Comments on: OLN/Versus: Your home for marginalized sports! http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/ It's always football season somewhere. Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:17:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: bossaball http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-789 bossaball Sat, 10 Jun 2006 22:19:00 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-789 You should definitely add bossaball to the list !!!! = mix of football, volleyball, capoeira and gymnastics on a pitch of trampolines and inflatables. http://www.bossaball.com You should definitely add bossaball to the list !!!!
= mix of football, volleyball, capoeira and gymnastics on a pitch of trampolines and inflatables.
http://www.bossaball.com

]]> By: T0pShelf http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-788 T0pShelf Wed, 31 May 2006 23:40:00 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-788 *why am I coming to a football blog to discuss the NHL - but I digress* Sorry Dave...but your wrong about OLN and the NHL. Please read the articles written by a professionals regarding OLN and the NHL: OLN scoring more, forced to play less defense http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/14700989.htm OLN's NHL coverage isn't bad, but work is needed http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/allan_muir/05/17/oln.reportcard/index.html Apocalypse not Lousy postseason TV ratings are an NHL way of life http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=244377&page=13&pp=25 The NHL has never gotten good ratings on the tube. Why you people act like this is some big news boggles my mind. The NHL lasted through a year off and came back stronger than ever. Its not goin away so just move on and let the rest of enjoy the greatest game on earth without you oversatured ESPN wannabees butting in. Get over yourself. *why am I coming to a football blog to discuss the NHL - but I digress*

Sorry Dave…but your wrong about OLN and the NHL. Please read the articles written by a professionals regarding OLN and the NHL:

OLN scoring more, forced to play less defense
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/14700989.htm

OLN’s NHL coverage isn’t bad, but work is needed
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/allan_muir/05/17/oln.reportcard/index.html

Apocalypse not
Lousy postseason TV ratings are an NHL way of life
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=244377&page=13&pp=25

The NHL has never gotten good ratings on the tube. Why you people act like this is some big news boggles my mind. The NHL lasted through a year off and came back stronger than ever. Its not goin away so just move on and let the rest of enjoy the greatest game on earth without you oversatured ESPN wannabees butting in.

Get over yourself.

]]> By: Chris DeGroat http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-787 Chris DeGroat Fri, 26 May 2006 00:41:00 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-787 As a hockey fan, I think Bettman absolutely made the right decision by going with OLN. It showed that they finally realize that in their attempts to grow the sport they were alienating the fans they already had. With OLN, <B>hockey fans</B> get considerably more coverage than ESPN ever has or ever would offer. That's not to say that there aren't drawbacks with OLN. It would be nice if they were in as many homes as ESPN, but in the past 8 months they've increased their coverage by 7 million homes. And I also don't like that they spent a year building the OLN brand only to make a name change. It's not perfect... but getting a lot of coverage on OLN is better than getting very little on ESPN As a hockey fan, I think Bettman absolutely made the right decision by going with OLN. It showed that they finally realize that in their attempts to grow the sport they were alienating the fans they already had. With OLN, hockey fans get considerably more coverage than ESPN ever has or ever would offer.

That’s not to say that there aren’t drawbacks with OLN. It would be nice if they were in as many homes as ESPN, but in the past 8 months they’ve increased their coverage by 7 million homes. And I also don’t like that they spent a year building the OLN brand only to make a name change.

It’s not perfect… but getting a lot of coverage on OLN is better than getting very little on ESPN

