NBC's hockey coverage SUCKS

[OpIv37]

Today, they cut off the start of the game to show the end of curling. Seriously? Curling?

Then, on Sunday, they are relegating the USA/Canada hockey game to CNBC so they can show ICE DANCING.

Yes, ice dancing. If you don't know what that is, think of it this way: Someone thought figure skating was too manly and exciting, so they took out the jumps and made the music even more lame. Yes, they actually found a way to make figure skating WORSE, and it's going to be on national TV.

And this is from NBC, which has the NHL's only network TV contract.

You wonder why hockey isn't more popular? It's preempted for CURLING and ICE DANCING.

**** NBC.

[DMBcrew36]

NBC is losing a lot of money on these Olympics... if they continue to carry the Olympics, they'll have no choice but to stop packaging them and rather just play the raw footage like every other country does. I'd say the Canadian networks like CBC provide a rather good model to follow.

[The Spaz]

When they would rather show curling then hockey that's sad!

[Typ0]

It's good the game is going to be on CNBC because over there they won't cut into it to show curling.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

I wish they would tell us more who these guys play for, I don't think they say it enough.

[psubills62]

Today, they cut off the start of the game to show the end of curling. Seriously? Curling?

Then, on Sunday, they are relegating the USA/Canada hockey game to CNBC so they can show ICE DANCING.

Yes, ice dancing. If you don't know what that is, think of it this way: Someone thought figure skating was too manly and exciting, so they took out the jumps and made the music even more lame. Yes, they actually found a way to make figure skating WORSE, and it's going to be on national TV.

And this is from NBC, which has the NHL's only network TV contract.

You wonder why hockey isn't more popular? It's preempted for CURLING and ICE DANCING.

**** NBC.

Ice dancing? Is that a new "sport" for the Olympics? I had never heard of it, but you sure give a good description.

Gotta say...a lot of people I know seem to enjoy watching curling. I think it's just because it's so odd.

[DrGraves]

Its stupid.... the swiss are on the verge of upsetting canada in a GREAT game and they keep cutting to commercials DURING PLAY in the final minutes... unreal...

[Michael82]

NBC is losing a lot of money on these Olympics... if they continue to carry the Olympics, they'll have no choice but to stop packaging them and rather just play the raw footage like every other country does. I'd say the Canadian networks like CBC provide a rather good model to follow.

They have no one to blame but themselves. I'm sick of going online and seeing who won a medal, meanwhile NBC is showing nothing all day long and waits until primetime to show the package of tape delayed highlights. I'm sick of the highlights. I prefer to see the raw footage. Everyone else does it that way!

[Michael82]

As for their decision to air Ice Dancing instead of an NHL all-star game between two of the top countries, NBC programmers are idiots. Why wouldn't you promote the NHL and air this great Olympic hockey game? After the Olympics, it's going to be getting to the best time of a hockey season...the final month and a half and then the Stanley Cup playoffs. Use these Olympic games to showoff and promote NHL on NBC!

[rbochan]

Why would you expect anything else from a network that cuts away from a playoff game going into OT to air a ****ing horse race PRE-SHOW.

[BlackMetalNinja]

You guys are saying all this because you are hockey fans. Obviously more people rather watch the other events, or it wouldn't be that way. NBC is not stupid, they are going to put the sports that pull in higher ratings on network TV and relegate the rest to cable.

The general Olympic viewer is going to want to see sports that aren't readily available 8 months of the year like hockey is.

As for the start of the Canada game being missed, they did the same thing on Tuesday. US events get priority, so they finished up the curling first. Though, I'm not sure why they showed the end of two other matches before they switched it over.

[RockStar36]

I must be in the minority of those who don't care.

I get CNBS, MSNBC, USA, and NBC in HD, so I really could care less which channel the game is on as long as I get to see it.

[DMBcrew36]

They have no one to blame but themselves. I'm sick of going online and seeing who won a medal, meanwhile NBC is showing nothing all day long and waits until primetime to show the package of tape delayed highlights. I'm sick of the highlights. I prefer to see the raw footage. Everyone else does it that way!

Yeah, I know, and I'm saying that they realize this. Every article I've read about NBC's coverage and NBC having lost over $220 million on these games is saying that if NBC continues with the Olympics in the future their format will definitely change and will have less packaging.

[DMBcrew36]

You guys are saying all this because you are hockey fans. Obviously more people rather watch the other events, or it wouldn't be that way. NBC is not stupid, they are going to put the sports that pull in higher ratings on network TV and relegate the rest to cable.

The general Olympic viewer is going to want to see sports that aren't readily available 8 months of the year like hockey is.

