"This surreal feeling of being in the playoffs consecutive seasons just won't go away, now imagine we advance around, my head might explode by that point..."
Detroit, MI • United States • 24 Years Old • Male
hungry4kay
NBC Disaster Decison Making...
Posted 4:54 AM ET | Comments 7
Ok, yes, I am a Rangers fan and this will probably be disregarded by most as a bias whine by someone who cannot see his team play Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs but I'm going to write about it anyway because frankly, bias or not, I think I'm right.
I know Sid Crosby is supposed to be the second-coming of The Great One, I know, and I know the NHL needs a star that they can use to attract more fans and get more young people involved, kind of like the Michael Jordan of hockey, I know, but with all due respect to Sid the Kid, if you're going to put the NHL Playoffs on NBC and are trying to attract the most fans and biggest markets you can, then you have to put the biggest market in the NHL on in most of the country. The biggest market of course being the New York Rangers.
The fact of the matter is there are not enough hockey fans as it is. Another fact is there are more people in Brooklyn (2,465,326), one out of five boroughs of NYC then the entire city of Pittsburgh (334563). I mean look at those numbers. Even if the entire population of Pittsburgh rooted for the Pens and only 1/5 of Brooklyn rooted for the Rangers, the Rangers would still have more fans. And Pittsburgh is on national television!!! Also consider the fact that New Yorkers are spread across this country like mice are spread throughout a sewer. Also consider this is only the second year in the last ten the Rangers are in the playoffs and the first year in the last ten they actually have a chance to get through a round, which would get you to thinking that some of these so-so hockey fans who haven't paid attention for a bit might be a bit excited about their team playing in a meaningful game on national television. All these considerations and you wonder why the Penguin/Senator game is being broadcast to 84% of the country.
Now, just to be clear, this is not discounting the Pittsburgh Penguins and definitely not discounting Sydney Crosby. The Pens are a great organization and Crosby is a great player and because of his super stardom he should definitely be on national television sometimes...BUT...the bigger market will always garner more attention from the fans, the bigger market will always have more fans, and the bigger market will always promote your sport more then any one player.
But thats just my opinion everyone, the NHL must know better, I mean they handled that lockout situation gracefully!
I know Sid Crosby is supposed to be the second-coming of The Great One, I know, and I know the NHL needs a star that they can use to attract more fans and get more young people involved, kind of like the Michael Jordan of hockey, I know, but with all due respect to Sid the Kid, if you're going to put the NHL Playoffs on NBC and are trying to attract the most fans and biggest markets you can, then you have to put the biggest market in the NHL on in most of the country. The biggest market of course being the New York Rangers.
The fact of the matter is there are not enough hockey fans as it is. Another fact is there are more people in Brooklyn (2,465,326), one out of five boroughs of NYC then the entire city of Pittsburgh (334563). I mean look at those numbers. Even if the entire population of Pittsburgh rooted for the Pens and only 1/5 of Brooklyn rooted for the Rangers, the Rangers would still have more fans. And Pittsburgh is on national television!!! Also consider the fact that New Yorkers are spread across this country like mice are spread throughout a sewer. Also consider this is only the second year in the last ten the Rangers are in the playoffs and the first year in the last ten they actually have a chance to get through a round, which would get you to thinking that some of these so-so hockey fans who haven't paid attention for a bit might be a bit excited about their team playing in a meaningful game on national television. All these considerations and you wonder why the Penguin/Senator game is being broadcast to 84% of the country.
Now, just to be clear, this is not discounting the Pittsburgh Penguins and definitely not discounting Sydney Crosby. The Pens are a great organization and Crosby is a great player and because of his super stardom he should definitely be on national television sometimes...BUT...the bigger market will always garner more attention from the fans, the bigger market will always have more fans, and the bigger market will always promote your sport more then any one player.
But thats just my opinion everyone, the NHL must know better, I mean they handled that lockout situation gracefully!
How come you cannot see the game on Saturday? I live in Cincinnati, and unless I'm mistaken, the Ranger game will be broadcast on NBC here. I'm very much looking forward to it (especially since I can't get Versus and get to watch very little hockey all season...I listen on my XM radio).I understand your sentiment if you can't watch the game, but I tend to not complain too much. As a New York team, the Rangers get more television coverage than a lot of small market teams (with whom I can sympathize, because in other sports I'm a fan of small market teams that don't get televised much).Either way, good to see another Ranger fan blogging.Let's go Rangers!
Pretty sure they were going for the best match-up. No offense but having two 105 point teams go at it may be a more high end entertaining skilled game than two mid-90s point teams go at it. I'm actually glad that NBC decided to go this route, shows that they are actually kind of caring about potentially growing the game instead of cashing in on the easy ratings score.
The NHL will do anything to get Sidney Crosby into as many homes as possible. He's a dynamic talent, has a good personality and like you said, is te face of the NHL.
The NHL will do anything to get Sidney Crosby into as many homes as possible. He's a dynamic talent, has a good personality and like you said, is the face of the NHL.
I have to agree with bradley. Never before has the NHL, or any league for that matter, cared about what is the best "matchup." Time and time again the best action is pushed to the background for the teams that will get the biggest ratings. The reason the Pens game gets top billing in many areas of the country is Crosby. There's no more to it than that.
I agree. As well the CBC is livid because Canada wants to see the Sens in prime time (Saturday night - Hockey Night in Canada) Could have solved everyones problem and had the Rangers on NBC. Personally I enjoyed watching the Rangers/Thrashers game and I'm sure alot of American would have enjoyed it as well.
The NHL also sees that Malkin and Crosby sell jerseys which also means they sell the sport. Not saying that should play a factor in the decision, but I'm sure it did. They got it right though, because the Pens/Sens game was awesome that day.