Around the League: Playoffs II

[Replacement*]

I'm just curious what is next. Them losing a lot of fans due to no canadian teams being in is kinda scary.

Canadians have switched off the playoffs in alarming numbers.


http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/playoff-tv-ratings-down-a-shocking-61-percent-in-canada/

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/author/chris-zelkovich/

Myself I tend just to watch the odd game or period or OT. Given how frustrating the officiating has been, and with so little interest in many of the clubs playing, theres just no point watching more.

 

[joestevens29]

Is it really that big of a deal. Won't a lot of those folks be back as soon as their team makes the playoffs again?

The way things are going when is that going to be?

 

[joestevens29]

Canadians have switched off the playoffs in alarming numbers.


http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/playoff-tv-ratings-down-a-shocking-61-percent-in-canada/

Myself I tend just to watch the odd game or period or OT. Given how frustrating the officiating has been, and with so little interest in many of the clubs playing, theres just no point watching more.

I've had problems making it home for 5 puck drop, but otherwise I continue to watch. I can see how people would tune away though. The coaches challenge is now a tool to slow momentum down, which results in way too long of a break for the fans.

I don't think the NHL realized how many fair weather fans they really had.

 

[Replacement*]

I've had problems making it home for 5 puck drop, but otherwise I continue to watch. I can see how people would tune away though. The coaches challenge is now a tool to slow momentum down, which results in way too long of a break for the fans.

I don't think the NHL realized how many fair weather fans they really had.

The analysis of most pundits is that Canadian viewers didn't just shut off the TV's for playoffs that many of them did as early as January as it was so clear that most Canadian clubs were out of it. As the articles state who is going to tune in to watch Nashville after months of not watching the product.

The NHL has a real problem on its hands and Rogers has a real problem with advertisers. This product is not delivering anywhere near the audience it is supposed to. What this results in is once burned advertisers jumping board. Ultimately this feeds back into revenue for the broadcasters and the league.

Given how much NHL revenue is disproportionately Canadian based is any comments that deflect this being an issue is an attempt at saving face. In backrooms the NHL would be freaking out about this. 60% drop!

 

[Section337]

One area where the no Canadian teams probably hurts the worse is the growing tendency to cord cut. Sports often serves as a reason not to do it, but if there is no sports your particularly interested in...

I found myself holding off, because I usually get heavier into playoffs. But maybe because of the weather (ok, not the last few days) or just because the Oilers have finally crushed my hockey desires, there is not reason I should not be cutting the cord.

 

[McPuritania]

Is it really that big of a deal. Won't a lot of those folks be back as soon as their team makes the playoffs again?

Yeah, but the NHL is bushleague, who knows what they'll do. They can be pretty reactionary at times.

 

[doulos]

The way things are going when is that going to be?

The USA market is what matters anyways. Sure, Canadians might enjoy the early nice weather this year since their teams are out, but they will all be back the second their teams have success again.

I doubt the league cares much about the Canadian numbers. Frankly they probably love the fact that it's all US teams in there. But I could be wrong. Who knows with the NHL.

I've been really enjoying the playoffs this year though.

 

[Replacement*]

One area where the no Canadian teams probably hurts the worse is the growing tendency to cord cut. Sports often serves as a reason not to do it, but if there is no sports your particularly interested in...

I found myself holding off, because I usually get heavier into playoffs. But maybe because of the weather (ok, not the last few days) or just because the Oilers have finally crushed my hockey desires, there is not reason I should not be cutting the cord.

What has furthered this is the specifics of the current Rogers vs TSN NHL rights.

I naively thought this was going to mean more available broadcasts of other teams, regions. Especially given both channels carving out their multichannel packages on programming tiers. Yet I find 5 TSN tiers with in many cases all the games blacked out.

I would perhaps have more affinity and familiarity with the product if I was allowed to watch more games. More and more however teams I watch less have so much player turnover that I have limited interest in the teams or developing any interest in them.

That this shutting out of Canadian teams has occurred postcap is more unsettling. What this really means is the likelihood that this is far from a temporary state of affairs and that there is no easy solution. With several Canadian clubs in obvious rebuild mode this situation will get worse.

