Let's all thank Sidney for the ratings boost

[grimace1970 81]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ....519/index.html

"According to the network's giddy spokesperson, the quarterfinals were up 33 percent, the conference semifinals were up 50 percent and, as of Friday, the conference finals were up 71 percent. (All together now: Thank you, Sidney Crosby.) "

[omnipotent_hudler 0]

nope wings are the most popular franchise in the league sorry can't even give Crosby this

[Probert 5 For Fighting 0]

Sorry, but to suggest the ratings are up because of the Redwings and not Crosby's presence is naive and uber-homer. Crosby is the reason the ratings are the way that they are. He's the one NHL player everyone knows, he's the one with the hilariously bad Gatorade commercial, and he's the face of the NHL. There's no battle to be lost by admitting that.

[CAredwingsfan91 28]

i thought they were up because of pierre mcguire?

[NHLrules? 32]

I've just closed my eyes again

Climbed aboard the dream weaver train

Driver take away my worries of today

And leave tomorrow behind

(chorus

Ooh dream weaver

I believe you can get me through the night

Ooh dream weaver

I believe we can reach the morning light

Fly me high through the starry skies

Maybe to an astral plane

Cross the highways of fantasy

Help me to forget today's pain

(chorus again

Though the dawn may be coming soon

There still may be some time

Fly me away to the bright side of the moon

And meet me on the other side

[Yzermania 156]

sorry the average household does not know who sidney crosby is. They know who the redwings are because of their domination of the last decade or so. They probabaly don't know many if any players on the wings, BUT they know the team. They are the best ratings since 2002, coincidence?

[Vincanni 1]

Because we all know Crosby was there six years prior when the ratings were last this high. You know when the Wings played Carolina.

[NHLrules? 32]

This wouldnt have anything to do with the finals not invloving these teams would it?

Anaheim

Calgary

Edmonton

Carolina

Tampa

Ottawa

[RedRockit 0]

For good or ill, Crosby really IS The Poster Boy for the NHL. If there's a reason viewing stats are higher this year, it's because of the relentless "Crosby the next Gretzky" promo by the NHL and incidental talk by announcers.

[Mule Train 0]

i thought they were up because of pierre mcguire?

Please make it stop! I hear Pee Air's squeakly little peckerwood voice in my sleep now. MUST FIND MUTE BUTTON ON REMOTE.

There is no doubt in my mind that ratings are up significantly because of the shameless promotion of all things Cindy by the league, writers and sportscasters. From a purely marketing standpoint it has been successful. The Red Wings in the finals? Not so much. I suspect the increase in viewer numbers are mostly casual viewers; most of which are tuning in to see what the ruckus is about or looking for something new to watch. Hopefully some will stay around for next season but realistically I don't imagine more than a small percentage will. Hockey can be a pretty incomprehensible game to outsiders at first unless someone is there to help explain it.

[Ozzie30 170]

Is it possible its a combination of both?

Crosby is a household name (in household who at least know there is a game played called 'hockey' and a NHL).

The Wings easily have the most fans scattered throughout the US and Canada.

[MississippiWing 14]

Yzerman was a household name before Sid was a twinkle in his daddy's eye. I'm pretty sure its a mixture of both Sid and the fact that the Wings have one of the biggest national followings.

[truebladearmy 33]

Sorry, but to suggest the ratings are up because of the Redwings and not Crosby's presence is naive and uber-homer. Crosby is the reason the ratings are the way that they are. He's the one NHL player everyone knows, he's the one with the hilariously bad Gatorade commercial, and he's the face of the NHL. There's no battle to be lost by admitting that.

Redwings finals years always put the ratings up. The ratings in 2002 were higher than any year since until this year.

The Redwings have the largest fan base, and the largest merchandise sales of any team.

Crosby might have a few people across the nation watching who weren't watching before.....but to imply that Crosby alone brought in 300% more viewers than the tampa/Carolina series is rediculous. Ratings are up because the Redwings are incredibly popular, and Pittsburgh has really shined this season. Pittsburgh is always a big sports town, so their success is certainly bringing the ratings up, and Crosby is a part of that success.....but I promise you if Pittsburgh was playing someone like Pheonix....ratings would be down considerably.

[Ozzie30 170]

Yzerman was a household name before Sid was a twinkle in his daddy's eye. I'm pretty sure its a mixture of both Sid and the fact that the Wings have one of the biggest national followings.

Those are the words i was looking for.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

i thought they were up because of pierre mcguire?

HES A MONSTER!

[Probert 5 For Fighting 0]

Redwings finals years always put the ratings up. The ratings in 2002 were higher than any year since until this year.

The Redwings have the largest fan base, and the largest merchandise sales of any team.

Crosby might have a few people across the nation watching who weren't watching before.....but to imply that Crosby alone brought in 300% more viewers than the tampa/Carolina series is rediculous. Ratings are up because the Redwings are incredibly popular, and Pittsburgh has really shined this season. Pittsburgh is always a big sports town, so their success is certainly bringing the ratings up, and Crosby is a part of that success.....but I promise you if Pittsburgh was playing someone like Pheonix....ratings would be down considerably.

And if the Redwings faced any other team, the ratings wouldn't be as improved as they are now either. There is a new generation of fans now, and hardly any of them care about Detroit's success in 2002. Considering how our hometown fanbase has dwindled since the lockout and all that, Detroit's national fanbase may not be as big as it once was. In fact, it's certainly not. A lot of casual fans abandoned ship after the early exits and their N. American heroes left.

As for the 2002 Finals: No crap they were the highest. Who were the last few champs? NJ? TB? CAR? ANA? We damn well better beat out those markets.

