Difference in How NBA and NHL are Covered

Spungo*

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NHL ratings take a small hit and the sky is falling, the NHL is dying, the NHL needs ESPN, nobody cares about hockey, the sport and the league are a joke, having teams in the US is a mistake, etc.

Anybody type "NHL" into Google news during the finals? At THE VERY LEAST, 50% of the news articles concerned themselves with nothing but low television ratings. This from a sport that has had terrible ratings for the past 50 years. If something hasn't changed in 50 years, is it still "news"?

Type NBA into Google news today. Maybe one or two articles about lower than expected ratings... BUT those articles are full of nothing but excuses. The Sopranos cost the NBA big ratings, Spurs are just too good and that's why ratings are lower than expected, etc.

Can you imagine the NHL sending two american markets to the finals, not to mention having arguably the leagues biggest star (James), and seeing ratings sink to ALL-TIME LOWS? The American media would anal **** the NHL worse than it usually does during the finals.

Hockey has a lot of problems now, but the biggest is the American media and it's treatment of hockey. I LOVE how almost every article mentions ESPN as the cure for hockeys woes... if you do a little digging, you'll see the exact same journalist anal ****** the NHL while it was on ESPN 3 years ago for having low ratings, etc. ESPN didn't do jack squat for the NHL. I'm sorry, but showing one highlight before the end of the show on Spotscenter didn't grow the game any.
 
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frivolousz21

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May 17, 2007
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the difference is basically about 1 million people.

if Buffalo made the finals...that would add some where from 500K to 1 mil extra viewers.

so logically the numbers on versus would of been atleast 1.1 to 1.3..which is low but much higher than they got.

and nbc from 2.5 to 3.5 each game.

if you took out Anahiem and added Det...the nbc numbers might of pushed 3.5 to 4.0

which would be 1.5 to 2.0 less than the 5 somethings the GREAT NBA has.

Lebron cant get anyone to watch...how nice
 

Spydey629

Registered User
Jan 28, 2005
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Food for thought...

One of the Pittsburgh Morning Shows brought up an interesting point today... they were discussing the Sopranos finale, but it does have a point.

One of the personalities said that he was told that with all the new technology (DVR, TiVo, etc), take any Neilson rating and double it. That will give the true ratings now, since almost all of America is living life on tape delay.

Doubling all of the NHL's "horrible" ratings suddenly makes the league respectable again...
 

X0ssbar

Guest
So if they are using the Sopranos as the excuse for the 29% drop in game 2's ratings -- what the excuse for the 19% drop in game 1?

Your dead on in the first post....NBA's ratings have stunk and while their overall viewship for their finals is still much higher than the NHLs their overall decreases are higher -- and all you hear is pin drops or excuses in the US media. Its a rediculous double standard and a stigma that the NHL has to somehow shake loose of.
 

CHiCaGoMiSSioN95

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Jun 7, 2007
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Mississauga, ON
Couldn't agree with you more. Outside of Bettman, the main reason for the downfall in TV Ratings for Hockey in America is because the American media wants Hockey to fail. I hardly ever read an article when I'm in the States that doesn't mention something negative about the NHL or even Hockey itself. They always figure someway to take stabs at it. It continously bashes it. It's sick. Whoever controls the media controls the mind. Remember that because that's exactly what happens in America day in and day out. Not only with the way media treats sports, but in the real life news and what ESPN does to sports fans too.
 

Pnut

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I totally agree Spungo, something interesting to add, on espn Steven A Smith walked down some "famous" boardwalk in San Antonio and he kept on bumping into Dallas Mavrick fans in San Antonio, it probably took him a few minutes to finally get a Spurs fan and he said "oh we were goign to sweep the Cavs" what a load of dump. I feel like if anaheim or one of these "southern bowl" teams make a run at winning a couple in row, you will see hockey grow. then they have the audacity to say a team like the Spurs who could win 4 titles in 9 years? that is not even one every oher year, they never even won 2 in a row, the oil won 5 outta 7yrs, the pens won 2 in a row and the only returning player on all 4 teams is TiMMy DuncAN. what a joke. You can look at the Pens 2 in a row , the Oil Dynasty the Isles Dynasty and the Habs Dynasty they all kept the core team in tact.........but not to get off the NBA is losing just like the NHL ratings, 1 small market team is fine in the finals but Clevland and San Antonio? And also one team with "value" (so says forbes.com) except the Spurs, with TimmY! and the LeBron cavs? Man I feel that a Oil vs. Isles rematch in the SC finals would do much better on 2 lame networks like NBC and VS, let alone sucky ESPN. Ugh!
 