As for the start of the Canada game being missed, they did the same thing on Tuesday. US events get priority, so they finished up the curling first. Though, I'm not sure why they showed the end of two other matches before they switched it over.

Considering the NHL has a contract with NBC - one might think NBC would have an interest in putting the Canada/U.S. game on NBC Sunday night. But considering how they blew the whole Jay Leno/Conan thing, those ******s probably have no idea what's good for them.

[OpIv37]

I must be in the minority of those who don't care.

I get CNBS, MSNBC, USA, and NBC in HD, so I really could care less which channel the game is on as long as I get to see it.
For me personally, I could care less as long as the game is on. I have all those channels in HD as well.

I'm thinking in bigger terms, as far as exposure for the sport. The NHL's national TV contract is with VS, and they only show games 2 nights a week. I live in the DC area, which is probably the 5th or 6th biggest TV market in the country, and I have an expensive DirecTV package, and there are still probably 3 nights a week when there is NO hockey on my TV whatsoever. Compared to NFL, NBA, MLB and even NASCAR, the NHL's exposure sucks.

NBC has an NHL contract. This is an opportunity to promote not just the sport itself, but a product that NBC has. Instead of making sure it's in every home in America, they relegate it to some 4th rate cable news network.

And we're not talking about Belarus vs Ukraine here. We're talking about the USA vs Canada, featuring some of the biggest names in the NHL.

In two weeks, the Olympics will be over and no one in the US will give a **** about ice dancing or curling for another 4 years, but people will be watching hockey the very next day.

[Michael82]

Great post, Op! That's what I was trying to say...for a network that has a contract with the NHL, you'd figure they would want to draw more fans to that sport. Showcasing a big game between Canada and the United States would definitely make sense.

[DraftBoy]

For me personally, I could care less as long as the game is on. I have all those channels in HD as well.

I'm thinking in bigger terms, as far as exposure for the sport. The NHL's national TV contract is with VS, and they only show games 2 nights a week. I live in the DC area, which is probably the 5th or 6th biggest TV market in the country, and I have an expensive DirecTV package, and there are still probably 3 nights a week when there is NO hockey on my TV whatsoever. Compared to NFL, NBA, MLB and even NASCAR, the NHL's exposure sucks.

NBC has an NHL contract. This is an opportunity to promote not just the sport itself, but a product that NBC has. Instead of making sure it's in every home in America, they relegate it to some 4th rate cable news network.

And we're not talking about Belarus vs Ukraine here. We're talking about the USA vs Canada, featuring some of the biggest names in the NHL.

In two weeks, the Olympics will be over and no one in the US will give a **** about ice dancing or curling for another 4 years, but people will be watching hockey the very next day.

I could be wrong here but Im pretty sure that the Olympic Hockey is puller smaller ratings than other sports that are also on CNBC. So there is no real way to increaese exposure for a sport that nobody seems to care about or is willing to watch. Fact is NBC is doing the smart thing, I wouldn't expect them to renew their NHL deal after it expires. Especially considering there was a rumor they were considering making a play at getting into the NFL again on Sunday's.

[Michael82]

Considering the NHL has a contract with NBC - one might think NBC would have an interest in putting the Canada/U.S. game on NBC Sunday night. But considering how they blew the whole Jay Leno/Conan thing, those ******s probably have no idea what's good for them.

Exactly! And after the way they treated the whole Jay Leno Show at 10:00 and then kick Conan O'Brien to the curb thing, I'm less likely to trust that NBC knows WTF they are doing. Look at how many people they are pissing off with the tape delayed coverage of everything!

[hammerbillsfan]

http://www.truthandrumours.net/


Insiders say the National Hockey League was furious when it learned NBC relegated the Canada-United States Olympic hockey game, in prime time Sunday, to its cable channel MSNBC.

And why wouldn’t the league be upset? It had obviously hoped the showdown between the two rivals would be aired on NBC’s main network.

The whole idea, or most of it, of the NHL participating in the Winter Games is to inspire interest in hockey in the United States. And that’s accomplished by getting the big games on the U.S. broadcast network, not a cable channel.

Every year, the league hands over a schedule of NHL games to NBC — free of charge, no rights fee – in a profit sharing scheme. And what does it get in return? The first important men’s hockey game of the Olympics goes to MSNBC.

[Michael82]

http://www.truthandrumours.net/
That's not a surprise. If I was the NHL, I would be extremely pissed off!

[BuffaloRanger]

NBC claims the reaons for the move ist that Ice dancing rates very well with women. It's one of the few sports that woman will consistantly tune into. I think the Kentucky Derby is high up there to. It will get a much larger "share" then US/Canada hockey.

