Your NHL National TV Schedule For the Week of October 17

Monday, October 17

Colorado vs. Toronto, 7:00 p.m. ET, VERSUS
Play by Play: Mike Emrick
Inside the Glass: Pierre McGuire

Tuesday, October 18

Pittsburgh vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET, VERSUS/TSN2
Play by Play: Dave Strader
Inside the Glass: Brian Engblom

Buffalo vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN
Play by Play: Chris Cuthbert
Inside the Glass: Ray Ferraro

NY Rangers vs. Vancouver, 10:00 p.m. ET, TSN
Play by Play: Gord Miller
Inside the Glass: Mike Johnson

Wednesday, October 19

Winnipeg vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN
Play by Play: Chris Cuthbert
Inside the Glass: Ray Ferraro

Thursday, October 20

Toronto vs. Boston, 7:00 p.m. ET, TSN
Play by Play: Gord Miller
Inside the Glass: Ray Ferraro

Washington vs. Philadelphia, 7:00 p.m. ET, NHL Network (US)

NY Rangers vs. Calgary, 9:30 p.m. ET, TSN
Play by Play: Dave Randorf
Inside the Glass: Mike Johnson

Saturday, October 22

Minnesota vs. Vancouver, 4:00 p.m. ET, NHL Network (US)

Toronto vs. Montreal, 7:00 p.m. ET, CBC (Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic, Alberta, BC)
Play by Play: Jim Hughson
Color: Craig Simpson
Inside the Glass: Glenn Healy
Reporter: David Amber

Columbus vs. Ottawa, 7:00 p.m. ET, CBC (Ottawa)
Play by Play: Dean Brown
Color: Greg Millen

Carolina vs. Winnipeg, 7:00 p.m. ET, CBC (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwestern Ontario)
Play by Play: Bob Cole
Color: Gary Galley
Reporter: Mitch Peacock

Detroit vs. Washington, 7:00 p.m. ET, NHL Network (US)

NY Rangers vs. Edmonton, 10:00 p.m. ET, CBC
Play by Play: Mark Lee
Color: Kevin Weekes
Reporter: Scott Oake

(NOTE: Thanks to Josh from Canadian Sports Media Blog for TSN listings)

College Football Realignment Could Be Huge For NBC Sports Network

NOTE: In the four years that I’ve been doing this site, I don’t think anything ticks off my readers more than talking about VERSUS’ other sports properties, so I figured this would be a good weekend post. Enjoy, you ingrates.

We’ve all been discussing realignment in the NHL this week, and that has certainly caused a lot of debate and anger and conspiracy theories. A lot of it (i.e. the Red Wings moving) could affect television coverage on NBC and NBC Sports Network. People feel that NBC ignores the Western Conference beyond Chicago and Detroit as it is How would a hockey league go on having one of it’s conferences featuring only one regularly televised team on their national outlet? There’s a lot of rabble-rousing that’ll need to be solved at a later date.

That said, thank goodness our sport isn’t as wacky as college football, who’s realignment saga gets more and more tedious by the day, if not the hour. Big East falling apart, mid-majors getting raided, this southern team moves to another southern conference. It is nothing if not nauseating at times. That said, it does bring VERSUS/NBC Sports Network a huge opportunity, and as I’ve said for years, what is good for VERSUS is good for the NHL.

Last night, the Mountain West Conference and Conference-USA announced that they would be forming a (barring teams potentially bolting) 22-team mega-conference in football only. NBC Sports Group has a partnership with the Mountain West Conference to televise football, as well as their men’s and women’s basketball championships. The Group currently airs eight games a season under the College Football on VERSUS banner. The joint press release mentions NBC/Comcast and FOX (the C-USA television partner) as well as CBS, which holds partnerships with both leagues (The Mountain West also has it’s own television network, which Comcast has a stake in).

Now, with a 22-team league (17 at fewest, and only if all the rumors of the two leagues being raided come to fruition) that will mean anywhere from 10-20 games every Saturday, all of which will need to be televised under NBC, FOX and CBS banners. Now, the teams involved (aside from Boise State) don’t have much television cache, but a doubleheader from the new league every Saturday on NBCSN, plus alternating years of airing a potential championship game. Of course, that becomes even more complicated, given the fact that ESPN was awarded Conference USA’s football championship game through 2015 as part of a settlement in August after a dispute regarding C-USA TV rights bidding. Thank goodness I don’t write about college football on TV.