Pnut

Guest
Couldn't agree with you more. Outside of Bettman, the main reason for the downfall in TV Ratings for Hockey in America is because the American media wants Hockey to fail. I hardly ever read an article when I'm in the States that doesn't mention something negative about the NHL or even Hockey itself. They always figure someway to take stabs at it. It continously bashes it. It's sick. Whoever controls the media controls the mind. Remember that because that's exactly what happens in America day in and day out. Not only with the way media treats sports, but in the real life news and what ESPN does to sports fans too.

I have to disagree, I dont feel that the media controls the mind, the AMerican people can see lame pols any day(i wont say the presidents name here), I feel like the media does get blame on some things because it has the same old skit about hockey: they have a record on repeat that hockey isnt watched by anyone and look how low the ratings are! (but they dont really care about history, like many hockey fans know about, or that these were 2 great teams in Ottawa and the Ducks) And especially ESPN and ABC who are showing the NBA finals arent going to even mention the low ratings, they are stupid but not that dumb. But they do have it in because they diont make money on that. Media is partly to blame but the Networks Conglomerates are much more at fault.

Whoever controls the media controls the mind...and its always been for the other party that you dont support right? this is innapropriate for this board because 1-it is off topic and 2- wrong.... because you are obviously talking about politics and not this subject of NBA ratings and NHL ratings
 

Sotnos

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Couldn't agree with you more. Outside of Bettman, the main reason for the downfall in TV Ratings for Hockey in America is because the American media wants Hockey to fail. I hardly ever read an article when I'm in the States that doesn't mention something negative about the NHL or even Hockey itself. They always figure someway to take stabs at it. It continously bashes it. It's sick. Whoever controls the media controls the mind. Remember that because that's exactly what happens in America day in and day out. Not only with the way media treats sports, but in the real life news and what ESPN does to sports fans too.
If the American media wants hockey to "fail", then the Canadian media is just more selective about where they want it to fail.

Anyway, I agree with the original premise, though NHL fans also tend to be more cynical & critical. Look at half the topics on this board as an example. Hard to say though if that stems from the media's treatment of the sport or vice-versa.
 

sandman08

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Dec 12, 2003
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I totally agree Spungo, something interesting to add, on espn Steven A Smith walked down some "famous" boardwalk in San Antonio and he kept on bumping into Dallas Mavrick fans in San Antonio, it probably took him a few minutes to finally get a Spurs fan and he said "oh we were goign to sweep the Cavs" what a load of dump. I feel like if anaheim or one of these "southern bowl" teams make a run at winning a couple in row, you will see hockey grow. then they have the audacity to say a team like the Spurs who could win 4 titles in 9 years? that is not even one every oher year, they never even won 2 in a row, the oil won 5 outta 7yrs, the pens won 2 in a row and the only returning player on all 4 teams is TiMMy DuncAN. what a joke. You can look at the Pens 2 in a row , the Oil Dynasty the Isles Dynasty and the Habs Dynasty they all kept the core team in tact.........but not to get off the NBA is losing just like the NHL ratings, 1 small market team is fine in the finals but Clevland and San Antonio? And also one team with "value" (so says forbes.com) except the Spurs, with TimmY! and the LeBron cavs? Man I feel that a Oil vs. Isles rematch in the SC finals would do much better on 2 lame networks like NBC and VS, let alone sucky ESPN. Ugh!
that'd be the riverwalk on the rio grande.. damn are there ever some amazing restaurants down that way and is it cool to walk down (for various reasons)

anyways.. i agree with spungo fully
 

Granlund2Pulkkinen*

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NBA gets much more exposure on the news because of Crime and stuff like that.

Hockey players are too humble.
 

Cawz

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So if they are using the Sopranos as the excuse for the 29% drop in game 2's ratings -- what the excuse for the 19% drop in game 1?