All I'm saying is, the causal fan that the NHL is desperately trying to bring in - the one who doesn't know who Mikael Samuellson or Max Talbot is - knows a helluva lot more about Crosby than the Redwings right now. The playoffs were going to get a boost regardless thanks to some big market teams advancing past round 1. Detroit and Pitt both contributed to that, but it's pretty apparent the point they were hammering home in marketing was "Crosby, Crosby, Crosby"

[Yzermania 156]

Those are the words i was looking for.

the national following thing is dame true....being a wings fan out here in southern california, I always love all the kings fans bitching how there are more red jerseys at staples than kings jerseys when they are out here.

[Nightfall 871]

sorry the average household does not know who sidney crosby is. They know who the redwings are because of their domination of the last decade or so. They probabaly don't know many if any players on the wings, BUT they know the team. They are the best ratings since 2002, coincidence?

The average household doesn't know what hockey is at all. Which is why the ratings have been in the toilet since I have watched hockey. However, EVERYONE who follows the NHL knows Sidney Crosby. That being said, they are the best ratings since 2002 for these reasons....

The Red Wings are one of the most popular teams in the NHL. I think in terms of fanbase they are just behind Toronto and Montreal (or pretty much equal to the Habs). Sidney Crosby is very popular in Canada and a lot of Canadian fans are tuning in to watch him as well as fans of Crosby as a player.

If you look at the teams playing since 2002, you will see why the ratings were in the crapper between now and then....

Devils and Ducks?

Lightning and Flames?

Carolina and Edmonton?

Ducks and Sens?

More people watch when the popular teams and popular players are playing. Best of both worlds right now.

[USAFWingedWheel 4]

being in the military i run into allot of people from all over the states, rarely any of them know who cindy crosby is, but you bring up hockey and the first thing they say is "Detroit Red Wings"... its like a household name...i'd have to say that the ratings are up due to the wings in the playoffs not cindy...

[MississippiWing 14]

the national following thing is dame true....being a wings fan out here in southern california, I always love all the kings fans bitching how there are more red jerseys at staples than kings jerseys when they are out here.

Umm Hello. Mississippi. I wear my Wings hat at Buffalo Wild Wings and then it's like pulling teeth to get them to put the games on the big screen during regular seasons. I was in DC last week and ran into a Wings fan each time I got on the Metro.

[DyingAlive 27]

You cannot "Thank" One specific player or organization for the ratings surge.

It's a two-fold thing. It starts with the poster boy of the NHL being in the cup finals. Though it does not end there. The Penguins are a very popular team with their recent success and superstars such as Malkin Crosby and now Hossa. This helps a lot.

Then there are the Red Wings, who no matter who they play in the Stanley Cup Finals will draw huge ratings for being the Detroit Red Wings.

Without a doubt it's definately a two part thing. Thank you to the Penguins and the Red Wings for this great rating surge!

[Yzermania 156]

The average household doesn't know what hockey is at all. Which is why the ratings have been in the toilet since I have watched hockey. However, EVERYONE who follows the NHL knows Sidney Crosby. That being said, they are the best ratings since 2002 for these reasons....

that's not the point though man. Rating don't go up because people who ALREADY follow the NHL are watching. It's the random people at home that haven't watched a game for ten years and are like "oh hey look, it's the finals...oh s*** and detroit is playing, I remember years ago when they were always on top" and things of that nature. For example, I don't watch football at all but I remember when the dallas cowboys used to be damn good back when I was younger so if the super bowl was on and I wasnt doign anythign and they were playing, I might sit and watch it because it's a familiar team. I couldn't name one player on the team and I have NO clue who the hotshots in the NFL are, or the "face" of their league. So i'd go by team names not player names. I'm not saying crosby isn't keeping anyone interested because there are some hockey fans that could stop watching once their team is eliminated but they like watching crosby play, so they keep watching the finals, but if you are telling me a bunch of kings, leafs, stars, avs and devils fans are what is making the ratings jump so drastically, then i don't know what to say.

[Probert 5 For Fighting 0]

that's not the point though man. Rating don't go up because people who ALREADY follow the NHL are watching. It's the random people at home that haven't watched a game for ten years and are like "oh hey look, it's the finals...oh s*** and detroit is playing, I remember years ago when they were always on top" and things of that nature. For example, I don't watch football at all but I remember when the dallas cowboys used to be damn good back when I was younger so if the super bowl was on and I wasnt doign anythign and they were playing, I might sit and watch it because it's a familiar team. I couldn't name one player on the team and I have NO clue who the hotshots in the NFL are, or the "face" of their league. So i'd go by team names not player names. I'm not saying crosby isn't keeping anyone interested because there are some hockey fans that could stop watching once their team is eliminated but they like watching crosby play, so they keep watching the finals, but if you are telling me a bunch of kings, leafs, stars, avs and devils fans are what is making the ratings jump so drastically, then i don't know what to say.

The random people who haven't been exposed to a game in 10 years still know far more about Crosby than the Wings. There was the Crosby draft sweepstakes on ESPN, ESPN quoting Gretzky when he said Crosby's the next big thing, Crosby being labeled the savior of the league, news outlets always zooming in on Crosby and all that he does.

Meanwhile, that random fan who watches the Wings has no idea how to pronounce anyones name, and they quickly turn it off.

[selkie 10]

Count me as someone from the great Michigan Diaspora who stops following hockey when the Wings are done for the year. Exception- when it's looking like it's the last game of the Stanley Finals, because no matter who is playing, it makes me cry in a good sort of way to see the presentation of the Cup.

I've tried to develop an interest in other teams to justify buying Center Ice every year, but it just doesn't seem to work, and it takes a lot for me to tune into a game that doesn't involve the Wings.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

How about we leave it be that a COMBINATION of Crosby/the Penguins AND the Red Wings have helped boost ratings and just that?

I know, I'm no fun.