NHL Network to Air HNIC 3D Broadcast on Saturday

NEW YORK (December 10, 2010) – The National Hockey League today announced that NHL Network™ in the U.S. is making the Saturday, December 11, matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre (7 p.m. ET) available in 3D. This will be the first-ever NHL game presented by NHL Network in 3D.

 

Cable and satellite viewers with a 3D-ready television along with 3D glasses will be able to enjoy this next-generation television viewing experience. Hockey fans should check their local listings for availability of the 3D feed from their provider. NHL Network will additionally televise this game live through out the U.S. in standard and high-definition.

 

The game will be the first-ever 3D broadcast of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, which will present the game in 3D, standard and high-definition in Canada.

Congress to Host Hockey Day on the Hill

WASHINGTON—On Monday, Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) will host “Hockey Day on the Hill” at the U.S. Capitol to celebrate the game of hockey and honor his special guest, the Stanley Cup, the oldest and most revered trophy in all professional sports.

 

Members of Congress will take part in a ceremonial puck drop to pay homage to the game and commemorate the upcoming 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic outdoor game between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 1 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic will mark the fourth consecutive season the NHL has played a regular season outdoor game on New Year’s Day, now an annual tradition.

 

Following the ceremonial puck drop, youth hockey players from the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club will pose for photos with the Stanley Cup.

 

Quigley, who is an avid Chicago Blackhawks fan and plays hockey twice a week, spoke on the House floor the morning after the Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup Championship and introduced a resolution honoring the team.

Remember, 24/7 Premieres a Week From Today

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2010 – HBO Sports’ groundbreaking “24/7” reality franchise, which has captured 12 Sports Emmy® Awards, will join forces with the National Hockey League to take viewers inside one of the NHL’s great rivalries, between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals, for 24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS: ROAD TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC, an innovative four-episode, all-access reality series, it was announced today by Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports and John Collins, chief operating officer for the NHL.

The HBO Sports presentation debuts in prime time WEDNESDAY, DEC. 15 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), with an immediate encore at 11:00 p.m., and follows the two clubs simultaneously, chronicling their highs and lows each week. The teams will meet in a Dec. 23 regular-season matchup on the Capitals’ home ice, leading into episode three of 24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS, as the build-up intensifies for the Jan. 1 showdown at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

Noted Greenburg, “Taking our reality series ‘24/7’ into the world of the National Hockey League is a perfect fit. The ‘24/7’ franchise is fashioned on larger-than-life personalities, engaging storylines and unrestricted access. With Sidney Crosby leading the Penguins and Alex Ovechkin leading the Capitals, we have all the ingredients for a dynamic show that will take viewers deep inside professional hockey and set the stage for the Winter Classic.”

Said Collins, “Teaming up with the 12-time Emmy Award®-winning and much acclaimed HBO ‘24/7’ series gives us an incredible opportunity to bring our fans even deeper inside two model hockey organizations during the regular season as we lead into the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic. In just three short years, the Winter Classic has become so well established on the national sports calendar it’s truly a New Year’s Day tradition. Uniting HBO’s amazing reality series with one of sport’s greatest rivalries in an outdoor setting in front of 65,000 raucous fans will make this Winter Classic the most anticipated one yet.”

Ensuing episodes of 24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS: ROAD TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC debut on subsequent Wednesdays – Dec. 22 and 29 and Jan. 5 – at 10:00 p.m., with an immediate encore play at 11:00 p.m. The Jan. 5 series finale debuts four days after the Classic, with cameras tracking all the drama and excitement surrounding the Capitals and Penguins on game day. All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand.

The series will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews of coaches, players and front-office personnel, as the Caps and Penguins battle through their December schedules, meeting twice in one week, including the first-ever NHL game at Heinz Field.

24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS: ROAD TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC is HBO Sports’ first reality foray into pro hockey. The acclaimed “24/7” franchise began in 2007 with “De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7,” followed by seven additional boxing installments. Last January, HBO Sports extended the “24/7” franchise with “24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona,” which chronicled the NASCAR champion’s preparations for the 2010 Daytona 500.

Newsday.com has observed, “HBO’s ‘24/7’ series is the best sports program on television. Bar none.”

The St. Petersburg Times noted, “The best sports reality show on television is HBO’s ‘24/7’.”

Newsday wrote that “the Winter Classic is the best idea the NHL has had in years.”

With 12 Sports Emmy® Awards, “24/7” is the most honored sports series of the past three years. At the 2010 Sports Emmy® Awards, the franchise took home five trophies for production excellence, including awards for Outstanding Edited Sports Special, Outstanding Camera Work and Outstanding Writing.

The executive producers of 24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS: ROAD TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; senior producer, Dave Harmon; coordinating producers, Scott Boggins and Bentley Weiner; Aaron Cohen is the writer; Liev Schreiber narrates. Production assistance will be supplied by National Hockey League Productions.

Now You Can Tell the Devils They Suck In Their Arena, On an iPad

From Don Muret on Sports Business Journal:

The New Jersey Devils continue to build on a new social media center at Prudential Center, preparing to offer hockey fans access to iPads so they can stay connected with online friends and the team’s mobile website.

