News Article: Toronto Maple Leafs rebuild takes a bite out of Rogers’ bottom line

[Bluelines]

Looks like Rogers bought into the NHL at exactly the wrong time....

"Over a 30-week period, ratings for the early game on Hockey Night in Canada are down 18 per cent for the season. Later games out west are down 19 per cent on average.

On Sundays, where competition includes powerful U.S. cable draws such as The Walking Dead, event programming like the Super Bowl and Oscars as well as binge viewing on Netflix, Rogers’ own data shows Hometown Hockey ratings are down 34 per cent season-to-season.

Bottom line: for the Rogers deal to work, the Leafs must win."

or are they in at the wrong time ?...


Asked if he would still make the blockbuster NHL rights deal today, Moore said: “In a heartbeat. In an absolute heartbeat.â€


It's interesting he suggests a company like Twitter might be a competitor for rights when this deal expires.

Good article...

http://news.nationalpost.com/sports...ebuild-takes-a-bite-out-of-rogers-bottom-line

Click to read more...

 

[LV*]

Did they think HNIC would survive... I havent watched that **** all year lol

Its an absolutely awful product, as is hockey on Sportsnet.............. #FreeTSN

 

[A1LeafNation]

Leafs have been winning because of stupid shortcuts...everyone knows this by now.

 

[Bluelines]

Did they think HNIC would survive... I havent watched that **** all year lol

Its an absolutely awful product, as is hockey on Sportsnet.............. #FreeTSN

I'd be lying if I said I watch HNIC with the same regularity now. that I did 5 years ago. The problem with Rogers is they are a mess in anything they do. They are like the kid who leaps over a cliff into the ocean without looking to see what is below.

It a shame really that our beautiful game is in the hands of such a poor content owner.. Roger business strategy is to hope another entity (Leafs, Habs) can be successful. Not sure if that is a business model that I'd be comfortable with, if it were my money investing into a venture, I'd look for something more controllable..

 

[Bluelines]

Leafs have been winning because of stupid shortcuts...everyone knows this by now.

When were the Leafs winning?

 

[hullsy47]

Leafs have been winning because of stupid shortcuts...everyone knows this by now.

but just wait .....u get a full year of connor McDavid ,if the leafs make a huge sensible free agent signing or 2 HINT HINT ,plus if u get an austtin Mathews type ,which they are guaranteed ,rating will skyrocket ,besides the leafs will be playing meaningfull games next year ,I don't think rogers is hurting ,the product could be better ,but they .ve got all the the best hockey insiders ,what else can u do ,
its not every Canadian hockey fans fault Edmonton couldn't transform 5 no 1 overall picks into an nhl caliber team ..

 

[A1LeafNation]

When were the Leafs winning?

Oops...haven't

 

[Bluelines]

Oops...haven't

Those short cuts you speak of is exactly why Shanny hires, Lou, Babcock and Lamairre, when the bean counters come screaming that a slow approach is hurting the bottom line, and we all know in the end the bean counters influence the decisions makers, the strong personalities and experience of Babcock, Lou and Lamirre will hold more weight and will insulate Shanny from the numbers guy.

 

[SprDaVE]

Hahaha

 

[Larcos_Unal]

skinny pants Strombo is horrible

 

[Bluelines]

skinny pants Strombo is horrible

Yeah, not sure why they hired him... he tries to hard to be a smart interviewer... yer interviewing athletes..no need to treat them like they are Neil Degrasse Tyson and they have something earthshaking to say...

 

[garyjones93]

The product on ice hasn't been a problem, hell they were better to watch this year than the last 5 barring the lockout year. Funny enough they finished in the same area in the standings. What sucks is the broadcast, but Rodgers refuses to admit this, and until it they do it will continue to burn.

 

[Pookie]

at least he didn't predict next season's performance in this one.

He touches on long term view which is encouraging, I wonder how long their view is from the media side of the business?

At what point do they question the ability to alter the path?

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

 

[1Gold Standard]

If Rogers believe that the leafs struggles is the reason for poor ratings, then every executive with a VP title or hire working in the Golden Tower should be fired ASAP and without a golden parachute.

 

[Mad Brills*]

at least he didn't predict next season's performance in this one.

He touches on long term view which is encouraging, I wonder how long their view is from the media side of the business?

At what point do they question the ability to alter the path?

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

If they get matthews, I think he will bring the views up a bit.

That's why I think they can do a rebuild right, but it won't be 2 more tank seasons.

 

[Leafsman]

Here's a sure fire method to bump ratings back up.

Step 1 - Undo everything you did this season in regards to the broadcast.
Step 2 - 30 minute LIVE special airing the Firing of Glen Healy from giving him the news, to him clearing out his **** and finally following him to the parking lot where he drives off forever.
Step 3 - Joe Bowen - nuff said.
Step 4 - Quit messing with it -

 

[Stephen]

The Leafs era of contention will solve everything.

 

[Daisy Jane]

The Leafs era of contention will solve everything.

not if Sportsnet doesn't change their on air stuff.

if you can barely stand to watch HNIC etc, they'll only gain the percentage of people who aren't watching the rebuild on television. not the percentage who stopped watching, because HNIC sucks.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

Sportsnet/Rogers' product blows. Night and day compared to TSN. It's not the Leafs, it's mostly the crappy broadcast.

 

[Mad Brills*]

If they get stamkos or matthews, the casuals will watch. Big enough names drive the ratings.

 

[Kbs]

Rogers is so delusional. Maybe if their production value didn't suck and they didn't hire so many loudmouths, people would actually want to watch it.

 

[cookie]

Here's a sure fire method to bump ratings back up.

Step 1 - Undo everything you did this season in regards to the broadcast.
Step 2 - 30 minute LIVE special airing the Firing of Glen Healy from giving him the news, to him clearing out his **** and finally following him to the parking lot where he drives off forever.
Step 3 - Joe Bowen - nuff said.
Step 4 - Quit messing with it -

Step 5 - Change coach's corner to be about twice as long and with a 5 second delay to filter out any sort of... scripting issues.

---

While the rebuild will take a bite out of revenues, there's also cost savings associated with not only getting Dion and Phil off the books, it also includes the potential buy out penalties associated with the duo.

 

[Leafsman]

not if Sportsnet doesn't change their on air stuff.

if you can barely stand to watch HNIC etc, they'll only gain the percentage of people who aren't watching the rebuild on television. not the percentage who stopped watching, because HNIC sucks.

I sometimes tune into the Punjabi broadcast when the on-air staff are particularly irritating and I don't even know a single word of Punjabi - still beats the heck out of the knuckleheads they've hired for HNIC.

 

[Leafsman]

Step 5 - Change coach's corner to be about twice as long and with a 5 second delay to filter out any sort of... scripting issues.

---

While the rebuild will take a bite out of revenues, there's also cost savings associated with not only getting Dion and Phil off the books, it also includes the potential buy out penalties associated with the duo.

Step 6 - On air Live Special - Ron Maclean finally takes out all the pent-up aggression from the past several years on Don Cherry then celebrity boxing match.

Step 7 - Tribute show honouring Don Cherry who died of heart attack during celebrity boxing match.

 

[thewave]

If Rogers believe that the leafs struggles is the reason for poor ratings, then every executive with a VP title or hire working in the Golden Tower should be fired ASAP and without a golden parachute.

They are so out of touch. People slam that product left right and centre and they dont make the changes needed. People have hated Heals forever and Strom is a fish out of water.