Pre-Season Blackout

[GetOutTheClubs]

The NHL Network lists three Bruins games as part of their pre season schedule. Game one September 26 v. Washington was blacked out on the NHL Network while NESN / NESN+ didn't cover the game. The other two games are September 30 v. NY Islanders and October 4 v. Detroit. Email the Bruins to carry the games on NESN or lift the blackout on the NHL Network.


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[Mainehockey33]

How about NESN worries about tonights game that isn't broadcast at all...

 

[JoeIsAStud]

How about NESN worries about tonights game that isn't broadcast at all...

Well it is far to late for anyone to impact the decision to broadcast tonight's game.

There is potentilly time for people to impact the blackout or non blackout of the 2 remaining games to be shown on the NHL network.

 

[Lost Horizons]

Nesn is already broadcasting the Islanders and Detriot games on the 30th and the 4th. In reality with Nesn+ there is no excuse for them not to air all the games that are being broadcast. The real reason porobaly has to do with the Sox sucking and them being worried that a pre-season B's game will outdraw a Red Sox game.

 

[GordonHowe]

Nesn is already broadcasting the Islanders and Detriot games on the 30th and the 4th. In reality with Nesn+ there is no excuse for them not to air all the games that are being broadcast. The real reason porobaly has to do with the Sox sucking and them being worried that a pre-season B's game will outdraw a Red Sox game.

No, as mentioned in another thread, the real reason is that NESN doesn't make any money on these games. Broadcasting games isn't cheap. As someone remarked, it's simply cheaper to run a bunch of Charlie Moore crap.

 

[Lost Horizons]

No, as mentioned in another thread, the real reason is that NESN doesn't make any money on these games. Broadcasting games isn't cheap. As someone remarked, it's simply cheaper to run a bunch of Charlie Moore crap.

Teams still sell commercials during the preseason.Every other team broadcast's the majority of their pre-season games. Last night the Caps had their usual crew doing the game. In fact the caps are broadcasting six games either on comcast or nhln.The Nesn are broadcasting two. The Nationals are broadcast on MASN so there is no competing interest on the same channel. Nesn always favors the Sox over the B's. Hell you just had to look at a few years ago when Nesn chose to air a sox game in April over the B's playoff clinching game. There is a market for preseason games but if it looks like the B's numbers are going to make the Sox look bad they aren't going to air them.Nesn=Sox first.

 

[Gee Wally]

NESN is a business. If the numbers ($$$$$) were in favor of broadcasting, they would broadcast.


They can't sell commercials to cover broadcast costs and profit if the viewership isn't there.

It's not personal, just business.

 

[Lost Horizons]

NESN is a business. If the numbers ($$$$$) were in favor of broadcasting, they would broadcast.


They can't sell commercials to cover broadcast costs and profit if the viewership isn't there.

It's not personal, just business.

Call me crazy but I think a per-season b's game can get more viewers and commercials then the likes of Softball 360,Raceline or Dining Playbook with Billy & Jenny
The only difference between them and the B's is their air time isn't opposite the precious Red Sox

 

[Gee Wally]

Call me crazy but I think a per-season b's game can get more viewers and commercials then the likes of Softball 360,Raceline or Dining Playbook with Billy & Jenny
The only difference between them and the B's is their air time isn't opposite the precious Red Sox

We are the lunatic fringe and would watch. Not so much others .

The shows that are on are nearly zero cost as they are taped and only require a tech at a studio to press a button. It's apples and oranges.

Really, it comes down to making money. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[talkinaway]

Yeah, NESN has to move their crew, cameras, etc., get folks in the Boston studio, fly out Jack, Brick and not-Jaime to Detroit...it's expensive.

But seriously, at the very least they could stream it online, like they did Wednesday, with radio commentary in the background. Hell, the radio guys don't even necessarily have to travel, do they? They could watch the same stream, and delay it 5 seconds for us to add commentary.

The blackout last night on NHLN was inexcusable, IMO. I don't know who or what caused it, but that's just bad business to offer the game to the rest of the country, and to not allow it to be broadcast in your home market. Again, perhaps it was NESN, protecting their Sox/Yankees game....but even with a meaningless, Jeter-less game, that should be a bigger draw naturally, shouldn't it?

 

[Gee Wally]

Even if the Sox fart, more viewers tune in.

Sad, but real.

 

[ReggieMoto]

NESN is a business. If the numbers ($$$$$) were in favor of broadcasting, they would broadcast.


They can't sell commercials to cover broadcast costs and profit if the viewership isn't there.

It's not personal, just business.

So, I actually believe you; what you say is true. I don't and won't deny it.

However, that doesn't explain the fact that NHLN-US, scheduled to air the game, -- and in fact did air the game in other markets -- blacked out the Boston fan base. We don't know why. We suspect it could have been a result of some sort of arrangement NESN has with respect to the market ownership and licensing.

1. If that's true, that NESN holds the license, what is the logic in them not allowing NHLN to broadcast it since NESN wasn't? Would it be something along the lines of, "If we can't make money at this then no one will?" That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

2. If it wasn't that NESN forbade the broadcast, then what sense is there in blacking out the region if there was money to be made, even if the assumption might prove to be incorrect?

I get the "money" logic; I don't see the application here.

