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by Paul on 02/27/10 at 10:18 PM ET
Comments (6)
“I’ve been in the room when owners have said, ‘We’re not going to the Olympics,. Some of our markets are challenged, attendance-wise. To close our doors and say, thanks for your patronage, come back in two-and-a-half weeks. ... If any other business did that, people would be giving them the award for imbecility.”
-Team USA General Manager Brian Burke. More from Burke on this topic from Mark Whicker of the OC Register.
Filed in: NHL Talk, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
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I don’t know about everybody else, but even if the NHL players weren’t playing in the olympics, I’d be paying attention to olympic hockey instead of the NHL. And, given a choice between watching the NHL and the Canadian national team, I’d bet the majority of the Canadian hockey fans wouldn’t be watching the NHL either.
Posted by UMFan from Denver, Colorado on 02/28/10 at 01:51 AM ET
show the Olympic games on the big screen
NBC explicitly doesn’t allow that. They think it screws up the nielsens.
Posted by steve on 02/28/10 at 05:19 AM ET
Yes, I know - but NBC only has the rights to the summer games in London, and then the television rights are up for bid again with I believe NBC and ESPN being the contenders.
That’s why it would take some negotiations.
Still, in four more years, who knows what broadcast model will work? Maybe by then the majority of people will be watching television streaming over computers or cell phones, and fewer homes will even have televisions as they are now. Four years is a long time as far as technology is concerned.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/28/10 at 06:49 AM ET
I have to agree with Burke. The NHL really does get nothing out of the Olympics. Once its over hockey fans return to the NHL and everybody else goes on to March Madness. The IOC needs to offer the NHL something tangible…like online viewing maybe. I mean what if ABC gets the Olympics next time. Then the NHL is basically loaning its players for free so ABC can get good ratings. And if Crosby or Ovechkin get injured ABC just says…thanks for the ratings guys
Posted by kevin from conlin on 02/28/10 at 07:47 AM ET
If NHL players continue to participate at the Olympics after Vancouver, which I think they should, the league should ensure better conditions regardless of who gets the broadcasting rights. The quality of the product deserves it.
I have no idea what the NHL teams do in terms of promotion and marketing during the break, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s room for a lot of improvement. Like Baroque wrote, I just takes a bit of creativity and thinking outside the box to keep people interested for a couple of weeks.
Posted by Moq from Denmark on 02/28/10 at 11:43 AM ET
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Unless - but it would take some negotiating - show the Olympic games on the big screen, have a few fan-friendly events during the two weeks, maybe some public skates on NHL ice, ask a couple of the non-Olympic players to take a day or two out of their vacations to appear for a meet-and-greet or something. Maybe even let colleges or nearby minor-league teams play a game on the NHL ice while the NHL players are away.
They wouldn’t have to go entirely dark - it just takes some creativity. It could even be a financial plus by charging just a small admission fee. I’ll bet many fans who can’t afford to go to many games or any at all would love to skate on the ice once.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/28/10 at 12:32 AM ET