoon after a long hiatus and then continues coverage the following weekend with games on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon. So, unless the NHL schedules the Blackhawks-Sharks on back-to-back afternoons (which is highly unlikely given the travel distance between the two cities), there won’t be any Saturday night hockey next weekend either. Of the three NBC telecasts, the U.S. network will probably have to take the Canadiens series at least once because of the back-to-back phenomenon, meaning that CBC will have to cope with a minimum of one afternoon game for the marquee series.
It could go either way – but look for Bob Cole to call the Canadiens series for the public broadcaster with Jim Hughson working the Blackhawks-Sharks. Cole, who rarely travels to the west coast, has done a great job covering the Canadiens – particularly the games in Montreal – and it would certainly make financial sense for him to stay out east, given that he lives in Newfoundland. Jim Hughson calls British Columbia home – only a short distance from San Jose.
Meanwhile, before TSN gets to its limited third round coverage, it has the privilege of televising game seven between the Flyers and Bruins. With the Flyers looking to win the series after trailing 3-0, the specialty network may very well be in for another ratings bonanza . . . but nothing like what the network's sister station RDS is going to attract for the Canadiens third round presence.
TONIGHT'S GAMES:
No games scheduled
Monday, May 10, 2010
Coyotes-Jets: Not A Zero-Sum Game
If reports from Phoenix are accurate, it looks like Winnipeg could be on the verge of getting its beloved Jets back. CBC did a good job dedicating most of its second intermission during Saturday night’s Canadiens-Penguins telecast to reviewing the latest developments from Arizona:
Although we will have to hold our breath to see whether the Coyotes move to Winnipeg in time for next season, logic dictates that NHL hockey will return to the Manitoba capital sooner or later (and I’m betting on sooner) – either in the form of the Phoenix Coyotes or one of the other half-dozen teams in the U.S. sunbelt that are burning cash. And when this happens, Canadian television networks will be grinning from ear to ear.
CBC may need to hire an additional play-by-play crew, but the addition of a seventh Canadian team would be like a gift from above for the public broadcaster. Over the past few regular seasons, Hockey Night in Canada has increased its Saturday night audience at 7 o’clock by offering more regional content – usually from both Montreal and Ottawa – and the addition of Winnipeg to the line-up would provide a greater interest in the early game to viewers west of Ontario. What’s more, given the “draft” system used to divide playoff assignments between CBC and TSN, both networks would have a greater chance of televising an additional series involving a Canadian team. And let’s not forget Rogers Sportsnet, which has regional weekday rights to five of the six currently existing Canadian teams and would be a logical broadcast partner for the reincarnated Jets.
But this is not a zero-sum game. American networks do not need to lose in order for Canadian networks to win. Whereas the presence of the Jets would give a boost to the NHL’s northern broadcast partners, the absence of the Coyotes would go pretty much unnoticed on U.S. network television. NBC hasn’t exactly made a habit of showing games from Phoenix and it’s hard to believe the broadcaster would miss having the Coyotes as an option. It’s equally hard to believe that any of the other 23 U.S.-based teams would suffer – either at the gate or via their regional television deals – by not having Phoenix as an opponent.
Although CBC’s Ron MacLean raised a valid point in the above video by suggesting that the Boston Bruins, as a typical U.S. example, wouldn’t get excited about a visit by the Winnipeg Jets, the fact remains that none of the U.S. teams can possibly view the Coyotes as a better draw. But it would sure be a better draw for the Calgary Flames . . . and the Edmonton Oilers . . . and Hockey Night in Canada . . . and 32 million hockey fans in this country . . . and the overall financial health of the game.
Let’s hope the NHL does the right thing – and sooner rather than later.
TONIGHT’S GAMES:
Flyers at Bruins – Game 5, 7 p.m. (TSN)
Penguins at Canadiens – Game 6, 7 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Although we will have to hold our breath to see whether the Coyotes move to Winnipeg in time for next season, logic dictates that NHL hockey will return to the Manitoba capital sooner or later (and I’m betting on sooner) – either in the form of the Phoenix Coyotes or one of the other half-dozen teams in the U.S. sunbelt that are burning cash. And when this happens, Canadian television networks will be grinning from ear to ear.
