Is ESPN Killing the NHL? - Great article

[gowingsgo 3]

The NFL is king. The NHL isnt on the radar. Sad but true. Surprised Bettman hasn't got a better deal in place for national coverage.

[Echolalia 2,961]

We need to keep working with Versus and basic channels, although more so. In addition to the second half of the season, we need to pressure nbc to provide all season access, possibly on Saturdays instead of Sundays, so there isn't nfl competition. Versus needs to keep chugging and improving its name. A couple years ago it was nonexistant to a non hunting/fishing buff, and now its spread throughout hockey fans and is beginning to create a name for itself. Its small, but at least now a days, most people will know what you're talking about if you mention VS in a sentence. But we need to exploit eachother more.

[Jwo 7]

We need to keep working with Versus and basic channels, although more so. In addition to the second half of the season, we need to pressure nbc to provide all season access, possibly on Saturdays instead of Sundays, so there isn't nfl competition. Versus needs to keep chugging and improving its name. A couple years ago it was nonexistant to a non hunting/fishing buff, and now its spread throughout hockey fans and is beginning to create a name for itself. Its small, but at least now a days, most people will know what you're talking about if you mention VS in a sentence. But we need to exploit eachother more.

Versus seems be making a name for its self in the MMA community. It's not my cup of tea but hey its all good since people like that stuff.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

We need to keep working with Versus and basic channels, although more so. In addition to the second half of the season, we need to pressure nbc to provide all season access, possibly on Saturdays instead of Sundays, so there isn't nfl competition. Versus needs to keep chugging and improving its name. A couple years ago it was nonexistant to a non hunting/fishing buff, and now its spread throughout hockey fans and is beginning to create a name for itself. Its small, but at least now a days, most people will know what you're talking about if you mention VS in a sentence. But we need to exploit eachother more.

Versus also broadcasts college football games just about every weekend in season, and on some Thursday evenings, for the Big 12, Pac 10, and Mountain West Conferences.

They also have broadcasted a very limited amount of college basketball games from the Mountain West Conference (my alma mater is from the MWC hence knowing a little more details about it ).

I could care less what station the games come on. Just be on somewhere. It could be on the Cartoon Network for all I care.

That being said, I like it on VS. I don't mind seeing it back on ESPN. The more hockey the better. True, ESPN overall I think is like MTV is to music and KFC is to chicken (stolen from the legendary comic Lewis Black), but that doesn't bother me one bit. I watch ESPN for live in-game coverage. Commentary/highlights are just a bonus to me.

I do think though that the reactions towards ESPN, genereally speaking, go way off the deep end in here sometimes.

[auxlepli 17]

Was watching the game last night, and my brother commented that he's seen a lot of NHL coverage on ESPN. He said it without me prompting him too, so it was surprising to say the least. Anyway that's just his opinion, but he's not much of a hockey fan.

[schulzte 18]

Complements to this article. Vs. is now what ESPN once was, a small cable netwok with fringe sporting events. ESPN has got so big for its britches, and Vs. has positioned itself to be its major competitor. CNN used to dominate cable news, and now Fox News regularly (and regrettably) outrates CNN. History can repeat itself folks. Look, the Red Wings are on cable all the time, and NBC acts like it cares about growing the game and has been highlighting the hits and grit and fights (gasp) that the NBA will never have. Its not all bad, so Screw ESPN!