So at worst, NBCSN stands to gain some college football, and hopefully enough to replace the Pac-12 games they’ll be losing out to FOX and ESPN next year. But another potential suitor is out there: the Big East. The floundering league plans to raid the aforementioned merging Conference USA and Mountain West to maintain it’s BCS standing after it was rumored that ESPN influenced the defection of both Pittsburgh and Syracuse. Even if it is just rumor, the ESPN and Big East are clearly not on the best of terms after the league rejected ESPN’s new TV deal earlier in the year. It would seem likely that FOX or CBS or NBC Sports Group, and not ESPN, would have a better shot. How good would it look for NBCSN to have a BCS conference – albeit the weakest of the bunch – on it’s resume? It’d give them programming on Saturdays from September-December. Plus, don’t forget what a valuable basketball property – conference play and tournament – the Big East is. It could be a huge score for the network.

College football news moves fast, so one would think we’ll see an answer to all our questions sooner rather than later.

CBC Has a Fine Saturday Planned

CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA presents five NHL games this Saturday, all of which are streamed live at CBCSports.ca, regardless of where you are in Canada.

The Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Calgary Flames will be broadcast nationally, outside of select markets, at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers, at 10 p.m. ET.

Fans in Quebec will see the Montreal Canadiens take on the Colorado Avalanche. Ottawa and the Ottawa valley will see the Washington Capitals hosting the Ottawa Senators, while in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, the featured game will be the Winnipeg Jets vs. Phoenix Coyotes. All games are 7 p.m. ET starts.

Pre-game excitement comes via two excellent warm-ups: the new HNIC Game Day show hosted by PJ Stock and Andi Petrillo airs nationally at 5 p.m. ET, while Scotiabank Hockey Tonight with host Ron MacLean sets up all the action just before the pucks drop, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

CBS Sports Network Has #1 v. #3 in College Hockey Tonight

CBS Sports Network drops the puck for its ninth season of college hockey coverage on Friday, Oct. 14 (7:30 PM, ET) as *No. 3-ranked Denver takes on No. 1-ranked Boston College. Play-by-play announcer Eric Frede and analyst Dave Starman call the game, with Shireen Saski reporting. The Network provides live pre-game coverage from Boston College’s Conte Forum to preview the night’s action and discuss college hockey news from around the country.

Throughout the season CBS Sports Network will air a series examining the state of college hockey and the major issues facing the sport. The series features a candid roundtable discussion with influential college hockey figures, including Boston University coach Jack Parker, Denver coach George Gwozdecky, former Notre Dame coach and Toronto Maple Leafs Vice President of Hockey Operations Dave Poulin and Minnesota Athletic Director Joel Maturi. Adam Zucker hosts and is joined by Starman.

CBS Sports Network will air 23 college hockey games this season showcasing every team ranked in the top 10 of the USCHO Poll, as well as 15 of the nation’s top 20 teams. The Network again features comprehensive Hockey East action, as well as CCHA, WCHA, ECAC and Atlantic Hockey contests.

For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.

Boston-Carolina Tops VERSUS Numbers For the Week

With both local markets allowed to watch Wednesday night’s NHL telecast on VERSUS, the result was a higher viewership level.

Last night’s first-ever VERSUS Wednesday night “Game of the Week” between the Bruins and Hurricanes drew an 0.2 rating and 312,000 viewers. The game drew 189,000 viewers among Adults 18-49. This was down 28% from VERSUS’ first non-Opening Night exclusive telecast in 2010 (432,000 for Colorado/Detroit on Tuesday, October 12). It was, however, up 27% from VERSUS’ first Wednesday night telecast of 2010 (246,000 for a NY Islanders/Washington game that was blacked out in DC on Wednesday, October 13). An okay start, considering the Hurricanes are a small-market team, and VERSUS was attempting to launch a new hockey night.

VERSUS peppered the evening with hockey, to varying degrees of success. A 6 p.m. ET edition of NBC Sports Talk, the second half-hour of which featured a Bruins banner raising documentary, drew just 21,000 viewers (9,000 among Adults 18-49). The 7 p.m. ET NHL Live pre-game edition drew 77,000 viewers (43,000 in the demo). The NHL Live post-game airing a bit past 10 p.m. ET scored 172,000 viewers (130,000 in the demo). Finally, a 10:30 p.m. ET edition of NHL Overtime - the second half of which reran the banner raising documentary – retained 106,000 viewers (79,000 in the demo). VERSUS returns with NHL coverage on Monday and Tuesday night next week.