That said, somebody should have realized this when the schedule was being planned and changed things up.



And for those that don't know what ice dancing is - Google "Tanith Belbin". seriously one of the most beautiful women in the world.

[Ebenezer]

NBC claims the reaons for the move ist that Ice dancing rates very well with women. It's one of the few sports that woman will consistantly tune into. I think the Kentucky Derby is high up there to. It will get a much larger "share" then US/Canada hockey.

That said, somebody should have realized this when the schedule was being planned and changed things up.



And for those that don't know what ice dancing is - Google "Tanith Belbin". seriously one of the most beautiful women in the world.

NBC is doing it for the ratings...they'll show paint dry if it means more eyes watching their network(s). The other night in one 20 minutes segment they showed four half pipe competitors and commercials. How long does it take to run 4 half pipes? 3 minutes? The programming merely exists to sell the advertising - not the other way around.

[czech54]

And for those that don't know what ice dancing is - Google "Tanith Belbin". seriously one of the most beautiful women in the world.
You know people are lazy....

http://coedmagazine.files.wordpress.com/fgallery/tanith-belbin/Tanith_Belbin.jpg


looks good to me! :bf1::giggity:

[OpIv37]

NBC claims the reaons for the move ist that Ice dancing rates very well with women. It's one of the few sports that woman will consistantly tune into.

I'm not buying it.

Well, I'll buy that ice dancing rates well with women. I won't buy that there are more people out there interested in ice dancing than there are people interested in USA vs Canada men's hockey. There are millions of people who watch hockey all season long, and millions more who aren't diehard fans but will tune in for big games.

I'm sure there are millions of people who will watch ice dancing too, but they're people who stop caring about ice dancing as soon as the event is over.

I just can't believe that the people who watch ice dancing once every four years are more than the people who regularly watch hockey.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

Today, they cut off the start of the game to show the end of curling. Seriously? Curling?

Then, on Sunday, they are relegating the USA/Canada hockey game to CNBC so they can show ICE DANCING.

Yes, ice dancing. If you don't know what that is, think of it this way: Someone thought figure skating was too manly and exciting, so they took out the jumps and made the music even more lame. Yes, they actually found a way to make figure skating WORSE, and it's going to be on national TV.

And this is from NBC, which has the NHL's only network TV contract.

You wonder why hockey isn't more popular? It's preempted for CURLING and ICE DANCING.

**** NBC.

the NHL and NBC has no say in this, it's the IOC which controls the schedule of which events and what channel they will be on. NBC is only allowed to broadcast the events they can't tell the IOC what to put on.

[OpIv37]

the NHL and NBC has no say in this, it's the IOC which controls the schedule of which events and what channel they will be on. NBC is only allowed to broadcast the events they can't tell the IOC what to put on.

This post is a ****ing idiot.

The IOC controls the schedule of events. The IOC has no control whatsoever on which events NBC covers or which NBC channel shows them. That's an internal decision made entirely by NBC.

The NHL has no control whatsoever, but one would think that they would have some pull with NBC considering NBC shows NHL games.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

The International Olympic Committee regulates the rights for broadcast, offering television rights to networks in various countries for coverage. The bids for telecast form a large portion of the IOC's income, particularly the bids from the U.S. networks.

At each Olympics, the host sets up an International Broadcast Center for all networks who have rights to cover the Games. At this center, the broadcaster in the host nation provides video and audio feeds for all rights-holders, as well as shots from the host city, studios for on-air personalities, and editing and transmission facilities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympics_on_television#2010_Winter_Games

[BlackMetalNinja]

The International Olympic Committee regulates the rights for broadcast, offering television rights to networks in various countries for coverage. The bids for telecast form a large portion of the IOC's income, particularly the bids from the U.S. networks.

At each Olympics, the host sets up an International Broadcast Center for all networks who have rights to cover the Games. At this center, the broadcaster in the host nation provides video and audio feeds for all rights-holders, as well as shots from the host city, studios for on-air personalities, and editing and transmission facilities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympics_on_television#2010_Winter_GamesAnd no matter how much you bold any of the words, it doesn't mean the IOC dictates what's shown on what network... All that says is they help provide the means to broadcast and that the networks pay them for those rights!

[DraftBoy]

I'm not buying it.

Well, I'll buy that ice dancing rates well with women. I won't buy that there are more people out there interested in ice dancing than there are people interested in USA vs Canada men's hockey. There are millions of people who watch hockey all season long, and millions more who aren't diehard fans but will tune in for big games.

I'm sure there are millions of people who will watch ice dancing too, but they're people who stop caring about ice dancing as soon as the event is over.

I just can't believe that the people who watch ice dancing once every four years are more than the people who regularly watch hockey.


