USA-Russia QF out-rated by TV Poker on ESPN

[Jazz]

I don't get it...

USA vs Russia last week, the QF game noless, drew 380,000 viewers on ESPN2....

Meanwhile, the TV Poker on ESPN drew over 1.4million...

go figure...

I've asked before if the event was marketed at all in the US, and that post did not draw many responses...this is sad..

Apologies if this has already been posted...

Click to read more...

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

I don't get it...

USA vs Russia last week, the QF game noless, drew 380,000 viewers on ESPN2....

Meanwhile, the TV Poker on ESPN drew over 1.4million...

go figure...

I've asked before if the event was marketed at all in the US, and that post did not draw many responses...this is sad..

Apologies if this has already been posted...

It did get some advertisement, more than I expected actually. However, ESPN markets the World Series of Poker to no end. Its now one of ESPN's biggest weekly draws, and a very rapidly growing "sport." Plus last week was one of the final weeks of the main poker event (like a week or two before the finals), so it was going to draw big. Unfortunately, thats just the way things are going for hockey in America right now. The one thing I take satisfaction in is that even though it isnt doing well on TV, the attendance isnt too bad, it actually draws similarly to the NBA attendance, so there are plenty of American hockey fans out there.

 

[Canuck21t]

It did get some advertisement, more than I expected actually. However, ESPN markets the World Series of Poker to no end. Its now one of ESPN's biggest weekly draws, and a very rapidly growing "sport." Plus last week was one of the final weeks of the main poker event (like a week or two before the finals), so it was going to draw big. Unfortunately, thats just the way things are going for hockey in America right now. The one thing I take satisfaction in is that even though it isnt doing well on TV, the attendance isnt too bad, it actually draws similarly to the NBA attendance, so there are plenty of American hockey fans out there.

How can card games can be considered as sport is beyond me.

 

[Thresher]

World Poker Tour public relations agent Jackie Lapin said the FIRST airing of the World Poker Tour on NBC (opposite the Super Bowl) brought in higher ratings than the NHL All-star game...

and I recall reading somewhere that a rerun of the Cosby Show attracted more viewers then one of the SCF games

 

[chicpea*]

I can't wait 'til the World Electronic Slot Machine Championships outdraw the WJCs on ESPN2 even though the US is hosting...

 

[Brad*]

and I recall reading somewhere that a rerun of the Cosby Show attracted more viewers then one of the SCF games

Yeah but talking about pudding is funny.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I can't wait 'til the World Electronic Slot Machine Championships outdraw the WJCs on ESPN2 even though the US is hosting...

As the defending champion...... When are people going to get the fact that hockey will never have even moderate television ratings in this country? The NHL doesn't get any attention, why would a relatively obscure junior tournament fare any better? Hockey is a regionalized sport that people enjoy in the winter. CASE CLOSED. Despite all that, we do okay when it comes to producing players, and participating in international events. I think it's even safe to say the future is bright.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I don't get it...

USA vs Russia last week, the QF game noless, drew 380,000 viewers on ESPN2....

Meanwhile, the TV Poker on ESPN drew over 1.4million...

go figure...

I've asked before if the event was marketed at all in the US, and that post did not draw many responses...this is sad..

Apologies if this has already been posted...

One question: Why do you care? I NEVER see the American posters on this site wasting their time with this kind of stuff. Hockey is just not a big part of our culture, plain and simple. It's a regionalized sport enjoyed in the winter, live, by a relatively small amount of people. It's like baseball in Canada, or basketball in Italy. People like it, play it, but it just doesn't operate in the mainstream all that much. The U.S. is Football (pro/college) and everything else. Nothing more needs to be said. IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE PEOPLE!!!

 

[GKJ]

It did get some advertisement, more than I expected actually. However, ESPN markets the World Series of Poker to no end. Its now one of ESPN's biggest weekly draws, and a very rapidly growing "sport."

People don't watch the WSOP because it's thrilling and exciting.



People watch it so they can study the best players in the world and what they do so they can go to the card table and do it themselves. They watch their actions and their strategies, and anyone who is into gambling and card games would probably be wise to do the same.

 

[Leaf Army]

Does anyone know how hockey ratings typically compare to basketball ratings in the US?

 

[GKJ]

Does anyone know how hockey ratings typically compare to basketball ratings in the US?

Not even close.

 

[Leaf Army]

Not even close.

I figured as much, but I thought I remembered something about Basketball television ratings also being somewhat weak. I could be wrong though.

 

[Dr Love]

I don't get it...

It's not that hard. Hockey is, at best, the 7th most popular sport in the US. In no order the NFL, NCAA Football, NBA, NCAA Basketball, Baseball, Golf, and NASCAR are all far more popular.

 

[Higgy4]

This should come to NO suprise to anyone. The World Series of Poker is one of the hottest shows on ALL of television right now.

