Rangers vs. Sabres Sunday on NBC best thing for hockey?

[xDerekRx]

I have to agree with ESPNs Hradek

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=hradek_ej&id=2853685

The NHL got a perfect situation (other than having Crosby play the Rangers). On Sunday 2pm NBC they were able to get the Sabres, who have the best local TV and probably area following ratings wise with the New York Rangers. To top it off the game ran 2 OTs which draws attention and it ran over the 2 hour Barbaro special so random people probably latched onto and watched the finish. To top it off the Rangers won so alot of casual fans might have latched on as well.

I will be very interested to see the national rating. Anyone thing a 1.5-2.0 is possible?

Click to read more...

 

[jBuds]

This was huge for the NHL. Good article, and good game. It had it all.

 

[Eichel 9]

They got screwed! All the Barbaro people probably tuned in and were like "What is this ice soccer sport?" and turned it off

 

[trueblue9441]

i think we can pull in a 2.. i hope we beatt the nba playoffs for the day i really do.

 

[Jazz]

I called in a post last week that a Buffalo - NY Rangers match would draw higher than average ratings due to Buffalo's regional high ratings and that the Rangers are the only team New Yorkers apparently care about....

I did also wonder while watching the game go in OT if those tuning in to watch Barbaro might inflate those numbers in any small way.

I guess we'll find out on Monday....

 

[Blades of Glory]

i think we can pull in a 2.. i hope we beatt the nba playoffs for the day i really do.

No chance. Golden State-Dallas will have registered a ridiculously high rating in the Bay Area, IMO, which trumps up the rest of the nation. Same with the Lakers in LA>

 

[rmchahn]

The one thing that worries me is that if there are more lengthy games like that one, the NHL will tinker with the overtime in the playoffs to try to end the game sooner for U.S. television..

Should not touch playoff overtime.

 

[jsginsocal]

I'd guess the more likely figures would be a 1.2 or 1.3 (Still considerably higher then last week).

 

[Fugu]

Was there ever doubt that a couple of good teams in the state of New York could survive? Or that this type of match up would boost regional interest? I personally don't believe the problem has been regional interest. The goal of expansion was to establish a bigger footprint across the country, so until you see Southern California, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, et. al., tuning in.... Is there anything specifically about the Rangers being in the playoffs that would draw people in those markets to this game?

 

[Fugu]

I'd guess the more likely figures would be a 1.2 or 1.3 (Still considerably higher then last week).

Hey, great call. Kukla's Korner just posted the rating.

Game 3 of the Rangers/Sabres series drew a 1.3 rating and a 3 share in the overnight ratings.

 

[jsginsocal]

Hey, great call. Kukla's Korner just posted the rating.

Ouch - that is overnight ratings too.... Overnight ratings are more inflated than the final figures...

 

[xDerekRx]

Hey lets remember the NFL draft dominated the weekend and the NBA playoffs along with mid round, 2nd round NHL Playoffs on a nice Sunday afternoon WITH Yankees/Sox on. A 1.3 Id have to say is pretty darn good.

 

[xDerekRx]

NBC Sees 44% Jump For Double-OT Sabres-Rangers Game
NBC's Overnight Rating
For Sabres-Rangers Up 44%

NBC earned a 1.3/3 overnight Nielsen rating for its national coverage of the double-overtime Sabres-Rangers Game Three yesterday from 2:00-6:15pm ET, up 44.4% from a 0.9/2 for the comparable Avalanche-Ducks Game Two during last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. The net’s national coverage of Sharks-Red Wings Game Two on Saturday earned a 1.0/2 overnight, down 9.1% from a 1.1/3 for coverage of the Devils-Hurricanes Game One last year (THE DAILY).

VERSUS: Wednesday’s Rangers-Sabres Game One on Versus earned a 25.2 rating in Buffalo despite airing opposite a two-hour edition of “American Idol.†The rating was about 250% higher than the average of the Sabres-Islanders first-round series on MSG (BUFFALO NEWS, 4/28). In Denver, Terry Frei wrote Versus’ coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs has been a “solid package, including supplemental coverage from Canadian television and terrific work in the studio from analysts Brain Engblom†and Keith Jones. They “strike the balance between information and entertainment, and they don’t shy away from saying what they think and criticizing.†But Versus’ “biggest problem –- or perhaps it is the NHL’s problem –- is that the general sports fan doesn’t ‘stumble’ on NHL games, as often happened whn the games were on ESPN†(DENVER POST, 4/29).