VERSUS viewership numbers so far this season

October 6
7:00 Boston vs. Philadelphia – 874,000
10:00 Pittsburgh vs. Vancouver – 342,000

October 7
1:00 NY Rangers vs. Los Angeles – 101,000

October 8
1:00 NY Rangers vs. Anaheim – 124,000

October 10
7:00 Tampa Bay vs. Washington – 162,000

October 11
7:30 Florida vs. Pittsburgh – 216,000

October 12
7:30 Boston vs. Carolina – 312,000

(Source: The Voice of TV)

Everyone Likes Chicken, and The NHL is Doing Fine

NEW YORK (October 13, 2011) – The National Hockey League opened its 95th season with record fan engagement across all measureable platforms, continuing the strong momentum the League has built over the past six seasons.

 

With the 2011 Molson Canadian NHL Face-Off™ fan festival attracting tens of thousands of fans to The Forks in Winnipeg, international stars leading their NHL® clubs across the Atlantic to open the season in front of sold-out crowds at the 2011 Compuware NHL Premiere™ and record-breaking opening-night TV ratings, the 2011-12 NHL season opened on a strong note.

 

Strong Demand Drives Increased Ratings For Opening Weekend

 

VERSUS opened its seventh year of NHL coverage with the most-watched regular season game in the network’s history (874,000 viewers) as the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 on the night the Bruins raised their first Stanley Cup® banner in 39 years. Viewership was up 20 percent over last year’s opening game (720,000, Flyers-Penguins, Oct. 7, 2010).

 

CBC’s HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA attracted a record audience before the first puck drop of the season, as its opening-night pre-game show on Thursday drew nearly one million viewers (929,000) — a 66% increase over last season. Then, 1.935 million Canadians watched the classic Game 1 match-up between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs – beating last year’s opening-game mark of 1.923 million.

 

 

TSN’s Friday afternoon game between the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings from Stockholm, Sweden delivered 213,00 viewers, up 22% from last year’s comparable telecast.

 

Saturday night’s game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators was a record-setter for CBC’s HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA, with an average audience of 2.359 million viewers tuning in—nine per cent more than the previous record-holder for the first Saturday game of the season, set last year.

 

On Sunday, the first Winnipeg Jets home opener since 1996 drew an average total audience of 1.825 million viewers on CBC, and 819,000 on RDS.

 

In all, 16 million Canadians — representing 47.7% of the total population, according to Nielsen/BBM Canada — watched all or part of a local or national NHL broadcast during Opening Weekend (Thu-Sun).

 

NHL Network™ provided fans with complementary coverage of Opening Night pre-and post-game from its set in Boston for the first banner-raising in the city in 39 years; on the scene in Winnipeg for 2011 Molson Canadian NHL Face-Off™, and in Vancouver for the Canucks-Pittsburgh Penguins game at Rogers Arena.

 

Digital Content Continues to Attract NHL Fans in Record Numbers

 

The NHL’s digital media focus this season emphasizes improved broadband and mobile product experiences; expanded distribution among mobile, tablet and connected devices and greater penetration within key European countries; and a social media approach that prioritizes social-centric experiences and earned media.

 

Results from opening week validate the strategy across all digital touch points, including:

 

NHL.com

 

· NHL.com experienced 9% more visitors during the first week (Thur.-Wed.) compared to last year’s record traffic numbers for same time period, and saw a 57% increase in video starts.

 

· Buoyed by the excitement surrounding the Winnipeg Jets’ season-opener, NHL.com enjoyed its #9 day all-time for video starts on Sunday, Oct. 9 (1.9 million), achieving a top-10 figure despite a light schedule of two games.

 

· With the launch of six foreign-language sites in key European nations, international visitors from key countries grew at double-and triple-digit rates.

 

· Strong International UV growth among Finland (+82%), Sweden (+47%), Germany (+40%), Czech Republic (+252%) and Russia (+31%) during opening weekend (Thur. – Sun.)

 

· Strong International video start growth among Finland (+198%), Sweden (+190%), Germany (+132%), Czech Republic (+448%), Russia (+179%) and Slovakia (+186%) during opening weekend (Thur. – Sun.)

 

NHL GameCenter LIVE™

 

 

NHL GameCenter LIVE was enhanced for 2011-12, emphasizing a refined and more intuitive user interface, more features and functions, and the ability to authenticate multiple devices from a single subscription.

 

· Subscriptions to NHL GameCenter LIVE increased 105% over the same period last season.

 

· Subscriptions recorded on the first day of the regular season were the highest daily total in NHL GameCenter LIVE history, while the following Friday and Saturday were the second-and third-highest ever. The weekly total is more than double the previous high for a single week.

