Pens-Canes. Discuss.

[RuthlessBurgher]

The schedule is now out. No back-to-back games, and a few with a 2 day break in between (so my wife won't hate me when I am watching what seemed to be a Pens game almost every night to her). Now that FSN Pittsburgh is no longer carrying these games, I hope you folks have Versus (the guy in my office that is as big a Pens fan as I am doesn't have it, so he is busy scouting out possibilities for how he is going to watch this series now).

Monday, May 18 at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, TSN, RDS
Thursday, May 21 at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, TSN, RDS
Saturday, May 23 at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Tuesday, May 26 at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Friday, May 29 at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Sunday, May 31 at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Tuesday, June 2 at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m. VERSUS, CBC, RDS

Storylines abound...

These were the two hottest teams in the league down the stretch of the regular season.

Brother vs. Brother...Eric vs. Jordan.

A battle of young netminders...Ward vs. Fleury

Memories of injuries past...Orpik's check vs. Cole's neck

NFL Coach Allegiences...Tomlin's Pens vs. Cowher's Canes

[Jigawatts]

Before the series even starts... allow me to complain.

I have Versus, so I'm cool. But I feel for the people who don't have it. I think the NHL
made a huge mistake in signing with Versus instead of ESPN. It's like they don't want
anybody to see this fantastic product. What are the details on the contract with Versus?
I'm hoping they wise up and go back to ESPN when the contract expires.

As far as the game, I don't know very much about the Canes other than Cam Ward is a
solid goalie and Staal is a Staal.

And look for me in the crowd Monday night. Mrs. Jigawatts and I + friends will be attending.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Before the series even starts... allow me to complain.

I have Versus, so I'm cool. But I feel for the people who don't have it. I think the NHL
made a huge mistake in signing with Versus instead of ESPN. It's like they don't want
anybody to see this fantastic product. What are the details on the contract with Versus?
I'm hoping they wise up and go back to ESPN when the contract expires.

As far as the game, I don't know very much about the Canes other than Cam Ward is a
solid goalie and Staal is a Staal.

And look for me in the crowd Monday night. Mrs. Jigawatts and I + friends will be attending.

How will we be able to pick you out of the crowd? Will you be the one wearing white?

[Jigawatts]

Before the series even starts... allow me to complain.

I have Versus, so I'm cool. But I feel for the people who don't have it. I think the NHL
made a huge mistake in signing with Versus instead of ESPN. It's like they don't want
anybody to see this fantastic product. What are the details on the contract with Versus?
I'm hoping they wise up and go back to ESPN when the contract expires.

As far as the game, I don't know very much about the Canes other than Cam Ward is a
solid goalie and Staal is a Staal.

And look for me in the crowd Monday night. Mrs. Jigawatts and I + friends will be attending.

How will we be able to pick you out of the crowd? Will you be the one wearing white?

Exactly.

[Discipline of Steel]

Before the series even starts... allow me to complain.

I have Versus, so I'm cool. But I feel for the people who don't have it. I think the NHL
made a huge mistake in signing with Versus instead of ESPN. It's like they don't want
anybody to see this fantastic product. What are the details on the contract with Versus?
I'm hoping they wise up and go back to ESPN when the contract expires.

As far as the game, I don't know very much about the Canes other than Cam Ward is a
solid goalie and Staal is a Staal.

And look for me in the crowd Monday night. Mrs. Jigawatts and I + friends will be attending.

I have to agree, not having Versus sux and the NHL sux for not getting the playoffs on ESPN, at least some of the games. Now, fans have to actively seek out a way to watch the games and viwership will be much less.

[buckeyehoppy]

The NHL royally f---ed up when they didn't find a broader platform to put their televised product on other than Versus. They should have had a condition in the contract that stated that they could render the deal null and void based on the growth of the platform (i.e. the ability of Versus to get onto x number of cable systems).

ESPU probably stoned the NHL in negotiations and they probably felt that things like Texas Hold 'Em or the World Poker Tour were more important that the NHL.

