NHL TV ratings are down across the board on average for Rogers

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by troutman

Doesn't help that most of the Canadian teams are struggling.

But, but, but market avidity!!1!

[taxbuster]

[QUOTE=Benched;5540312]Factor in the blackouts/regional restrictions (why do I get the Oilers in Calgary, and Flames in Edmonton??? I get the game is on, but you're just pissing me off not encouraging me to go to the game or the bar to watch it), and having the game on horrible low-def, hard to find channels (seriously SN360, what the hell picture is that?)/QUOTE]

It peeves me that I live in BC but have to watch the Canucks when I'm at a bar because that's "their team", but can see almost any crappy US teams playing on almost any night - but not Canadian ones...kinda silly.

(Fortunately, I mostly can watch the Flames b/c I have a "Calgary" account on my satellite TV -- so I get the Flames games, on whichever of the FIVE different channels they seem to be on - except for SN360, which I don't subscribe to.)

The product I really don't care about - if I don't like the announcers (Romanuk eg.) I just put it on silent and watch the game. Would be nice to have a feed with just the sounds on the ice, which I would watch most of the time otherwise.

Rogers has a unique opportunity here: they can be the first business to utterly screw up the Canadian hockey market. Sometimes I suspect they will.

I like Ball/Hrudey and the "regular" Calgary crew (OK - Leah Hextall - not necessarily the regular panel though), but many of the others are unwatchable.

And I only watch Flames games. Don't care about other teams at all. It's us or it's nothin'.

[mikeecho]

2 words: John Shannon

He doesn't know anything about the game of hockey a 10 year old doesn't already know. Great, he's a tv guy who has made a few connections that give him scoops days after the good guys like Friedman have them. Literally adds nothing to the telecasts.

[mikeecho]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

I was watching a game probably 10 years ago, and there was a technical glitch on the broadcast.

There was no PBP, no commentary, just rink noise. This went on for most of a period before they fixed it.

Best hockey broadcast I've ever seen. If it was an option, I'd watch all the games that way (unless I'm there in person).

On Game Centre, I routinely pick an alternative camera angle. Usually you get the ambient crowd noise. I really enjoy it.

I think the CBC commentators had a labour dispute about 10 years ago. For a while, CBC aired games with no commentary and just crowd noise. It almost felt like being at the stadium.

[curves2000]

I am one of the viewers who is fairly critical on the newer HNIC format and have been since day 1. Some of my biggest concerns have been addressed in minor ways, mainly Strombo wearing a tie and an "After Hours" style show. Still plenty for me to complain about but we will leave it at that.

What I would like to know is about Game Center Live. I am a young guy who is old fashion in a lot of ways. I don't want games on my tablet or phone. I live in Calgary so I get the chance to watch all Flames games with no issue and I will rarely watch a game on vacation. Just my thing. I had a look at the pricing for Game Center Live and it appears to be $200 for the season. For me personally I see little advantage but one aspect I saw that I liked was the "behind the scenes" look. Can anyone here say if any of the content here is worthwhile? What exactly are they showing during the broadcast in this scenario?

One last question for you all. I used to enjoy watching the intermission content in the 1st and 2nd games even if the Flames weren't playing. This was when the CBC had it and the video was available on their app.

Does anyone know if this content is available on the Sportsnet App? I have a Blackberry and I can't seem to find this content on their crap app but knowing Rogers I doubt their iOS and Android app are much better.

Thanks for the info!

[Tsawwassen]

Originally Posted by browna

Doesn't Snet have a bunch more choices? Back with HNIC, there was one, the odd time, maybe two games to split the country for the early game. Now, there's always at least 2, if not 3 early games that split the country. So more people were forced to watch less games. Shoalts is mainly just referencing the Leafs game numbers and ignoring the other games.

And, just a reminder, this is another media drive by, by disgruntled former Snet employee, who now works for a Bell Media competitor, in Shoalts.

Bingo and Bullseye.