 

[GetOutTheClubs]

NESN is a business. If the numbers ($$$$$) were in favor of broadcasting, they would broadcast.


They can't sell commercials to cover broadcast costs and profit if the viewership isn't there.

It's not personal, just business.

Last night I couldn't have cared less about NESN. There was no local TV so the Bruins should have made sure the national feed was available to the local audience. It wouldn't have cost jj a nickle.

 

[OLD51JOHN]

As The Birdies Say CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP

 

[Ladyfan]

Even if the Sox fart, more viewers tune in.

Sad, but real.

It sucks. Why bother having NESN plus if you are not going to use it?
Oh and the NHL channel sucks too

 

[ReggieMoto]

Oh and the NHL channel sucks too

Yeah, but it's HD suckage.

 

[Lost Horizons]

I don't think it's any coincidence that both B's pre-season games scheduled to air on Nesn or Nesn+ both occur after the Red Sox season is over. Most people would have preferred to see a pre-season game between the caps vs b's then the B's vs Isle. The two they picked were for a reason and that reason's season ends tomorrow.

 

[eightspokedb]

Even if the Sox fart, more viewers tune in.

Sad, but real.

That's my line -

But couldn't it be on radio? How expensive can it be to rig up two tin cans and a string? j/k

 

[Artemis]

So, I actually believe you; what you say is true. I don't and won't deny it.

However, that doesn't explain the fact that NHLN-US, scheduled to air the game, -- and in fact did air the game in other markets -- blacked out the Boston fan base. We don't know why. We suspect it could have been a result of some sort of arrangement NESN has with respect to the market ownership and licensing.

1. If that's true, that NESN holds the license, what is the logic in them not allowing NHLN to broadcast it since NESN wasn't? Would it be something along the lines of, "If we can't make money at this then no one will?" That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

2. If it wasn't that NESN forbade the broadcast, then what sense is there in blacking out the region if there was money to be made, even if the assumption might prove to be incorrect?

I get the "money" logic; I don't see the application here.

Yeah, I don't expect NESN to broadcast pre-season games, especially on the road. What has me scratching my head is a blackout of a road game that ISN'T being broadcast regionally. Makes zero sense.

 

[mikelvl]

Yeah, I don't expect NESN to broadcast pre-season games, especially on the road. What has me scratching my head is a blackout of a road game that ISN'T being broadcast regionally. Makes zero sense.

You sum up my thinking on this too. Utter BS to black out a road game. And Gee Wally, your posts remind me why you are a Hall Of Famer

 

[Replicator]

Yeah, I don't expect NESN to broadcast pre-season games, especially on the road. What has me scratching my head is a blackout of a road game that ISN'T being broadcast regionally. Makes zero sense.

Yep. It's totally nonsensical.

And I notice that the NHL Network Twitter feed now has added "(Local blackouts apply)" disclaimer on announcing the games since the complaints about last night.

 

[Dellstrom]

If NESN can send 1000 people to Florida and cast Spring Training for a month, they can send a crew to Detroit/Long Island/Montreal to broadcast a game...

People are dying for Bruins hockey. The Patriots are barely winning against ****** teams. The Celtics are irrelevant for another 5 years. The Red Sox just had an incredibly forgettable season. Unless the Patriots kick it up it's going to be a Bruins fall, winter, and spring.

I get it's expensive, but they're raising ticket prices on us. That's expensive. Don't see why they can't suck it up.

 

[Lost Horizons]

Yep. It's totally nonsensical.

And I notice that the NHL Network Twitter feed now has added "(Local blackouts apply)" disclaimer on announcing the games since the complaints about last night.

nhln has always had the local blackout disclaimer. It might be new on twitter but they've always had it. They always would say that on the air that's why when the b's are playing nesn and nhln are broadcasting the game nhln airs another game in place of the b's game on the network. Last night was just flat out dumb since nesn balked at showing the game.

 

[PlayMakers]

The blackouts are a slap in the face to the fans and they do it every year. I know we're on the fringe but it can't cost that much to steam the games. Hell, I'd even pay to watch, like Fasthockey or AHL/WHL/OHL Live.

 

[Flannelman]

NESN is a business. If the numbers ($$$$$) were in favor of broadcasting, they would broadcast.


They can't sell commercials to cover broadcast costs and profit if the viewership isn't there.

It's not personal, just business.

GWs - but if they can't sell it, that (to me) is more of an indication that their sales team sucks. I believe ap3lover had said it would cost no less than 10K for production costs but he did indicate that it could be much more for a typical sports broadcast. Now, I'm not in that industry but I've got to expect they get more dollars for advertisement revenue based on the volume of viewers - a sliding scale - B's pre-game should surely outweigh re-runs of an annoying fisherman, but that's just me.

The other alternative for them, would be to start NESN.com subscriptions and broadcast only to members willing to pay for exclusive content - like this, full-interviews, behind the scenes (locker-room/practice snippets, etc., That's business they're missing out on in my eyes and I think the operational costs would be minimal for what they could charge viewers for exclusive content. Within their exclusive subscription content, their video could dedicate part of the screen to advertisements.

There's always room for more business and more profits they just haven't thought of how to better take advantage of their viewership - and that's going to cost them more in the long-run.

But I'm also just a greedy B's fan.