Re: The NHL Thread
 

Work is definitely not making today go any faster. :lol

At least I have the new Radiohead album and lousy sports talk radio to throw on in the background.

Ugh, Pens need to finish it off tonight. I fully expected the series to go at least 6 games, but that does not make me any less nervous about Game 6!

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Bettman might like Preds and TBL for the markets but NBC doesn't. No one would watch. Tampa/Dallas would be the 2nd worst for ratings. Blues vs Caps or Pens is what would be the best. Can't imagine how much masturbating would be going in the NBC offices for the Pens. "The great player in the game Crosby (who has 0 goals) against .....some fucking team from St Louis."

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:lol some fucking team from wherever honestly, doesn't matter who unless it's the Hawks I guess. Though in all seriousness I would like to think NBC would get equally as hard for Ovie in the final as they would for Sid. Maybe not quite but close

Re: The NHL Thread
 

apparently you've never heard anyone on NBC talk about the Pens...

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Everyone just hating on Tampa this morning. They are one of the best and most fun teams in all of hockey to watch. They were in the final last year so they've gained some more national attention recently, I don't think having them in the Cup would be some disaster for the NHL. It's probably a good thing seeing these other markets grow and become consistent threats.

If you are a hockey fan you should enjoy watching them play. I don't get how they would be boring at all.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Oh come on. The Penns get all those guys super hard

Re: The NHL Thread
 

It wouldn't be boring from a hockey stand point. The Bolts are very good and have a great fanbase. We were talking strictly NBC ratings stand point. We know Bettman and therefore the league would be more than happy to have Tampa back in the final.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

nobody said that hockey fans wouldn't like TB in the Final

what was said is that NBC doesn't want them in the final. which is 100% true...TB hockey market doesn't bring eyeballs to TVs which is all that matters

sorry, but true

uhhh this couldn't be farther from the truth, bud...

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I wouldn't say people are hating on the Bolts, just commenting that NBC wants big markets (New York, L.A., etc.) or big stories (Crosby, Ovechkin, etc.) to generate ratings. If the Final is Bolts and Preds, hockey fans would love it, but Joe Blow in Omaha probably won't tune in. (But let's face it, he probably wouldn't tune in anyway. :lol)

The Bolts are very good and no one should sleep on them, certainly not the Caps or Pens.

^ Obviously Barbs is talking about Pierre. Milbury and Roenick on the other hand.....

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I'm talking about a marketing standpoint. If NBC didn't like putting the Pens on TV they wouldn't have been on a Stadium Series against the Blackhawks. Such a huge rivalry there.
This here. TB is a very fun team to watch but your average sports fan, who drives the ratings, won't care. 2004 Finals was one of the best series I've ever watched....and it had the worst ratings up until that point. 2007 might have ended up being worse but I'm not sure but I do know up until 04 that was the worst. Your average sports fan likes familiarity. Blackhawks, Crosby, Red Wings, Rangers...like that. Tampa doesn't have that nationally.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

this is different from what you originally said

of course NBC would love the ratings the Penguins would bring. they are the strongest American TV market in the NHL and also have transplant fans nationwide...similar to the Steelers, they are a great national TV draw

the personalities on NBC hate the Pens though

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I actually don't mind Pierre. He knows what he's talking about.

Honestly I think legitimately having the opinion that any announcers or commentators or broadcasters have a bias either way is silly. They don't. Local coverage is obviously different. And these guys may personally want certain teams to win out of sheer fandom but I can find examples where everyone criticizes and praises everyone.

Didn't mean this at you particularly or any of the Penns fans in here. It happens a lot with every team's fans and I've always found it weird.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I said the NBC offices would be masturbating over Crosby and the Pens so how is that different from what I said?

Re: The NHL Thread
 

You don't need to apologize for anything, bud. I'm not coming in here seething at anyone.

Last year's cup had a higher avg rating (3.2) than any cup since 06 when NBC started carrying it with the exception of Boston v Chicago (3.3). Higher than Pitt v Detroit, higher than Boston v Vancouver, and LA v New York.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan...vision_ratings

Obviously the Blackhawks carry the most weight and boost those ratings, but having Tampa in the final is hardly a losing situation for the network. Especially since they were just in it the past season there's a recency factor that would add to the viewership I would think. If the quality of the product is good then it's up to them to market it well. Start giving guys like Hedman and Kucherov the kind of attention you give some of the other stars.

