Hockey is no longer a major sport in the US

[notyoueither]

Oh, and if the NHL doesn't out draw poker or vollyball in the NE and MW, and lead to demand that ESPN pick it up again, pay for it, and cover it, then what the hell does it matter?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by notyoueither
And maybe fan demands will impact ESPN when the contract comes up?

Ever thought of that?

Hehe... yeah, because the ratings on OLN really are making the people at Bristol shake in their boots!!

Imran might ridicule the MLS for not charging much, if anything, for broadcast rights.

Aroo?

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by DanS
That's not a lot of money for a 150 game slate in a large market like Washington. But it doesn't matter. It's still a very profitable relationship from an overall standpoint.

Let's take another sport... Soccer. Imran might ridicule the MLS for not charging much, if anything, for broadcast rights. But the most important thing for them is that almost all of the matches are broadcast.

I can see that as a yes and no proposition.

You have a new product. You want it out there. I agree that MLS is doing the right thing.

However, the NHL is closing in on 100 years. There are markets for hockey. You don't give away something that has value. You get more selective and you do things like give one of the big 3 (or 4) some of the best games for exposure in new markets, but you don't give away the whole season, year after year, to a network that pays you peanuts and places your game slightly lower than beach vollyball.

[DanS]

Whether the Carolinas and Columbuses survive will be up to their fans.

If they falter, there are at least 4 Canadian cities that would kill to get the franchises.

This is really a bizarre way to view things. Columbus is a great town for hockey. Before the NHL, the minor league team sold out its ~5k venue all the time. Why would a "good riddance" even be associated with screwing up a lucrative market like that?

It would take a lot to screw up a situation like Columbus. But NHL seems to be doing its level best.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


Hehe... yeah, because the ratings on OLN really are making the people at Bristol shake in their boots!!

Subscriber complaints from Chicago to Boston might be.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Subscriber complaints from Chicago to Boston might be.

And you have evidence that there are a large subscriber complaints "from Chicago to Boston"? I'd imagine they'd just petition their cable companies to put OLN on the basic tier, or get the advanced tier. Doesn't look like that is happening either.

[DanS]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Aroo?

I thought I saw you ridiculing the deals. Am I mistaken?

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by DanS


This is really a bizarre way to view things. Columbus is a great town for hockey. Before the NHL, the minor league team sold out its ~5k venue all the time. Why would a "good riddance" even be associated with screwing up a lucrative market like that?

It would take a lot to screw up a situation like Columbus. But NHL seems to be doing its level best.

If the fans don't go, who screwed up?

It certainly isn't because the NHL gave away rights to profitable markets like Boston, New York, and Detroit.

You can't beat a horse into drinking. That is what some of the NHL efforts amounted to.

Now they are saying 'FU' to American media mutts who don't value the game. Now there is screaming by Yanks who can't get the games. Sounds like good negotiating strategy to me.

[DanS]

If the fans don't go, who screwed up?

The NHL.

You can't beat a horse into drinking.

The NHL is beating a horse that's inclined to drink.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


And you have evidence that there are a large subscriber complaints "from Chicago to Boston"? I'd imagine they'd just petition their cable companies to put OLN on the basic tier, or get the advanced tier. Doesn't look like that is happening either.

That'll work.

OLN will win by picking up the NHL.

I'm rooting for them.

Why should the NHL stick with bad deals just to get exposure in places that hockey isn't big?

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by DanS


The NHL.

No. The fans.

As I said, there are a minimum of 4 cities that would kill to get the franchise(s).

[DanS]

What are those 4 cities?

[notyoueither]

Winnipeg, Hamilton, Quebec City, and Halifax.

[notyoueither]

Then there is joncha's beloved Hartford.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by DanS
I thought I saw you ridiculing the deals. Am I mistaken?

I ridiculed the OLN deals... on OLN's part. I dunno, maybe I ridiculed the deals on ESPN's part? I say even if SUM has to PAY ESPN to get games on every week, they should do it. Being in the public eye now will pay off later.

[q=nye]OLN will win by picking up the NHL.[/q]



You've been drinking tonight, right? The NHL hasn't helped OLN do jack. Comcast (who owns OLN) tried to use it to force cable companies to put it on 'basic cable', but it ended up being an utter mess. And the ratings numbers show that OLN isn't going to come close to winning anything. It hasn't even come into sniffing distance of FSN, not even mentioning ESPN!