 

NHL Mobile and Tablet Apps

 

· The League’s new carrier-agnostic distribution strategy enables the NHL to develop and deliver the experience to more carriers and smartphones, which resulted in a 250-percent increase in app downloads so far this season

 

· For both iPad and iPhone, NHL GameCenter™ was the top grossing sports app in the US, Canada and Russia.

 

NHL Mobile Web

 

· NHL Mobile page views saw 63% growth over the start of last season, led by a 179% increase in mobile page views outside North America.

 

NHL Social

 

· The NHL has an extended reach on Twitter and Facebook of more than 2.5mm, an increase of 105% over the start of last season.

 

· NHL launched a new Facebook application at start of season — NHL Fan Banner™ – which through the first several days of the season, fans were downloading more than 1,000 per hour for use.

 

· Social networks continue to be a source of referred traffic to NHL.com with Facebook referrals up 50% over last year’s season opening and Twitter up 450%.

 

· Visitors to NHL.com that are referred by Facebook or Twitter continue to consume content at a higher rate than the average visitor, including visits (+27%), video starts (+68%) and articles read (+51%).

 

NHL Merchandise Hotter Than Ever

 

· Sales of NHL licensed merchandise were up 12% to date, driven by the introduction of new jerseys in Nashville, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles, Florida, Edmonton and Winnipeg; retro-inspired snap back headwear; EA Sports’ NHL 12 video game; Boston Bruins Stanley Cup commemorative items, and women’s and kids apparel

 

· Through the opening week of the season, in-arena per-capita sales for home openers was up 31 percent compared to last season

 

· Overall in-arena merchandise sales for the 2011 NHL Premiere™ games in Europe were up 7%, despite there being two fewer regular-season games played this year (6 games LY vs. 4 games TY)

 

· Sales at Shop.NHL.com up 32% for the first week of the season compared to last year, led by sales of Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins championship and Hockey Fights Cancer merchandise.

 

· Sales at the NHL Store Powered by Reebok in midtown New York City are up 10% against comparable season opening week

 

· The NHL has seen record-setting new team sales for the Winnipeg Jets in the first 90 days

 

2010-11 NHL Business: Best Year on Record

 

In a season that saw outstanding on-ice performances — a dramatic playoff chase that went down to the last minute of the last game of the season, plus a thrilling playoff capped by a seven-game Stanley Cup Final — the NHL experienced unprecedented success off the ice. Led by dramatic increases in sponsorship and merchandise sales, landmark corporate investment in its big events and impressive digital growth, the NHL experienced its fifth consecutive year of record revenue and approached nearly $3 billion in total revenue. League-generated revenue has increased by 15 percent for this year and has increased by 150 percent over the past five years. Sponsorship sales set an all-time record with gross sales increasing by 33 percent over last year as the League added to its roster of bluechip corporate partners attracted by the most-coveted fan demographic in all of sports. The NHL received rave reviews for partnering with HBO on 24/7 and recently announced a new 10-year television agreement with the NBC Sports Group. For its business achievements, Sports Business Journal named the NHL as its “League of the Year.”

 

Pens Bigger Out Of Market Draw Then Caps on VERSUS This Week

Both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals played games on VERSUS against Florida teams that were blacked out in their local markets, and the Pens proved the larger attraction.

Monday night’s VERSUS telecast of Lightning/Capitals (which aired on CSN Mid-Atlantic in DC, but on VERSUS in Tampa) drew an 0.1 rating and 162,000 viewers for Washington’s 6-5 shootout victory over Tampa Bay. Tuesday night’s broadcast of Panthers/Penguins (seen on ROOT Sports in Pittsburgh, VERSUS in South Florida) drew an 0.2 rating and 216,000 viewers for Pittsburgh’s 4-2 victory over Florida. Panthers/Pens also drew more viewers among Adults 18-49 (116,000) than Lightning/Caps (86,000).

Meanwhile, Saturday’s telecast of Rangers/Ducks from the NHL Premiere series drew 124,000 viewers at 1 p.m. ET. The telecast was blacked out in the New York metropolitan area, but aired live on VERSUS in Southern California. This was up 19% from the prior afternoon’s New York-blacked-out Rangers/Kings game (101,000). It was also up 7% from the year-ago telecast of Phoenix/Boston (116,000), which was blacked out in Boston.