CBC may need to hire an additional play-by-play crew, but the addition of a seventh Canadian team would be like a gift from above for the public broadcaster. Over the past few regular seasons, Hockey Night in Canada has increased its Saturday night audience at 7 o’clock by offering more regional content – usually from both Montreal and Ottawa – and the addition of Winnipeg to the line-up would provide a greater interest in the early game to viewers west of Ontario. What’s more, given the “draft” system used to divide playoff assignments between CBC and TSN, both networks would have a greater chance of televising an additional series involving a Canadian team. And let’s not forget Rogers Sportsnet, which has regional weekday rights to five of the six currently existing Canadian teams and would be a logical broadcast partner for the reincarnated Jets.
But this is not a zero-sum game. American networks do not need to lose in order for Canadian networks to win. Whereas the presence of the Jets would give a boost to the NHL’s northern broadcast partners, the absence of the Coyotes would go pretty much unnoticed on U.S. network television. NBC hasn’t exactly made a habit of showing games from Phoenix and it’s hard to believe the broadcaster would miss having the Coyotes as an option. It’s equally hard to believe that any of the other 23 U.S.-based teams would suffer – either at the gate or via their regional television deals – by not having Phoenix as an opponent.
Although CBC’s Ron MacLean raised a valid point in the above video by suggesting that the Boston Bruins, as a typical U.S. example, wouldn’t get excited about a visit by the Winnipeg Jets, the fact remains that none of the U.S. teams can possibly view the Coyotes as a better draw. But it would sure be a better draw for the Calgary Flames . . . and the Edmonton Oilers . . . and Hockey Night in Canada . . . and 32 million hockey fans in this country . . . and the overall financial health of the game.
Let’s hope the NHL does the right thing – and sooner rather than later.
TONIGHT’S GAMES:
Flyers at Bruins – Game 5, 7 p.m. (TSN)
Penguins at Canadiens – Game 6, 7 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Good News and Bad at NBC
NBC posted some impressive numbers for a U.S. hockey broadcaster over the weekend, earning 1.6 overnight ratings for both its Flyers-Bruins telecast on Saturday and Canadiens-Penguins game on Sunday. With the exception of the outdoor Winter Classic, this weekend’s numbers represent the largest audiences for NBC this season . . . which must make the network’s upcoming hockey hiatus all the more frustrating for those trying to grow the game south of the border.
There will be no hockey on NBC this upcoming weekend because the network is committed to The Players Championship (golf) on both Saturday and Sunday beginning at 2 o’clock for five hours each day. Now, far be it for me to tell network executives how to optimize their schedules, but couldn’t they have arranged to broadcast a hockey game at noon and commence golf coverage at 2:30? Wouldn’t that have made more sense than having a two hour hole for network affiliates to plug with local and paid programming? And wouldn’t continued hockey coverage help nurture the growing ratings that NBC has enjoyed this post-season?
To make matters worse, the network will again be absent from the hockey scene the following Saturday, this time because of the Preakness Stakes (horse racing). NBC’s pre-race coverage begins at 4:30 – why the network couldn’t schedule a game earlier in the day is beyond logic. Instead, hockey fans in the U.S. will have to wait until Sunday, May 16 to get their next dose of NHL action on over-the-air television. By that time, the casual hockey viewer who has contributed to NBC’s recent ratings run will have moved on to something else and a number of valuable U.S. hockey markets for the broadcaster will have seen their teams eliminated from the playoffs. Not a good combination. But then again, as history has shown time after time, neither necessarily is hockey and U.S. television.
TONIGHT'S GAMES:
Penguins at Canadiens - Game 3, 7 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Sharks at Red Wings - Game 3, 7:30 p.m. (TSN)
There will be no hockey on NBC this upcoming weekend because the network is committed to The Players Championship (golf) on both Saturday and Sunday beginning at 2 o’clock for five hours each day. Now, far be it for me to tell network executives how to optimize their schedules, but couldn’t they have arranged to broadcast a hockey game at noon and commence golf coverage at 2:30? Wouldn’t that have made more sense than having a two hour hole for network affiliates to plug with local and paid programming? And wouldn’t continued hockey coverage help nurture the growing ratings that NBC has enjoyed this post-season?
