Who is Going to Watch: NBC and NHL prepare for the finals that no one saw

[ChanceVegas]

How many different ways can we find to whine about Vegas' success? This is reaching ridiculous proportions.

There is a lot of interest in the Vegas story, and ratings will be fine.you go cry in your beer while hockey fans are watching to see if they can finish this off.

No kidding. I'm trying to figure out why the NHL would gift VGK a cup winner only to ensure their ratings would suffer in the process...

 

[madinsomniac]

Ratings decine coincide with the multitude of people utting the cord to basic tv and replacing it with internet options... the cost for a cable package with sports is absurd.. people are just opting to watch through other methods... many not tracked and some not legal... TV networks arelike newspapers... dated and almost obsolete... im pretty sure the commercials are sold to companies knowing that the broadcast is reaching a lot more than the typical ratings say... and are still willing to pay accordingly

 

[madinsomniac]

As for Vegas... im going to watch and root for them, but it is clear the nhl screwed up expansion as always.... they gave them far too much in the expansion draft and neglected to realize that the cap, free agency, and the fact that they were the only team entering this time made the process very favorable to them.... the nhl is run by mental midgets who always overcompensate for perceived issues....

But good for vegas... that town deserved a sports team that could draw attention right away

 

[IceNeophyte]

Teams that can't draw high ratings should have to win 5 out of 7 to advance in the playoffs.

That would be fun!

 

[dragonballgtz]

I watched more Vegas games than any other team this year. I'll watch the SCF but I refuse to listen to Doc and company.

 

[Pens x]

As for Vegas... im going to watch and root for them, but it is clear the nhl screwed up expansion as always.... they gave them far too much in the expansion draft and neglected to realize that the cap, free agency, and the fact that they were the only team entering this time made the process very favorable to them.... the nhl is run by mental midgets who always overcompensate for perceived issues....

But good for vegas... that town deserved a sports team that could draw attention right away

Stop blaming the NHL and start blaming the incompetent GM’s in the league. When Don Waddell gets a GM job and an expansion team makes it to the cup, it is time for the management of teams to look at themselves in the mirror.

 

[Pookie]

The ratings across the board have been up in these playoffs thanks in large part to Vegas. I don't see why that won't continue, especially in the U.S.

The expansion draft rules are another matter that the NHL should probably revisit but most likely won't.

Up relative to what? Previous years of decline?

Certainly not up relative to Fox and ABC.

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

I posted historical average data in the OP.

You posted comments from the hype/PR department who said these were the best ratings in 3 years.

Fact?

Best ratings in 3 years most likely means that the data from the 4th year was better. And it was. 1.8M viewers vs 1.4m.

And since they didn’t use any years from 2006 on, we can assume they don’t compare well either.

They had a choice to spin it any way they wanted. This was the best they had.

Let’s also acknowledge that this year’s comparables are on NBC vs NBCSN last year.

So, did you start a thread like this the last two years as well? You know, when the ratings were actually lower?

 

[66871]

Up relative to what? Previous years of decline?

Certainly not up relative to Fox and ABC.

Is this a hockey forum or something else? Why are you sweating the relative ratings of 3/4 of the major broadcast networks in a country in which you don't even live?

 

[nihlify]

As for Vegas... im going to watch and root for them, but it is clear the nhl screwed up expansion as always.... they gave them far too much in the expansion draft and neglected to realize that the cap, free agency, and the fact that they were the only team entering this time made the process very favorable to them.... the nhl is run by mental midgets who always overcompensate for perceived issues....

But good for vegas... that town deserved a sports team that could draw attention right away

I'll bet you the next expansion team given the same rules won't be near the cup. The expansion rules aren't the reason they are in the finals. It would have been a stretch to call the roster a borderline playoff team before the season, let alone cup winners.

 

[TheOtherOne]

If Vegas isn't an interesting storyline, then there's no such thing as an interesting storyline. Whether you like it or hate it, it's the most novel thing happening in hockey in decades.

 

[Icarium]

If Vegas isn't an interesting storyline, then there's no such thing as an interesting storyline. Whether you like it or hate it, it's the most novel thing happening in hockey in decades.