 

[doulos]

Yeah, but the NHL is bushleague, who knows what they'll do. They can be pretty reactionary at times.

True, though the NFL is incredibly reactionary at times as well, and they seem to be doing okay.

 

[joestevens29]

The analysis of most pundits is that Canadian viewers didn't just shut off the TV's for playoffs that many of them did as early as January as it was so clear that most Canadian clubs were out of it. As the articles state who is going to tune in to watch Nashville after months of not watching the product.

The NHL has a real problem on its hands and Rogers has a real problem with advertisers. This product is not delivering anywhere near the audience it is supposed to. What this results in is once burned advertisers jumping board. Ultimately this feeds back into revenue for the broadcasters and the league.

Given how much NHL revenue is disproportionately Canadian based is any comments that deflect this being an issue is an attempt at saving face. In backrooms the NHL would be freaking out about this. 60% drop!

I wonder if the NHL gives sportsnet more games and has them play all 30 teams on a regular basis. Not sure if having too many options makes things better or worse, but not being able to watch a team more than once every other week(at best for some) doesn't help promote the teams.

 

[Quality Oil]

I started out cheering for the Blues, but have now changed my allegiance to Chicago simply because I want to watch a good old-fashioned garbage fire in St. Louis this offseason, I am the ultimate bandwagoner it seems. It might be a misery loves company feeling...

Whatever the outcome tonight there will be fun storylines: Chicago's elimination record, Blues epic collapse, new stanley cup winner, etc. Win/win for neutrals everywhere if you care to watch these teams.

Hoping the Ducks sew it up tonight with a solid performance, they're looking like they will. Let's go Scorecoff and Cogs!

I'm getting pumped up already and its only noon! Hoping for a massive game 7, they almost always are. It's just a shame that the two games have to start in close proximity.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I only tune in sporadically for the playoffs. Outside of a couple series, the first round has been a bust.

 

[Quality Oil]

I only tune in sporadically for the playoffs. Outside of a couple series, the first round has been a bust.

What have you disliked the most? Refs have been a story, bad matchups, same teams underperforming...

I've only fully enjoyed the Blues/Hawks series. I found Red Wings/Bolts to be the least bearable and the other series relatively predictable.

 

[BlackDogg]

What have you disliked the most? Refs have been a story, bad matchups, same teams underperforming...

I've only fully enjoyed the Blues/Hawks series. I found Red Wings/Bolts to be the least bearable and the other series relatively predictable.

I really enjoyed the Kings/Sharks series the most, but the Blues/Hawks have also been good but haven't seen all the games. The wheels have fallen off the Blues once again which is interesting, but was still hoping they'd pull through. Hitchcock's term is done, so imagine that will be that.

The rest were not interesting at all.

 

[BlowbyBlow]

I don't think playoffs endear many Canadian fans because in any Canadian market there's only so many who cheer for other teams besides there home market.

However, high end hockey and rivalries draw interest. Could see Washington/Pitts draw intrigue.

As the competition stays high you have more hockey fans vs those who would choose only to cheer for there respective teams.

Canadian fans are a good outside market so to speak because they will cheer for good hockey vs picking a club solely.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

What have you disliked the most? Refs have been a story, bad matchups, same teams underperforming...

I've only fully enjoyed the Blues/Hawks series. I found Red Wings/Bolts to be the least bearable and the other series relatively predictable.

There are a lot of mediocre teams in the playoffs (Wings, Wild, Flyers, etc), and not enough overtime games.

Bad matchups, terrible refereeing, overall boring product...

And unless the Isles advance past the second round there's no darkhorse team unless Nashville wins (which they won't)

 

[Quality Oil]

I really enjoyed the Kings/Sharks series the most, but the Blues/Hawks have also been good but haven't seen all the games. The wheels have fallen off the Blues once again which is interesting, but was still hoping they'd pull through. Hitchcock's term is done, so imagine that will be that.

The rest were not interesting at all.

I completely forgot about the Sharks series until you mentioned it just now, that was a very good series, I guess that's a damning testament to how truly invested I've been. You're right about Hitch, regardless of the outcome the writing is on the wall - I wonder if that will play in to his ability to motivate the team tonight or go for the long run with Quennville.