To make matters worse, the network will again be absent from the hockey scene the following Saturday, this time because of the Preakness Stakes (horse racing). NBC’s pre-race coverage begins at 4:30 – why the network couldn’t schedule a game earlier in the day is beyond logic. Instead, hockey fans in the U.S. will have to wait until Sunday, May 16 to get their next dose of NHL action on over-the-air television. By that time, the casual hockey viewer who has contributed to NBC’s recent ratings run will have moved on to something else and a number of valuable U.S. hockey markets for the broadcaster will have seen their teams eliminated from the playoffs. Not a good combination. But then again, as history has shown time after time, neither necessarily is hockey and U.S. television.
TONIGHT'S GAMES:
Penguins at Canadiens - Game 3, 7 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Sharks at Red Wings - Game 3, 7:30 p.m. (TSN)
Friday, April 30, 2010
First Period Numbers
Now that the second round is officially underway, I thought it would be cool to do a statistical analysis of the first round ratings and see which Canadian network did the best job attracting viewers to its telecasts. With each of the three broadcasters reaching a different number of households, I evened the playing field by dividing the average audience per series by the number of households reached by each network to arrive at an Audience per Household figure (or “APH”). The results, from best to worst, are below:
The clear winner is the Canadiens-Capitals series on French-language RDS, blowing away the nearest English-language competition (also the Canadiens-Capitals series) by more than a 2-to-1 margin. RDS only reaches approximately 3 million homes but was able to attract an average audience of over 1.3 million people for the series, yielding an APH of 0.446. English-language TSN, which is available in about 9 million homes, reported an average audience of 1.8 million viewers for the same series (an APH of 0.2), while CBC, which is available in approximately 13 million households, drew about 2 million people for its Kings-Canucks and Senators-Penguins matchups (APHs of 0.156 and 0.151 respectively).
Not surprisingly, the five series involving only American-based teams did not draw as well as their Canadian counterparts. Nonetheless, despite having the last two selections in the broadcast draft, all of TSN’s U.S. matchups had better APHs than CBC’s Bruins-Sabres series, and two of TSN’s three U.S. matchups reported higher APHs than both of CBC’s all-American telecasts.
So, to recap, excluding the RDS broadcasts, TSN had the highest APH amongst series involving a Canadian team and also had the two highest APHs for series not involving a Canadian team. Translation: TSN did a better job selecting its first round matchups than did rival CBC, and this despite having the last choices. Too bad for the specialty channel that the first round’s over.
THIS WEEKEND'S GAMES:
Tonight
Canadiens at Penguins - Game 1, 7 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Saturday
Flyers at Bruins - Game 1, 12:30 p.m. (NBC)/(TSN)/(RDS)
Canucks at Blackhawks - Game 1, 8 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Sunday
Canadiens at Penguins - Game 2, 2 p.m. (NBC)/(CBC)/(RDS)
Red Wings at Sharks - Game 2, 8 p.m. (TSN)/(RDS)
The clear winner is the Canadiens-Capitals series on French-language RDS, blowing away the nearest English-language competition (also the Canadiens-Capitals series) by more than a 2-to-1 margin. RDS only reaches approximately 3 million homes but was able to attract an average audience of over 1.3 million people for the series, yielding an APH of 0.446. English-language TSN, which is available in about 9 million homes, reported an average audience of 1.8 million viewers for the same series (an APH of 0.2), while CBC, which is available in approximately 13 million households, drew about 2 million people for its Kings-Canucks and Senators-Penguins matchups (APHs of 0.156 and 0.151 respectively).
Not surprisingly, the five series involving only American-based teams did not draw as well as their Canadian counterparts. Nonetheless, despite having the last two selections in the broadcast draft, all of TSN’s U.S. matchups had better APHs than CBC’s Bruins-Sabres series, and two of TSN’s three U.S. matchups reported higher APHs than both of CBC’s all-American telecasts.
So, to recap, excluding the RDS broadcasts, TSN had the highest APH amongst series involving a Canadian team and also had the two highest APHs for series not involving a Canadian team. Translation: TSN did a better job selecting its first round matchups than did rival CBC, and this despite having the last choices. Too bad for the specialty channel that the first round’s over.
