Sports media needs to develop narratives that capture viewers and play on their emotions.
Oilers are the ideal team too fashion an age old narrative of transcendence. That's why they get so much attention is that for the casual viewer, who the networks are in an intense competitive environment to capture, this narrative stirs their viscera.
TSN and others could care less about you. You're hooked, you're watching hockey on their network no matter how biased they appear. TSN is going after the casual viewer who has the option of either watching CSI, or Canada's handyman, or the hockey game. With no compelling narrative, those viewers are less likely to tune in.
|