FWIW, I glean very little of my sports info from ESPU anymore. The product just sucks and they have a fairly obvious bias toward certain sports (NBA; NECK, er, NASCAR; College FB and Hoops), certain teams (the Suckees; the Dead Sux; the Patophiles; the Cowqueens; among others) or, even certain players (Brett F---; BO, er, TO; Manny Being Manny; etc...among others).

The NHL needs to direct more game traffic to their own NHL Network and develop that to be their main broadcast outlet and get that onto the sports platforms of more cable/satellite systems. NHL Network already has the excellent coverage from Hockey Night In Canada from wire-to-wire every week during the season.

Now, I just recently got access to Versus this past January after several seasons w/o it. Believe me, I am relieved that I can finally watch games in my own home instead of feeding the beast that is the local sports bar and dealing with their f---tard managers begging to get a share of TVs to show the games.

But, I find it unacceptable that the NHL hasn't been able to force the hand of Versus to step up the pace of getting their product on the screen and into the living rooms of more American homes.

Hockey is the red-headed step-child of sports in this country. It is marketed and treated like a regional sport, even though the league has a footprint in every corner of the country. The NHL still has a lot of work to do to get their product in the mainstream...and signing their televised fortunes over to Versus appears to have been a mistaken busines decision that will only siphon away more audience.

[Jigawatts]

On August 17, 2005, ESPN chose not to match OLN's three-year, US$200 million offer for the NHL's U.S. cable TV rights.[3] The NHL's deal with OLN parent Comcast also gives the company part ownership of a U.S. version of NHL Network, and distribution on all of its cable systems. Comcast also has the rights to simulcast out of market NHL games on its Comcast SportsNet stations. Both Comcast and the NHL have the right to void the final year of the contract.

During certain games of its first season covering the NHL, Versus simulcasted the CBC feed of NHL games, mostly those where teams from western Canada were at home, but now typically does its own production of any game selected for broadcast.

On January 28, 2008, Versus and the NHL extended the deal through the 2010-11 season.

They extended the deal

Does the NHL not want people to see their product? They've made more money short
term by signing with Versus, but it's hurting them in the long run.


OH well... back to tonights game.

GO PENS

[RuthlessBurgher]

On August 17, 2005, ESPN chose not to match OLN's three-year, US$200 million offer for the NHL's U.S. cable TV rights.[3] The NHL's deal with OLN parent Comcast also gives the company part ownership of a U.S. version of NHL Network, and distribution on all of its cable systems. Comcast also has the rights to simulcast out of market NHL games on its Comcast SportsNet stations. Both Comcast and the NHL have the right to void the final year of the contract.

During certain games of its first season covering the NHL, Versus simulcasted the CBC feed of NHL games, mostly those where teams from western Canada were at home, but now typically does its own production of any game selected for broadcast.

On January 28, 2008, Versus and the NHL extended the deal through the 2010-11 season.

They extended the deal

Does the NHL not want people to see their product? They've made more money short
term by signing with Versus, but it's hurting them in the long run.


OH well... back to tonights game.

GO PENS

I think someone should have started a separate "Versus Sucks thread" for most of this stuff, but after tonight, we should have some actual Pens-Canes hockey to talk about instead of just crappy broadcasting rights deals.

Enjoy the game, tonight, Jiga. Don't wear your Hines Steeler jersey to the game. As the Pens try to blast pucks past Cam, we don't want to have any Ward jerseys in the stands during this round.

[Jigawatts]

You're right Ruthless, I'm done talking about Versus here.

Nope, no Ward jersey tonight. I'm rolling with the Malkin long-sleeved shirt which will
most likely be covered up by my white out shirt.

Getting ready to leave work here in a few, go home to pick up Mrs. Jigawatts, and be
on our way. "It's a great day for hockey."

[RuthlessBurgher]

That was the game that I was waiting for from Fleury all Washington series long. Sure he let that first goal somehow dribble in under his pads, but there were probably a half-dozen other great saves, stealing the game from the Canes. You can't blame him for the second goal when Carolina had a two man advantage and he only had a defenseman's stick because Staal's brother interfered with his goalie stick (even the Versus announcers kept stating how that should have been a penalty).