OLN

[sunshine]

As I predicted back when OLN viewership was lousy to say the least. Number one is they reach 21 million less households than ESPN. Number two OLN isn't a staple channel like ESPN and ESPN2 so people aren't used to going to it. And number three OLN is offered in many parts only through a digital package. And in some areas maybe not at all.
The President of OLN strikes me as clueless at the moment. The first thing OLN has to do is make it as available as ESPN and scratch the pay for digital end of it. That's a duh. Next OLN who is changing their name to Versus needs to start building an identity beyond rodeo etc.. In otherwords if they were smart they would get aggressive and start filling in some other sports holes. For example anyone see the so called great Nadal- Federer match recently? Of course not unless you get the Tennis channel which is a pay channel unavailable in many parts. OLN should get a tennis package together. And a few other areas ripe for exploration that are real sports unlike poker. And think outside the box. Maybe do the MLB draft. Maybe a volleyball thing with gals in uh skimpy outfits. In otherwords don't just sit on their asses and hope the people will discover hockey. If you want to compete with big boys like ESPN then start acting like one.
To OLN's credit they are putting time and effort into their hockey coverage but unless changes are made hockey will continue to underperform. Sure it hurts some without big market teams in the semifinals but that isn't the main problem right now. And for now the mainstream media isn't going to assist hockey and OLN on the way so even more reason to pump up the promotion and availablity end to it.
On the bright side attendance was up this year. ESPN knew OLN wasn't going to be a threat to them. It is time OLN starts to grow up and play tough. It is rough out there in the real world and the namby pamby OLN appraoch just isn't going to cut it these days.

 

[sunshine]

Sorry for double post--I do that too often but Barry Melrose made a good point. The NHL has to realize there is a difference between local marketing and national marketing. For the true local fans they don't need the bells and whistles hence most arenas were full this past season. They enjoy the sport for what it is--a fast paced exciting sport. But the national media has skewed towards the tabloid and superstar approach which is unfortunate but a reality for now. So the NHL has to aggressively market for example the young stars Crosby etc. and make it more national friendly whatever the hell that means. And the need to pull in younger fans and women. Not impossible to do. But with a media afraid of "too many whites in one place" barriers have to be jumped.

 

[jcolec02]

the nhl should still be on ESPN

 

[Realgeorge]

Sunshine, You are Right

OLN has done the best they can, and they've (unwittingly) carried water for us, Alpha White Males who love our race and our best athletes.

It's possible ... that the rest of Cable TV will notice the healthy, popular NHL, robust and rockin' after the lockout. Maybe they'll notice the wimpy network holding the NHL broadcast and a bidding war may start. TNT? USA? Fox Sports? OLN ain't the only game in town.

 

[joshinva]

I wish I could agree with you guys in regard to the NHL. THe simple fact is that without the big market teams they will not draw ANY attention outside of the cities that have teams still in the Cup playoffs. We've been saying for years that the NHL needs to market their stars. Yet, that hasn't happened, or at least hasn't been succesful.

What the NHL needs, is a dose of entrepreunial(?) owners who aren't afraid to take the league to the next level. Getting rid of the stupid two line pass was a good first step, now get rid of offsides too. FOr the life of me I can not understand why on earth the league would want to limit the skill players breakaway attempts by having the offside rule. It is literally insane.

Can you imagine if Michael Jordan had to wait for the ball to clear half court before he could take off on a fast break? It is insane!!!

Two things that will drive me to an early grave. No playoff in college football and the STUPID OFFSIDE RULE in hockey. AHHHHHHH!

FInally, I follow hockey a bit during the reg. season and all the time during the playoffs. But for the life of me, other than Michael Peca, I don't know ANYONE on Edmonton. That can't be good for the game either.

