[reaganfan88]

It's a shame about the new NHL contract. Less HD most likely. Hockey is glorious in HD and a perfect technology to let people experience then game.


I just can't figure out why more people don't watch or care about hockey. Out of the 4 major sports it is the most exciting. (Unless a clutch and grab team is playing). I mean look at the two conference final series this year. I am a big fan of all sports but sometimes I would rather watch paint dry than watch NBA or MLB.


Maybe the NHL should have cut a deal with HDNET for all games.

 

[perrycom]

Agreed. I think HD does the most for hockey than any other sport.


As for ratings, hockey is basically a northern game (or watched by transplanted northerners in southern cities) that doesn't translate well to television, with the excpetion of HD. Unfortunately, the timing of the NHL's lockout next season is horrible. Just at the time that hi-def could bring new fans to the game, and higher ratings, there won't be any hockey to watch.

 

[RichYak]

I seem to recall reading a quote from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman about an NHL channel. Hopefully it'll be modelled after NBA TV, with HD games carried by INHD or HDNet.

 

[Petteri]

There is an NHL channel in Canada, SD only for now....

 

[abcward]

HDNet broadcast 2-3 games per week in HD this season. With the new NHL-NBC contract, will HDNet still be involved? Or will we be losing out??

 

[CycloneGT]

Aren't most Hockey games carried by the local regional sports networks? Except for the post season, most people are only interested in their local teams. Its the RSN which will push HD the most for NHL.

 

[abcward]

Yea, it just seems like local regional sports networks have been pretty far behind in HD. Our local is Fox Sports Midwest and i have heard absolutely nothing about them carrying anything in HD. So, until that time we can only enjoy NHL contests carried by ESPN-HD or HDNet.

 

[HiDef Bob]

Hopefully once CBC finishing building their HDTV truck by the end of this year, we will start to see some HNIC games in HDTV.

 

[raidbuck]

Comcast Sportsnet will be showing most all home Caps and Flyers games in HD. I'm not a hockey fan, but do watch occasionally because of the HD picture. I don't know the likelihood of a lockout. But with ESPN's regular season games moved to ESPN2 there will certainly be some loss of national HD Hockey exposure.


Rich N.

 

[dg28]

One more time: (1) With ESPN's digital center opening next month they will have the abiliy to simulcast a game in HD from EITHER ESPN or ESPN2. So simply moving games to ESPN2 is not in and of itself to be taken that there will be less HD hockey on ESPN2 (2) HDNet's contract is separate from the new ESPN/NBC contracts and I'm pretty sure they have one more year to go on their current contract.

 

[blitzen102]

I think with their new digital center coming online it would be extremely easy for ESPN to launch ESPN2-HD (compared to some other network launching their first foray into HD).

 

[kevin j]

chicago's supposed to be getting a comcast sportsnet this fall but who knows if they'll do the blackhawks in HD[if so it'll be road games "dollar" bill wirtz hates showing home games locally]