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Make or Break Night for Versus.

December 11, 2006, 12:05 PM ET [ Comments]
Eklund
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There are sources out there that tell me that Versus will be watching the ratings a whole lot closer this evening. Tonight when the Pens meet the Caps pencils will be sharpened. (sorry that was too easy)

The time is drawing near when Versus will have to decide if it still wants the NHL next year or vice-versa. Tonight's game, Crosby vs. Ovechkin, and how many people tune in, may go a long way towards that conclusion. When I travel to press boxes or go on the air on XM the questions always come up.

"Does it make sense for the NHL to be on Versus?" "Why don't I have Versus in my hotel room?" "Why aren't the games in HD?" "The NHL should bite the bullet and take a lesser deal from ESPN" "Versus was cooked when the didn't get Thursday Night NFL." "No one watches because they can't find it." "It is killing the sport." "When I can't get Versus in my area why can't I watch the game on Center Ice?" "Is it true that they had the lowest ratings in the history of television?" “What channel is it?” “When is the NHL Network starting?”

All these questions and comments have merit, but the major problems here in the US when it comes to national television and hockey has never changed. It is a damn big country down here. Not as big geographically as Canada, but ten times as many people, and the south is a far different culture than the north, and the city folks are nothing like the country folks.

But there are hockey fans everywhere. And more of them are in the US than anywhere on earth. Not percentage wise, but in sheer numbers. The reality is sports television numbers in the US are all based on the NFL. And the NFL and MLB are part of our culture in the US in the same way the NHL is in Canada. It is that deep, and it will take a long time to change that. And it doesn’t even need to be changed.

The fact is, and I truly feel this, we approach our sports like we do the people we date. The NFL is the cool popular girl who is fun to hang around with because of all the glitz and she is always dressed to the nines. Other people can’t believe that SHE is with you. MLB is the girl you’ve known since you were a kid who is always there for you, consistent and dependable. You maybe dated a bit, the lines got blurred, etc. Some nights you’d rather just hang with her and watch TV.

Then there is the NHL. The NHL is the quiet girl that once you get to know her you realize she is amazing. She is easily the most interesting girl you have ever been out with but your other friends don’t get her. She is socially awkward. You always want to bring the NHL to parties, but when you get there and you introduce her around, you quickly see through the NFL and MLB eyes, and it gets weird.

The NHL is best not ever put in the same room as the NFL and MLB.

So does I make sense for NHL to be on Versus? Of course it does. Even if it isn’t on everyone’s cable line-up. Remember this: There are still more people that get Versus than get TSN or CBC. That is not to say that Versus does hockey anywhere near as well as TSN or Hockey Night in Canada. It is just a numbers game. And if you are going to throw out numbers when talking NFL, you can’t have it both ways. (by the way, I feel Versus does an amazing job for being so new and the people work extremely hard) I do have huge issues with the Center Ice package blackouts in cities where fans can’t get VS.

Should the NHL be on ESPN? Yes, and from what I am hearing it will be. In fact I think next year in the US we could see NHL hockey on a national television level that has not yet been seen.

NBC, ESPN, Versus, and the NHL Network may be televising games. ESPN wants back in, and the fact that the NHL stood their ground the last time around could meen more money as well from ESPN. The fact of the matter is that the last time the NHL/ESPN/VS. talks were happening we were coming out of a lockout and no one knew if the product would have any appeal.

It is stronger than ever.

Now marketing the game is another story for another time. I do believe you need to promote the stars, and count on the stars, like AO and Crosby, but you also need to build rivalries that are real. Fans are 90% of the time fans of their team only….but I have bored you enough…
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