NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

Outside of Rochester, maybe. RIT has been on the local TWSC for a number of years now. I don't know if any of the other TWSC teams in NY are shown here as I do not have cable, myself.

Back in 2009-2010, one of my friends who works for Time Warner told me that the programming department was looking to try to show more live games across all of NYS rather than just the local region (i.e. Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, etc.). Mostly it came up as a thank you for showing the second RPI/Union game at Messa that year that I had found out. They don't do it all the time as the local game would take precedence should more than one be happening, but it's still cool to see.

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

As for TWCS, they don't think anything north of Syracuse exists.

Not even Canada??

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

As for TWCS, they don't think anything north of Syracuse exists.

They do... they just don't think anything D-I north of Syracuse exists. They did do a few SUNY Potsdam games.

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

FWIW, I only saw TWCS start covering RIT last year. Typically I see Colgate games, once in a while if I'm lucky (and SU isn't playing simultaneously) I'll get an RPI or Union game. SOMETIMES CCT or SLU, but that's rare, as they've actually been doing SUNY Potsdam games as of late (D-III).

Outside of Rochester, maybe. RIT has been on the local TWSC for a number of years now. I don't know if any of the other TWSC teams in NY are shown here as I do not have cable, myself.

[MountieBoyOz]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

Agreed. They have had atleast 2 meetings in the past handful of years on ESPNU, and hopefully will continue to get some shown.

But I'm not sure what you mean by it will be great again...? I'm pretty sure its one of those rivalries that records don't matter at all for any meeting between the two teams.

True, but haters think as long as it's not Hockey East or NCHC that the conferences don't matter.

As for TWCS, they don't think anything north of Syracuse exists.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

FWIW, Last I heard, RIT was paying TWCS to put their games on as well as footing the entire bill for the production, HD truck and all.

FWIW, I only saw TWCS start covering RIT last year. Typically I see Colgate games, once in a while if I'm lucky (and SU isn't playing simultaneously) I'll get an RPI or Union game. SOMETIMES CCT or SLU, but that's rare, as they've actually been doing SUNY Potsdam games as of late (D-III).

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

The only way this has a snowball's chance in a hot place to work is if they show recognizable teams to semi casual fans, meaning the team has a D1 BB or FB team.

AHA - Army, AF
CCHA - UND, UM, M ST, OSU, maybe Miami
WCHA - UW, UM
ECAC - Princeton, Harvard, Yale, maybe Cornell
HE - BC, BU, maybe Providence

The semi-casual fans will not be watching college hockey in droves on Friday nights. Most of those fans for which there is even a remote chance of attracting will probably be either at live hockey games of some sort or watching NHL on cable before they'll bother watching college teams about which they know nothing.

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

TWCS has a good footing on the college sports games in New York State (or at least RPI/Union, Colgate, and RIT).

FWIW, Last I heard, RIT was paying TWCS to put their games on as well as footing the entire bill for the production, HD truck and all.

[kingdobbs]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

The only way this has a snowball's chance in a hot place to work is if they show recognizable teams to semi casual fans, meaning the team has a D1 BB or FB team.

AHA - Army, AF
CCHA - UND, UM, M ST, OSU, maybe Miami
WCHA - UW, UM
ECAC - Princeton, Harvard, Yale, maybe Cornell
HE - BC, BU, maybe Providence

UConn, in spite of their general hockey crumminess, would also have to be on this list.

[Timothy A]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

The only way this has a snowball's chance in a hot place to work is if they show recognizable teams to semi casual fans, meaning the team has a D1 BB or FB team.

AHA - Army, AF
CCHA - UND, UM, M ST, OSU, maybe Miami
WCHA - UW, UM
ECAC - Princeton, Harvard, Yale, maybe Cornell
HE - BC, BU, maybe Providence

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

So in theory, they can do it.

The reason I bring it up is that Comcast already has a bunch of regional hacks who broadcast games. So they could have 3-4 games of the week that can be totally regional, but put it on Versus. Again, this is thinking of what comcast already does, and apply that to thier national sports avenue.

NHL Network did that with a few Time Warner games, like the RPI/BU game and the RPI/Cornell screwjob. It could be less expensive to have a local affiliate cover the game and then air it nationally. On top of that, you don't have to listen to Doc I-make-clutch-and-grab-sound-exciting Emrick.

[alfablue]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

They probably don't do it because there isn't some mechanism to air all of the games, whether it be online (e.g. ESPN360) or a special package (e.g. NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA Full Court Press, etc.).

So in theory, they can do it.

The reason I bring it up is that Comcast already has a bunch of regional hacks who broadcast games. So they could have 3-4 games of the week that can be totally regional, but put it on Versus. Again, this is thinking of what comcast already does, and apply that to thier national sports avenue.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

This may be a dumb question, but is there any good reason why Versus/NBC can't broadcast regionally like ESPN/ABC does?

Heck, ESPN/ABC can show 4 different game on 2 channels by sending a different feed to basic and the HD channels (let alone ESPN2).

If they can regionalize their broadcast, there's a really easy way to put on regionally relevant games.....

They probably don't do it because there isn't some mechanism to air all of the games, whether it be online (e.g. ESPN360) or a special package (e.g. NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA Full Court Press, etc.).

[gopher wes]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

Ok ok maybe that's a bit dramatic but I truly believe guentzel will take over once lucia's co tract runs out especially if the program turns around.

I think that is the opinion most people have on the recent Guentzel re-hiring.

[alfablue]

Re: NBC/Versus deal with College Hockey

This may be a dumb question, but is there any good reason why Versus/NBC can't broadcast regionally like ESPN/ABC does?

Heck, ESPN/ABC can show 4 different game on 2 channels by sending a different feed to basic and the HD channels (let alone ESPN2).

If they can regionalize their broadcast, there's a really easy way to put on regionally relevant games.....