Your dead on in the first post....NBA's ratings have stunk and while their overall viewship for their finals is still much higher than the NHLs their overall decreases are higher -- and all you hear is pin drops or excuses in the US media. Its a rediculous double standard and a stigma that the NHL has to somehow shake loose of.

Its not just the US media. Its the fans as well. All you hear about by the fans is how great the sport used to be, how the NHL cant control head shots, how the officials are terrible, how boring the play is becasue of clutching and grabbing, how boring the play is becasue the refs call too many clutching and grabbing penalties...

Its the "in" thing to whine about the league. The US media, Canadian media and hockey fans are all guilty of that.

I have no idea how the NHL can shake that stigma.
 

jkrdevil

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Apr 24, 2006
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Its not just the US media. Its the fans as well. All you hear about by the fans is how great the sport used to be, how the NHL cant control head shots, how the officials are terrible, how boring the play is becasue of clutching and grabbing, how boring the play is becasue the refs call too many clutching and grabbing penalties...

Its the "in" thing to whine about the league. The US media, Canadian media and hockey fans are all guilty of that.

I have no idea how the NHL can shake that stigma.

You hear that from fans of every sport though. The difference you hear it in the media about hockey a lot more and since it's in the media it gets picked up b fans more. As mentioned a lot of the US media don't like the sport and want to see it fail and a lot of the Canadian media are snobs about the sport and don't like the Commissioner just because he is from New York and worked in the NBA previously and thus want to see what the call his plan (even though it was started well before he came to the league) fail.
 

CHiCaGoMiSSioN95

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Jun 7, 2007
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Mississauga, ON
I have to disagree, I dont feel that the media controls the mind, the AMerican people can see lame pols any day(i wont say the presidents name here), I feel like the media does get blame on some things because it has the same old skit about hockey: they have a record on repeat that hockey isnt watched by anyone and look how low the ratings are! (but they dont really care about history, like many hockey fans know about, or that these were 2 great teams in Ottawa and the Ducks) And especially ESPN and ABC who are showing the NBA finals arent going to even mention the low ratings, they are stupid but not that dumb. But they do have it in because they diont make money on that. Media is partly to blame but the Networks Conglomerates are much more at fault.

Whoever controls the media controls the mind...and its always been for the other party that you dont support right? this is innapropriate for this board because 1-it is off topic and 2- wrong.... because you are obviously talking about politics and not this subject of NBA ratings and NHL ratings

The quote applies to everything in America.

Most casual sports fans in America talk about Hockey as if it's a joke (even though it's not-it's just they don't understand the game).

Years ago, Hockey was never talked about as negatively in the States as it is now. It's not like the Sport got dramatically less exciting. That's pretty much impossible.

So then where do you think all the bashing of Hockey comes from? Many Americans hate it because they're hypnotized by what the media says. Most assume the media is right.

And, it does apply to TV Ratings. 15 years ago, NHL was more popular than the NBA. So, how are our TV Ratings all of the sudden significantly lower now?

It's because ESPN gives the NBA hundreds times more attention than the NHL. They completely ignore the NHL. That's why the NHL hardly gets any of the casual sports fans.

ESPN basically controls the millions of stooges that tune in onto that network on a daily basis. They ignore the NHL. Hence, nearly all of these casual sports fans don't pay attention to Hockey.

And, that's all added up into the TV Ratings lately.

Then, of course what the original poster mentioned. The media doesn't ridicule the NBA when they underacheive in TV Ratings as nearly as much as they do for the NHL.

All the casual sports fans here about the NHL is how the TV Ratings are so low. Hearing that negativity about the NHL won't entice them to watch it.
 

jkrdevil

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Apr 24, 2006
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The quote applies to everything in America.

Most casual sports fans in America talk about Hockey as if it's a joke (even though it's not-it's just they don't understand the game).

Years ago, Hockey was never talked about as negatively in the States as it is now. It's not like the Sport got dramatically less exciting. That's pretty much impossible.

So then where do you think all the bashing of Hockey comes from? Many Americans hate it because they're hypnotized by what the media says. Most assume the media is right.

And, it does apply to TV Ratings. 15 years ago, NHL was more popular than the NBA. So, how are our TV Ratings all of the sudden significantly lower now?