THIS WEEKEND'S GAMES:
Tonight
Canadiens at Penguins - Game 1, 7 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Saturday
Flyers at Bruins - Game 1, 12:30 p.m. (NBC)/(TSN)/(RDS)
Canucks at Blackhawks - Game 1, 8 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Sunday
Canadiens at Penguins - Game 2, 2 p.m. (NBC)/(CBC)/(RDS)
Red Wings at Sharks - Game 2, 8 p.m. (TSN)/(RDS)
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Better Not Be Late for Overtime
I’m admittedly not watching much of the Bruins-Sabres series, what with it running on CBC directly opposite the Canadiens-Capitals on TSN. But last night, with the Capitals defeating the Canadiens in regulation, I caught the Bruins-Sabres overtime periods. They were as good as overtime gets, with chances end-to-end, starting with a Sabres power play that did everything but score, immediately followed by a Bruins shorthanded breakaway. And it’s a good thing for CBC that the two goalies were up to the challenge, because the public broadcaster spent a little too much time on a Peter Mansbridge news update and missed the first 30 seconds of the first overtime period. Could you imagine how embarrassing it would have been for Hockey Night in Canada had the game been decided in those opening 30 seconds? Yikes!
Last night’s game notwithstanding, early goals in the extra frame are very much in vogue in this year’s playoffs. It only took Washington’s Niklas Backstrom 31 seconds to beat Montreal’s Jaroslav Halak in game two of the Canadiens-Capitals series last Saturday night, and Colorado’s Ryan O’Reilly was credited with the overtime winner at the 51 second mark of game three of the Avalanche-Sharks series earlier this week. O’Reilly’s heroics were the result of San Jose’s Dan Boyle trying to backhand the puck behind his own goal, only to have it deflect off O’Reilly’s body and into the net. You can’t get a more unlucky bounce in overtime . . . unless, of course, you’re the network executive who decided to stay with a news update for an extra minute and missed the whole thing.
In hindsight, CBC was fortunate to have picked the right game in which to make such a significant timing blunder. But the network is playing with fire if it lets it happen again.
TONIGHT’S GAMES:
Flyers at Devils – Game 5, 7 p.m. (TSN)/(RIS)
Senators at Penguins – Game 5, 7 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Blackhawks at Predators – Game 4, 8:30 p.m. (TSN2)/(RIS – joined in progress)
Avalanche at Sharks – Game 5, 10:30 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Last night’s game notwithstanding, early goals in the extra frame are very much in vogue in this year’s playoffs. It only took Washington’s Niklas Backstrom 31 seconds to beat Montreal’s Jaroslav Halak in game two of the Canadiens-Capitals series last Saturday night, and Colorado’s Ryan O’Reilly was credited with the overtime winner at the 51 second mark of game three of the Avalanche-Sharks series earlier this week. O’Reilly’s heroics were the result of San Jose’s Dan Boyle trying to backhand the puck behind his own goal, only to have it deflect off O’Reilly’s body and into the net. You can’t get a more unlucky bounce in overtime . . . unless, of course, you’re the network executive who decided to stay with a news update for an extra minute and missed the whole thing.
In hindsight, CBC was fortunate to have picked the right game in which to make such a significant timing blunder. But the network is playing with fire if it lets it happen again.
TONIGHT’S GAMES:
Flyers at Devils – Game 5, 7 p.m. (TSN)/(RIS)
Senators at Penguins – Game 5, 7 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Blackhawks at Predators – Game 4, 8:30 p.m. (TSN2)/(RIS – joined in progress)
Avalanche at Sharks – Game 5, 10:30 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Let's Hear Those Anthems
What makes the playoffs so exciting for hockey fans is the atmosphere and unique rituals found in each of the arenas lucky enough to host post-season contests. Characterized by octopuses and whiteouts, this year’s Detroit-Phoenix series is proving to be a favourite with both fans and media alike. Hockey traditions in many cities begin with the national anthems, and it’s unfortunate that this piece of pre-game theatre doesn’t always get the media attention that it deserves, particularly in the United States.
In Boston, Rene Rancourt has been singing at Bruin games for almost 30 years, and the playoffs wouldn’t be the same without his signature salute and fist-pump at the end of the U.S. anthem. In Philadelphia, emotion is at its highest when the late Kate Smith appears on the scoreboard from an era gone by and sings God Bless America.
And in Chicago, the crowd is swept into a frenzy as the organ belts out the tune of the Star Spangled Banner. But while the national anthems are a fixture every Saturday night on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, NBC almost never televises hockey anthem performances prior to the Stanley Cup Finals – and even then, the record is spotty at best.
