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NHL Will Return with New Rules, More HDTV

6422 Views 79 Replies 45 Participants Last post by jolietconvict, Feb 28, 2005

MnGuy

Discussion Starter · Feb 23, 2005

From CNNSI:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Says EPSN2 and, gasp!, NBC plan HDTV for hockey.

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fredfa

· #2 · Feb 23, 2005

Will anyone care?

More HDTV and new rules depend on if any network cares enough about the NHL to pay for the games.

Despite the story, there are indications ESPN is backing off -- perhaps in part because this year's college basketball (men's and women's games) on ESPN2 substantially out rated last year's NHL telecasts.

Hockey does OK (just OK) on a few RSNs (Detroit, Boston, Colorado and Minnesota come to mind) but nationally it is a ratings disaster.

As a point of comparison, The Westminster Dog Show (last week on USA and UHD) had twice as many viewers as last year's Stanley Cup Finals.

Personally like hockey.

MnGuy

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 23, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by fredfa
Will anyone care?

I don't care much for hockey, despite my address in the self-appointed State of Hockey. I guess I was just happy to see the sport embracing and seeing the potential value of HD, even if it is in desperation.

tbb1226

· #4 · Feb 23, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by fredfa
As a point of comparison, The Westminster Dog Show (last week on USA and UHD) had twice as many viewers as last year's Stanley Cup Finals.

Is there any more damning evidence of society's downward spiral? (the proliferation of "HD-lite" notwithstanding, of course

)

zmeister

· #5 · Feb 23, 2005

1st of all I'm not a big hockey fan but:

1. The rules changes will help, I never quite understood the 2line pass rule...

2. More sports in HD. Always good to hear that.WRAL broadcast several Hurricane games in HD and they were wonderful to watch.

I've gone to about 6 Cane's games over the last 4 years and enjoyed the atmosphere especially the copious amounts of beer. Hockey is definitely something that needs to be witnessed live!

One additional suggestion to the NHL. You might want to try and schedule as many games Thurs-Sun as possible. Try the series format like baseball. Cut down on travel costs and have increased weekend atttendence! As much as I enjoyed going, it's hard when there are only a few Sat games scheduled and it is expensive!

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rkunces

· #6 · Feb 23, 2005

This is atleast better news for the nhl especially with the inevitable occuring. It should be interesting to see NBC's sports HD coverage as I really haven't seen what they have to offer other than the olympics.

tbb1226

· #7 · Feb 23, 2005

From the article at the above link,
Quote:

To aid the impression that hockey is a fast, edgy game, NHL uniform supplier Reebok plans to outfit players in flashier, sleeker and more formfitting uniforms next season.

Now I'm not worried about the future of NHL hockey any more.

MnGuy

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 23, 2005

"To aid the impression that hockey is a fast, edgy game, NHL uniform supplier Reebok plans to outfit players in flashier, sleeker and more formfitting uniforms next season."

Let's hope MLB doesn't get this idea for its managers!

Bill Johnson

· #9 · Feb 23, 2005

The name of this thread needs to be changed! I grabbed it thinking perhaps the lockout had ended and the season would resume and I just hadn't heard the late-breaking news. What a letdown for a long time hockey fan!

Ross in Toronto

· #10 · Feb 23, 2005

The NHL lockout is literally front-page, top-of-the-6:00 news important in this town (Toronto). I work not half a kilometer from the NHLPA's headquarters at College Park. It seemed like every day Canadian TV satellite trucks are parked outside until last week. Now they're gone.

Despite this, even in Toronto, we're finding other things to do with our Saturday nights... if fans in Toronto are surviving without tossing themselves off the Bloor Street Viaduct (a tall bridge in Toronto) this doesn't bode well for the NHL in less hockey-mad places like LA.

...when the NHL comes back, will anyone outside of Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa and a few US cities care?

I vote for contraction. 16 teams with an eight team playoff season. Six Canadian teams and 10 US teams with one US team in Florida for all the Canadians down there in the winter.

...and all games in HD of course!

Ross

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rkunces

· #11 · Feb 23, 2005

I say they make schedule changes to have the original 6 play more often. I hardly ever get to see the rangers play them anymore and having those 6 play each other more often could add some national tv games to the slot if a plan is done.

blackngold19

· #12 · Feb 23, 2005

I miss the Bruins, but a hard salary cap is needed if the sport is to survive and be fan-friendly over the long haul. Also, it will keep the same old teams, the AVS, STARS, and RANGERS, from overpaying players. I look forward with optomism to next year and NESN HD.

rkunces

· #13 · Feb 23, 2005

The rangers would actually benefit froma cap too. instead of overpaying old vets creating zero team chemistry and defense they could finally build a team.

One of the gripes I have with the nhl too is having players becoming unrestricted at age 30. I think they should make it 27 atleast. There are too many washed up players making millions they deserve from their playing in years past but not a the present time. Al McInnis comes to mind the most.

mstahlkr

· #14 · Feb 23, 2005

I definitely think the rule changes will help. I'm a huge fan of Olympic hockey, but I can't stand NHL hockey.

brewer4

· #15 · Feb 23, 2005

I miss the Whalers but sadly, I am over it. So, as much as I miss NHL, I am almost over it. So, they better start playing or they are gonna have a mountain to climb. They are in a hole which is only getting deeper.

CSNHottie

· #16 · Feb 23, 2005

Not really a fan of hockey, but how can I be? I'm in a city where the owner doesn't televise the home games at all (so if there were any HD ones here they'd probably be blocked out anyway. And he's probably a big reason why they couldn't save the season

bgall

· #17 · Feb 23, 2005

Aww such a tease, I thought this meant the NHL is returning sometime soon

Fred M

· #18 · Feb 23, 2005

It is obvious to me that neither the players nor the owners take fans (who pay all the bills) into consideration at all. The dispute is all about players and owners making money for themselves ...not performing for the fans. When it comes to importance, fans are on the bottom of the totem pole.

I am a lifelong NHL fan. (I was born in the Boston area and was a very big fan of the Bruins ...and particularly Bobby Orr in the 1970's.)

I will, however, handle the return of hockey the same way I handled the return of baseball after the (232 day) 1994-95 MLB strike. I simply will not go to any games ...nor will I watch any TV games for the same length of time that the strike persists. So I guess I will be taking another year off from hockey. Hopefully, hockey will still be around by then.

jambroni

· #19 · Feb 23, 2005

Like the foiled negotiations, it is too little, too late.

I do not intend on watching any hockey (live or via satellite) for an extended length of time (measured in years).

HofstraJet

· #20 · Feb 23, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by zmeister
1st of all I'm not a big hockey fan but:

1. The rules changes will help, I never quite understood the 2line pass rule...

Not that I am a hockey expert, but it was always my understanding that the two line pass rule was created to prevent someone from just waiting in the neutral zone for the puck while the entire play is on the far side of the ice. That way, by not allowing someone to wait beyond the red line, once the puck clears the blue line, the rest of the players will get a chance to catch up with the play and you won't have as many breakaway opportunities.

Sorry for the OT post.

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