There are a lot of mediocre teams in the playoffs (Wings, Wild, Flyers, etc), and not enough overtime games.

Bad matchups, terrible refereeing, overall boring product...

And unless the Isles advance past the second round there's no darkhorse team unless Nashville wins (which they won't)

There were a lot of last minute 'decisions' taking away our first round overtime games (I've been a broken record about reffing so I'll just leave it at that). The matchups are also so poorly lopsided as to make me wonder how much the talent has diluted across the league, where we now have very clear cut #1-#8 seeds - similar in nature to how basketball playoffs usually end up: with very few surprises.

 

[Philly85*]

the product is pretty mediocre to bad overall

Pitt (to an extent)
Washington
NYI (kinda not really)
Tampa is irrelevant
Florida was irrelevant, albeit slightly more engaging because of Jagr, Luongo and some other guys

Chi
STL (not as entertaining)
SJ
Dallas
LA (now out, and could appreciate them but were not very pleasing to watch)

don't really care for Anaheim or Nashville, both are a bit of a tossup in terms of likability/entertainment value.

I would say at the top of the food chain, both in terms of aesthetics and general appeal (mostly because of history and personalities) you have Chicago and Washington currently, followed by Pittsburgh, SJ to an extent and then everyone else.

It's been pretty mediocre so far IMO. The Dallas/Minnesota series was a mess, seriously.

Raptors are going for a deep run (although no one nationally really cares yet) and the Jays are back. Plus hockey fans in Canada by and large aren't fans of the game itself so much as a fan of their home team. And the Rogers SportsNet deal cannot be understated. People ****ing hate it across the country, hockey fans but even Raptors fans too. That's turning people off. So I'd say all in all it's expected.

 

[t0nedeff]

the product is pretty mediocre to bad overall

Pitt (to an extent)
Washington
NYI (kinda not really)
Tampa is irrelevant
Florida was irrelevant, albeit slightly more engaging because of Jagr, Luongo and some other guys

Chi
STL (not as entertaining)
SJ
Dallas
LA (now out, and could appreciate them but were not very pleasing to watch)

don't really care for Anaheim or Nashville, both are a bit of a tossup in terms of likability/entertainment value.

I would say at the top of the food chain, both in terms of aesthetics and general appeal (mostly because of history and personalities) you have Chicago and Washington currently, followed by Pittsburgh, SJ to an extent and then everyone else.

It's been pretty mediocre so far IMO. The Dallas/Minnesota series was a mess, seriously.

Raptors are going for a deep run (although no one nationally really cares yet) and the Jays are back. Plus hockey fans in Canada by and large aren't fans of the game itself so much as a fan of their home team. And the Rogers SportsNet deal cannot be understated. People ****ing hate it across the country, hockey fans but even Raptors fans too. That's turning people off. So I'd say all in all it's expected.

I didn't realize 2-2 series for the Raptors meant they were going on a long run.

 

[syz]

I'd watch more playoff games if they were on TSN.

 

[joestevens29]

I didn't realize 2-2 series for the Raptors meant they were going on a long run.

More than the 4 they made it last year.

 

[joestevens29]

I'd watch more playoff games if they were on TSN.

Miller is on NBC unfortunately he's paired up with McGuire

I miss Miller and Cuthbert doing pbp

 

[Philly85*]

I didn't realize 2-2 series for the Raptors meant they were going on a long run.

I meant they have the intention and expectations of going on a deep run, not that its going to happen

 

[joestevens29]

I meant they have the intention and expectations of going on a deep run, not that its going to happen

That's essentially every sports team in Toronto every year. Kinda hard to tell when they should actually go somewhere when listening to the media.

 

[Philly85*]

That's essentially every sports team in Toronto every year. Kinda hard to tell when they should actually go somewhere when listening to the media.

well, having watched this team since their inception and being a die hard Raptor fan since about 1998, this is by far the best, deepest roster assembled since 2001. They are the 2 seed and have a good record against playoff teams, beat Indy in the season series... everything is in line for a trip to the ECF. have to get by the Pacers though. Sorry, back to hockey.