At the beginning of this hockey season, Cablevision in Hoboken decided to play quite the little prank on yours truly. For the first week of the NHL season, I discovered that I had the NHL Network. Unbelievable! I now had a televised 24-hour outlet for constant NHL news, scores and highlights. Then, to my delight, I found that the NHL Network even had live NHL games on during the week. Even better, these games weren’t televised on Versus or any other station that is available to me. This was my dream come true.
And then, Cablevision decided to pull the rug out from underneath me. It was a night when my beloved Penguins were to be broadcast on the NHL Network. I got my popcorn ready, put on my Sidney Crosby jersey and flipped to the NHL Network, only to find that it was now off the air. On the screen instead was a message informing me that I could call Cablevision so that I could order the NHL Network.
Are you kidding me?
I was infuriated. Normally, I would take my frustrations out on the cable company. However, after doing a little bit of investigating online, I read that the NHL was doing something similar to the NFL. The NHL was charging cable and satellite providers a little bit extra in order to broadcast the network. This is why I was being told that I must specifically order the NHL Network.
Remember that this is the NHL that I am talking about. The same league that, just a few years ago, deprived fans of an entire season. The same league that averages a rating of roughly .2 for nationally televised games on Versus.The same league that is suffering from lower ratings in regional markets. Now, the NHL dares to ask me to pay extra in order to watch mostly highlights and news programs?
I ask again; are you kidding me?
Over the past year, I have more than made my feelings known about the national television “deal” that the NHL currently has with NBC Universal, namely Versus. This nonsense with the NHL Network, however, is possibly the stupidest thing sports-wise that I have read about in quite some time. The NHL is no longer even the fourth most popular sports in the United States anymore. The NBA, MLB, NFL and NASCAR are all more popular. To put it mildly, the NHL needs to do anything to attract interest, viewers and, essentially, money.
Here’s a wild idea for Gary Bettman and those brilliant executives running the NHL: Why not make the NHL Network free to all with cable or satellite TV? Other stations seem to do this with little problem. For your reading pleasure, here is a small list of stations that are available through my current cable package. Please be aware that I have no movie or sports package whatsoever.
ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPN CLASSIC, MSG, SNY, YES, TCM, FXM, HISTORY CHANNEL, HISTORY INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, EURONEWS (?), BBC WORLD, FOX SPORTS SOCCER…I REPEAT, FOX SPORTS SOCCER, GOLF NETWORK
I get all of these stations without paying a cent extra. You mean to tell me that the NHL couldn’t market a deal with Cablevision and other cable and satellite providers so that I could have the NHL Network instead of, oh I don’t know, The Golf Channel, Military Channel or Fox Sports en Espanol?
The NHL isn’t simply doing a terrible job at reaching out to new fans. The league is actually alienating fans that love the game of hockey. The fact remains that the NHL is missing a huge opportunity with the NHL Network. I love listening to sports fans who tell me that they can’t stand hockey. I can guarantee you right now that if the NHL Network were available to you, the common sports fan, you would tune in periodically. You would especially watch if the NHL Network was broadcasting a compelling match-up.
Isn’t that the point? Draw in new fans and keep your old ones happy. For those of you who think that the NHL can’t afford to give out the NHL Network for the same price, here’s a quick solution to that “problem.”
Ads.
Do me a favor, dear readers. Flip that channel over to ESPN. Go ahead. Unless there is a commercial on, there’s a little “ticker” on the bottom of your television screen with scores and news updates. To the right of the scores is a small “ESPN” logo. The NHL Network could constantly have one of those tickers except, instead of an “NHL” logo, have changing ads. That’s just one small example of how the NHL Network could essentially pay for itself.
This isn’t rocket science, NHL. Quit ripping off your fans and make this happen. You need this and we, the fans, want this.
Ratings courtesy of the following link: http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6410619.html