With hockey traditions not as plentiful south of the border as they are in this country, it’s too bad that NBC doesn’t do more to embrace some of the best traditions at its disposal. The U.S. network will televise game five of the Predators-Blackhawks series on Saturday afternoon, and it would be great to hear that Chicago organ on NBC.
TONIGHT’S GAMES:
Capitals at Canadiens – Game 4, 7 p.m. (TSN)/(RDS)
Sabres at Bruins – Game 4, 7 p.m. (CBC)
Canucks at Kings – Game 4, 10 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS – joined in progress)
In Boston, Rene Rancourt has been singing at Bruin games for almost 30 years, and the playoffs wouldn’t be the same without his signature salute and fist-pump at the end of the U.S. anthem. In Philadelphia, emotion is at its highest when the late Kate Smith appears on the scoreboard from an era gone by and sings God Bless America.
And in Chicago, the crowd is swept into a frenzy as the organ belts out the tune of the Star Spangled Banner. But while the national anthems are a fixture every Saturday night on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, NBC almost never televises hockey anthem performances prior to the Stanley Cup Finals – and even then, the record is spotty at best.
With hockey traditions not as plentiful south of the border as they are in this country, it’s too bad that NBC doesn’t do more to embrace some of the best traditions at its disposal. The U.S. network will televise game five of the Predators-Blackhawks series on Saturday afternoon, and it would be great to hear that Chicago organ on NBC.
TONIGHT’S GAMES:
Capitals at Canadiens – Game 4, 7 p.m. (TSN)/(RDS)
Sabres at Bruins – Game 4, 7 p.m. (CBC)
Canucks at Kings – Game 4, 10 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS – joined in progress)
Monday, April 19, 2010
NHL Could Learn from Pierre McGuire
Frequently forced to juggle his Canadian and U.S. broadcasting duties, TSN/NBC analyst Pierre McGuire employs a strikingly different approach than that used by the game he covers. Unlike the NHL, which routinely accommodates U.S. television interests at the expense of the Canadian public and, at times, even the integrity of the game itself, McGuire doesn't ditch respect for throngs of Canadian hockey fans just because he has a contract with NBC.
For example, it would have been all too easy for McGuire to abandon TSN mid-way during the World Junior Hockey Championships in Saskatoon earlier this year so that he could travel to Boston and cover the outdoor Winter Classic game for NBC. But he didn't. It would have been all too easy for McGuire to disappear from Canada's Olympic coverage so that he could work the Gold Medal game on NBC. But he didn't. And it would have been all too easy for McGuire to be missing in action from Saturday night's Canadiens-Capitals game on TSN so that he could appear on NBC's weekend afternoon telecasts. But he didn't. Although McGuire is prepared to accommodate U.S. television interests whenever possible, he isn't prepared to alienate established hockey fans on this side of the border to do it.
Conversely, the NHL does almost everything it can to please U.S. broadcasting partner NBC - more often than not at the expense of the league's loyal Canadian fanbase. Remember that outdoor Winter Classic in Boston? Well, the Bruins wanted to play against their natural rivals from Montreal, but NBC pushed the NHL to schedule an American opponent for Boston in order to try and maximize local U.S. ratings. And, so, instead of playing Montreal, the Bruins hosted Philadelphia. In fact, since the Winter Classic became an annual tradition in 2008, all three matchups have been entirely U.S.-based to please NBC. Not only have Canadian teams been barred from appearing in the Winter Classic, but they've also been prohibited until now from staging separate outdoor games of their own so as not to dilute the novelty of NBC's annual outdoor product. Although Calgary has been conditionally approved to host an outdoor contest in 2011, rumour has it that the game won't be marketed under NBC's Winter Classic umbrella. Surprise, surprise.
Then there's the yearly struggle regarding the playoff schedule: Canadian networks like Saturday night games but NBC wants weekend afternoon games. Both get what they want while there are enough series to distribute, but Saturday night games are always sacrificed once enough teams are eliminated and the Conference Finals come along. In 2007, not only did NBC arrange to have Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final between Buffalo and Ottawa air on Saturday afternoon instead of Saturday night, but the network then abandoned the telecast when the game went into overtime and created a conflict with a horse race preview show. As for the Stanley Cup Finals themselves, last season saw the NHL schedule games on back-to-back dates for the first time in 54 years so as not to interfere with NBC's 10 o'clock debut of The Jay Leno Show. And even though Leno has since returned to his 11:35 timeslot, NBC tentatively lists Game 1 of this year's Stanley Cup Finals for June 5 at 6:30, followed by Game 2 the very next day at 8 o'clock.