Devils Arena Entertainment, the team’s arena operator, invested “well into six figures” to build what project officials describe as a digital command center on the venue’s main concourse, with six desktops and six 50-inch high-definition televisions showing the team’s games, said Rich Krezwick, the group’s president.

Later this week, 20 iPads customized with the Devils’ application as well as apps from the NHL and other sports will be available to rent for $20 apiece at the center. IPad users must provide a valid credit card number and sign a short contract holding them liable for theft or any damage while the units are in their possession, Krezwick said.

The mobile computers, valued at $500 individually, contain filters preventing users from gaining access to inappropriate sites.

“People can access the Internet and go to their Facebook page after they have registered,” Krezwick said. “It is not a revenue idea but a social media service. It is a sophisticated way for us to stay in touch with our fans during the game.”

It’s Such a Pleasure to See the Hockey Revival in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Blues have enjoyed a 54% increase in viewership this season according to Nielsen Media Research, including a 3.5 household rating in St. Louis compared to a 2.3 rating at this juncture last year. The Blues rank fourth in local market TV ratings among U.S.-based NHL teams, behind Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Detroit.

“Once again our fans show their dedication and support of our team with these remarkable ratings,” said Blues CEO Mike McCarthy. “Sold out crowds night after night at Scottrade Center and viewership doubling from last year are true signs that our fans are dialed into this team.”

The Blues will play a franchise record 10 home games this December starting this Thursday, Dec. 9 against Columbus. Overall, the Blues will host nine of their next 11 games at Scottrade Center where they own an 8-2-1 (.773) record. Seven of the Blues’ next nine games can be viewed on FS-Midwest in High Definition.

 

Your Announcers and Open Thread For Sabres-Bruins

Buffalo vs. Boston, 7:30 PM ET, VERSUS (HD)
Play by Play: Joe Beninati
Color: Andy Brickley
Reporter: Charissa Thompson

NHL and Cisco Debut New Flip Cams That I Really Want

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – December 7, 2010 – One of hockey’s most iconic phrases – “he shoots, he scores” may soon be replaced by “he shoots, he shares” – as Cisco’s Flip Video™, and the National Hockey League® (NHL) team up to offer 30 uniquely designed NHL team Flip video cameras. In addition, Flip Video will offer Facebook fans a chance to win Flip cameras and a trip to the 2011 NHL All-Star Game presented by Discover. Select NHL.com reporters will also receive NHL-branded Flip video cameras to capture all the hockey action on and off the ice.

 

Beginning December 7, fans can choose their own official NHL Flip video camera with a custom design from any one of the 30 NHL teams from the U.S. and Canada. A perfect gift for hockey lovers, the new Flip designs are available through the Flip Video online store: theflip.com/NHL. The NHL-branded Flips will be offered on all of the latest Flip video cameras including the Flip UltraHD, MinoHD and SlideHD*, starting at $149, for anytime shoot and share fun.

 

Edmonton Oilers right wing Jordan Eberle and Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin are among the many celebrities and sports icons featured in the Flip Video 2010 holiday campaign ‘Do You Flip?’

 

“Flip is the only video camera on the market that consumers can customize and select from thousands of unique designs. Our ability to offer customization has enabled us to team with the NBA and now the NHL, which was a natural extension for our brand,” said Jodi Lipe, director of marketing for Cisco’s Consumer Products. “Whether it’s at the Stanley Cup Final or an afternoon snowball fight with friends, Flip video cameras are a fun and simple way to capture and share videos with friends and family.”

 

“Hockey fans are in a class of their own when it comes to diehard loyalty,” said Dave McCarthy, NHL Vice President Integrated Marketing. “Owning a Flip video camera representing their favorite team is a great way for fans to show support and more importantly have fun sharing their passion with fellow hockey fans and friends around the world.”

 

To help promote the new NHL designs, Flip is hosting a contest called the Flip Video Fan Face-off that will give away one grand prize trip for two to the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, North Carolina, January 30, as well as daily prizes of NHL-custom designed team Flips every day in December. Hockey fans can face-off for these cool prizes starting on December 9, 2010 at www.facebook.com/flipvideo.

 

Flip Video is the only video camera line to feature official designs from the NHL and all 30 NHL teams so fans can show their affinity for their favorite NHL team while shooting and sharing video with others at games, parties or events. Flip video cameras make it easy to share video via email, Facebook™, YouTube™, Twitter™ and even on a TV.

 

Cisco is also equipping the team of 20 NHL.com reporters with their own NHL logo Flip video camera to use as they travel to NHL games around the U.S. and Canada. With their official NHL Flips, the on-the-scene reporters will be able to greatly enhance their coverage by capturing video footage to post to the NHL.com web site.

 

Availability

 

All NHL team designs are available at www.theflip.com/NHL starting today at $149.