 

[jsginsocal]

NBC Sees 44% Jump For Double-OT Sabres-Rangers Game
NBC's Overnight Rating
For Sabres-Rangers Up 44%

NBC earned a 1.3/3 overnight Nielsen rating for its national coverage of the double-overtime Sabres-Rangers Game Three yesterday from 2:00-6:15pm ET, up 44.4% from a 0.9/2 for the comparable Avalanche-Ducks Game Two during last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. The net’s national coverage of Sharks-Red Wings Game Two on Saturday earned a 1.0/2 overnight, down 9.1% from a 1.1/3 for coverage of the Devils-Hurricanes Game One last year (THE DAILY).

VERSUS: Wednesday’s Rangers-Sabres Game One on Versus earned a 25.2 rating in Buffalo despite airing opposite a two-hour edition of “American Idol.†The rating was about 250% higher than the average of the Sabres-Islanders first-round series on MSG (BUFFALO NEWS, 4/28). In Denver, Terry Frei wrote Versus’ coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs has been a “solid package, including supplemental coverage from Canadian television and terrific work in the studio from analysts Brain Engblom†and Keith Jones. They “strike the balance between information and entertainment, and they don’t shy away from saying what they think and criticizing.†But Versus’ “biggest problem –- or perhaps it is the NHL’s problem –- is that the general sports fan doesn’t ‘stumble’ on NHL games, as often happened when the games were on ESPN†(DENVER POST, 4/29).

Good to see the strong increase - definitely should beat a game aired last year with Anaheim involved. Anaheims local ratings are miniscule.
Good point in your earlier post about the strong competition with NFL Draft, NBA Playoffs, etc...Hopefully the strong ratings can carry over into the coming weeks.

 

[xDerekRx]

Overnight Nielsen Ratings From Weekend Sports Events
The following lists overnight Nielsen ratings from weekend sports events (THE DAILY).

"NASCAR Countdown"
4/28
ABC
2:30-3:00pm
0.9/2

NASCAR Busch Series: Aaron's 312
4/28
ABC
3:00-6:15pm
2.1/5

"College Basketball's Ten Greatest Shooters"
4/28
CBS
2:00-3:00pm
0.6/2

Golf: PGA Tour: EDS Byron Nelson Championship: Third Round
4/28
CBS
3:00-6:00pm
1.1/3

MLB: (regional)
(Red Sox-Yankees, 76% coverage)
4/28
Fox
3:45-7:30pm
3.3/8

Championship Off-Road Racing (taped)
4/28
NBC
2:00-3:00pm
0.6/2

NHL: Western Conference Semifinals:
Sharks-Red Wings: Game Two
4/28
NBC
3:00-6:00pm
1.0/2

"NBA Countdown"
4/29
ABC
12:30-1:00pm
1.4/4

NBA: Eastern Conference First Round:
Bulls-Heat: Game Four
4/29
ABC
1:00-3:30pm
3.2/6

NBA: Western Conference First Round:
Suns-Lakers: Game Four
4/29
ABC
3:30-6:00pm
4.3/10

Amp'd Mobile AMA
Supercross Series: Seattle
4/29
CBS
12:00-1:00pm
0.8/2

American Le Mans Series:
Lone Star Grand Prix (taped)
4/29
CBS
1:00-3:00pm
0.6/1

Golf: PGA Tour: EDS Byron Nelson Championship: Final Round
4/29
CBS
3:00-6:00pm
1.6/4

NASCAR Nextel Cup: Aaron's 499
4/29
Fox
2:30-5:45pm
5.1/12

National Heads-Up Poker Tournament (taped)
4/29
NBC
12:00-2:00pm
1.2/3

NHL: Eastern Conference Semifinals:
Sabres-Rangers: Game Three
4/29
NBC
2:00-6:15pm
1.3/3

 

[MLH]

At 6:00 the game drew a 40.0 rating in Buffalo and a 4.0 rating in NY. Overall, a 1.8 rating in NY and I'm still waiting on the overall local rating in Buffalo.

 

[bcrt2000]

Maybe they should just start the NHL season a month earlier so that it ends before baseball and the nba playoffs get going.

 

[GKJ]

Maybe they should just start the NHL season a month earlier so that it ends before baseball and the nba playoffs get going.

That or end it after the NBA playoffs, although I don't think many people would share the sentiment I have for playing hockey in July...