Easy way to convince you one way or another on Monday or Tuesday google the ratings and see what came out higher? If Hockey loses, that's a bad sign.

Maybe the sport needs to find a better way to market itself? They have little to no brand image.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) was created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in May 2001, marking a new era in the broadcasting of the Olympic Games. OBS was established to ensure the high standards of broadcasting were maintained over successive Olympic Games.

The IOC created OBS to serve as the Olympic Broadcast Organization or Host Broadcaster for the 2008, 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games. As the Host Broadcaster, OBS is chiefly responsible for providing the pictures and images of the Olympic Games as a service to all broadcast organisations who have purchased the television and radio rights to the Games.

The 2010 Vancouver Games mark the first time that the Host Broadcast will be solely an OBS operation. In December 2006, OBS created Olympic Broadcasting Services Vancouver (OBSV) to serve as the on-site organization responsible for the Host Broadcasting function again under the supervision of OBS.
http://www.obs.es/introduction.html

[Typ0]

I think that events are happening during prime time here have made a big difference on the coverage. When it's in a different part of the world it's at drastically different times and they are going after different viewers. The coverage is a lot better then IMO. Now it's just an advertising frenzy for mainstream america.

[OpIv37]

Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) was created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in May 2001, marking a new era in the broadcasting of the Olympic Games. OBS was established to ensure the high standards of broadcasting were maintained over successive Olympic Games.

The IOC created OBS to serve as the Olympic Broadcast Organization or Host Broadcaster for the 2008, 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games. As the Host Broadcaster, OBS is chiefly responsible for providing the pictures and images of the Olympic Games as a service to all broadcast organisations who have purchased the television and radio rights to the Games.

The 2010 Vancouver Games mark the first time that the Host Broadcast will be solely an OBS operation. In December 2006, OBS created Olympic Broadcasting Services Vancouver (OBSV) to serve as the on-site organization responsible for the Host Broadcasting function again under the supervision of OBS.
http://www.obs.es/introduction.html

holy **** you are ignorant. That just means the OBS provides the video of the events. It does NOT mean the IOC controls which channel NBC uses to show that video. The IOC simply hands the video over to NBC, then NBC decides which video goes on which station.

[OpIv37]

Easy way to convince you one way or another on Monday or Tuesday google the ratings and see what came out higher? If Hockey loses, that's a bad sign.

Maybe the sport needs to find a better way to market itself? They have little to no brand image.

even then, it's not a fair competition. NBC is in a lot more homes than MSNBC. Aside from that, the Neilsen ratings are fundamentally flawed as it is.

But I do agree that their branding sucks, especially compared to the NBA and NFL.

[hydro]

even then, it's not a fair competition. NBC is in a lot more homes than MSNBC. Aside from that, the Neilsen ratings are fundamentally flawed as it is.

But I do agree that their branding sucks, especially compared to the NBA and NFL.

This may be a ban-able offense.

[Crisis]

Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) was created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in May 2001, marking a new era in the broadcasting of the Olympic Games. OBS was established to ensure the high standards of broadcasting were maintained over successive Olympic Games.

The IOC created OBS to serve as the Olympic Broadcast Organization or Host Broadcaster for the 2008, 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games. As the Host Broadcaster, OBS is chiefly responsible for providing the pictures and images of the Olympic Games as a service to all broadcast organisations who have purchased the television and radio rights to the Games.

The 2010 Vancouver Games mark the first time that the Host Broadcast will be solely an OBS operation. In December 2006, OBS created Olympic Broadcasting Services Vancouver (OBSV) to serve as the on-site organization responsible for the Host Broadcasting function again under the supervision of OBS.
http://www.obs.es/introduction.html

LOL

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

NBC's decision is a play in peak viewing hours for the largest possible audience, which would include marginal sports fans and women. It's rooted in the expectation that those interested in Patrick Kane and Team USA challenging Sidney Crosby and three Blackhawks led by Chicago captain Jonathan Toews of Team Canada will make the effort to go to whatever channel necessary to see the game.


But Christopher McCloskey, an NBC Universal Sports and Olympics vice president, said one benefit of putting the hockey game on MSNBC is that it can run there without being cut up into segments to accommodate other sports as NBC customarily does in prime time to cover as much ground and as many viewer interests as possible.

"The incorporation of cable platforms into Olympic programming allows for the avid sport fan to watch games the way they are used to watching them — with long-form coverage," McCloskey said.