[MacFlame]

I used to make sure that I tuned in to the Satellite Hot Stove during the second intermission of HNIC. There was always some sort of tidbit that made me immediately open up my laptop and look into the stats of a particular player that "was on the move" or disgruntled, etc.

Now? There's nothing. An unintended consequence of the salary cap has been the collapse of the "rumour mill" and the trade....any trade. Rumours and trades were one of the most exciting parts of hockey and its dead. There's nothing for these guys to talk about.

The inability of a team to quickly improve via the trade market is a real negative for the league and it has lead to some pretty boring intermission talk IMO.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

I was watching a game probably 10 years ago, and there was a technical glitch on the broadcast.

There was no PBP, no commentary, just rink noise. This went on for most of a period before they fixed it.

Best hockey broadcast I've ever seen. If it was an option, I'd watch all the games that way (unless I'm there in person).

Funny because sometimes when I'm at the rink, I wish I had tv play-by-play commentary. Mind you, I'd prefer if it was Peter Maher, but Rick Ball would do!

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by MacFlame

I used to make sure that I tuned in to the Satellite Hot Stove during the second intermission of HNIC. There was always some sort of tidbit that made me immediately open up my laptop and look into the stats of a particular player that "was on the move" or disgruntled, etc.

Now? There's nothing. An unintended consequence of the salary cap has been the collapse of the "rumour mill" and the trade....any trade. Rumours and trades were one of the most exciting parts of hockey and its dead. There's nothing for these guys to talk about.

The inability of a team to quickly improve via the trade market is a real negative for the league and it has lead to some pretty boring intermission talk IMO.

If boring second intermissions are the price we pay to not count down the days until Money and Johnny are Rangers or Red Wings, I will pay it with a smile.

[MacFlame]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

If boring second intermissions are the price we pay to not count down the days until Money and Johnny are Rangers or Red Wings, I will pay it with a smile.

Oh, totally agree. I like the cap.

[Frank MetaMusil]

Originally Posted by mikeecho

2 words: John Shannon

He doesn't know anything about the game of hockey a 10 year old doesn't already know. Great, he's a tv guy who has made a few connections that give him scoops days after the good guys like Friedman have them. Literally adds nothing to the telecasts.

That's 30 days in the hole for you, Dufresne.

[Erick Estrada]

Anyone notice that Shannon looks like he could be Bubbles dad? There is a pretty good resemblance right down to the Coke bottle glasses.

[d_phaneuf]

http://angusreid.org/hockey-night-in-canada-dec2015/

interesting results from the angus reid survey

[curves2000]

Originally Posted by Tsawwassen

Bingo and Bullseye.

I might be wrong on this and you have a lot more knowledge about this business than I do, I was under the impression that the ratings were suppose to be combined for the broadcasts?

When CBC had HNIC they only carried 2 broadcasts usually nationally with some regional coverage for Habs/Sens locally in those markets if the 1st game was a Toronto game. If you were watching NHL on Saturday it was on CBC and that's it.

Now with the setup there are so many different channels that Rogers is able to collect ad revenue on (CBC, City, Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet 1) etc

A few articles I had read quoting Rogers executives were saying that they just want viewers on the platform and aren't really worried about which channel people are viewing. Example: A 7 pm EST game might have Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg playing. They just want viewers so they take the data and combine them for all viewing on the early game.

Like I said above I might be wrong here but I think one of the goals was to get viewers watching Rogers stations for their team. People got sick of getting the Leafs rammed down their throat and wanted choice, at least that's my feeling and experience.

Thanks

[Huntingwhale]

I wish we had cool things the Leafs' broadcasts get. Like those cool different angled cameras and the 60fps broadcast. Not sure if that's an arena thing or SN, but it just always seems like SNW is so far behind the times. Crappy feed. Crappy sound. Poor editing.

This season I stuck with my Telus sports package because I wanted to be able to PVR games an hour later, so that I could skip everything. But next season I'm switching to GCL.

