NHL Television Agreement and Loopholes
by Bob Wage on Apr 24, 2009 4:35 PM EDT
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PrintApparently, you need to be a lawyer to figure out which television station to watch your favorite hockey team play on Sunday. I had just typed up an article blasting NBC for their alleged decision not to televise the Hurricanes/Devils contest on Sunday as a replacement game in case the Caps/Rangers series is completed before that time. But according to Luke DeCock, it was not an exclusive NBC decision.
NBC is saying it's not the network's decision.
Network spokesman Brian Walker said the league is contractually obligated to provide games to Versus and TSN and there weren't enough to go around Sunday. I've asked around and it's a little more complicated than that. Basically, the NHL wants a game on NBC on Sunday and NBC wants a hockey game on Sunday.
If the Capitals win, then everything's OK and it'll be Game 6 of the Rangers-Capitals series. If the Capitals had lost, New Jersey-Carolina was the alternate game for that time slot. But even though the game was listed as TBA on the schedule, both teams still have to approve the time change to 2 p.m., which also means pulling it off their local broadcasters, because NBC has an exclusive and Versus does not........ someone somewhere along the line wouldn't agree to the change, so hold off on the calls to NBC.
This does sound complicated, but still, something seems amiss here. Could it really be that difficult to switch broadcasts? And if certain rights were involved which are mucking up the works, why was the time of game six of this series "to be announced" right from the start of the series? Why was there any question about the time and why did this announcement by NBC come on the very eve of the broadcast?
Someone has some 'splainin' to do.
This quote was taken from the Jersey Fire and Ice blog at noonish:
In promoting a possible Game 6 between the Rangers and Capitals at 2 p.m. Sunday, NBC stated in an e-mail press release today that if there is no Game 6 in that series Sunday, "the Jeep World of Adventure will air from 3-4 p.m. ET and the National Heads-Up Poker Championship from 4-6 p.m. ET."
What the network seemed to be saying there is that if they can not have New York, Pittsburgh, or Detroit on the schedule, they don't want anything. Small market teams be damned.
Gary Bettman, where are you? Is this what you envisioned for your most recent sweet television deal? How is this action promoting the NHL and helping the league to grow?
Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski has his take here.
No one seems to want to take responsibility for making this decision, yet someone made it. There are some fans who probably would prefer that the game was not on NBC anyway, but at least there is one thing that everyone can agree with. This is one goofy television agreement .
Welcome to the NHL.
((UPDATE)) 5:30PM Friday
Just when it all seemed to be as clear as mud, the team announced before the Caps/Rangers game that the start time would be at 7:30 on Sunday. So obviously the outcome of that game had nothing to do with the decision of the start time. But the announcement was made, coincidentally, after NBC made their announcement.
weird.
Again, the timing of all this makes no sense what-so-ever.
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Count me as one of those fans that doesn’t mind this.
If it wasn’t scheduled to be in HD, I might want some NBC coverage.
As it is, thank god I don’t have to listen to Milbury/McGuire.
They are part of that broadcast right?
As it is, thank god I don’t have to listen to Milbury/McGuire.
There’s something even a Devils fan can agree with a Caniac on! XD Seriously, though, I hate Pierre McGuire and Mike Milbury. I think their debates are totally staged but the hate behind it is real. I really thought Milbury was going to launch himself across the table and beat McGuire with his own shoe when he reminded America that as GM of the Islanders Milbury both drafted Zdeno Chara and then traded him to Ottawa for some Russian has been. As if anyone had forgotten Milbury almost single handedly dismantled the Islanders organization.
I don’t care either way because I’ll be at the game….
But what I really want to know is: What F-ing time does the game start?
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Apr 24, 2009 4:53 PM EDT reply actions
well… that’s just it. I know people who want to go, but they are waiting on a time…..
Not to mention…. with the way players are superstitious… I’ll bet there are players on both teams who are bugging out about it…. even if they won’t admit it….
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Apr 24, 2009 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Thankfully the Caps won and this doesn't matter
I’m glad the scenario didn’t play out as we thought it would. For what it’s worth on Gulitti’s side, he had officials saying there was “resistance” from the local channels. But Lou then called him and said the Devils and Canes would be fine; but that doesn’t necessarily mean the stations are the same, and basically, it’s as you put it – a decision was made without necessarily knowing from who and how.
Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
The national broadcasts by the NHL has always had a disproportionate love for Detroit, the New York Rangers (come on the Devils play 5 miles from MSG you’re telling me thats not the NY TV market…), Philly, Pittsburgh, and recently Buffalo (not so much this year) and Washington (obviously bc of Ovechkin but I do agree with this, he’s amazing). This however is dumb, the Devils and Canes have put on by far the most entertaining series of the first round. Game 5 was amazing, but if you didnt watch you probably relied on the boring old stereotype about the Devils and think the 1-0 edge of your seat thriller was instead a “boring trapfest.” Also, as I said above the Devils play in the New York TV market – the same network broadcasts the games of all three area teams. Sure the Rangers fan base is bigger but for a league that seems to make its decisions based on the size of the market and the players involved the Devils-Canes matchup is still exciting. Parise and Staal are great young players and you also have Brodeur and Ward matching each other game after game. Oh well, at least all of us in NJ and NC can enjoy the weather…
The irony of it all is that the NHL prides itself for “growing” into “non traditional” markets….
So much for that….
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Apr 25, 2009 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions
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