Within the host nation, the TV appeal of the ice hockey rivalry is more palpable and demonstrable than south of its border. Yet had Olympics organizers not scheduled the U.S.-Canada game for prime time in eastern time zones, NBC well might have picked it up. Earlier Sunday,
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/olympics/ct-oly-0220-olympics-msnbc--20100219,0,3526274.story

[DraftBoy]

even then, it's not a fair competition. NBC is in a lot more homes than MSNBC. Aside from that, the Neilsen ratings are fundamentally flawed as it is.

But I do agree that their branding sucks, especially compared to the NBA and NFL.

This is true on both accounts but we have no other rating system and since NBC only cares about its bottom line there is no basis to assume that hockey would out rate ice dancing on a fair level playing field.

Hockey needs to do something and fast to save their sport, are they running in the green as a league right now?

[BlackMetalNinja]

NBC's decision is a play in peak viewing hours for the largest possible audience, which would include marginal sports fans and women. It's rooted in the expectation that those interested in Patrick Kane and Team USA challenging Sidney Crosby and three Blackhawks led by Chicago captain Jonathan Toews of Team Canada will make the effort to go to whatever channel necessary to see the game.



Within the host nation, the TV appeal of the ice hockey rivalry is more palpable and demonstrable than south of its border. Yet had Olympics organizers not scheduled the U.S.-Canada game for prime time in eastern time zones, NBC well might have picked it up. Earlier Sunday,
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/olympics/ct-oly-0220-olympics-msnbc--20100219,0,3526274.storyWay to go... it only took you what? 3 times? At least you got useful information out of it.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

NBC opts for ice dancing; U.S.-Canada hockey to MSNBC

With an Olympic audience that skews heavily female, NBC will opt to show figure skating's original dance programs live, rather than the hockey rivalry that will air at 7 p.m. ET.

Christopher McCloskey, vice president of communications at NBC Sports, says
the three-hour time commitment makes for a difficult situation, in part because hockey fans want to see games in their entirety

"Everybody knows it's an important game," he said.
"The hockey fan who wants to watch the games and others in their entirety can see more games during this Olympics than any Winter Games in history."

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly is sympathetic to NBC's situation. "As much as we'd like to have it on the main network, its a preliminary round game," he said.


"We certainly understand the decision. NBC has repeatedly shown its commitment to hockey. With all the different platforms they have available, hockey fans will be able to watch virtually any game they want to see. That's a great thing and demonstrates that we've come a long way since 1998."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/vancouver/hockey/2010-02-18-us-canada-msnbc-nbc_N.htm?csp=outbrain&obref=obnetwork

[Ebenezer]

I'm going to bet there are more women who will watch figure skating then there are men who will watch a hockey game that does not directly determine the gold medal...just a hunch.

[SabreEleven]

He bolded twice and put it in red three times...so he must be right. Maybe he should have bolded in red and you would have believed him.

[OpIv37]

I'm going to bet there are more women who will watch figure skating then there are men who will watch a hockey game that does not directly determine the gold medal...just a hunch.

no ****ing way.

And even if you're right about that, NBC should be thinking long-term- ie, marketing their NHL games. Even if you are right, figure skating is televised much less than ice hockey, so there is little to no purpose in trying to sell figure skating to NBC's audience. Hockey, on the other hand, is on NBC every Sunday, and they have the SC finals.

[Ebenezer]

no ****ing way.

And even if you're right about that, NBC should be thinking long-term- ie, marketing their NHL games. Even if you are right, figure skating is televised much less than ice hockey, so there is little to no purpose in trying to sell figure skating to NBC's audience. Hockey, on the other hand, is on NBC every Sunday, and they have the SC finals.
IF? It's a business...I'm willing to say they have numbers to prove you wrong or somebody would be fired and they would do what you suggest.

[Ebenezer]

...and if this wasn't about selling advertising time then tell me why they are taking two commercial breaks for every end of curling? that is unheard of.

[OpIv37]

IF? It's a business...I'm willing to say they have numbers to prove you wrong or somebody would be fired and they would do what you suggest.

I'm willing to bet that even if you are right, the numbers they have don't account for the potential future hockey viewers- even if they got 1, it's better than the 0 future viewers they're getting from ice skating.

[Ebenezer]

I'm willing to bet that even if you are right, the numbers they have don't account for the potential future hockey viewers- even if they got 1, it's better than the 0 future viewers they're getting from ice skating.
Op, it's all about investment and return...they are not paying for hockey....there is no possibility of loss...after expenses all the advertising is gravy...they are paying a boatload for the olympics - they MUST get that money back...they simply use the games as a way of selling adverts. they don't have to get one new viewer for new hockey (which they won't get anyway - people are aware that hockey exists and they aren't going to line up to watch it).

