Half way through year 1. Everyone's thoughts of Sportsnets "Monopoly"?

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Again though, when the Flames used to be on TSN, that was a National broadcast on Wednesday nights. It's the equivalent of the Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday night hockey that is now on Rogers.

It's not a like for like comparison, critiquing what used to happen on TSN when the Flames got a rare National broadcast spot, versus what happens now on the Flames much lower budget regional games. TSN has never covered the Flames as the regional broadcaster so there isn't a fair comparison point.

Now comparing TSN's coverage of the Flames last year, to what we get when the Flames are on Sunday or Wednesday on Sportsnet is totally fair, and I'm not suggesting your thoughts are wrong.

The problem though is previously, people had a negative opinion on Sportsnet in comparison to TSN and CBC because they were comparing National broadcasts to regional which isn't fair, and now the problem is a lot of people are not distinguishing between the fact that the Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday and then all the other Flames games are all different "shows" if you will with different budgets and target audience sizes, so the format and quality will be different, but because for us Flames fans it's all on the same network, I think we just lump it all together.

The Flames have been broadcast on TSN on more than just Wednesday nights.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

The Flames have been broadcast on TSN on more than just Wednesday nights.

Wednesday was the most common National broadcast night for TSN I believe, but you are correct, they have been on TSN on other nights, but the point remains the same. Whenever the Flames have been on TSN, it has been a National broadcast game. TSN has never owned the regional rights to the Flames broadcasts ever.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Wednesday was the most common National broadcast night for TSN I believe, but you are correct, they have been on TSN on other nights, but the point remains the same. Whenever the Flames have been on TSN, it has been a National broadcast game. TSN has never owned the regional rights to the Flames broadcasts ever.

Listen, I know that, but even when I watch the Jets or Sens regional coverage, and even though the panel is not as large as national games, they still get the same amount of commercial time.

On SN, it is 75% commercials.

[Lumby Lager]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

- Ball and Hrudey have made a HUGE difference for Calgary games.
- Kypreos has been great this year. Such a difference from his personality last year.
- Miss the old Satellite Hotstove segment they'd have during 2nd intermissions on HNIC. Would like to see them bring that back.
- I like Strombo. He brings good energy to the broadcasts and ties in today's social media platforms very well which will help the younger viewers (the next fans) relate.
- Still some personalities around that they would do better without (Doug Maclean, Healy), but they do seem to be trimming down their presence. They may even be the better choices with the other options currently available perhaps.
- Oilers regional broadcasts are still pretty bad. I wonder how Oiler fans feel about it though?
- Shorthouse is awesome for Vancouver. Garrett is embarrassing.

I agree with this, being 47 and young enough to get all liquored up at Coconut Joe's for 89! Listening to the CBC, I can understand the move to Strombo. I am a huge hockey fan that gets why the so-called true fan complains about him. Most people I know around my age are not diehard fans and now they watch more. The choice of bringing him on for chasing the young social media crowd is a great move by Rogers that will pay off in a few years.

Hrudey and Ball are a AMAZING change for my ears!

[Winsor_Pilates]

I'm happy, as we're getting way more nationally broadcasts that I can actually watch in Vancouver.
I've had far more opportunities to watch the Flames this year without having centre ice.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

- Leah Hextall isn't a great fit. Not a fan. She just seems too quiet or too timid, I don't know what it is but she's one of the weak links IMO.

They should replace her with Andi Petrillo. I miss Andi. She has potential for being a good one air personality and leading a broadcast. Plus she is easier on the eyes than Leah.

[VictoryJuice]

not a fan of strombo on their. Sometimes talks to the panel likes he trying to analyze them. Its hockey talk, just let them do their thing and jump in once in a while. also not a huge fan how their using Friedman, he's not really a guy you look to for hockey opinions on the game and such, more of a rumour guy or CBA talk guy. I do really like Kypreos though, he's been great so far.

[RM14]

My complaint with regional broadcasts is that it's almost as if they soft mute the crowd noise.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Production quality is slowly getting better. I thought it was 'better than expected' at the start of the season, and now I really don't have any complaints about it. Sportsnet seems to be improving gradually, which is what I hoped for.

As for the panels, I don't mind most of them. Healy is still on there, unfortunately. I don't hate Cox as much as most - I like that the other guys seem to sometimes ignore what he says anyways, or correct him.

