ESPN jabbing at NHL?

[chippa13 1844]

http://bostonherald.com/sports/hockey/other_nhl/view/20121005espn_to_stream_khl_games_online_during_nhl_lockout/

[troy 12]

I don't see how it's jabbing at the NHL, it's business, they have no ties to the league so no need to deprive fans of the game to strengthen bargaining. The NHL is still getting paid by NBC and I think would care very little that a handful of diehards will watch KHL streams. ESPN has realized the increasing hockey viewership and the lockout gave them a way to capitalize on that.

[ktang 34]

I view the NHL as, still, a growing league. ESPN has become an established network, going with established leagues, whereas OLN -> Versus with NBC are growing with the NHL. So with ESPN3 airing KHL games, they can gauge the interest in hockey in North America and then decide whether they want to fight for future NHL broadcast rights or just leave them to Versus / NBC.

If numbers are "good" for the KHL games, it will prove that the North American fanbase for hockey is strong, and that an investment into the NHL would have a good return.

[chippa13 1844]

ESPN doesn't need to air KHL games to see if the fanbase for hockey in North America is strong. Ratings are public information. They know exactly how many people have been tuning into NHL action over the years. I believe that what ESPN is doing is capitalizing on an empty niche in sports programming right now and, in the process, thumbing their noses at the NHL for re-upping with the NBC family instead of seeing if ESPN wanted back into the game.

[goblue9280 33]

Ratings are public information. They know exactly how many people have been tuning into NHL action over the years.

Yes and no. They know how many people tune into hockey on a channel few (other than die-hard fans) know the number of. Everyone with casual interest in one of the big four sports knows what channel ESPN is. What ESPN doesn't know is how many non-hockey, random sports fans will watch hockey on Wednesday night when flipping through channels.

[chippa13 1844]

Streaming KHL games on their online network won't tell them what channel surfers will stop on. Nor does the random Tuesday afternoon telecast of a game on ESPN2. And with the rebranding of Versus as the NBC Sports Network and all of the cross promotion that NBC has been doing on their family of stations, I think you are greatly underestimating the number of folks who know where to find it.

[goblue9280 33]

Streaming KHL games on their online network won't tell them what channel surfers will stop on

Yes, it would help if I read the fricking article before commenting. Sorry about that. I agree, this won't tell them much about potential viewers as only hockey diehards will get on ESPN3 to watch a stream of a KHL game.

It probably is a bit of a jab... personally I'd rather see them fill the hockey void with some college hockey games on ESPN2, but that certainly doesn't have provide the same sting of KHL games.

[troy 12]

ESPN doesn't need to air KHL games to see if the fanbase for hockey in North America is strong. Ratings are public information. They know exactly how many people have been tuning into NHL action over the years. I believe that what ESPN is doing is capitalizing on an empty niche in sports programming right now and, in the process, thumbing their noses at the NHL for re-upping with the NBC family instead of seeing if ESPN wanted back into the game.

If anything, I would say this sends the message to the league that ESPN is willing to air hockey, and might have an interest in doing so in the near future.

I don't like the title of this thread.

[ktang 34]

If ESPN is willing to air hockey, then that's good, eventually, for the NHL, NHLPA, and North American hockey fans. TV revenues could help stabilize teams etc. etc., and with more TV revenues and realizable profits at stake there would be more incentive for the NHL and NHLPA to resolve issues quickly next CBA negotiation time, à la NFL. So that would be good for the fans.

[troy 12]

I think ESPN and their coverage is a bit of a joke, it's an entertainment company that creates stories and constantly hypes them, making it seem like promotion is news. That said, certainly wouldn't hurt the NHL to get a taste of that auto-stimulation.

[carodz 17]

I'm not sure I'd consider this any kind of "jab" at the NHL. ESPN3 had KHL games even when there wasn't a lockout; I remember watching a few last year.

[dsjunior1388 81]

They were playing KHL games as back when it was still ESPN360. Nothing new and certainly not a backhanded slap at the NHL.

[Trooper 8]

I think ESPN and their coverage is a bit of a joke, it's an entertainment company that creates stories and constantly hypes them, making it seem like promotion is news. That said, certainly wouldn't hurt the NHL to get a taste of that auto-stimulation.

And sports is entertainment, nothing more, nothing less. There is a market for hockey, there is a void, ESPN sees a chance to address that void partly. It's a free market, I can't understand why people think that powerful execs have nothing better to do than figure out how to thumb their nose at the NHL on their third channel in the US.

[troy 12]

And sports is entertainment, nothing more, nothing less. There is a market for hockey, there is a void, ESPN sees a chance to address that void partly. It's a free market, I can't understand why people think that powerful execs have nothing better to do than figure out how to thumb their nose at the NHL on their third channel in the US.

Right, but I think there is a distinction between sports journalism and whatever entertainment journalism might be.