I agree the NHL gets bashed more now and there is more a focus on the business side but the NHL was not more popular than the NBA then. The ratio of NHL to NBA ratings is about the same but the NBA has always had higher ratings than the NHL. Unfortunately the NHL's popularity back then is more of a myth and is overstated. I've always wondered if this myth would exist if OJ's car chase didn't interrupt the NBA finals in 1994?
 

kdb209

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Jan 26, 2005
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And, it does apply to TV Ratings. 15 years ago, NHL was more popular than the NBA. So, how are our TV Ratings all of the sudden significantly lower now?

Bzzt. Wrong answer, thanks for playing - here are some lovely parting gifts.

15 years ago, the NHL was NOT in any size shape or form more popular in the US than the NBA.

Please, save yourself some embarassment and do not bring up that mythical SI piece from June '94 - http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=346372.

At this mythical peak in '94, the NBA finals got a 12.6 rating on ABC (a record low BTW) and the Cup finals got a 1.8 on ESPN.
 

erikson*

Guest
NHL ratings take a small hit and the sky is falling, the NHL is dying, the NHL needs ESPN, nobody cares about hockey, the sport and the league are a joke, having teams in the US is a mistake, etc.

Anybody type "NHL" into Google news during the finals? At THE VERY LEAST, 50% of the news articles concerned themselves with nothing but low television ratings. This from a sport that has had terrible ratings for the past 50 years. If something hasn't changed in 50 years, is it still "news"?

Type NBA into Google news today. Maybe one or two articles about lower than expected ratings... BUT those articles are full of nothing but excuses. The Sopranos cost the NBA big ratings, Spurs are just too good and that's why ratings are lower than expected, etc.

Can you imagine the NHL sending two american markets to the finals, not to mention having arguably the leagues biggest star (James), and seeing ratings sink to ALL-TIME LOWS? The American media would anal **** the NHL worse than it usually does during the finals.

Hockey has a lot of problems now, but the biggest is the American media and it's treatment of hockey. I LOVE how almost every article mentions ESPN as the cure for hockeys woes... if you do a little digging, you'll see the exact same journalist anal ****** the NHL while it was on ESPN 3 years ago for having low ratings, etc. ESPN didn't do jack squat for the NHL. I'm sorry, but showing one highlight before the end of the show on Spotscenter didn't grow the game any.

I agree that NBA ratings are very low, and the MLB playoffs suffered last season.
However, I really think the fact people on here see this as GOOD news, and evidence the NHL is not struggling is really biased homerism.

It's pretty sad when the best evidence you have for the sport not being in trouble or lacking popularity is "Well everybody else is struggling too," when that is your card, you know you got problems.

When your reassurance is somebody elses failure that shows how off you are.

The fact is sports in general besides the NFL don't rate high unless big market teams play, however the NHL's ratings while following the trend of the NBA are ASTRONIMICALLY low.

The NBA's ratings would be record high's for the NHL, if the NHL had those ratings Bettman would cream.
As bad as the NBA is, at least they can out rate the Andy Griffith reruns.

Come on folks, be honest, we all like hockey but let's not sound like dolts.
 

Raoul Duke*

Guest
And Andy Griffith reruns surely will outweigh reruns of "Mama's Family" - one show that killed the NHL finals on US TV ratings. Or "Build a Better Burger" - that tripled the NHL's US ratings on NBC....

People can say "oh it's all flawed, because they don't take into account sattelite TV".

Problem there is, that if they don't take it in for the NHL Finals... they also don't take them in for "Build a Better Burger". Nielsen doesn't select and choose which shows to take satellite ratings from.

And NFL, NBA and MLB games are all on the same scale. Unless, of course, none of these games are available on satellite....

I guess only the NHL runs that way, right?
 

erikson*

Guest
And Andy Griffith reruns surely will outweigh reruns of "Mama's Family" - one show that killed the NHL finals on US TV ratings. Or "Build a Better Burger" - that tripled the NHL's US ratings on NBC....

People can say "oh it's all flawed, because they don't take into account sattelite TV".

Problem there is, that if they don't take it in for the NHL Finals... they also don't take them in for "Build a Better Burger". Nielsen doesn't select and choose which shows to take satellite ratings from.

And NFL, NBA and MLB games are all on the same scale. Unless, of course, none of these games are available on satellite....