 

[guyincognito]

I called in a post last week that a Buffalo - NY Rangers match would draw higher than average ratings due to Buffalo's regional high ratings and that the Rangers are the only team New Yorkers apparently care about....

I did also wonder while watching the game go in OT if those tuning in to watch Barbaro might inflate those numbers in any small way.

I guess we'll find out on Monday....

It didn't. When the final number comes in, it'll do slightly better or equal to what
Game 1 of the Devils/'Canes last year, even in the NY market. Which isn't too good
considering that game was an epic beating.

The secret is starting to come out, the Rangers don't have fans either.

Bettman should be dragged out of his office and dumped on a garbage barge heading to Staten Island. The league is dying on TV and TV = perception. Where else are
you going to raise a new generation of morons willing to spend tons and tons of money to attend the games? Gate is the only thing that's keeping this ship floating. I think it's safe to say that the horse eulogy would have gotten a higher number and it barely beat its' taped poker lead-in.

 

[jsginsocal]

It didn't. When the final number comes in, it'll do slightly better or equal to what
Game 1 of the Devils/'Canes last year, even in the NY market. Which isn't too good
considering that game was an epic beating.

The secret is starting to come out, the Rangers don't have fans either.

Bettman should be dragged out of his office and dumped on a garbage barge heading to Staten Island. The league is dying on TV and TV = perception. Where else are
you going to raise a new generation of morons willing to spend tons and tons of money to attend the games? Gate is the only thing that's keeping this ship floating. I think it's safe to say that the horse eulogy would have gotten a higher number and it barely beat its' taped poker lead-in.

Well, seeing as how towards the end of the game the ratings were more than double the average for the whole game in the NY market (4.0) I highly doubt that the horse eulogy would have posted higher ratings.

 

[guyincognito]

Well, seeing as how towards the end of the game the ratings were more than double the average for the whole game in the NY market (4.0) I highly doubt that the horse eulogy would have posted higher ratings.

The numbers picked up after six, that's when the people come around looking for
the news.

Unless someone has quarter hours and can show me that it was a steady increase and not just a spike.

The horse eulogy definately would have pulled a higher national number. The Saturday game barely got a better number than Sunday's Nascar *pregame* show.

 

[xDerekRx]

Lots of fans in New York for the Rangers. The knicks drew like a 0.2 local while the Rangers drew something like 1.9 earlier this year.

The key is HD TV

 

[dkatzism]

The secret is starting to come out, the Rangers don't have fans either.

Bettman should be dragged out of his office and dumped on a garbage barge heading to Staten Island. The league is dying on TV and TV = perception. Where else are
you going to raise a new generation of morons willing to spend tons and tons of money to attend the games? Gate is the only thing that's keeping this ship floating. I think it's safe to say that the horse eulogy would have gotten a higher number and it barely beat its' taped poker lead-in.

The first bold statement is beyond idiotic. You don't get a million people to go to a Stanley Cup parade down Broadway and many more to watch on TV if you don't have any fans. Can't say the same about parades held in parking lots, then, can I?

The second bold statement is the real problem here. The league has no visibility. NHL commercials are only on during NHL games. Nationally televised games only generate regional interest. And there are no really misbehaving players to get the league attention on the news. Chris Simon was the league's biggest story this year, and that was for all the wrong reason. Bottom line: the league is run by people who have little to no idea what they're doing. And David Stern is loving it.

 

[Block More Shots]

The fact of the matter is that your not going to MAKE people like Hockey. The United States is always going to be Baseball/Football/Basketball first. They can try everything they can to get the NHL higher ratings but it just won't work.

I know plenty of people who will watch games occasionally and will watch playoff hockey, but there aren't enough diehard hockey fans in the United States.

I could care less what the ratings are, to be honest. As long as I can watch the Rangers on TV, I'm happy.

 

[MayDay]

The fact of the matter is that your not going to MAKE people like Hockey. The United States is always going to be Baseball/Football/Basketball first. They can try everything they can to get the NHL higher ratings but it just won't work.

Everything changes over time. I'm not saying things will be different 5 years from now. But 50 years from now, who knows what the sports landscape will look like.

The NFL was not always the 800-pound gorilla it is today. For decades, baseball was the unquestioned "national pasttime" and football was more of a niche sport, odd-ball offshoot of rugby. Things have changed.

Saying that the sports hierarchy in the US will "always" be the same is foolish. Things always change over time.