[Ebenezer]

the fallacy here is that people think that American viewers will turn into hockey fans because they see a contrived tournament on TV...hockey doesn't exist in a black hole...since 1980 Americans have been very well aware of hockey...new viewers don't exist...the US could beat Canada 12-0 and then again 12-0 in the Gold medal game and Americans still won't flock to it.

[OpIv37]

the fallacy here is that people think that American viewers will turn into hockey fans because they see a contrived tournament on TV...hockey doesn't exist in a black hole...since 1980 Americans have been very well aware of hockey...new viewers don't exist...the US could beat Canada 12-0 and then again 12-0 in the Gold medal game and Americans still won't flock to it.

and you think people will flock to ice skating? Everyone's been aware of it at least since Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding and probably well before that too.

I can tell you that there is room for the expansion of hockey. Look how football has expanded over the last few decades to total dominance. Look how baseball recovered from the strike. Hell, look how Pittsburgh and Washington recovered their fan bases by the addition of a star player and some success. You think there were just people living in a black hole who had never heard of these sports before they expanded?

There are sports fans who don't watch hockey, period, and hockey can be marketed to them.

[Ebenezer]

and you think people will flock to ice skating? Everyone's been aware of it at least since Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding and probably well before that too.

I can tell you that there is room for the expansion of hockey. Look how football has expanded over the last few decades to total dominance. Look how baseball recovered from the strike. Hell, look how Pittsburgh and Washington recovered their fan bases by the addition of a star player and some success. You think there were just people living in a black hole who had never heard of these sports before they expanded?

There are sports fans who don't watch hockey, period, and hockey can be marketed to them.
you just don't get it do you? It's not about expanding the sport....it is about paying for the rights to broadcast the show. Woman already watch figure skating (in the winter games) and gymnastics (in the summer games) in large numbers...those audiences existed - long before Nancy Kerrigan. :rolleyes:

[Ebenezer]

nevermind that last argument....

Op, you're right.


There, that's all he wanted to hear. Now I can get on with my life.

[OpIv37]

you just don't get it do you? It's not about expanding the sport....it is about paying for the rights to broadcast the show. Woman already watch figure skating (in the winter games) and gymnastics (in the summer games) in large numbers...those audiences existed - long before Nancy Kerrigan. :rolleyes:

except that this particular audience GOES AWAY after the Olympics. Hockey audiences do not- they keep coming back. Hence, MORE MONEY. Yes, NBC has to pay for the Olympics, but they don't have to pay for it right now in a one-shot deal at the expense of recurring revenues in the future. There is a concept called "opportunity cost" that you are completely missing here.

[OpIv37]

nevermind that last argument....

Op, you're right.


There, that's all he wanted to hear. Now I can get on with my life.

Saying I'm right is meaningless. You still haven't seen the fallacy of your logic or the correctness of mine. In your mind, big ratings on the main NBC channel for one night equals more revenue than hockey on NBC, ice dancing on MSNBC PLUS the recurring revenues from future hockey broadcasts, which is simply incorrect. And it's all based on the faulty assumption that ice dancing will attract more viewers than hockey anyway. 18-40 year old males is the most coveted demographic by television stations, and I guarantee you few people if anyone in that demographic is watching ****ing ice dancing.

[LtFinFan66]

Today, they cut off the start of the game to show the end of curling. Seriously? Curling?

Then, on Sunday, they are relegating the USA/Canada hockey game to CNBC so they can show ICE DANCING.

Yes, ice dancing. If you don't know what that is, think of it this way: Someone thought figure skating was too manly and exciting, so they took out the jumps and made the music even more lame. Yes, they actually found a way to make figure skating WORSE, and it's going to be on national TV.

And this is from NBC, which has the NHL's only network TV contract.

You wonder why hockey isn't more popular? It's preempted for CURLING and ICE DANCING.

**** NBC.the end of a curling match is more important than the beginning of a hockey game. The is the Olympics not the NHL

[LtFinFan66]

IT'S THE OLYMPICS!! Nuff said

[Dozerdog]

As for their decision to air Ice Dancing instead of an NHL all-star game between two of the top countries, NBC programmers are idiots. Why wouldn't you promote the NHL and air this great Olympic hockey game? After the Olympics, it's going to be getting to the best time of a hockey season...the final month and a half and then the Stanley Cup playoffs. Use these Olympic games to showoff and promote NHL on NBC!


NBC is trying to rope in Grandma, your mom, and your sister into watching the Olympics on the network.

NBC has 3-4 major outlets to show Hockey, (CNBC, MSNBC, USA, Universal) and we actually have been getting ALOT more olympic coverage than CBS or ABC used to give us.

The only way I can see it getting better is if ABC ever got it back. With all the ESPN networks, they could concievably show you every event live.

