Hockey East Television Contract

[Carl Spackler]

Just did a little digging. Hockey East is contracted with NBC, Fox, and NESN. Interesting combination. Looks like we've got a couple games spread between NBCSN, FSN, and NESN.

Quick glance - NO home games on television? is this correct? I supposed Husky Medic is the only guy that would know around here. Perhaps that's a product of being first year in the league? I wonder what kind of television interest and revenue could be generated with UCONN hockey, given time and good deal for exposure.

Somebody mentioned that curtains were hung for seating at the civic center, there is a photo here. I bet that made the place really, really loud.

http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/uc/index.php

http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/media/tv.php

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Just did a little digging. Hockey East is contracted with NBC, Fox, and NESN. Interesting combination. Looks like we've got a couple games spread between NBCSN, FSN, and NESN.

Quick glance - NO home games on television? is this correct? I supposed Husky Medic is the only guy that would know around here. Perhaps that's a product of being first year in the league? I wonder what kind of television interest and revenue could be generated with UCONN hockey, given time and good deal for exposure.

Somebody mentioned that curtains were hung for seating at the civic center, there is a photo here. I bet that made the place really, really loud.

http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/uc/index.php

http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/media/tv.php

College hockey TV revenue is virtually nill. The likely reason for no televised home games is that NESN, the primary TV partner of HE, wants games in the 7:30 Friday or Saturday evening slot, and UConn has a grand total of three of these. Of course, if there's a Bruins game they show that first. Games on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and afternoon weekend games don't get televised unless they're specifically put there by the network, and generally are 4 pm ESPNU/CBS College games. The Fox contract is with those regional Fox College Sports networks, and they just rebroadcast some local feeds, usually of UNH and Merrimack games, since those end up on local public TV every now and then. Fox doesn't specifically come and broadcast HE games.

Case and point, if UConn wants home games on TV, they've got to be playing at home on Friday and Saturday nights, or else it ain't happening.

 

[Carl Spackler]

College hockey TV revenue is virtually nill. The likely reason for no televised home games is that NESN, the primary TV partner of HE, wants games in the 7:30 Friday or Saturday evening slot, and UConn has a grand total of three of these. Of course, if there's a Bruins game they show that first. Games on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and afternoon weekend games don't get televised unless they're specifically put there by the network, and generally are 4 pm ESPNU/CBS College games. The Fox contract is with those regional Fox College Sports networks, and they just rebroadcast some local feeds, usually of UNH and Merrimack games, since those end up on local public TV every now and then. Fox doesn't specifically come and broadcast HE games.

Case and point, if UConn wants home games on TV, they've got to be playing at home on Friday and Saturday nights, or else it ain't happening.

That's a fair point. The question really, is if the New York NHL teams or the Bruins have so much interest in CT, that a UCONN hockey game against Hockey East opponents broadcast from Hartford wouldn't be worthwhile.

I think the answer is that a UCONN hockey game against Hockey East opponents, on a Friday night in Hartford, would generate significant viewership if promoted well, and produced well - and the critical aspect - that UCONN actually be a team that performs well and wins regularly.

also: nobody can say what the reality is for UCONN hockey when it comes to television broadcasting rights within a league like Hockey East, until it's actually put to the test. I think, that much like everything else about the athletic department and it's following, that if it's done right, with a winning team the potential is there for UCONN to be a significant money generator when it comes to the respective scales of revenue generating within intercollegiate sports, and specifically - men's hockey.

Hockey night in Hartford. It's an old concept that just needs to be renewed, and would love a winning team from UCONN. I think.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

That's a fair point. The question really, is if the New York NHL teams or the Bruins have so much interest in CT, that a UCONN hockey game against Hockey East opponents broadcast from Hartford wouldn't be worthwhile.

I think the answer is that a UCONN hockey game against Hockey East opponents, on a Friday night in Hartford, would generate significant viewership if promoted well, and produced well - and the critical aspect - that UCONN actually be a team that performs well and wins regularly.

also: nobody can say what the reality is for UCONN hockey when it comes to television broadcasting rights within a league like Hockey East, until it's actually put to the test. I think, that much like everything else about the athletic department and it's following, that if it's done right, with a winning team the potential is there for UCONN to be a significant money generator when it comes to the respective scales of revenue generating within intercollegiate sports, and specifically - men's hockey.

Hockey night in Hartford. It's an old concept that just needs to be renewed, and would love a winning team from UCONN. I think.

For whatever reason, college hockey doesn't move the needle from a ratings perspective no matter who it is. Even Minnesota, North Dakota, and the NBC national Notre Dame games - all of whom command larger ratings than UConn, or basically any eastern team, could ever realistically expect, do nothing to move the ratings dial. We're talking 100,000 viewers on a good day. Heck, the national championship game is lucky to break 750K. Last year's national championship drew a 10.6 in Minneapolis, with Minnesota playing, and averaged 717K overall. And that's the self-proclaimed State Of Hockey. Yale-QU in 13 drew 539K for reference.