Unlike Canadian networks, which pay through the nose for NHL television rights, NBC pays no upfront fee to carry the games. Although I'm not familiar with the terms of Pierre McGuire's contracts with TSN and NBC, suffice it to say that he earns a lot more each year covering a plethora of hockey games for TSN than he does working a dozen or so for NBC. Money, no doubt, influences McGuire's decisions when conflicted between Canadian and U.S. interests. It's surprising that the NHL doesn't use the same rationale for solving its trans-border broadcasting dilemmas. The league may not see it, but when it comes to hockey, there's simply more money to be made up here than there is down there.
TONIGHT'S GAMES:
Capitals at Canadiens - Game 3, 7 p.m. (TSN)/(RDS)
Sabres at Bruins - Game 3, 7 p.m. (CBC)
Canucks at Kings - Game 3, 10 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS - joined in progress)
For example, it would have been all too easy for McGuire to abandon TSN mid-way during the World Junior Hockey Championships in Saskatoon earlier this year so that he could travel to Boston and cover the outdoor Winter Classic game for NBC. But he didn't. It would have been all too easy for McGuire to disappear from Canada's Olympic coverage so that he could work the Gold Medal game on NBC. But he didn't. And it would have been all too easy for McGuire to be missing in action from Saturday night's Canadiens-Capitals game on TSN so that he could appear on NBC's weekend afternoon telecasts. But he didn't. Although McGuire is prepared to accommodate U.S. television interests whenever possible, he isn't prepared to alienate established hockey fans on this side of the border to do it.
Conversely, the NHL does almost everything it can to please U.S. broadcasting partner NBC - more often than not at the expense of the league's loyal Canadian fanbase. Remember that outdoor Winter Classic in Boston? Well, the Bruins wanted to play against their natural rivals from Montreal, but NBC pushed the NHL to schedule an American opponent for Boston in order to try and maximize local U.S. ratings. And, so, instead of playing Montreal, the Bruins hosted Philadelphia. In fact, since the Winter Classic became an annual tradition in 2008, all three matchups have been entirely U.S.-based to please NBC. Not only have Canadian teams been barred from appearing in the Winter Classic, but they've also been prohibited until now from staging separate outdoor games of their own so as not to dilute the novelty of NBC's annual outdoor product. Although Calgary has been conditionally approved to host an outdoor contest in 2011, rumour has it that the game won't be marketed under NBC's Winter Classic umbrella. Surprise, surprise.
Then there's the yearly struggle regarding the playoff schedule: Canadian networks like Saturday night games but NBC wants weekend afternoon games. Both get what they want while there are enough series to distribute, but Saturday night games are always sacrificed once enough teams are eliminated and the Conference Finals come along. In 2007, not only did NBC arrange to have Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final between Buffalo and Ottawa air on Saturday afternoon instead of Saturday night, but the network then abandoned the telecast when the game went into overtime and created a conflict with a horse race preview show. As for the Stanley Cup Finals themselves, last season saw the NHL schedule games on back-to-back dates for the first time in 54 years so as not to interfere with NBC's 10 o'clock debut of The Jay Leno Show. And even though Leno has since returned to his 11:35 timeslot, NBC tentatively lists Game 1 of this year's Stanley Cup Finals for June 5 at 6:30, followed by Game 2 the very next day at 8 o'clock.
Unlike Canadian networks, which pay through the nose for NHL television rights, NBC pays no upfront fee to carry the games. Although I'm not familiar with the terms of Pierre McGuire's contracts with TSN and NBC, suffice it to say that he earns a lot more each year covering a plethora of hockey games for TSN than he does working a dozen or so for NBC. Money, no doubt, influences McGuire's decisions when conflicted between Canadian and U.S. interests. It's surprising that the NHL doesn't use the same rationale for solving its trans-border broadcasting dilemmas. The league may not see it, but when it comes to hockey, there's simply more money to be made up here than there is down there.
TONIGHT'S GAMES:
Capitals at Canadiens - Game 3, 7 p.m. (TSN)/(RDS)
Sabres at Bruins - Game 3, 7 p.m. (CBC)
Canucks at Kings - Game 3, 10 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS - joined in progress)
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