In Defense of Deadline Broadcasts

While the Trade Deadline was pretty much a dud except to the last hour, I have to say something that was more annoying than the lack of movement was the people complaining about the over-covering of the deadline, knowing that it'd be very slow.

Even with it being very slow, what does it matter-- it leaves more time for things to breathe and more people to actually talk rather than a select few and then having to cut them off to get reactions from management or the traded players themselves. Hell, the all-star casts that both TSN and Sportsnet had was something to keep me tuned in, even if some of the things they had were very inane and unnecessary on a day like this.

Granted, having a show that goes from 8 AM Eastern Time until 5 PM is a bit insane, regardless of how busy the day might possibly become. Notwithstanding, you have to realize that sometimes the tradition is hard to actually kill off or actually tone down. With sponsors and analysts and all kinds of special people going into the studios to give their two cents to the situations, you almost need all that time in order to justify their presence or just travelling them up there in the first place.

If the show was truncated to 1 PM to 5 PM, it would be too short for some people. While that would have been the perfect timing for this year, you can't always predict it and you can't change something on a dime like that when you have sold the advertising space and actually got in-show sponsors to give up their money in order to present the show and have their brand all over the place-- like Tim Horton's mugs everywhere on the TSN set.

The best part about having the coverage as it is has to be the fact you can see the person on the TV and have them rely true or false information. With Twitter being the crapshoot as it is, many have been duped by fake accounts of real people, fake insider accounts, and just other craptasticness on the internet. With those talking heads actually being accessible for an extent amount of time on the TV, they can almost instantaneously shoot down the false information or confirm it was actually them saying it.

Despite the coverage being overkill and going to some things way more than they should have with way more people than a company should have had up there-- it was a success for both sides of the ball. Many tried-and-true people stuck with TSN, as it seems to the gold standard for shows like this with their connected insiders and cast of analysts; but Sportsnet did have a solid panel with their Strategy Room being another great gimmick, as well as the inclusion of Greg Wyshynski to break up the monotony of serious and sometimes hypothetical talk about what possible trades could come.

There's definitely something for improvement when it comes to timing and how much air-time should actually be given in times like this-- but the more hockey that is on TV, game-play or otherwise, is never a bad thing and it engages some people into discussions and situations they may not have thought of when socially networking with others online.

Spicing Up the NHL Network

For some reason, I follow a couple of wrestlers (because I like wrestling-- don't judge) and they've been promoting one of their comrades, Joey Ryan, to be voted into the MLB Network's Fan Cave-- where one winner and their friend inhabit this area of New York and stay there to watch all of the games the MLB puts forth and give their insight and get some players and other celebs to stop by, hang out, and basically live the dream doing not much more than what they've done as fans.

This got me thinking and I'm sure this has been put out there before-- why not have a NHL Fan Cave. Sure, it's a hack gimmick, it's stealing, but it's true. You want passion, the hockey fan does bring it. Plus, since it's an internet based ordeal-- you'll have cut-throat activity when it comes to putting their bid in and then to get their votes if they become a finalist for their Fan Cave. More over than that-- the passion that fans get on Twitter when it not only comes to supporting or bashing their own team; it'd be ten-fold when it comes to supporting or bashing other things going on in the league.

Of course, that being said-- that could be the downfall of the idea. The fact that so many people can be-- for lack of a better term-- asses when it comes to some of the caveats of the sport as a whole. Considering how many people are critical of the league itself and those who run it-- putting some die-hards as commentators on the league-run network probably wouldn't be the best thing for the game as a whole.

However, the fact the NHL Network doesn't have that much material when it comes to something outside of classic games and highlight shows; it would be something they should look at. They already made the "HBO 24/7" gimmick with their "NHL36" idea of following a player for 36 hours. Why not have a take off and something more fan oriented to actually draw people into it and give another dimension to the network that has the league name attached to it.

Maybe another reason is that you have a lot of video bloggers out there already giving their reaction to games or decisions-- thus really making this idea a silly one. However, if you want to go that route-- why not get the collection of reactions and put that into a show??

My point is that the NHL Network should put something more than the stuff they have already, which is highlight shows and simulcasting XM Home Ice shows. Thinking outside the box and actually getting the fans more involved into the process would probably draw some more attention to the network outside of the fact that it's a place where it's nothing but hockey.

And if this idea does get seen by the NHL Network.....you know, how about you give me some credit with my own show or bit or something. I'm feeding you ideas here for the love of Pete.

Is A Hockey Reality Show Needed, Wanted??

While I was surfing the channels on my off-day, I came across a show on Rogers' Sportsnet and there was a show that peaked my interest. No, it wasn't another poker show, which is always fantastic, but it was a show from the MLB Network called "The Pen," which follows the bullpen of the Philadelphia Phillies and their daily lives on and off the field. While I'm not one for baseball, the human aspect of things was what brought about the intrigue.

It also sparked my mind on to whether or not the NHL Network could get onto this racket and make it work. Of course, the NHL Network has the "Day in the Life" show, but that just one day and while it's nice to see how a player preps for game day, a part of me wants to get more on the inside of the organizational happenings and player's lifestyle. Everyone likes to be on the inside of things, and with hockey fans-- you have to believe that this inside look at the happenings goings on will make fans of whatever team salivate for more.

For the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Comcast SportsNet in Washington were following around the Washington Capitals for the draft weekend and gave the inside wheelings and dealings that surround the Entry Draft weekend (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4). From trying to trade picks to prospects interviews, it was a great watch and make me want more inside like that. I also remember ESPN following around the Detroit Red Wings a few years back, but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it or if it was ESPN, but I know it was the Wings and TV because it was the first taste of Sean Avery to the world by him being on the show going back and forth from the NHL to the AHL. Plus, let's not forget CBC's then Global's "Making the Cut" where players would go and try out for contracts with some teams out there, or at least show their wears to those watching. That created drama and showed the process on how scouts deal with players on a case-by-case basis.

As much as I would like to believe something like this will happen in the near future, the fact of the matter is that some GMs may not be as willing to let cameras delve into their organization in that kind of matter. While, it could create great TV, a whole season, or even half a season could be too much for some teams to deal with and some players to deal with, in terms of cameras being on at all times and having to mind their P's and Q's in all of this, which could throw some guys off their game. Sure, that could be far-fetched, but it's always an option.

Yet, in a time where reality TV is the capavating norm and where people can get drawn into it; this could be the thing that the NHL needs in terms of possibly gathering a wider market than those who are already enthralled with the sport. Granted, what network to put it on and how to market it would be need to be tackled hard, but there needs to be an actual show to take place in order to go for it. Plus, if the NHL markets itself as a league for the fans and wanting to get the fans connected to the sport-- why not have something like this?? The drama of who's going to stay up with the big club, who's moving down to the minors, how a team will bounce back with a big injury or trade that happened-- it just writes itself for the fantasticness that could come from it all.

Of course, with my lack of research and dumb luck-- something like that is already happening and I just feel like the fool now for not knowing more. Ah well-- food for thought.