XM Signs The NHL

Joe McCabe · 09-12-2005, 11:18 PM

From Orbitcast:

The glove has been thrown. Think the programming wars are over? Think again. XM Satellite Radio today announced a 10-year, $100 million dollar, exclusive, agreement with the NHL. XM will begin broadcasting NHL games in the 2005-2006 season, and in 2007 (when NASCAR jumps to Sirius) XM will be the National Hockey League’s exclusive satellite radio provider. Touche!

XM will provide live play-by-play broadcasts of every game from every team (covering over 1,000 games per season), as well as the NHL All-Star Game, the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Stanley Cup Final. XM Satellite Radio will also produce a dedicated NHL radio channel featuring pretty everything about the sport (think MLB Homeplate for hockey). And of course, Canucks can rest assured that this will all be covered on CSR (ya hosers).

MatS · 09-13-2005, 01:20 AM

Joe Fisher · 09-13-2005, 05:28 PM

XM radio just got better. Awesome. Simply awesome.

Brent T · 10-03-2005, 10:52 PM

One gets left turns which has millions apon millons of fans the other gets a sport that got worse ratings then the WNBA.

I wonder who will get the World Championship of Poker ?

MatS · 10-04-2005, 01:10 AM

Quote:

the other gets a sport that got worse ratings then the WNBA.

numbers can say anything you want them to
so since you had your say I'll add mine

hardcore NHL viewers (the majority of the fanbase) have alternatives to ESPN such as Center Ice
NHL fans fill most of the stadiums therefore they don't need to tune in to ESPN
NHL fans can watch their local team on regional cable/satellite sports networks therefore they don't need ESPN

hate all you want but most of us NHL fans aren't looking for 'mainstream' acceptance

now to add something constructive to the topic
XM stations 204-209 will be used for NHL

**HTF Ads**

Brent T · 10-04-2005, 11:51 AM

Ummm I am a huge fan of the NHL (got my fantasty draft tonight and I hope Gonchar falls to me) but I also know facts are facts. So I really do not understand "hate all you want but most of us NHL fans aren't looking for 'mainstream' acceptance "

But the truth is, the WNBA had more viewers then the NHL two years ago. The problem with the NHL on XM is who is going to listen to it ? The NHL can hardly get viewers let alone listeners.

And you said it best "hardcore NHL viewers (the majority of the fanbase) have alternatives to ESPN such as Center Ice
NHL fans fill most of the stadiums therefore they don't need to tune in to ESPN NHL fans can watch their local team on regional cable/satellite sports networks therefore they don't need ESPN."

There is a reason the NHL is on OLN and lets be honest about it. Hockey is a niche sport with die hard fans. Problem is there isnt many of us out there.

Go Flyers !

MatS · 10-04-2005, 02:38 PM

Brent
knowing where you are coming from I agree with you, well other than the Go Flyers part

but look at what I said
the WNBA fans didn't have the kind of options (that I know of) that NHL fans had to view their sport so of course their options on one provider would be greater than the options of NHL fans who's options are spread out amongst many providers

Quote:

The problem with the NHL on XM is who is going to listen to it ?

the hardcore fanbase...sure it is a small segment of the overall population but there is nothing wrong with that considering the small price XM paid and they amount of exposure they will get in Canada for the deal.

Quote:

Hockey is a niche sport with die hard fans. Problem is there isnt many of us out there.

back to what I said originally, I don't view this as a problem
have you seen OLN's "We Believe In Hockey" campaign yet
a great example of showing the strong sense of community amongst those who 'get it'

Brent T · 10-06-2005, 05:36 PM

I know this is off the XM topic but...

After watching last nights game on OLN I along with everyone one of my friends who did were disgusted with almost everything about OLN's broadcast last night.

MatS · 10-07-2005, 12:31 AM

my email last night to OLN feedback@olntv.com

Quote:

To whom it may concern,

I tuned in tonight to view your coverage of the NHL via your broadcast of the Flyers/Ranger opening night game. I had read the following quote prior to tonights game and was left with some concern......

“Our philosophy is going to be back to the future, so to speak,” said Mike Baker, OLN’s coordinating producer. “With the way graphics and wider scoreboards have evolved over the past year, you get anywhere from four to 12 rows of stands and fans in your picture. I have measured TV screens and nearly 40 percent of screens was fans. We’re going to reduce that and focus our cameras closer to the ice. If the puck is 40 percent bigger because we have zoomed in, that means it’s 40 percent easier to see and 40 percent better.”

Needless to say that concern was realized with tonight's coverage.
As a diehard hockey fan of 30+ years I must tell you the decision of your production team to zoom in on the puck/players to the extent a viewer cannot see the action and play develop around the puck is a tragic mistake. The beauty of the game lies in not only the action with the puck but the activity around the puck. Hockey was not meant to be played in a phonebooth. If this method of broadcast is intended to cater to new fans of the game I would advise you that you are likely to loose more existing fans than gain new ones.

I would hope that tonight was just a trial and some adjustments can be made. If not you have lost this hockey fan's viewership for the forseeable future.

"I believe in seeing the larger picture in my hockey"

I didn't even go into how poor their broadcast team was or how their set and graphics looked like they came from Tom Mees era ESPN or how the picture and audio quality was less than to be desired.

OLN's coverage last night was the best advertising Center Ice could have not asked for.

Brent T · 10-07-2005, 11:40 AM

I couldnt agree with you more. After watching HDnets games the past two nights I see almost no reason to turn on OLN. As you said, the set (from being able to see the pant legs and chairs of the hosts to the most amature graphics..ughhh), the team in the booth, the horrid camera angles and ZOOM were so bad that I didnt even want to watch the 3rd period of the game.

I had my father come over to watch it (I had believed the flyers game would be in HD) and all he could say was he was that the NHL/OLN would have had to try real hard to have a worse opening night broadcast.

Mats please let me know if or when you hear anything. I am dying to know their response.

Jeff Adkins · 10-07-2005, 05:27 PM

Comparing the WNBA and NHL fanbases are a total joke. The WNBA doesnt' even come close. You cannot compare ratings between ESPN and NBC. The only reason the WNBA was on NBC 2 years ago is because they were forced to take it as part of the NBA TV deal. Believe me, NBC would rather show the NHL over the WNBA.

Almost every NHL arena was near 20,000 on Wednesday night. The WNBA couldn't do that even on its best day. The NHL averaged about 15,000 attendance per game during its last season, the WNBA about 8,000. A large portion of those 8,000 are on freebie tickets. There are 2 for 1 deals at convenience stores on a regular basis. NHL tickets aren't cheap in most markets.

Just to expand a little about what MatS said about Canada. Both XM and Sirius just recently got approved to start selling service into Canada. I'm not sure when the start date is, but its soon. The NHL pulls ratings in Canada bigger than the NFL does in the U.S., so whichever of the 2 services offers the NHL is going to be a big influence on Canadian consumers.

Overall, a great aquisition by XM, in my opinion.