Keep in mind the networks are in the hotly contested "February Sweeps" where local affiliates get to set their advertising rates. So the sports that will draw in the widest audience will get the airtime.

My only complaint has been the scheduling. I missed the first 2 USA games because the canucks want to give us crappy time slots- 3 PM. Canada gets prime time, and rhe Russians get Midnight- the best time slot for them because their games at least can be seen live in the morning in Moscow.

[Ebenezer]

NBC has 3-4 major outlets to show Hockey, (CNBC, MSNBC, USA, Universal) and we actually have been getting ALOT more olympic coverage than CBS or ABC used to give us.


To be fair they didn't have the networks back then BUT their coverage still paled compared to the Canadian networks.

[Dozerdog]

I'm not buying it.

Well, I'll buy that ice dancing rates well with women. I won't buy that there are more people out there interested in ice dancing than there are people interested in USA vs Canada men's hockey. There are millions of people who watch hockey all season long, and millions more who aren't diehard fans but will tune in for big games.

I'm sure there are millions of people who will watch ice dancing too, but they're people who stop caring about ice dancing as soon as the event is over.

I just can't believe that the people who watch ice dancing once every four years are more than the people who regularly watch hockey.

You should buy it- because it's true. CNBC and MSNBC are available in most homes, don't let the "marquee" of the channel piss you off. It's not like they are putting it on "The Style" network where only 33% of TV homes can even get it.

[OpIv37]

You should buy it- because it's true. CNBC and MSNBC are available in most homes, don't let the "marquee" of the channel piss you off. It's not like they are putting it on "The Style" network where only 33% of TV homes can even get it.

it's not the "marquee." CNBC and MSNBC are not available in as many homes, and they are buried on most providers. I had to go online and look up the channel numbers to find the USA hockey games. Don't let NBC convince you that there is as much exposure on CNBC or MSNBC as there is on the main NBC.

[Dozerdog]

no ****ing way.

And even if you're right about that, NBC should be thinking long-term- ie, marketing their NHL games. Even if you are right, figure skating is televised much less than ice hockey, so there is little to no purpose in trying to sell figure skating to NBC's audience. Hockey, on the other hand, is on NBC every Sunday, and they have the SC finals.

Dude, CNBC is in 100,000,000 HHs- 90% of all TV HHs in the US.

That leaves only 10,000,000 non- cable (Over the air) homes.


If they could draw more people to Hockey- they would put it up immediately on the big network. I think NBC did it right, they pretty much put all the hockey on CNBC. My only complaint is that every time I see hockey, I'm always catching Switzerland and Norway playing someone

[Ebenezer]

Dude, CNBC is in 100,000,000 HHs- 90% of all TV HHs in the US.

That leaves only 10,000,000 non- cable (Over the air) homes.


If they could draw more people to Hockey- they would put it up immediately on the big network. I think NBC did it right, they pretty much put all the hockey on CNBC. My only complaint is that every time I see hockey, I'm always catching Switzerland and Norway playing someone
it seems as if they scheduled it such that the premier games are on the weekend.

[Dr. Lecter]

it's not the "marquee." CNBC and MSNBC are not available in as many homes, and they are buried on most providers. I had to go online and look up the channel numbers to find the USA hockey games. Don't let NBC convince you that there is as much exposure on CNBC or MSNBC as there is on the main NBC.
Buried or not, they are available.

You and I prefer hockey. But there are more ratings and better demographics with the skating. Whether you or I like it.

[Dozerdog]

it's not the "marquee." CNBC and MSNBC are not available in as many homes, and they are buried on most providers. I had to go online and look up the channel numbers to find the USA hockey games. Don't let NBC convince you that there is as much exposure on CNBC or MSNBC as there is on the main NBC.

Boo-hoo- now you're just being lazy- "I can't find it"

[Dozerdog]

it seems as if they scheduled it such that the premier games are on the weekend.

They scheduled the hockey so that the NHL heavy teams (Canada, USA, Russia, Sweden) could "ease" their way into the tournament- play some softies early.

The format used this year - no one being eliminated in preliminary rounds- also was designed for teams to get a week under their belts to gell.

[Ebenezer]

Dozer, is there also a better chance of seeing more of the game and fewer commercials because it is not on NBC?

[Ebenezer]

They scheduled the hockey so that the NHL heavy teams (Canada, USA, Russia, Sweden) could "ease" their way into the tournament- play some softies early.

The format used this year - no one being eliminated in preliminary rounds- also was designed for teams to get a week under their belts to gell.
i also found it ironic that the US/Canada, Finland/Sweden and Czech/Russia rivalries were in the same divisions.