I'll admit that the Penguins would probably be a bigger draw nationally but why is Washington so much better? They have Ovi for the announcers to splooge all over but other than that why are they a better draw? A perennially underachieving team that most people don't like? The DC metro is 6 million people, the Tampa Bay Area has 5.6 million, not that many more eyeballs around.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

They are the strongest American tv market in the NHL? Are you just saying this or do you have stats to back that up. Honestly I would like to know if that is true.

As to the second part, I would argue that all of the original six teams have more transplant fans nationwide. Pens and Steelers are not the same. I know a lot of Steelers fans in NJ, I don't know of a single Pens fan.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Pierre knows his shit but he's creepy as hell sometimes and his stories are sometimes out of left field. "Crosby once scored a goal when he was 7 years old at the 14 minute mark of the 2nd period and some random game ins January...." and it's like...huh?

Re: The NHL Thread
 

It is not just about Tampa, it is also about who is left in the west. Also, population and location don't equate to the same thing. Bottom line is people don't associate Florida with a winter sport and thus have a harder time relating to them as a good hockey market. DC is still Northeast(ish) and also happens to be our nations capital.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

the quote in your post made it seem like you were talking about the analysts...my mistake then

Chicago going for a 3rd Cup and a dynasty will definitely help with eyeballs

6 years in a row, bud

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/J.../NHL-RSNs.aspx

:lol

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Not disagreeing, but have you asked those Steelers fans if they are Pens fans? Normally, if you are for one you are for the other too.

EDIT: My comment relates to transplants... not people of GoCubs School of Fandom.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Penguins are actually the strongest local TV market in the NHL for the last few years, and broke a record for an AMerican team in ratings during the 2012-13 season

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Need Dallas to win game 7.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I agree the West team will definitely matter for matchups as well.

Anyone who actually knows about hockey knows Tampa is a good market and team. How many casual viewers are showing up for any Stanley cup series? Much fewer than any of the other sports regardless of who's in the final.

The whole warm-cold argument is beginning to fall to the side I think. You see the California teams having success, Dallas, Tampa, Nashville, there are markets that are doing well and are growing out of the stereotype I think. Not only that but the sport ends in June and is played indoors, let's stop acting like its a winter sport played in the snow outdoors year round. Weather has nothing to do with a markets ability to support a successful and legitimate hockey franchise.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I agree with this. But for me, it's fun to think that Milbury is still pissed about Ulf Samuelson taking out Cam Neely and losing to the Pens in 1991 and 1992. :lol (Really, though, he kind of is.)

He does make some odd comments when it comes to the Pens. Just from this Playoffs: When the Pens were dominating the Rangers, he said the Rangers played poorly and avoided crediting the Pens. When Wilson illegally went knee-on-knee with Conor Sheary, he said Wilson was playing "mind games" with Sheary, and just veered too close to him. I know that's a little tin-foil-hat, but it's a pattern I and others have noticed over the years.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Most of the time yes, because I like hockey and don't care much for the NFL. Usually the people are the opposite and don't watch Hockey or worse, they are now Devils fans.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I wouldn't wish this fate on anyone! :lol

But if a Steelers fan roots for a hockey team, it's usually the Pens. There are a good number of Steelers fans who don't care about hockey either way, though.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I can't stand Milbury. I'd take Bouch in the studio over him. I still miss the ESPN days in terms of studio talent. I'd love for ESPN to bring back Gary for the World Cup but doubt he can get away from the Orioles.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:eek

Ask for their yinzer card, tear up in front of them and step up on the pieces.

Posers.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

ok but again, its a niche sport so not many people know this

and yea, the fact that it's a Florida based team really does matter

sucks but it's true

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:lol the Devils don't have fans...

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I see your point, but the ratings in Canada would suggest otherwise. These playoffs are not doing well at all.

Also, Tim said it best when he talked about people watching what they know. Boston v Chicago is always going to be a much bigger draw than non-traditional hockey markets. Tampa just doesn't have that.

I love hockey, but sometimes match ups just don't appeal to even me. I know I did not watch even a minute of Dallas v Buffalo in 99, or any of Ottawa v Anaheim.

All we are saying is that Tampa v Dallas or Nashville has the potential to make people feel the same way.