Comments on: Missing the Big Catch on TV

By: On Frozen Blog › Programming Fit For a King … and Blue, and Ranger, and Oiler

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:50:13 +0000

[...] the remainder of this week as Gretzky Week. One might argue that it is not as terrifying as Shark Week, we would bet a number of netminders from the ’80s would beg to [...]

By: pucksandbooks

pucksandbooks — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:15:45 +0000

SDG, I suppose ‘Barbaric’ is a relative word. To me its use is appropriate when applied to those ticketed for soccer matches.

By: SovSport

SovSport — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:59:07 +0000

The Discovery channel should buy the rights to televise all of the Sharks’ games next season. The market it as “the Sharks’ attack year”. Maybe more people will tune in. The HD quality is amazing. Watching hockey in 1080i is awesome. But when the 1080p rolls around it is going to be even better, because the progressive scan (the “p” in 1080p) is better for sports boradcasting.

By: SDG

SDG — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 03:13:05 +0000

I think the reason Shark Week does so well in the ratings is that it appeals to our ‘barbaric’ nature. Perhaps if hockey could promise viewers the blood and carnage that Shark Week delivers, more people would tune in. Perhaps something like Youngblood meets Gladiator?

By: odessasteps

odessasteps — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:50:08 +0000

I keep hearing the theory that the ‘north/south’ camera will bring in the video gamers who are used to seeing hockey presented in that format.

i still cling to the hope that HD will bring people to the hockey table.

By: Strikeman

Strikeman — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:58:39 +0000

I think it would be cool to have an overhead north-south camera view. But It would be impossible due to the scoreboard location.

By: CaptnClark

CaptnClark — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:57:47 +0000

My friend actually works there and last year he was one of the folks in charge of putting that thing together.

By: Capital Fanatic

Capital Fanatic — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:22:44 +0000

They need to start with a floating camera just like they have in the NFL. An endzone view would allow people watching on television an opportunity to see the entire ice, and in turn would make the game a lot easier to follow. The traditional sideline view needs to go.

By: Meza

Meza — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:36:03 +0000

Discovery might do well in documentaries, but sports? After 3 years of sponsoring Lance Armstrongs cycling team they are ending their sponsorship. This is a team that won 9 of the last 8 TDF’s (Tour de France). That’s like Stienbrenner selling the Yankees after winning a championship.

By: PB

PB — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:00:09 +0000

The cool thing about NFL Films, is that they learned early on that the game can be a great story. They used (and still use) fantastic technique in camera work, clever audio placement, and the slow-motion aspect to the film quality greatly enhances the competition.

The NHL can and should do the same thing. One of the more fascinating stories on that ESPN network pre-lockout was the series The Season when they featured the Colorado Avalanche. Intense with incredible access, the NHL could learn how to market and work that behind the scenes aspect into their daily production.

Casual fans love the mic’d up players (even though the on-ice stuff they feature doesn’t give that clear of insight), but they can certainly produce a “This Week in the NHL” or pick a team to focus their attention, or just follow the team in first place in each conference.

Like you, I’m still waiting for that technological break through in hockey production.