(Source: The Voice of TV)

It Got Weird on NHL Overtime Tuesday Night

From an outsider perspective, NHL Overtime seems to be a clear shot at giving perpetually potential NHL television star Jeremy Roenick his own nightly platform. They’ve made him – and host Bill Patrick – the only permanent parts of the show, with a rotating third chair, the nightly series (which airs 30 minutes after every VERSUS hockey broadcast until January) seems destined to try and give JR a chance to make waves. He certainly gave it his best shot on Tuesday night’s episode, in which he went on a strange rant about Sidney Crosby and often seemed at odds with guest analyst Eddie Olczyk.

Early on in the show, yet another interview with Crosby in which he proclaimed there were no updates to be made with regard to his return to the NHL. After the clip, Roenick sounded off, asking “aren’t you guys sick of all this by now?” of the media’s constant interviews of the NHL’s biggest star, adding “I’m sick of it. I’m sick and tired of listening to Sidney Crosby saying, ‘Nothing is new yet.’” He added that he didn’t want to be insensitive about concussions, but he feels that Crosby is “boring on television” and the media should just stop interviewing him. Olczyk responded reasonably, saying “When you’re the face of the National Hockey League, people wanna know every day.” He’s right. It seems strangely naive, given how Roenick’s immersed himself in the media throughout his NHL playing and post-playing career, that he would think it’s an actual issue that Sidney Crosby is talking too much. I can remember Roenick – particularly during his stint in LA – appearing on television shows (Best Damn Sports Show Period, for instance) for much less important reasons. The NHL’s biggest star’s health has been in question for nine months now. If he is able to talk about it at all, then anything he says is newsworthy, like it or not.

It was the first of many disagreements between Roenick and Olczyk, who seemed legitimately miffed by his fellow former Chicago Blackhawk when discussing various NHL trophy candidates. They tensely debated the merits of goaltenders like Nick Backstrom and Ilya Bryzgalov in a dialogue far beyond what would seem reasonable for a late night hockey show. The two disagreed during a bizarre power rankings segment as well, in which Roenick’s top four ranked teams (San Jose, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles) were all – coincidentally, I’m sure – teams that he’d played for during his NHL career. Neither picked the Pittsburgh Penguins, who’d just come off a four-game stretch in which they’d gotten seven points, largely without the help of Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.

It all came to a bit of a head towards the end of the show when, after Roenick “quoted” something he thought Olczyk had said regarding the Sedin twins. Olczyk tersely responded, seemingly to both Roenick and Patrick, “Listening is a skill, and you need to take a class in that, because that is not what I just said.”

Olczyk won’t be back for more Overtime tonight, as he’ll be calling the Bruins/Hurricanes game earlier on for VERSUS. It’ll be Keith Jones’ turn to do battle with Jeremy Roenick. It’ll be interesting to see if Eddie O. returns to the Overtime stage later in the season to go another 10 rounds with JR. It may not have been good television on Tuesday – it definitely wasn’t better than the ever-improving NHL Live! earlier in the night – but it was certainly watchable, albeit in the strangest way.

CBC Has Successful Opening Weekend

Saturday night’s game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators was a record-setter for CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA, with an average audience of 2.359 million viewers tuning in—nine per cent more than the previous record-holder for the first Saturday game of the season, set last year.

 

Ratings data from the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement (BBM) show the game had a total TV audience share of 31.3 per cent, reaching more than 7.55 million Canadians, almost a quarter of the country’s population. The late game, which saw the Calgary Flames hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins, had a share of 17.5 per cent, reaching more than five million Canadians, garnering an average audience of just over one million viewers.

 

On Sunday, the first Winnipeg Jets home opener since 1996 drew an average total audience of 1.825 million Canadians.

 

The weekend numbers follow a tremendously strong start to the season, last Thursday, with the Molson Canadian NHL FACE-OFF pre-game show, attracting an average audience of 929,000 viewers—a 66 per cent increase over last year. That was followed by 1.935 million Canadians watching the classic Game 1 matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs—beating last year’s opening-game mark of 1.923 million.

 

(Source: BBM Canada, Total Canada, Preliminary Overnights, Ind.2+, 2011)

 

* Based on metered television audience data only

 

Rangers-Kings Audience Small, Posts Gains From 2010

VERSUS’ afternoon telecast of the New York Rangers-Los Angeles Kings game from Stockholm, Sweden – which did not air exclusively in the New York market – drew a small, but improved audience on Friday.

The game – which started at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT – drew 101,000 viewers and 42,000 among Adults 18-49. This was up 6% from the Minnesota-Carolina game that aired on early Friday afternoon in 2010 (95,000) and was exclusive in both local television markets.

(Source: The Voice of TV)