Kypreos - There were times I thought he was a complete idiot before Sportsnet bought the rights. However, I also thought he was really good at times as well. Some poster (forget who) said it best that Sportsnet was trying to make him the "Don Cherry". That makes sense. I thought he brought really good analysis often, but there were times he was just too over the top with his abrasiveness. He really has become a much, much better analyst, and one that I find I always enjoy listening to now.

I don't really have any real complaints. This has all been much better than I thought, and either I am 'getting used to it' or it has actually been improving as the months go on.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Listen, I know that, but even when I watch the Jets or Sens regional coverage, and even though the panel is not as large as national games, they still get the same amount of commercial time.

On SN, it is 75% commercials.

Fair, and I'd prefer less commercials too. I wonder though, if Winnipeg and Ottawa have tough time filling all their commercial spots, especially in Winnipeg, much smaller market, likely less appeal on the add space.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

I'm with AC in that the picture quality is really bad.

I wouldn't say really bad but it's not as good as TSN (only have to watch a WJC broadcast to see the difference). Maybe it's the ice surface and speed of the game but I still find the visual quality of hockey broadcasts in general to be inferior to HD NBA and football (NFL, CFL, college) broadcasts and it doesn't seem to matter on my 120 Hz or 240 Hz TV's.

[burn_baby_burn]

Only thing I can complain about is the HD quality. I have Bell, and on Bell you can't get the NFL Network in HD. Sportsnet HD feed looks the same on Bell as the NFL Network in SD. It's actually pretty disapointing.

Ball and Hrudy are huge upgrades. So good in fact that it is a disapointment when we get a nationally televised game and get different color and play by play guys. Used to be the other way around.

[DJones]

Feel like it's been getting better and better. Seems like every Flames game is on tv. Think I've had to stream two.

With game center though the only complaint I have is the delay. I have the score app and the flames app sending me updates and I know about goals about 30 seconds before they happen. I have to keep my phone out of ear shot. Not sure if I'll pay for game center next year.

[Joborule]

I'm fine with the overall product except Sportsnet's HD quality is incredibly awful. Feels like watching SD. They using cameras from 2004 or something?

I do miss the HNIC pregame montages of the past, as well Hotstove panel during the 2nd intermission and after hours at the end of the night. I believe the montages will occur at times still though, and probably will ramp up during the playoffs.

[The_Future]

Originally Posted by DJones

Feel like it's been getting better and better. Seems like every Flames game is on tv. Think I've had to stream two.

With game center though the only complaint I have is the delay. I have the score app and the flames app sending me updates and I know about goals about 30 seconds before they happen. I have to keep my phone out of ear shot. Not sure if I'll pay for game center next year.

Forgot to mention that. The stream is wayyyyy slow. Definitely can't read the Puck and watch the stream at the same time.

I also miss the montages and there is a lot of historical bits from HNIC that I am sad to lose.

[The Familia]

The only upgrade for me has been the Flames PBP team of Ball and Hrudy. The rest sucks. I don't like most of the panel, I don't like the set, the camera/sound quality is brutal, the appearance and presentation of the hosts looks bush league. Overall, the atmosphere that HNIC and Rogers has put out is off. Can't quite place my finger on it but I'm not a fan. It just lacks the professionalism of TSN. As a result, I don't watch any games other than the Flames.

[N-E-B]

National games are a minor downgrade.

Regional games are a massive upgrade.

They're not perfect, but they've been better than I had expected.

[Mr.Coffee]

It's been great in my opinion, not much to not like without getting nitpicky really.

[jaginla]

Originally Posted by Joborule

I'm fine with the overall product except Sportsnet's HD quality is incredibly awful. Feels like watching SD. They using cameras from 2004 or something?

I do miss the HNIC pregame montages of the past, as well Hotstove panel during the 2nd intermission and after hours at the end of the night. I believe the montages will occur at times still though, and probably will ramp up during the playoffs.

Yeah its jarring some of the cameras look SD. It's so weird that they would be okay in jumping between quality like that.

[Resolute 14]

Honestly, it's been exactly what I expected out of Rogers: Unrelentingly mediocre. I watch far less intermission stuff than I ever did on TSN or classic CBC, and even on the Saturday games, I find myself watching Centre Ice games more often than not. I could really do without Strombolopolis entirely.

One thing that has really impressed me though has been the in-depth features they have done during the first intermission of the Sunday games. And, as frequently noted, the quality of our PBP has gone well up, even if Sportsnet still can't figure out how to synch the sound.