BREAKING: NHL On NBC Holds it’s Own on Conference Championship Sunday

According to Sports Business Daily (reg. required), The NHL On NBC Game of the Week featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers drew a 1.3 overnight rating in it’s Sunday 12:30 PM ET timeslot.  I don’t have the data on hand currently, but that number may be the highest overnight for an NHL on NBC indoor regular season broadcast in a couple of years.  I’ll check on it, and get back to you.

Regardless, this should likely come as bad news to all the folks who get tired of Pens-Flyers, as these ratings (as well as the playoff ratings a couple years back) signify the rivalry’s ability to move the needle in terms of hockey ratings.  This is pretty great news for the NHL, who were able to carve out it’s best audience in a while on the NFL’s 2nd biggest day of the year.

UPDATE: via Sports Media Watch:

The 1.3 overnight is tied as the highest for any non-Winter Classic regular season NHL telecast since NBC’s debut NHL telecast in ’06 (1.5/3).

Over the previous two seasons, no NHL telecast on NBC had drawn an overnight higher than 1.1 (again, excluding the Winter Classic).

That is something else.

Should the NHL Give Up On Television?

At 1:30 of this clip of Newsradio (how I solve all my life’s problems), Catherine Duke (Khandi Alexander) interviews a so-called “business visionary” named Tom Baxter whom, in 1996, claims that “computers are what’s gonna be big.”  This is derided as most people already knew that.

Author Kevin Maney seems to fancy himself a “business visionary”.  Here’s his website for some background.  Maney told ABC News on Yahoo! that the NHL should drop all of it’s television contracts and go exclusively to streaming games on the web, getting them on the forefront of the web revolution.

There will be two articles on this site upcoming: 1. a piece on what today’s NBC ratings are, and 2. a review of NHL’s Game Center LIVE.  Just pointing out that this sort of thing will be prevalent this week.  I want to hear your take on the interview.  Let me know.

Your Announcers and Open Thread For Penguins-Flyers

Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, 12:30 PM, NBC
Play by Play: Mike Emrick
Color: Eddie Olczyk
Inside the Glass: Pierre McGuire

Oh, By the Way, Caps Set a Local Ratings Record for PIT-WSH Game Last Night

Thank you, Nate Ewell:

Bethesda, Md. (Jan. 22, 2010) – Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic posted all-time record ratings for regular-season Washington Capitals coverage – earning a 3.3 household rating and a 6.5 rating in the key Men 25-54 demographic – during last night’s (Jan. 21) road game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The National Hockey League’s premier rivalry attracted an average of 88,000 combined households in the Washington (76,000) and Baltimore (12,000) markets during the Capitals 6-3 win over the Penguins. During the third period, the game earned peak ratings of 4.2 in Washington and 1.5 in Baltimore, which equates to 113,000 combined households.

In the key demographic categories of Adults 25-54 (4.3), Men 18-49 (5.9) and Men 25-54 (6.5), Comcast SportsNet was the highest-rated television network in the Washington market during last night’s game and ranked second among Adults 18-49.

Last night’s record viewership shattered the previous single-game high for a Capitals regular-season game on Comcast SportsNet, set on April 5, 2008 against the Florida Panthers. The overall household rating eclipsed the previous mark by 32% and the 6.5 rating registered in the Men 25-54 demo was an increase of more than 117% over the previous record. Among Men 18-49, last night’s 5.9 rating broke the previous high by 64%.

Through 46 games on Comcast SportsNet this season, the Capitals household ratings have seen a 15% increase compared to the same time-period last season and an increase of 149% versus 2007-08.

Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic – the official television partner of the Washington Redskins, Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, D.C. United, Atlantic Coast Conference and Colonial Athletic Association – delivers more than 500 live sporting events per year, along with Emmy Award-winning news, analysis and entertainment programming, to more than 4.6 million homes throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Comcast SportsNet’s digital portfolio, highlighted by CSNWashington.com, is the region’s leading source for online sports news and information.