I don't know about that, that glowing puck was pretty rad.

 

[aufheben]

If Vegas isn't an interesting storyline, then there's no such thing as an interesting storyline. Whether you like it or hate it, it's the most novel thing happening in hockey in decades.

Idk man the Blackhawks and Kings taking turns in the SCF resonanted deep within my soul.

 

[BrokenFace]

Ever since the 2012 lockout I have stopped caring about the NHL's popularity. If the owners don't care about hockey growing then why should I?

 

[Shrimper]

I'll be tuning in at 1am to watch. Not bothered about the Conference Finals that much but can't not watch the SCF.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

 

[Pookie]

So, did you start a thread like this the last two years as well? You know, when the ratings were actually lower?

Can’t say I did.

But I can say I didn’t watch.

 

[Anisimovs AK]

The best in 3 years? So of 3 years worth of data, that Eastern Conference match up was the best?

3 choices. That one was the best of the 3.

Curious as to why the NBC Public Relations department didn’t use the last decade or since they held the contract in 2006.

Nothing to see there, eh?

You can actually go back and lool at the numbers yourself to figure it out. You wont of course, but the internet is a crazy place.


This Vegas-Winnipeg WCF has been the highest rated WCF that hasnt included Chicago. Remarkable considering Vegas is a small market and Winnipeg is a small, Canadian market

 

[Cubs2024wildcard]

Vegas making the Cup finals is as compelling a story as any in sport. Don't know what the issue is.

If it was, say the Oilers in the finals, unless it was the Rangers, nobody in the states would care. That would cripple ratings. Canadian teams in the finals are kryptonite in the states compared to this.

Not every team is a Blackhawks that can drive the league themselves to successful television ratings and rightly so. Why, even the Pens can't do that with their star power, it's a short list.

 

[Pookie]

Is this a hockey forum or something else? Why are you sweating the relative ratings of 3/4 of the major broadcast networks in a country in which you don't even live?

I’m not sweating anything.

I posted an observation with data involving 3 teams.

Seems the remaining Vegas “fans” we the ones sweating the fact that they might not draw big numbers.

If you don’t sweat it... why post in this thread?

 

[Pookie]

You can actually go back and lool at the numbers yourself to figure it out. You wont of course, but the internet is a crazy place.


This Vegas-Winnipeg WCF has been the highest rated WCF that hasnt included Chicago. Remarkable considering Vegas is a small market and Winnipeg is a small, Canadian market

Funny you saw I won’t look it up when that was the premise of this thread.

There are 13 data points. The NBC PR department used the last 3, including this year.

You do realize I’m not saying no one will watch? I am saying it’s a bad thing for the TV negotiations for the league.

 

[Legionnaire]

I haven't missed a Stanley Cup Final and it won't start this year either.

I do find it strange the they didn't have a Finals in 07 despite the fact there was no work stoppage/lockout. Hmm.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

I am not any less likely to watch the finals with Vegas in it than LA or New York. I expect most fans without a horse in the race are the same way.

 

[SotasicA]

I think Bettman needs to bring Vince McMahon in as a consultant to get some story lines going.

"The 2018 Stanley Cup will be decided in a HARDCORE match! No rules, no penalties, the special guest referee BRAD MARCHAND will only be there to count goals."

"Carlson, in his own zone, makes a pass to Ovechkin who... wrists the puck in his own net! BAH GAWD! Ovechkin takes off his jersey and reveals a Golden Knights sweater underneath! This can't be! Ovechkin has switched sides! Ovechkin and the Knights, together they are unstoppable!"

"The Capitals carry the puck in, Fleury prepares to make a save, but what is this? A masked man attacks him from behind! It's CONNOR HELLEBUYCK! He hits Fleury with a steel chair! He has no business being in this game! The Capitals score! Hellebuyck has screwed the Knights! The Caps have won it! BAH GAWD! Not this way!"

 

[Pookie]

Lulz

I mean if you said that you cared about hockey related revenue going up so that the cap could rise, I’d get it.

We are all a little tired of the Canadian teams doing all the heavy lifting.