Is the NHL going to be back on ESPN?

[bigd19 0]

I was really hoping that they would broadcast hockey again.

[Chadd 916]

OLN has a two year contract and NBC is showing more national games than anyone since 1998. I wouldn't count on the NHL going back to ESPN after this season either. OLN is putting more effort into the NHL than ESPN, ABC or Fox did.

[bigd19 0]

Thanks for the information.

[trucks 0]

Its the stupidest thing the NHL could have done, if they want to grow the sport they have to be on ESPN. Half the country doesn't get OLN and those who do rarely flip to it but ESPN they do. The NHL should have realized this and taken as little money as ESPN was offering just to get the exposure.

[Chadd 916]

Its the stupidest thing the NHL could have done, if they want to grow the sport they have to be on ESPN. Half the country doesn't get OLN and those who do rarely flip to it but ESPN they do. The NHL should have realized this and taken as little money as ESPN was offering just to get the exposure.

The difference in the number of subscribers between ESPN2 (where most games were shown) and OLN was 6M last season. ESPN was asking the NHL to buy the airtime, they weren't offereing any money.

[trucks 0]

Well depending on how much they were asking I think it would have been a smart move to stay on ESPN. Going on OLN puts hocke in the same boat as the Great American Dog Games or whatever that crap is I see on OLN. The NHL needs exposure now more then anything and if it costs you some money to grow the sport so be it, it will pay off in the long run.

[Meathead 0]

ESPN had the worst hockey presentation. I'd much rather just watch hockey on OLN, CBC, and FoxSports.

[mack 44]

Yeah, those grainy home porno-ish feeds from OLN makes my nipples diamond-like.

[Dante2004 0]

OLN is changing their name this fall to Versus (sp.)

I would imagine that they will be doing several other things to change their image as well.

Get the NHL Center Ice package and don't worry about it.

[Chadd 916]

Yeah, those grainy home porno-ish feeds from OLN makes my nipples diamond-like.

After the first couple weeks, the picture quality improved for me. My big problem is that they don't have a "real" host. I like Clement but he's better as an analyst.

[mack 44]

Mine never got better but at least we had it. I agree about their studio crew though, what the hell is Keith Jones doing employed?

[Hooah4 12]

Mine never got better but at least we had it. I agree about their studio crew though, what the hell is Keith Jones doing employed?

Jones is also doing the Flyer color this year. The booted Steve Coates to the spot between the benche ala' Pierre Maguire. That way he can't get bombed in the booth anymore.

[Chadd 916]

Mine never got better but at least we had it.  I agree about their studio crew though, what the hell is Keith Jones doing employed?

Jones is also doing the Flyer color this year. The booted Steve Coates to the spot between the benche ala' Pierre Maguire. That way he can't get bombed in the booth anymore.

So they have Dornhoffer, Jones and Jackson in the booth? Talk about a massive vortex of suck. I bet Jones will still get some time on OLN, since OLN and comcast are owned by the same group they use a lot of the comcast crews on their off days.

[chk hrd 164]

It wasn't the NHL's decision not to stay on ESPN. ESPN did not want to renew the contract with the NHL. I ould guess it had to do with ESPN's lack of confidence in the NHL after the lock out...guess ESPN was wrong.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

I think it was a good move. ESPN used to show tractor pulling, strongman contests and the likes, until they got a serious big sport. They are now instantly recognisable as the leader of the market in the US for sports.

OLN is trying to grow as a serious sports network, similar to what ESPN did back in the day. The show the Tour de France, fishing (which espn also shows) boxing, motocross and hunting shows. Espn shows motocross, fishing, boxing and hunting shows.

Espns pokers is like OLNs bull fighting etc.

OLN has grown by about 12% in terms of the households it is now in about 69million homes nationally.

They done a good job for such short notice last year, with hockey related programming, legends of hockey, classic games, the tournament etc.

They are going to use hockey as their anchor main sport, and try to grow from there. That can only be good for hockey.

Screw ESPN, who have treated hockey like the red headed stepchild for the past 5 or 6 years , they changed the nights they would show games, changed advertised games, cut out hockey tonight to accomodate whatever else it wanted to put on in place.

It will take time, but I think this year should be better, last year they came to the agreement in august, and had less than 2 months. They got progressively better as the season went on.

I enjoyed the coverage. I disliked Clement as the anchor, he seemed lost at times, could not ad lib when called for but he is a recognisable television hockey head, so I understand why they chose him.

It was a good move to get on to a network that wants to grow and wants to use your sport to grow with it, and I hope they make espn regret not taking them up as they eat into their market share in sports broadcasting.

Also, in the DC area, not sure if it was the same elsewhere, we got a couple of out of town games from comcast in philly and chicago, not a lot, on our local comcast sports net (which owns OLN), which was an added bonus.

[Chadd 916]

Also, in the DC area, not sure if it was the same elsewhere, we got a couple of out of town games from comcast in philly and chicago, not a lot, on our local comcast sports net (which owns OLN), which was an added bonus.

Regional Comcast channels have the option to pick up a limited number out of town games as part of the contract.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Also, in the DC area, not sure if it was the same elsewhere, we got a couple of out of town games from comcast in philly and chicago, not a lot, on our local comcast sports net (which owns OLN), which was an added bonus.

Regional Comcast channels have the option to pick up a limited number out of town games as part of the contract.

I remember saying to my friend after we got a hawks broadcast that the DC market has more blackhawks games on this year than chicago :lol:

[troy 12]

So they have Dornhoffer, Jones and Jackson in the booth?

Dornhoeffer left for some position in the organizatoin so it's just Jones and Jackson. Jonesy is going to a decent job I think, he's hilarious on 610 in the mornings and hopefully can calm Jackson down some, as Keith seems to have a drier personality. As long as they still have Coatesy's Corner I'm happy.

[Hooah4 12]

So they have Dornhoffer, Jones and Jackson in the booth?

Dornhoeffer left for some position in the organizatoin so it's just Jones and Jackson. Jonesy is going to a decent job I think, he's hilarious on 610 in the mornings and hopefully can calm Jackson down some, as Keith seems to have a drier personality. As long as they still have Coatesy's Corner I'm happy.

Coates is really steamed about all this, but the'y're going to keep the Coatsey's Corner segment. "Tonight we're going to talk about the blue line! It's blue! See you next time on Coatsey's Corner!"