Comcast Sports Group operates 10 sports networks that deliver 2,400 sporting events annually and sports news and analysis to 40 million cable and satellite homes. Comcast Sports Group’s networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, SNY, The Mtn. – Mountain West Sports Network, and CSS. Comcast Sports Group also manages New England Cable News (NECN), the nation’s largest regional news network, and The Comcast Network, based in Philadelphia and Washington, which delivers community-oriented programming. For more information, visit ComcastSportsNet.com.

Good Night, and Have a Pleasant Tomorrow. And Next Day. HNIC Open Thread

NY Rangers vs. Montreal, 7PM, CBC Full Network/NHL Net
Play by Play: Mark Lee
Color: Kevin Weekes and Guy Carbonneau
Reporter: Cassie Campbell

Toronto vs. Florida, 7PM, CBC Ontario
Play by Play: Bob Cole
Color: Greg Millen
Reporter: Elliot Friedman

Chicago vs. Vancouver, 10PM, CBC Full Network
Play by Play: Jim Hughson
Color: Craig Simpson
Reporter: Scott Oake

NHL Network Featured Schedule Next Week

Monday, Jan. 25
12:00 NHL Live
4:00 NHL Power Play
7:00 Pioneers: Al Arbour
7:30 Pioneers: Glenn Hall
8:00 NHL On The Fly

Tuesday, Jan. 26
12:00 NHL Live
4:00 NHL Power Play
7:00 2009 Lester Patrick Awards
8:00 NHL On The Fly

Wednesday, Jan. 27
12:00 NHL Live
4:00 NHL Power Play
6:00 Top 10 Moments in the Colorado-Detroit Rivalry
6:30 Frozen in Time: Mark Messier
7:00 LIVE: Anaheim vs. Washington
9:30 NHL On the Fly

Thursday, Jan. 28
12:00 NHL Live
4:00 NHL Power Play
8:00 NHL On the Fly
10:30 LIVE: Chicago vs. San Jose

Friday, Jan. 29
12:00 NHL Live
4:00 NHL Power Play
6:00 2009 US Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
8:00 NHL On the Fly
8:30 NCAA Hockey: Denver vs. North Dakota
11:00 NHL On the Fly

Saturday, Jan. 30 (Hockey Day in Canada)
12:00 HDIC
2:00 LIVE: Montreal vs. Ottawa
4:30 HDIC
6:30 HNIC Pre-Game
7:00 LIVE: Vancouver vs. Toronto
9:30 HNIC Post-Game
10:00 LIVE: Edmonton vs. Calgary
12:30 HNIC After Hours
1:30 NHL On the Fly

Sunday, Jan. 31
8:00 NHL On The Fly

NBC To Air Caps/Penguins February 7th

The NHL announced last night that the NBC Game of the Week on February 7th at Noon ET will be Pittsburgh vs. Washington.  This will be the third appearance of the season for Pittsburgh, and the first for Washington.

NEW YORK – The Sunday, Feb. 7, Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals game has been flexed as NBC Sports’ “Game of the Week” and will be played at Verizon Center at the special time of Noon ET, the National Hockey League and NBC Sports announced today. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin last spring delighted the sports world with a memorable seven-game playoff series, including both superstars recording a hat trick in Game 2, that elevated what had been a rivalry between individuals into what many are calling the NHL’s best current team rivalry.

Both the teams and superstars are at it again this season.  Ovechkin has 65 points in 41 games, including 15 in his last seven games.  Crosby has 63 points in 50 games, including 14 in his last seven games.  Ovechkin has 30 goals this season, tying him for third in the NHL.  Crosby has 32 goals this season, second in the League behind San Jose’s Patrick Marleau who has 34.  Ovechkin had five points against Toronto last Friday. Crosby had six against the Islanders Tuesday night.

The surging Capitals, who have won seven of their last eight games, currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings.  The Penguins have won five of their last eight games and reside in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

The Capitals and Penguins face each other for the first time this season tonight, Thursday, Jan. 21, at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh.  The game will be televised locally on FSN Pittsburgh and Comcast SportsNet in Washington and nationally in the U.S. on NHL Network.

ADDITIONAL “GAME OF THE WEEK” MATCHUPS

This Sunday, the Penguins travel to Philadelphia to face the Flyers at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC.  This Keystone State rivalry has reached the boiling point after the Penguins eliminated the Flyers from the playoffs in two hard-fought series each of the past two seasons.