[Dozerdog]

Dozer, is there also a better chance of seeing more of the game and fewer commercials because it is not on NBC?

No


No matter the channel, there are the same commercial breaks. I havent paid too much attention to the amount of breaks - but the NHL has built in TV time outs that the Olympics aren't following. If/when a big game is on the Network, They won't have "More " or "less" commercials than CNBC- unless they plan on cutting away from live action- which I doubt

[OpIv37]

Boo-hoo- now you're just being lazy- "I can't find it"

I can't find it because I never watch those **** channels. NBC is channel 4 in DC. There is nothing on 2 or 3 locally, so it is the FIRST channel that shows up. The VERY FIRST. MSNBC and CNBC are in the mid-300's.

[OpIv37]

Buried or not, they are available.

You and I prefer hockey. But there are more ratings and better demographics with the skating. Whether you or I like it.

I don't believe that. Why is it that the 18-40 year old male demographic is the most coveted demographic every other time, then when it comes to Olympics, they suddenly go "hey, what about the grandmothers and housewives?" It's completely illogical.

[Dozerdog]

I don't believe that. Why is it that the 18-40 year old male demographic is the most coveted demographic every other time, then when it comes to Olympics, they suddenly go "hey, what about the grandmothers and housewives?" It's completely illogical.

Most of the 18-40 year old males know where the "Guide" button on their remotes are and can figure out what channel hockey is on

[OpIv37]

Most of the 18-40 year old males know where the "Guide" button on their remotes are and can figure out what channel hockey is on

When hockey is on Channel 360-something, they're going to stop on something other than hockey long before they get to it.

[Ebenezer]

I don't believe that. Why is it that the 18-40 year old male demographic is the most coveted demographic every other time, then when it comes to Olympics, they suddenly go "hey, what about the grandmothers and housewives?" It's completely illogical.
somewhere....someplace...buried in a desk I'm sure they have some data that shows that you are wrong. Dozer might have more of a clue.

[Dozerdog]

Basically, NBC wants to get the people who buy stuff.

18-40 year old males buy TVs, Video Games, cars, electronics, and Junk food

Grandmas & housewives buy groceries.

Johnson & Johnson, General Mills, and Proctor & Gamble want them.

[Cntrygal]

Today, they cut off the start of the game to show the end of curling. Seriously? Curling?

Then, on Sunday, they are relegating the USA/Canada hockey game to CNBC so they can show ICE DANCING.

Yes, ice dancing. If you don't know what that is, think of it this way: Someone thought figure skating was too manly and exciting, so they took out the jumps and made the music even more lame. Yes, they actually found a way to make figure skating WORSE, and it's going to be on national TV.

And this is from NBC, which has the NHL's only network TV contract.

You wonder why hockey isn't more popular? It's preempted for CURLING and ICE DANCING.

**** NBC.


It's great for insomnia. It put me asleep.

[DMBcrew36]

Team Skating: 350 million TV viewers can’t be wrong.
Team Hockey: By that logic Budweiser is the best beer, Domino’s the best pizza and “Avatar” the best movie ever.
Team Skating: Ah, so you’re gonna try to argue this on the artistic merits?
Team Hockey: At least no one bribed us to reach a certain subjective conclusion.
Team Skating: Figure skating judging involves math. You wouldn’t understand.
Team Hockey: Wait, let’s try: One Celine Dion song plus two gold lamé skates plus five teddy bears plus 500 fake black feathers equals a figure skater.



<DL style="WIDTH: 262px" class="wp-caption alignleft caption-alignleft"><DT class=wp-caption-dt>http://s.wsj.net/media/0221hockey2_D_20100221135735.jpg <DD style="TEXT-ALIGN: right" class="wp-caption-dd wp-cite-dd">Paramount/Everett Collection </DD></DL>
Team Skating: Doing a quad jump in figure skating requires an average hang time of one second and a launch speed of 15 miles per hour. Try doing that in 40 pounds of hockey gear.
Team Hockey: I’m having a hard time imagining Plushenko sliding to block a shot coming at 115 miles per hour.
Team Skating: Figure skaters get lots of little prizes after their performance. Roses, stuffed moose, love letters in hot pink paper. What do hockey players get except a black eye?http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2010/02/21/smackdown-on-ice-figure-skating-vs-hockey/

[RockStar36]

NBC can say what they want about ratings, but they are going to get burnt for showing that game on MSNBC last night. That game was huge and they are getting called out for it left and right.

[Ebenezer]

NBC can say what they want about ratings, but they are going to get burnt for showing that game on MSNBC last night. That game was huge and they are getting called out for it left and right.


huge game, no doubt...ratings winner?