 

 

 

About Cisco

 

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. This year celebrates 25 years of technology innovation, operational excellence and corporate social responsibility. Cisco’s vision for the consumer is to enable people to live a connected life that is more personal, more social, and more visual. Further information about Cisco and its full line of consumer products including Linksys, Valet and Flip Video can be found at www.theflip.com, http://home.cisco.com and www.cisco.com/consumer.

 

 

 

Follow us:

 

• Become a Flip Video Facebook fan: www.facebook.com/flipvideo

 

• Become a Flip Video MySpace fan: www.myspace.com/flipvideo

 

• Check our videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/theflip

 

• Follow us on Twitter: @flipvideobrand

 

• Cisco Consumer Blogs: http://blogs.cisco.com/consumer

 

 

 

About NHL

 

The National Hockey League, founded in 1917, is the second-oldest of the four major professional team sports leagues in North America. Today, the NHL consists of 30 Member Clubs, each reflecting the League’s international makeup, with players from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters. According to a Simmons Market Research study, NHL fans are younger, more educated, more affluent, and access content through digital means more than any other major professional sport. The NHL entertains more than 250 million fans each season in-arena and through its partners in national television (VERSUS, NBC, TSN, CBC, RDS, RIS, ESPN America, ASN and NHL Network™) and radio (NHL Radio™, Sirius XM Satellite Radio and XM Canada). Through the NHL Foundation, the League’s charitable arm, the NHL raises money and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer™ and NHL Youth Development, and supports the charitable efforts of NHL players. For more information on the NHL, log on to NHL.com

Your Announcers and Open Thread For Sharks-Red Wings

San Jose vs. Detroit, 7:30 PM ET, VERSUS (HD)
Play by Play: John Forslund
Color: Eddie Olczyk

NHL and NBC Launch Winter Classic Campaign

NEW YORK (December 6, 2010) – The National Hockey League (NHL) and NBC Sports launched the national TV tune-in campaign for the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic during the network’s Sunday Night Football broadcast of the Pittsburgh Steelers versus Baltimore Ravens game last night. Following its debut during the No. 1 primetime show on television, the 30-second commercial featuring Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will continue to run nationally on NBC Universal platforms NBC, USA, CNBC and MSNBC as well as on CBC, VERSUS, RDS, NHL Network™, NHL.com and via online and social media platforms, through the January 1 broadcast of the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® at Heinz Field at 1 p.m. ET.

 

This is the third consecutive year that the NHL and NBC Sports have partnered on an NHL Winter Classic campaign. The joint campaign for the 2009 game at Wrigley Field won the first-ever sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Promotional Announcement.

 

In the commercial, Crosby walks into a sunny Heinz Field and spots Ovechkin on the opposite end. The two superstars and rivals proceed to stare each other down while the day turns into night and the weather conditions worsen from rain to snow, with the football field transforming into a sheet of ice right under their feet. Bob Costas, who will host the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic for NBC Sports, provides the voice over for the campaign.

 

“This campaign gives fans a glimpse of the fierce competitiveness and rivalry they can expect in the game on New Year’s Day,” said Brian Jennings, NHL Executive Vice President, Marketing. “Two of the game’s biggest stars will battle each other and the elements in front of 68,000 fans at Heinz Field and millions of viewers at home. The magnitude of this game is enormous and we wanted to convey that in the campaign.”

 

“We take pride in our ability to amass large, broad audiences for our partners by extending our campaigns across the numerous platforms of NBC Universal,” said Mike McCarley, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics SVP, Strategic Marketing, Communications and Promotions. “With December upon us, we felt there was no more appropriate platform to launch this campaign than within the No. 1 primetime show on television.”

 

The campaign also includes print, radio, online digital banners, in-store POP – including the NHL Powered by Reebok store and the Rockefeller Plaza NBC Experience store, both in New York City – and social media platforms such as NHL® on Facebook and Twitter. Creative was developed by the National Hockey League in consultation with global advertising agency Young & Rubicam.

 

The 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic will mark the fourth consecutive season the NHL has played a regular season outdoor game on New Year’s Day, now an annual tradition. The Buffalo Sabres hosted the Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium on New Year’s Day in 2008; the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field on New Year’s Day in 2009; and the Boston Bruins hosted the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park this past New Year’s Day. A celebration of the sport of hockey and a return to its roots, the NHL Winter Classic was named the “best new sporting event” of the decade by Forbes magazine.

 

On game day, fans across the United States can catch all the exciting action by tuning in to NBC Sports’ live broadcast of the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at 1 p.m. ET on Jan. 1. Fans across Canada can watch the game live on CBC and RDS. NHL Radio™ and Sirius XM Satellite Radio will provide radio coverage and NHL.com will have extensive pre-event and post-event video coverage.

 

The three previous NHL Winter Classics have averaged 4.0 million viewers per broadcast on NBC. The 2009 NHL Winter Classic stands as the most-viewed NHL regular-season game since 1975. An average of more than 4.4 million Americans watched the Detroit Red Wings defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4 from historic Wrigley Field.

 

As declared in the Boston Globe following the historic 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park, “now hockey owns New Year’s Day the way baseball owns the Fourth of July and football owns Thanksgiving.”