More People Find VERSUS Than Obscure Networks Like ESPN, Comedy Central and CNN Last Week
June 9, 2009 11 Comments
While a 15th-place finish might not seem like a big deal to many people, it may likely have been the highest weekly finish in VERSUS history as far as primetime viewers go. Propped up by two Stanley Cup Final games as well as Faber/Brown II, VERSUS averaged 1.14 million viewers in primetime for the week of June 1-7. It outdrew networks such as Lifetime, AMC, and oh yeah… a little channel called ESPN (1.076 million).
So take that, VERSUS-haters, and check out all the numbers at TV By the Numbers.
Puck The Media 
The nhl should get rid of NBC, that stuff with the joe vision at the joe and the tribtron at the igloo is the last straw.
Yeah that is crap about not showing the games at the visiting place. About Versus this is great for them, now go get a better college football and basketball package to add to the NHL and they will be in business. And could win the ratings more than just one week a year.
And lest we forget…. Versus needs to GET RID OF JOE BENIHAHA!!!!!
All it means is that the NHL is lucky to have so much talent in the finals and some compelling playoff games. Doesnt reflect on Bettman;s tenure or on versus’s strength as a network. Despite such good ratings, mind you, the ratings in the prelockout era (Carolina vs Detroit) were comparable or better, werent they? SO under Bettman, all we have is no real net significant improvement in ratings.
Here is the logic you need to convince me of. If ESPN/ESPN2 had the NHL now, with all the superstars, and marquee teams making the finals, would they have less ratings or more?
All I know is this. I would have had to skip out on an evening dinner at my cousin’s reception because the hotel i was staying at had no versus. So I was glad the game I wanted to watch was on NBC that night.
ESPN is in what, 20 or 30 million more homes than Versus? Not like all those people would watch, and most who truly care have Versus, but more exposure the better. That’s my biggest issue with Versus – it simply is not a standard cable channel for many (most?) cable systems. And until it’s closer to equal footing with ESPN in terms of this, no one can change my opinion.
I also want to call bluff on Bettman’s assertion that Versus is available in quite a few hotel chains? WHERE? I have been at Hampton Inn, Hyatt Place, Doubeltree, Holiday Inn. Where is Versus?
Also the channel number counts for something. A matchup like this would have attracted some casual hockey fans channel surfing. Versus is not in a desirable tier on non Comcast systems.
Versus is still on the most expensive tier on Dish Network. So what, big deal, I’m sure the NBA Finals are kicking the Stanley Cup Finals’ ass in the ratings.
What a joke. Get back on ESPN already, Buttman!
You hockey fans are too much. The post says more people watched Versus than ESPN…the previous post said Game 4 was the highest rated cable hockey game in like 10 years…and you’re STILL begging for ESPN’s table scraps. What is up man? Is ESPN paying all of you to leave stupuid, ill-informed posts on message boards? Do you miss Barry Melrose that much?
We are not here to stump for a network. SO it is irrelevant that Versus got more ratings. They were showing the freaking FINALS of a sport. No wonder it got higher ratings. That has nothing to do with Versus strength as a network.
You seem to be a versus shill with the personal way you take any criticism of Versus.
I just don’t understand the logic of going back to ESPN. I think Versus studio team is atrocious, probably the worst in sports, including college bball & football. I think their score graphic on the top is hideous. And they really should have a pregame show (even if I just said it’s horrible) every night during the playoffs.
That being said…they showed a hockey game every night for two months. It wasnt like the NBA, where I didn’t know if it was ESPN or TNT, or with the times changing. Without fail, every night at 730 pm, there was a hockey game on. I loved that.
What does the NHL have to gain by being on ESPN? Considering that the ratings were higher this year than they have been since 1998…I want someone to enlighten with something better than “but Versus is on channel 300! You have to hit 3 buttons!”
You yourself seem to understand Versus ratings are not at an all tme high. Each ratings bragging talking point always has to say “since 2002” or “since 1998”. Who had hockey back then – ESPN.
Do I love ESPN? No. I do think they need competition. Going back to ESPN will indeed increase hockey’s reach. Stars like Crosby, marquee teams like Red Wings are not enough to make our playoffs appojntment viewing for the casual sports viewer. But if they are channel surfing, I bet they would stop for a few min to check out some hockey action. Trouble is Versus doesnt appear in the busier segments of our channel lineup unless you have COMCAST. We also have mentioned many times how tough it is to find someone with versus if you are on the road.
And when Versus fails to show the ANaheim playuoff game a month ago on a Sunday, it is safe to say that Versus considers the Indy Racing Trials more important than hockey. So what did we gain by going to a smaller network?
Oh, ESPN/ESPN2 had regular NHL games during the playoffs when they had it too. I do not give credit to Versus. With ESPN, they can always show the other simultaneous game on ESPN 2 or some other ESPN channel. WIth Versus, we did not have that option which led to national viewers missing out on an exciting end to the NJ playoff series.