Sunday, Jan. 31, features a rematch of the last two Stanley Cup Finals when the Detroit Red Wings visit the Penguins in Pittsburgh.  Another great NHL rivalry was forged when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup last spring in seven games to dethrone the Red Wings, who had won in six games the previous season against the Penguins.  Jan. 31 marks the first meeting between Pittsburgh and Detroit this season.

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING

At least 13 days prior to the scheduled game, one game is selected for broadcast on NBC.  All NBC games will be broadcast on Sundays and all games will be presented in HD.  Games not flexed to NBC will be available to the teams’ regional carriers and remain at the originally announced start time.

Upcoming 2010 NBC Game of the Week Regular-Season Flexible Schedule

Jan. 24  PITTSBURGH AT PHILADELPHIA 12:30 p.m. ET
Jan. 31  DETROIT AT PITTSBURGH 12:30 p.m. ET
Feb. 7  PITTSBURGH AT WASHINGTON Noon ET
Mar. 7  Boston at Pittsburgh OR Detroit at Chicago OR Carolina at Atlanta 12:30 p.m. ET
Mar. 14  Philadelphia at NY Rangers OR Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay OR Washington at Chicago OR
Colorado at Dallas 12:30 p.m. ET
Mar. 21  NY Rangers at Boston OR Buffalo at Carolina 12:30 p.m. ET
Apr. 4  Detroit at Philadelphia 12:30 p.m. ET
Apr. 11  Boston at Washington OR NY Rangers at Philadelphia OR Detroit at Chicago

Bettman’s Show Has McDounough, and the February 7th NBC Game of the Week

NEW YORK — Live from Calgary, Chicago Blackhawks president John McDonough and Calgary Flames president and CEO Ken King are guests on today’s edition of NHL Hour With Commissioner Gary Bettman on NHL.com and SIRIUS XM Radio at 6 p.m. ET.

McDonough, a Chicago native named President of the Blackhawks on Nov. 20, 2007, has played an instrumental role in the revitalization of the team’s profile. Last season, the Blackhawks led the NHL in attendance with an average of 21,783 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Chicago’s 34-12-4 record after 50 games is the organization’s best mark since 1972.

King, an enthusiastic businessman, has been in his position with the Flames organization since 2001. Overseer of a Flames team that is four points off the Northwest Division lead, King spends an enormous amount of time with community efforts including his current involvement as co-chair of REACH (a $300-million medical fund-raising initiative).

Calgary hosts Chicago tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET at the Saddledome which will be the second game of TSN’s doubleheader (Toronto at Tampa Bay, 7:00 p.m. ET).  The Blackhawks who are in second place overall, lead the Central Division with 72 points and are on pace for an all-time franchise points record.  Calgary sits third in the Northwest Division with 58 points.

The show encourages fans to call in with questions for the Commissioner. To submit questions to NHL Hour call 1-877-645-6696.

NHL Hour with Commissioner Gary Bettman now broadcasts live on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET on NHL Home Ice (XM Channel 204 and on SIRIUS Channel 208 as part of the “Best of XM” programming package) and NHL.com. The show will re-air on SIRIUS XM Radio, with archived shows available for download via podcast on NHL.com.

NHL Hour with Commissioner Gary Bettman is a production of NHL Radio.

Review of Game Center LIVE

From John Fischer of In Lou We Trust:

Now, don’t take my criticism too harshly. If Neulion/NHL can hammer out those issues, then I’d have absolutely no complaints about NHL Gamecenter LIVE for games. I was and continue to be impressed and satisfied with the audio and visual quality of the feeds. Being able to watch other teams is excellent not only for entertainment, but to get an idea how a future opponent is doing beyond the stats and analysis. The multiple ways to watch multiple games is well done and overall, I find the interface intuitive.

I’d personally love a chance to review Game Center Live, and will put it on my to do list.  You know, NHL, if you’re listening… a free preview would be cool.

Because We Ran Out of Material…

Check out Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson from the film “Tooth Fairy” at the NHL Store today at 5PM.

I got nothin’ else for today.