Versus schedule, Mon and Tue nights only. Why?

[Icteria virens 11]

Perhaps this has been discussed already but I've never found out why VS only has games on Mondays and Tuesdays. There's clearly games on other nights, in fact, I believe Monday is the night of fewest games if I remember correctly from my NHL Center Ice days.

Does anybody here know the reasoning for this?

[CenterIce 83]

It is all TV related. They want the focus to be on their national telecast game(s), with very few other options available. If there was a bunch of other regionally televised NHL games (or weekend football games), there would be less people watching the national coverage.

[lfd250 1]

FOOTBALL. Just kidding. (sort of) NBC has the weekend contract starting next weekend (after the superbowl)

[Krystal 41]

FOOTBALL. Just kidding. (sort of) NBC has the weekend contract starting next weekend (after the superbowl)

Actually I believe it started today - NBC's showing Rangers @ Montreal right now

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Perhaps this has been discussed already but I've never found out why VS only has games on Mondays and Tuesdays. There's clearly games on other nights, in fact, I believe Monday is the night of fewest games if I remember correctly from my NHL Center Ice days.

Does anybody here know the reasoning for this?

Just blame it all on Gary Bettman. That usually works for me.

[kylee 727]

Actually I believe it started today - NBC's showing Rangers @ Montreal right now

it actually started two weeks ago.

had a break for the all star weekend, and resumed today (which by the way, the NYR @ MTL game was very exciting)

i love the NHL on NBC

as for the Versus schedule,

i have no idea why, but i always try to watch those games when the wings arent on (it beats watching sopcast yaknow )

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I never knew exactly when games came on ESPN in recently memory and how many times a week they came on, but I'm guessing they didn't broadcast significantly more than VS. I don't mind the games on VS. Hell, they could be on the Family Channel for all I care, I just want to see the games somewhere.

And you can't go wrong with hockey on basic cable. And back in the ESPN/ABC days, ABC started broadcasting games just on weekends starting in January or February as well, so there's no real major difference in terms of the number of games broadcasted between ABC and NBC I think.

[CenterIce 83]

I never knew exactly when games came on ESPN in recently memory and how many times a week they came on, but I'm guessing they didn't broadcast significantly more than VS. I don't mind the games on VS. Hell, they could be on the Family Channel for all I care, I just want to see the games somewhere.

And you can't go wrong with hockey on basic cable. And back in the ESPN/ABC days, ABC started broadcasting games just on weekends starting in January or February as well, so there's no real major difference in terms of the number of games broadcasted between ABC and NBC I think.

ESPN had Thursday night hockey.

[kylee 727]

now that i actually have it, i like versus.

more cable providers just need to pick it up and put it on the basic package so its available to the most people.

[Icteria virens 11]

ESPN had Thursday night hockey.

they did that for awhile and near the end they had something like Hockey night in America which was on Wesnesdays. I guess I'd like to be able to watch a game later in the week but am happy overall with Versus.

[Mudvayneowns91 0]

It is all TV related. They want the focus to be on their national telecast game(s), with very few other options available. If there was a bunch of other regionally televised NHL games (or weekend football games), there would be less people watching the national coverage.

As a fan I'd like to see hockey games on their at least double. The logic they have is give them less so they'll watch it more when they get it. But don't you think that VS would get better ratings showing hockey games rather than the shows they have on VS typically Wed-Sun. Maybe I'm selling VS short, but I don't think VS brings in too good of ratings. I know if it weren't for hockey, I'd rarely watch it.

Edited February 4, 2008 by Mudvayneowns91

[auxlepli 17]

I figure it's because of the regional contracts.

Versus should show games on more nights. That's the way to go in my opinion.

[Mudvayneowns91 0]

I figure it's because of the regional contracts.

Yeah, that's true. I don't know what VS shows in other parts of the country. I just know in Colorado they show crap like bull riding, bad fights or hunting. All of which I find to be horrible programming.

[juice71285 2]

As far as I know the national schedule is like this (I have Directv HD so its going to be very different for most of you I know):

Sundays: starting late Jan./early Feb.-NBC

Mondays: all season (sometimes even doubleheader)-VERSUS

Tuesdays: all season (sometimes doubleheader)-VERSUS

Wednesdays: ?all season-NHL NETWORK (not sure if they've shown games all year on this nite

Thursdays: all season-HDNET

Fridays: ?all season-NHL NETWORK (not sure if they've shown games all year on this nite

Saturdays: all season-HDNET

Sometimes NHL Network shows games other nights as well

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Yeah, that's true. I don't know what VS shows in other parts of the country. I just know in Colorado they show crap like bull riding, bad fights or hunting. All of which I find to be horrible programming.

If you are asking about something more "identifiable" or "mainstream", Versus broadcasts college football games within the Big 12, Pac 10, and Moutain West conferences in-season. They also broadcast a limited amount of college basketball games as well, mainly from the Mountain West.

[timothy1997 0]

it actually started two weeks ago.

had a break for the all star weekend, and resumed today (which by the way, the NYR @ MTL game was very exciting)

i love the NHL on NBC

NBC started broadcasting hockey games on Jan 1st with the Winter Classic game.

[auxlepli 17]

FWIW, ESPN and other media love NBC's coverage of the NHL.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR THE NHL ON NBC: NBC's NHL coverage has received critical acclaim, earning praise for innovations such as "Inside the Glass," a reporter position between the teams' benches first introduced by NBC hockey producer Sam Flood.

ESPN.com said of NBC's hockey coverage, "the NHL has never looked or sounded better in its free, on-the-air history."

The Hockey News called "Inside the Glass," "the biggest innovation to hit televised hockey in recent years."

"Hockey has found a network that will let the sport be the sport," said the San Jose Mercury News.

The Toronto Globe said: "NBC brings more energy than the CBC", and "NBC, producing its first Stanley Cup final telecast of the postseason, equaled and, at a few key points, bettered the CBC."