Even in the PGT when some of you guys post gifs from the game, some are 60fps smooth and it's always from the other broadcast.

[dieHARDflameZ]

Rogers broadcasting product has been sub par to say the least. They have a select few solid guys as part of the broadcast team and panel, but for the most part these guys are bush league.

[CliffFletcher]

A sports production is a lot more than just the guys talking between periods. It's the number of cameras, camera angles, video quality, sound quality, and, maybe most importantly, the editing and overall direction of the production. One of the reasons the NFL is more popular than the CFL in Canada is all those things are far superior in an NFL broadcast than a CFL.

Rogers sunk enormous amounts of money into getting the rights to NHL games, and very little into the actual production. Whatever else you think of CBC, their HNiC production team was second to none. Once you're accustomed to that, these cut-rate regional broadcasts can look like a WHL game.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by mikeecho

2 words: John Shannon

He doesn't know anything about the game of hockey a 10 year old doesn't already know. Great, he's a tv guy who has made a few connections that give him scoops days after the good guys like Friedman have them. Literally adds nothing to the telecasts.

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

A sports production is a lot more than just the guys talking between periods. It's the number of cameras, camera angles, video quality, sound quality, and, maybe most importantly, the editing and overall direction of the production. One of the reasons the NFL is more popular than the CFL in Canada is all those things are far superior in an NFL broadcast than a CFL.

Rogers sunk enormous amounts of money into getting the rights to NHL games, and very little into the actual production. Whatever else you think of CBC, their HNiC production team was second to none. Once you're accustomed to that, these cut-rate regional broadcasts can look like a WHL game.

The irony with John Shannon is that he used to produce HNIC games through out the 1980s and 1990s. He was also the HNIC executive producer, that was until the CBC fired him. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/cbc-fires-head-of-hockey-night-in-canada-1.232603

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by curves2000

I am one of the viewers who is fairly critical on the newer HNIC format and have been since day 1. Some of my biggest concerns have been addressed in minor ways, mainly Strombo wearing a tie and an "After Hours" style show. Still plenty for me to complain about but we will leave it at that.

What I would like to know is about Game Center Live. I am a young guy who is old fashion in a lot of ways. I don't want games on my tablet or phone. I live in Calgary so I get the chance to watch all Flames games with no issue and I will rarely watch a game on vacation. Just my thing. I had a look at the pricing for Game Center Live and it appears to be $200 for the season. For me personally I see little advantage but one aspect I saw that I liked was the "behind the scenes" look. Can anyone here say if any of the content here is worthwhile? What exactly are they showing during the broadcast in this scenario?

One last question for you all. I used to enjoy watching the intermission content in the 1st and 2nd games even if the Flames weren't playing. This was when the CBC had it and the video was available on their app.

Does anyone know if this content is available on the Sportsnet App? I have a Blackberry and I can't seem to find this content on their crap app but knowing Rogers I doubt their iOS and Android app are much better.

Thanks for the info!

Last year it was absolutely worth it. This year, GameCenter Live brought back blackouts. Most Flames games, it won't let you watch

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

There was something special about tuning in to CBC to watch the Leafs at 5 and then the Flames/Oilers/Canucks at 8. Didn't matter who was playing, I always watched. Now it just feels like I'm watching two regional broadcasts. I think a lot of that has to do with them using the same set. They should create a new set exclusively for HNIC to give it that unique feel, and only have the old CBC people on. No more John Shannon on HNIC. Oh, and for the love of God stop interviewing all those awkward teenaged still-going-through-puberty minor hockey kids! Cringe worthy television.

That was the primary problem with the CBC having the stinkin' Leafs on all the time. It was not special at all, it was disappointing. This was a network that took too long to make changes. The Canucks come into the league in 1970, the Oilers and Jets in 1979, and then Flames move to Calgary a year later and after years of western complaints, doubleheaders finally happened in 1995.