Ed Snider: "We will have another cable network other than ESPN."

[GKJ]

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/hockey/12150208.htm

ESPN had reportedly agreed to pay the league $60 million for the 2004-05 season before it failed to materialize. Then it chose not to exercise a $70 million-per-year option on the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. There is still a chance that it could televise games, but not if Snider has his say.

"We will have another cable network other than ESPN," Snider said. "ESPN, in the last few years, didn't do a good job for hockey and, quite frankly, I'm glad they are gone. They tried to take advantage of us, and I'm predicting we will go in another direction."

In response to that, ESPN spokeswoman Diane Lamb said: "No one has done more to promote and market the NHL than ESPN, and it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise."

Click to read more...

 

[Dr Love]

In response to that, ESPN spokeswoman Diane Lamb said: "No one has done more to promote and market the NHL than ESPN, and it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise."

Only because FOX set the bar so low that even ESPN could jump over it.

 

[Zoo]

I'm hoping ESPN picks up the NHL again. Cause if they don't where ****ed downunder.

 

[Roger's Pancreas*]

In response to that, ESPN spokeswoman Diane Lamb said: "No one has done more to promote and market the NHL than ESPN, and it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise."

ESPN hasn't done s____ to promote hockey. They put on crap announcers that don't understand the sport, they use camera men with ADHD, and take away air time of this sport to replace it with texas hold em.

 

[ranold26]

In response to that, ESPN spokeswoman Diane Lamb said: "No one has done more to promote and market the NHL than ESPN, and it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise."

I bet 100k that Diane Lamb wouldn't know the difference between icing and offside. ESPN and her should stay focused on becoming the "MTV" of sports...... No substance, just manufactured style.
Good riddance.

 

[Melanson]

In response to that, ESPN spokeswoman Diane Lamb said: "No one has done more to promote and market the NHL than ESPN, and it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise."


Does she really expect us to believe that ESPN has promoted hockey as much as their other programming?!?!?

Didn't they create shows/movies about football, poker, auto racing? How many promos have we seen for the ESPY's? How about the fact that the Yankees/Red Sox game was moved to 6pm yesterday to accomodate the ESPY's?

How many times have you heard people on ESPN radio say "I don't really follow hockey". Isn't it their job to follow all sports? You would never hear them say that about other sports. Why is it okay to say that about hockey as if it is somehow acceptable?

ESPN is not at the root of hockey's media exposure or ratings problem....but they certainly haven't been a solution either IMO.

 

[Motown Beatdown]

Snider is way out of line with his comments. The NHL needs ESPN more than ESPN needs the NHL. They are getting as good if not better rating than what they did in the NHL time slots.

 

[puck57]

Oh really Ms. Lamb- how EXACTLY has ESPN done more to promote and market the NHL than anyone else?? Let's see:
You drop NHL2night and many times- especially during college football you never knew exactly it would come on after the college games were over.
The only time hockey was a lead story was when there was a "scandle"- like Bertuzzi or JR's comments, etc.
On the radio, commentators make fun of the sport in between saying they know nothing about the sport or could care less about it- and they have said so in just about those words.
Hockey has been treated as a bothersome step kid by the network plain and simple in recent years.
ESPN reduces the number of games year by year they would telecast.
I have often thought if ESPN had put in even 1/10th the effort into hockey as they do their golden sports- especially football and college football then I would have been happy.
I could go on and on but this is just the start. If this is doing the best marketing and promoting the sport- I would hate to see when they are not promoting it.

 

[GKJ]

I'll never forget Tom Tolbert the night that Brian Boucher broke the shutout record...


"Congradulations to Bobby...Bobby Boucher! Haha!"

 

[kmad]

I've heard before that Spike TV was looking to pick up NHL hockey

 

[Dr Love]

Does she really expect us to believe that ESPN has promoted hockey as much as their other programming?!?!?

That's not what she's saying. She's not relating it to their promotion of other sports, she's comparing their promotion of hockey to other's promotion.

Which is a joke, because only FOX and ESPN have carried it, and FOX made fools out of themselves.

 

[Skk82]

In response to that, ESPN spokeswoman Diane Lamb said: "No one has done more to promote and market the NHL than ESPN, and it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise."

if by promoting she means laughing at, mocking, predicting doom, and easily brushing it away (like the on-air talking heads did when the agreement was announced) than i agree.

 

[HughJass*]

I've heard before that Spike TV was looking to pick up NHL hockey

Well, that is the wish of many fans. Spike TV (i.e., Man TV) and hockey sounds like a perfect marriage.

 

[Old Hickory]

In response to that, ESPN spokeswoman Diane Lamb said: "No one has done more to promote and market the NHL than ESPN, and it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise."