Get a game 7 in the SC finals though, like two years ago, and all will be forgiven. Josh

 

[sunshine]

Chris Pronger is on the Oilers and he has been a beast throughout the playoffs. . But Josh makes a good point. I wish I had made it. Maybe it will take a savvy new owner or two to push the league forward. The current crew seem intent on a semi- communist system (which is what a lot of what the strike was about) that gives them a steady cash flow without any consideration for broadening the game's appeal and reaching out to fans beyond the diehards. Whatever a bolder new approach is needed.
As for big market teams yeh the Flyers, Red Wings and or Rangers--(I won't include the Blackhawks since they have sucked for so long)would have boosted things up and even the Penguins with Crosby. I think the parody thing has been taken to an extreme in hockey but even the big market teams would only boost things so much this year. Long term some big market teams have to be in the thick of things. Changes have to be made.
As for real George and other networks I thought USA missed out on a great opening. They do cover a lot ot the US Open in tennis and some golf so sports isn't foreign to them and they are available on all cable. But OLN has it now and we will have to hope they expand or sell it to someone who can make ESPN and their smug attitude a jolt.

 

[joshinva]

I just found out directTV has OLN whereas my local cable company does not. Thus, with all things being equal, i.e., price, I am going with DirectTV. Freakin' mad that I missed the whole playoffs. But at least I'll get the CUP finals!Can't wait!!! Big game 7 tonight which I of course will miss and won't see hardly any highlights because ESPN has basically banned hockey.

 

[Lance Alworth]

i hate the stupid offside rule too. I think soccer ought to do away with it as well. I cant tell how many times I've watched a premier league game to see a player on the fast break, only to see his momentum slowed down by trying to make sure he was aligned with the other players. Its no wonder that sport has never caught on in america.

As for OLN, I like their coverage, but i hate the fact that its in the nosebleed section on my DirectTV package, like channel 600 something. I hope that when it becomes Versus, they will bump it up to the 200's where ESPN and the NFL network lie. I'm too lazy to scroll past hundreds of premium and spanish language networks which i dont get or even watch just to hit OLN

 

[joshinva]

SOccer has offside too? WHY does ANYONE think that's the way to attract fans? Like you said, watching a breakaway beginning to form and then BAM! whistle because of offside. Stupid.

 

[Lance Alworth]

Yeah, soccer has it too, and its even worse in soccer because it can happen just about anywhere on the field, unlike hockey in which has a much smaller playing surface and offside is only called when a player crosses the blue line without passing it to a teammate if he is on the other side of it. You see a lot of goals in soccer called off due to offsides. Its terrible

 

[IceSpeed2]

They need better camera angles I think. Hockey could catch on if they just changed the camera angles to showcase the games speed just a little more. They need to capture the intensity of the game more. By placing the Stanley Cup on OLN, people associate hockey with an outdoor activity like bikeracing, and not a tough grueling game like football.

Nice to see the slumping Staal have a good game, but I think Edmonton will rebound and take the next game.

 

[joshinva]

I wish the Chargers would go back to their throwback unis, AND the Patriots with the minuteman hiking the ball, that'd be sweet.

Anyway, I've got to say that my wife was watching a bit of game 4 the other night and trust me she is not much of a sports fan. But she was into it. The action was intense. If they could just get the angles to show where the puck was when it's on the boards that'd make it much easier to follow for the casual fan.

Also, they need to show more action behind the play. There is lots going on that TV doesn't catch.

Finally, the NHL needs to do a better job of showing the fans exploding when the home team scores a goal in their highlights. Don't just show the players, that doesn't capture all of the emotions of hockey. The fans reactions are even more intense and that has an appeal to it. The intensity of the arena in Edmonton was coming out of the TV and that has mass appeal.

Basic marketing 101, people want to be where the action is. Which is why it was such genius when the NBA showed all the Hollywood types courtside back in the 80s.

The NHL should highlight the fans much, much more to create the feeling that this is where the action is, just look at fans going crazy when Carolina scored with 32 seconds left. And you need to be here to be part of it.

I hate to say it though, the facts are the NHL has always had horrible marketing. But I think things are starting to change, FINALLY. It is a better, more exciting game now and that's a start.