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-785 Anonymous Fri, 26 May 2006 00:28:00 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-785 Well, Bettman made a very short-sighted decision, going with OLN and giving OLN exclusivity for its broadcasts. The NHL NEEDS exposure and Bettman should have begged ESPN to keep it no matter what money (if any) that ESPN offered. I LOVE hockey and it kills me my cable doesn't have OLN. Well, Bettman made a very short-sighted decision, going with OLN and giving OLN exclusivity for its broadcasts. The NHL NEEDS exposure and Bettman should have begged ESPN to keep it no matter what money (if any) that ESPN offered. I LOVE hockey and it kills me my cable doesn’t have OLN.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-786 Anonymous Fri, 26 May 2006 00:28:00 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-786 Well, Bettman made a very short-sighted decision, going with OLN and giving OLN exclusivity for its broadcasts. The NHL NEEDS exposure and Bettman should have begged ESPN to keep it no matter what money (if any) that ESPN offered. I LOVE hockey and it kills me my cable doesn't have OLN. Well, Bettman made a very short-sighted decision, going with OLN and giving OLN exclusivity for its broadcasts. The NHL NEEDS exposure and Bettman should have begged ESPN to keep it no matter what money (if any) that ESPN offered. I LOVE hockey and it kills me my cable doesn’t have OLN.

]]> By: Dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-784 Dave Thu, 25 May 2006 23:46:00 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-784 I'm assuming you mean NHL attendance in 2006 was higher than attendance in 2004. Obviously, attendance is <I>way</I> up from last year. I'm not shocked that the ratings were low -- not enough people know what OLN is, and it will probably confuse them even more when "Versus" carries the Stanley Cup Finals. That the ratings were lower than Rocketboom <I>did</I> surprise me. The Rolling Stone article says RB gets 350,000 viewers <I>per day</I>. Is OLN getting that much for these playoff games? Comcast has a lot of work to do if it really wants to make Versus a viable sports network. I don't think the NHL, Arena Football and men on bicycles are going to be enough. BTW, can the NHL not just dump Gary Bettman and bring in someone who knows what he's doing? Obviously, the league is in worse shape than it was when he arrived... I’m assuming you mean NHL attendance in 2006 was higher than attendance in 2004. Obviously, attendance is way up from last year.

I’m not shocked that the ratings were low — not enough people know what OLN is, and it will probably confuse them even more when “Versus” carries the Stanley Cup Finals. That the ratings were lower than Rocketboom did surprise me. The Rolling Stone article says RB gets 350,000 viewers per day. Is OLN getting that much for these playoff games?

Comcast has a lot of work to do if it really wants to make Versus a viable sports network. I don’t think the NHL, Arena Football and men on bicycles are going to be enough. BTW, can the NHL not just dump Gary Bettman and bring in someone who knows what he’s doing? Obviously, the league is in worse shape than it was when he arrived…

]]> By: Kick Save http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-783 Kick Save Thu, 25 May 2006 23:23:00 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/2006/05/25/olnversus-your-home-for-marginalized-sports/#comment-783 Dave...NHL fan here, couple things... Video blog ratings are likely just total downloads over time. If that's the case, the archives of the Terry Tate videos are probably on the cusp of being the most watched TV "shows" ever. Bash the NHL if needed, but do it on equal terms at least. Secondly, OLN and the NHL's promotion sucks, always has. That uphill battle you mention is like 90 degrees straight up...and they're not doing a heck of a lot about it. That said, attendance league wide was up this year. The sport has NEVER translated to TV well, but the vast majority of NHL revenues are derived from the local markets. So, any thing from the US national TV deal is a bonus. But, really, were you shocked that the NHL ratings were that low? I'm a fan of the sport and it doesn't surprise me in the least. Dave…NHL fan here, couple things…

Video blog ratings are likely just total downloads over time. If that’s the case, the archives of the Terry Tate videos are probably on the cusp of being the most watched TV “shows” ever. Bash the NHL if needed, but do it on equal terms at least.

Secondly, OLN and the NHL’s promotion sucks, always has. That uphill battle you mention is like 90 degrees straight up…and they’re not doing a heck of a lot about it. That said, attendance league wide was up this year. The sport has NEVER translated to TV well, but the vast majority of NHL revenues are derived from the local markets. So, any thing from the US national TV deal is a bonus.

But, really, were you shocked that the NHL ratings were that low? I’m a fan of the sport and it doesn’t surprise me in the least.

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