NHL close to new cable TV deal...

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:55 pm

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132876

A bad cable deal is better than no deal. OLN isn't exactly ESPN but maybe they'll give hockey a little more special attention. Since Lance Armstrong retired from cycling, they've got nothing else to show. I still plan on picking up the Center Ice package after I get my new apartment. I didn't know the NBC deal was still on...I wonder how many games they'll show. As long as OLN and NBC show playoff games, I'll be happy.

JD · Post by JD » Tue Aug 09, 2005 2:05 pm

Well, I don't know if it's a BAD cable deal, considering from what I can gather from the article, it's worth $30M more than what ESPN was going to pay if they picked up the option.

I'm all for it anyhow, since it means more hockey on TV for me. Unlike, ESPN, OLN is actually available in Canada.

Cross Traffic · Post by **Cross Traffic** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 2:59 pm

I have OLN on the Directv sports pack, but only 2 games a week? Center Ice is definitely a must this season.

SoCalTrjn · Post by **SoCalTrjn** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 9:02 pm

the Queens games will still be on Fox Sports West, besides its not like ESPN had the Kings on very often

Rack Fu · Post by **Rack Fu** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 10:54 pm

I think that being relegated to OLN officially ends the NHL being classified as a major sport. It has been unofficially declassified as such for years but this definitely sealed the deal.

JD · Post by JD » Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:27 pm

Rack Fu wrote:I think that being relegated to OLN officially ends the NHL being classified as a major sport. It has been unofficially declassified as such for years but this definitely sealed the deal.

Well you can just keep yourself busy trying to classify the game, and I'll keep myself busy by watching and enjoying the games on the ice.

I mean, honestly, if you like hockey, WATCH IT!! Who fuckin' cares what everyone else thinks, or what the local sports hacks want to say about its place in the world. I think one of the things that the NHL has been getting themselves in trouble with in recent times is trying to cater to people who don't even like hockey.

fix · Post by **fix** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:48 am

JD wrote:
Rack Fu wrote:I think that being relegated to OLN officially ends the NHL being classified as a major sport. It has been unofficially declassified as such for years but this definitely sealed the deal.
Well you can just keep yourself busy trying to classify the game, and I'll keep myself busy by watching and enjoying the games on the ice.

I mean, honestly, if you like hockey, WATCH IT!! Who fuckin' cares what everyone else thinks, or what the local sports hacks want to say about its place in the world. I think one of the things that the NHL has been getting themselves in trouble with in recent times is trying to cater to people who don't even like hockey.

[marq=right]HUGE FUCK'N RACK[/marq]][marq=left]HUGE FUCK'N RACK[/marq]

Instead of allowing hockey to thrive and grow the game in the individual markets that wanted and supported it with sold out buildings, they tried to make appealing to everyone on a national stage in the U.S.
So what if it doesn't take in rural Texas or Mississipi.. nobody there is going to care or notice if it's thriving in Columbus Ohio.
Just quit trying to force it down the throats of people in places where it will never take hold in and concentrate on keeping and growing the fan base in geographic regions of teams whose buildings are sold out or close to being sold out.

Of course it might have helped market the sport if one of Bettman's hawks and owner of a team in one of the U.S's largest markets had allowed his team's home games to be televised for the past 13 years... :roll:

Cross Traffic · Post by **Cross Traffic** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 5:12 pm

Yeah, the AHL Wolves are a bigger draw than the Hawks are, who wants to drive to the shit part of town, when you can watch good hockey in the suburbs.