Playoff TV Ratings down a "shocking" 61% in Canada

[Hockey-and_stuff]

When ratings are measured, do they take into account online streaming at all?

[jlh2640]

Originally Posted by Lil Pedro

Jays and Raps are a big culprit to the ratings in Canada is year

Meh they'll fail there fans soon enough

[Frequitude]

I think I'm watching more hockey this playoffs than last. So many good series.

[gallione11]

Originally Posted by AC

That's actually a really good point. Gotta be the reason.

Too bad, Cuthbert and Gord Miller are both fantastic still.

I agree they are great but seeing as how I'm I. The U.S. I enjoyed the couple flames games Cuthbert had last year.

[gallione11]

I think the strange thing is the U.S. Is using regional broadcasts as well. Granted, they are all Comcast Sportsnet feeds (part of NBC Universal) so both countries are getting regional feeds.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by Magnum PEI

I wonder if Rogers doesn't want the TSN commentators (Miller and Cuthbert) on their channels.

Originally Posted by AC

That's actually a really good point. Gotta be the reason.

Too bad, Cuthbert and Gord Miller are both fantastic still.

Originally Posted by gallione11

I agree they are great but seeing as how I'm I. The U.S. I enjoyed the couple flames games Cuthbert had last year.

The TSN commentators including Ferraro and McKenzie are definitely the main reason Sportsnet is avoiding the NBCSN feeds (CNBC and USA included). Bell and Rogers are enemies and on TSN Sports Centre it is not surprising that Blue Jays highlights usually show the opponents feed.

[FireGilbert]

This is the least excited I've been for the playoffs ever. I normally cheer hard for Montreal and Ottawa and cheer hard against whoever is playing Toronto, Vancouver, or Edmonton (not that that ever happens though).

This season I guess I'd like Dallas to make the conference finals and I suppose would like to see Ovechkin lift the Cup but really the whole things is one big meh.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Split98

SN has also done an absolutely terrible job promoting the playoffs. "Here's a goal that was scored" is about as much effort as they've put in thus far. There is ultra fun hockey being played right now, and they have done absolutely nothing to draw a casual viewer in. That'll hurt quite a bit when viewers favourite teams are out. Promote a reason for someone to care, and grab onto a team they want to root for. It's not rocket surgery.

CBC knew how to craft a story. The montages, isolating particular players, solid background work by the commentators. SN pretty much just follows the game from the centre-ice camera. It's like they don't understand the drama that draws people to sports. SN is bad for hockey.

[Jets4Life]

Originally Posted by AC

That's actually a really good point. Gotta be the reason.

Too bad, Cuthbert and Gord Miller are both fantastic still.

Once Rogers starts hemorrhaging money, they will see the error of their ways, and bring them on board. At least I hope so.

[Tsawwassen]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

Once Rogers starts hemorrhaging money, they will see the error of their ways, and bring them on board. At least I hope so.

That won't be happening. No way SN would do that and why would TSN help out its arch rival and the NHL? Remember that it was the NHL that kicked out TSN to the curb. Barry MacDonald and Don Taylor spoke with David Shoalts on Tuesday on TSN 1040 about this very subject. Ratings and production were also talked about. Skip to the 21:28 where the HNIC music is played.

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-1040-i-1410/bmac-donnie-the-moj-apr-19-hour-1-1.474722

[Erick Estrada]

It really is a perfect storm with no Canadian teams qualifying for the playoffs, the NHL product on a slight decline with fewer goals being scored again, and a viewership base that doesn't particularly like the network the NHL entrusted to carry it's product.

The NHL got it's money but I wonder if they are regretting the deal seeing that I feel pretty confident saying that ratings would be higher if TSN was carrying the product as they simply provide a superior product and market it better.

[Coach]

Yeah, well you don't get the ratings when your product is crappy to the point that people like me would rather stream the games (seriously, I can find better quality streams than actual SN broadcasts) than pay for your crappy service.

[FlamesAddiction]

Like others said, not shocking at all. I personally don't have a lot of interest going out of my way to watch games between teams I don't follow. When it comes to the SCFs, I will probably be more interested.

There was a thread a little while ago saying ratings in the U.S. were up though (or maybe just on NBC). I wonder if that will offset the lack of interest in Canada this year.

[Greybeard]

Love hockey but frankly with the excitement around the Jays and Raptors and no Flames or other Canadian teams I am watching baseball most nights.

[Jbo]

I don't think I have watched one entire playoff game yet. To compare, I did not miss a second last year of the Playoff run.

Honestly, the weather is beautiful, the Jays are fun to watch, and I'm just not really into watching American teams this year. Even when a rival like Vancouver used to get in, at least I could cheer against them.

Nope, a spring off from hockey has been kinda nice.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

CBC knew how to craft a story. The montages, isolating particular players, solid background work by the commentators. SN pretty much just follows the game from the centre-ice camera. It's like they don't understand the drama that draws people to sports. SN is bad for hockey.

Man I couldn't agree more with this. The old HNIC during the season got me so pumped for the upcoming double headers because they did an excellent job building it up, coupled with their iconic jingle, original segments and interesting personalities. When playoffs rolled around, it was like Saturday HNIC every night!

These days, I think we all agree, SNet is just atrocious. They basically can't do anything right. Except Ball, Hrudey & Hextall, and that is depressing and saddening.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Jbo

I don't think I have watched one entire playoff game yet. To compare, I did not miss a second last year of the Playoff run.

Honestly, the weather is beautiful, the Jays are fun to watch, and I'm just not really into watching American teams this year. Even when a rival like Vancouver used to get in, at least I could cheer against them.

Nope, a spring off from hockey has been kinda nice.

Some really excellent hockey being played in this first round. Highly recommend some if it man.

[LanceUppercut]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Some really excellent hockey being played in this first round. Highly recommend some if it man.

Almost too much excellent hockey. You can't even watch it all when 2-3 games are going on at the same time.

[Coach]

If you're not watching the LA-SJS series, you're missing the epitome of what Stanley Cup Playoff hockey is. That is how hockey is supposed to look.

[Dirty Mr. Clean]

Here are the factors to me:

1. For the most part Canada has also had seasonally warm weather.
2. No Canadian Teams to draw them into the first round and beyond.
3. NBA playoff in TO.
4. MLB excitement in TO.
5. Center Ice like production quality. The use of biased local broadcast is very annoying.