 

[Carl Spackler]

For whatever reason, college hockey doesn't move the needle from a ratings perspective no matter who it is. Even Minnesota, North Dakota, and the NBC national Notre Dame games - all of whom command larger ratings than UConn, or basically any eastern team, could ever realistically expect, do nothing to move the ratings dial. We're talking 100,000 viewers on a good day. Heck, the national championship game is lucky to break 750K. Last year's national championship drew a 10.6 in Minneapolis, with Minnesota playing, and averaged 717K overall. And that's the self-proclaimed State Of Hockey. Yale-QU in 13 drew 539K for reference.

that's exactly the kind of thinking I was looking to pre-empt and avoid. I would totally expect that college hockey ratings aren't great on TV, but respectively, what UCONN can do in the Hartford/NH bracket in the sport of hockey is unknown, and I think if properly done with good product and good opponents, has good potential.

I would hope that our athletic department wouldn't take the approach, that because it's a small domain nationally and relatively insignificant nationally, that it wouldn't be worth building it up locally. I think it has pretty good potential locally. Simply because UCONN sports, everything UCONN sports, is something that is embraced very well by the area and Hartford, and Hartford historically has supported hockey, and when good hockey was played, it did quite nicely. The Whalers leaving Hartford due to attendance issues is a myth.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I'm not saying it can't do well, but the point is "well" for college hockey in general is chump change in the grand scheme of sports TV ratings. The sport will never hold a candle to CBB or CFB, even in the Northeast. TV ratings for college hockey in Hartford/New Haven, or even Boston, will never consistently hold a candle to that of Minneapolis, and the numbers they pull there are comparatively miniscule.

 

[zls44]

Somebody mentioned that curtains were hung for seating at the civic center, there is a photo here. I bet that made the place really, really loud.

It really, really didn't. Last minute vs BC and cutting BU deficit to 1 were loud, but it wasn't because of the curtains. Curtains do not reflect noise.

that's exactly the kind of thinking I was looking to pre-empt and avoid.

Facts?


Nobody watches college hockey on TV. Nobody ever has. Anywhere. QU used to do time buys, where they paid for the airtime on NESN/local TV. I assure you they are money-losing propositions.

 

[Jerry27]

Somebody mentioned that curtains were hung for seating at the civic center, there is a photo here. I bet that made the place really, really loud

Unless the curtains are made of a hard material they would absorb far more sound than they would reflect. They actually would be a detriment to making it loud in there. Just saying.

 

[zls44]

UConn will get home games as part of the Hockey East contract once they start playing a Hockey East-like schedule in terms of days of the week. That won't be possible in the XL Center with so many other tenants.

Campus. Rink.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

UConn will get home games as part of the Hockey East contract once they start playing a Hockey East-like schedule in terms of days of the week. That won't be possible in the XL Center with so many other tenants.

Campus. Rink.

Bingo. Compared to other HE teams, UConn has a good shot at being one of the more desirable ones for NESN and NBC to broadcast, once it can prove to be a perennially competitive program, get their games in the right time slot, and the fans prove they're willing to watch. But it's entirely reasonable to think they can be on TV with frequency down the road.

And yes, the curtains are TERRIBLE for noise.

 

[dbmill]

Here's something else to remember with NESN and their Hockey East contract. The network is based out of Boston, and their broadcasts for the most part do cater to the Massachusetts market. Most of their Hockey East broadcasts don't seem to stray too far from Boston. Until such time that UConn becomes a regular power in Hockey East, UConn games might be a rare thing on NESN.

 

[TheDoggPound]

I'd be happy if CPTV Sports streamed/broadcasted every game. That might be a good first baby step to take.

 

[CL82]

I'd love to see SNY pick up a game or two. I think the ratings might surprise them.

 

[TheDoggPound]

That won't be possible in the XL Center with so many other tenants.

Not necessarily.


Sat, Nov. 8th

Sat, Nov. 29th

Fri, Dec. 5th

Sat, Jan. 24th

Fri, Jan. 6th

Fri, Jan. 13th


These are all open for the XL Center. Why some of these aren't on UConn's schedule in place of the Tuesday & Wednesday's games we have is beyond me but as you can see there is some availability. They could also squeeze in more UConn-WP double headers to give both teams a more even share of premium dates.

 

[primus74]

I wonder if cutting a deal with CPTV to televise hockey games like they did with women's basketball for so many years would be a good thing for UConn hockey, especially if the proposed new arena in Storrs will seat approximately 4500. It may take 10 years, but with competitive teams and CT residents all over the state able to watch games, they might generate a great following.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I wonder if cutting a deal with CPTV to televise hockey games like they did with women's basketball for so many years would be a good thing for UConn hockey, especially if the proposed new arena in Storrs will seat approximately 4500. It may take 10 years, but with competitive teams and CT residents all over the state able to watch games, they might generate a great following.

It would be an excellent idea. UNH does the same thing with NH public TV.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I was home tonight, and I would have watched if I could.