Bud Light has easily done more to promote Hockey than ESPN.

I hope Spike TV or TNT gets it

 

[ScottyBowman]

This is classic. Snider accused ESPN of trying to take advantage of them with revenue sharing. LOL.

 

[Makel]

Aright guys, If ESPN doesn't come back who do we prefer to televise our games? NBC?

Right after Day's of our Lives, NYI vs. NYR!

 

[Mess]

Snider is way out of line with his comments. The NHL needs ESPN more than ESPN needs the NHL. They are getting as good if not better rating than what they did in the NHL time slots.

Maybe Snider should offer his Comcast Company's services to the NHL to televise Hockey Games Nationally ..

 

[RangerBoy]

Comcast Sports Net and Fox Sports Net will more than likely have the rights to the NHL on cable in the U.S.Both parties have enough affiliates in the United States to put together a national broadcast of the NHL or maybe form a sports channel to take on ESPN.The NFL Thursday night package is still available.Throw in the NHL.There is your sports network.Considering all of the major cable operators in the U.S. are connected in so many ways,gaining clearance on the cable systems will not be a problem

 

[rekrul]

Well, that is the wish of many fans. Spike TV (i.e., Man TV) and hockey sounds like a perfect marriage.

Bettman has been premoting HDTV as a savior for hockey,Spike or TNT doesn't have a HD presence right now. spike TV would make as much sence as going to Sportschanel in the late 80's. ESPN may do a horrid job of promoting but the NHL should be more proactive if they don't like the job being done and be involved. Without a national TV contract this league can kiss growth to 2.1 billion and beyond goodbye.

 

[ScottyBowman]

Bettman has been premoting HDTV as a savior for hockey,Spike or TNT doesn't have a HD presence right now. spike TV would make as much sence as going to Sportschanel in the late 80's. ESPN may do a horrid job of promoting but the NHL should be more proactive if they don't like the job being done and be involved. Without a national TV contract this league can kiss growth to 2.1 billion and beyond goodbye.

I have TNT-HD on comcast.

 

[Dr Love]

Bud Light has easily done more to promote Hockey than ESPN.

Good point.

Comcast Sports Net and Fox Sports Net will more than likely have the rights to the NHL on cable in the U.S.Both parties have enough affiliates in the United States to put together a national broadcast of the NHL or maybe form a sports channel to take on ESPN.The NFL Thursday night package is still available.Throw in the NHL.There is your sports network.Considering all of the major cable operators in the U.S. are connected in so many ways,gaining clearance on the cable systems will not be a problem

I can't see this happening. Comcast competes with FSN in Chicago and Atlanta, and Comcast are pretty demanding in what they give and get in contracts. I don't see them wanting to join forces with FSN, or FSN wanting to join forces with them. But who knows. It all depends on how much they'll make.

 

[RangerBoy]

Snider is way out of line with his comments. The NHL needs ESPN more than ESPN needs the NHL. They are getting as good if not better rating than what they did in the NHL time slots.

The NHL is pissed at ESPN.How many comments has Mark Shapiro made about all of these programs beating the NHL in the ratings?Nice way for ESPN to promote the product by saying bass fishing gets better ratings

 

[ScottyBowman]

The NHL is pissed at ESPN.How many comments has Mark Shapiro made about all of these programs beating the NHL in the ratings?Nice way for ESPN to promote the product by saying bass fishing gets better ratings

You can't promote a product that sucks. My dad has been a fan since the 60's but during the past few years he got fed up and hasn't even watched the playoffs because of all the clutching and grabbing. IMO, blaming ESPN is a cop out.

 

[RangerBoy]

Good point.

I can't see this happening. Comcast competes with FSN in Chicago and Atlanta, and Comcast are pretty demanding in what they give and get in contracts. I don't see them wanting to join forces with FSN, or FSN wanting to join forces with them. But who knows.

I heard Darren Dreger of Sportsnet on the Team1200 in Ottawa two weeks mention it was almost a done deal with Comcast-FSN acquiring the rights to the cable package.Dreger said it has a 90% chance of happening

 

[Weary]

Only because FOX set the bar so low that even ESPN could jump over it.

Yeah. Fox did nothing to promote the sport. Never mind that they showed many more games than ABC. Never mind that they covered more than one game per week in the hopes of generating regional interest. Never mind that they constantly promoted the NHL during other broadcasts. Never mind that they tried to promote the stars and make them something other than guys with helmets. Never mind that they tried to develop story lines each week to catch the interest of non-hockey viewers.

What was their reward for those efforts? A bunch of whining hockey fans trashing them and the NHL ditching them because ABC offered more money.

Maybe with the next television contract will give NHL fans what they deserve -- which isn't much.