 

[Kickabrat]

It's not that hard. Hockey is, at best, the 7th most popular sport in the US. In no order the NFL, NCAA Football, NBA, NCAA Basketball, Baseball, Golf, and NASCAR are all far more popular.

Actually, pro bowling also draws bigger TV audiences and more americans bowl than play hockey. A good high school footbal game in the US will sometimes draw just as many fans and sometimes more than at some NHL games in the US. Hockey just doesn't turn that many americans on.

Bring back the Jets and Nordiques!

 

[Apples]

Right now, dodgeball is getting better ratings than hockey. I don't think ESPN did much promoting though, probably because they are out of the NHL telecast business now.

 

[Dr Love]

Actually, pro bowling also draws bigger TV audiences and more americans bowl than play hockey. A good high school footbal game in the US will sometimes draw just as many fans and sometimes more than at some NHL games in the US. Hockey just doesn't turn that many americans on.

Bring back the Jets and Nordiques!

I didn't put bowling on the list, or tennis, gymnastics, and figure skating, because they're not on TV on a regular basis every week, and thus the ratings for those are somewhat inflated.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I figured as much, but I thought I remembered something about Basketball television ratings also being somewhat weak. I could be wrong though.

It's all relative. Everything is weak when compared to the NFL, but sports like basketball (college and the NBA) stand up well on their own, especially weh compared to hockey.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Actually, pro bowling also draws bigger TV audiences and more americans bowl than play hockey. A good high school footbal game in the US will sometimes draw just as many fans and sometimes more than at some NHL games in the US. Hockey just doesn't turn that many americans on.

Bring back the Jets and Nordiques!

Yet the NHL wouldn't exist today if it wasn't for American teams and American dollars. It's romantic to suggest bringing back the Nordiques or Jets, but it's not going to happen with the current economic climate.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Right now, dodgeball is getting better ratings than hockey. I don't think ESPN did much promoting though, probably because they are out of the NHL telecast business now.

The NHL is beyond promotion in my mind. People either like it or they don't. There will never be a revolutionary jump in the overall impact of the sport in the U.S. IMO.

 

[zeppelin97]

The NHL is beyond promotion in my mind. People either like or don't. There will never be a revolutionary jump in the overall impact of the sport in the U.S. IMO.

I don't believe that. Not when cars circling an oval draws good ratings. The NBA was in the dumps in the 70's (many franchises were almost bankrupt) but it managed to explode in popularity. Also, who would have guessed 10 years ago that womens tennis would get more attention than mens? Just saying that its possible for hockey's popularity to grow, just as other venues have.

The NHL just needs to market better. If nascar can grow its audience, theres every reason to believe hockey can also. Something first needs to be done with the trap, or whatever tight defensive scheme you call it.

 

[(lone)Yashinfan#79]

you have to figure, other than Minnesota, Michigan, New England, and tri-state area (NY/NJ/Penn), there's a very sparse viewership for hockey.
most of the in-between states would rather watch div. 1-a football than pro hockey.
as disappointing as these ratings are, can't say i'm surprised.
if marketed properly these dismal numbers can improve..
before Ziegler f'd everything up, stateside hockey on espn used to do really well (circa mid-80s)... they also used to re-air the previous nights' game the next morning (used to love those snow days).

I don't get it...

USA vs Russia last week, the QF game noless, drew 380,000 viewers on ESPN2....

Meanwhile, the TV Poker on ESPN drew over 1.4million...

go figure...

I've asked before if the event was marketed at all in the US, and that post did not draw many responses...this is sad..

Apologies if this has already been posted...

 

[Epsilon]

OK, and now for all of us who arn't solely obsessed with TV ratings, how much revenue did bowling and poker generate last year? Somehow I suspect the NHL has them beat, bigtime. Same thing with the arena football comparison that so many people like to use.

Also, comparing the TV ratings for the WCH and the WSOP is like comparing the ratings for the WCH and The Apprentice. Just because the WSOP is shown on ESPN does not make it a sport.

 

[Kickabrat]

Yet the NHL wouldn't exist today if it wasn't for American teams and American dollars. It's romantic to suggest bringing back the Nordiques or Jets, but it's not going to happen with the current economic climate.

 

[CRAZY_FAN]

Yet the NHL wouldn't exist today if it wasn't for American teams and American dollars. It's romantic to suggest bringing back the Nordiques or Jets, but it's not going to happen with the current economic climate.

I do understand your point, but it's exactly about the Nordiques and the Jets that some fan think of when they state that a poker game should not attract more viewer in the US then a hockey game. It's easy to say 'get over it' but try to live without your favorite sport team forever and then come back on this board an find that some card game got more TV viewer then hockey in the country that your favorite team is now playing in....

I'm not saying you are wrong, but just to understand a little more the meaning of all this...(God those Mtl-Que games where exciting !)