I guess only the NHL runs that way, right?
The NHL is not popular overall in America, that's a fact.
Debate the exactness of ratings and overall trend in most sports, the NHL proportional is much lower than virtually any sport.
It's time to not be in denail.
The general public is not even aware, nor cares, about the sport even being out of season.
 

Raoul Duke*

Guest
Yet, in Canada, we all have June 22 circled on our calenders to watch the NHL draft.
Primetime.

:yo:
 

CHiCaGoMiSSioN95

Registered User
Jun 7, 2007
19
0
Mississauga, ON
Bzzt. Wrong answer, thanks for playing - here are some lovely parting gifts.

15 years ago, the NHL was NOT in any size shape or form more popular in the US than the NBA.

Please, save yourself some embarassment and do not bring up that mythical SI piece from June '94 - http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=346372.

At this mythical peak in '94, the NBA finals got a 12.6 rating on ABC (a record low BTW) and the Cup finals got a 1.8 on ESPN.

Okay, I guess I was wrong then. I had heard otherwise.

No need to insert all those personal, immature stabs at me though.

I wasn't even a member here when that thread was made by the way, so I don't know anything about it.
 
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Sotnos

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So then where do you think all the bashing of Hockey comes from? Many Americans hate it because they're hypnotized by what the media says. Most assume the media is right.
By the same token, where does all the Canadian bashing of southern US NHL teams & their fans stem from? The media. Heck, even TSN got in on the act this year when previously they've been above all that mess. Why are you only blaming the US media for the NHL's problems? This is just as much a problem in my book.
 

Spungo*

Guest
I agree that NBA ratings are very low, and the MLB playoffs suffered last season.
However, I really think the fact people on here see this as GOOD news, and evidence the NHL is not struggling is really biased homerism.

It's pretty sad when the best evidence you have for the sport not being in trouble or lacking popularity is "Well everybody else is struggling too," when that is your card, you know you got problems.

When your reassurance is somebody elses failure that shows how off you are.

The fact is sports in general besides the NFL don't rate high unless big market teams play, however the NHL's ratings while following the trend of the NBA are ASTRONIMICALLY low.

The NBA's ratings would be record high's for the NHL, if the NHL had those ratings Bettman would cream.
As bad as the NBA is, at least they can out rate the Andy Griffith reruns.

Come on folks, be honest, we all like hockey but let's not sound like dolts.

According to this years TV ratings, approximitely 3 times as many people watched the NBA finals compared to the Stanley Cup finals (2's vs. 6's). Big deal. In 1994, it was 6 times (1.8 vs. 12). So tell me how hockey is in "big trouble" again?
 

Spungo*

Guest
And Andy Griffith reruns surely will outweigh reruns of "Mama's Family" - one show that killed the NHL finals on US TV ratings. Or "Build a Better Burger" - that tripled the NHL's US ratings on NBC....

People can say "oh it's all flawed, because they don't take into account sattelite TV".

Problem there is, that if they don't take it in for the NHL Finals... they also don't take them in for "Build a Better Burger". Nielsen doesn't select and choose which shows to take satellite ratings from.

And NFL, NBA and MLB games are all on the same scale. Unless, of course, none of these games are available on satellite....

I guess only the NHL runs that way, right?


And "Americas Got Talent"... a show hosted by Jerry frreakin' Springer DESTROYED, HUMILIATED, OBLITERATED the NBA Finals.

It's time to stop acting like sheep and accept neality. The NHL's ratings have always been terrible. Nothing has changed. The league isn't going to collapse. ESPN did nothing for them.

Stop accepting the BS the Anerican media shoves down your throat. The NHL has never depended on TV ratings.
 
Jan 19, 2006
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Hockey looks terrible on standard definition TV. It takes a die hard fan to watch it.

I expect that the hockey ratings will see a little bump once high def sets/feeds are the norm. It's not just the fact that it looks so darned good and it's not that you can see the puck. You can simply see more of the ice surface on the wider screen. Personally I think it makes a big difference.

I also think that eventually the NHL will have their own station. (The Versus deal is a forerunner of this move). The future of TV is not the major networks - it's specialized stations & time delay (TiVO, DVR's, Media center PC's, etc.) I think the NHL will thrive in that environment. It may never pass the NBA, MLB, etc in "popularity", but it will be lucrative for the owners & players and enjoyable for the fans. Isn't that what really matters?
 

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