What Is the NHL’s Emergency Plan For This Weekend?
April 22, 2009 7 Comments
Before we move on, here are NBC’s hockey listings for the weekend:
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
NHL CONFERENCE QUARTER FINAL: Pittsburgh Penguins @ Philadelphia Flyers (Game 6) (live)
Commentators: Mike Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Darren Pang, Mike Milbury
Site: Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
*Available in High DefinitionSUNDAY, APRIL 26
2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
NHL CONFERENCE QUARTER FINAL: Washington Capitals @ NY Rangers (Game 6) (live)
Commentators: Mike Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire, Mike Milbury
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
*Available in High Definition
So more Panger action for NBC. But what happens if NBC doesn’t have those two games to go to this weekend? The network has had to make replacements before in such a situation. They had to replace regional action of Ottawa/Pittsburgh and Rangers/Atlanta due to early endings for both series with Game 6 of a Tampa/New Jersey set. But other than that, it hasn’t come up for the net.
Mike Emrick and the NBC promos seemed to indicate that the network would shift it’s schedule around if need be, stating that they didn’t know where they’d be broadcasting from next week during the telecast of Pens/Flyers Game 5. Now, with the Pens going home up 3-1 in the series, an open Saturday seems like a definite possibility. If the Rangers come back from Monday’s defeat two win two straight over Washington, that series will also be over.
This is where things can turn dicey. While Sunday it appears there is a logical succession plan of Devils/Hurricanes Game 6 subbing for Rangers/Caps Game 6 (As the time is still listed for the game as TBD), both potential replacement series for Saturday – Columbus/Detroit Game 5 and Anaheim/San Jose Game 5 – have listed start times, and are scheduled to be aired on VERSUS. The network has even sent me announcer assignments for the games, so clearly they intend on going ahead and airing them.
Will NBC release a plan before Thursday’s Pens/Flyers game detailing their plans? Will the teams be able to pull off the time change on such short notice? Or will NBC just give the three hours of programming back to their affiliates, as they seem to care less and less about hockey these days (They’ve already dropped two of their four scheduled conference finals dates)? We shall see in the coming days.
About stevelepore
Couldn’t NBC do CGY/CHI? That’s not spoken for on Versus, and it’s a guaranteed game (plus it gives Edzo a chance to work at home).
TSN won’t cower to an American network for a replacement game.
Also, you can get slightly better ratings with NJ/CAR than CGY/CHI.
I’ll grant you on the ratings for NJ/CAR, but NJ/CAR is Sunday. NBC wouldn’t have to be dark Saturday with CGY/CHI as an option.
My mistake, I thought Calgary/Chicago was Sunday. But still, Anaheim/SJ and (if it got there) Detroit/Columbus would still likely be ahead.
True, ANA/SJ would also be a good choice, but not if Versus isn’t willing to give it up.
TSN would have a major cow if the Calgary-Chicago game got moved out of primetime.
Who cares? Let NBC go blow.