Interesting article on NHL TV audiences

[Rick Zombos Ghost 82]

There are some charts at the link...

It is insane to think the league allows the Panthers to exist with only 3000 people watching on TV....

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2011/02/20110207/Media/NHL-ratings.aspx

"At the halfway point of its season, the NHL's local TV ratings in the United States are marked by the haves and the have-nots.

The biggest traditional U.S. hockey markets have seen strong growth and big audiences, but the sport still seems to be struggling on TV in the Sun Belt.

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The Penguins sit comfortably atop the ratings.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are drawing the biggest local TV audiences leaguewide, with an average of 105,000 homes watching the team's games on FSN Pittsburgh through the All-Star break. The rest of the league's leaders for ratings and viewership are mainly teams in cold-weather markets, including Boston, Chicago and Detroit.

Conversely, teams in warm-weather markets dominate the bottom of the NHL's local TV chart. An average of 3,000 homes watch Panthers games on FS Florida, and an average of 6,000 homes watch Thrashers games on FS South and SportSouth.

One head-scratcher is in Tampa, where the Lightning on the ice went into the All-Star break as the second-place team in the Eastern Conference. On Sun Sports, the team has registered a 27 percent increase to a 0.79 rating, the league's fourth-highest jump, but the Lightning's average of 14,000 homes per game is the league's fifth lowest.

St. Louis games on FS Midwest are up a league-leading 41 percent to an average rating of 3.29. The biggest drop-off has come in Columbus, where Blue Jackets games on FS Ohio have dropped 41 percent."

[Konnan511 1,736]

Hockey cities are doing well in the TV market, but teams in warm climate and non-traditional TV markets aren't seeing the bets of numbers? Shocked!

Plus the statistic about Tamp Bay isn't that head scratching, in all my sports classes we learned how TERRIBLE Florida is as a sports state. Too many old retired people who don't care to watch or attend sporting events.

[Rick Zombos Ghost 82]

Hockey cities are doing well in the TV market, but teams in warm climate and non-traditional TV markets aren't seeing the bets of numbers? Shocked!

Plus the statistic about Tamp Bay isn't that head scratching, in all my sports classes we learned how TERRIBLE Florida is as a sports state. Too many old retired people who don't care to watch or attend sporting events.

I am shocked by that Panthers number. I knew it would be low...but that is like cable access low....I think the infomercial for girls gone wild dvds pry does better.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

It still baffles me that the Florida Panthers still exist. There's just no interest down there. Period. I'm not sure what its gonna take to make the league realize that there is really no hope for a franchise like the Panthers. They're even in the hunt for a playoff spot and there's only 3,000 households tuning in to watch them play each night. Atlanta came right out of the gates and surprised everyone this year. You wouldn't be able to tell by the attendane at Phillips Arena and the ratings on SportsSouth. There is hope for Tampa with the sniper Stamkos, but even with the huge hike in interest for the Lightning, there still isn't nearly as much excitement down there as other markets. There is hope for Tampa Bay, though. Atlanta and Florida have been hopeless for a while.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

When the Islanders move to Kansas City, St. Louis had better demand a territorial infringement fee.

[Rick Zombos Ghost 82]

It still baffles me that the Florida Panthers still exist. There's just no interest down there. Period. I'm not sure what its gonna take to make the league realize that there is really no hope for a franchise like the Panthers. They're even in the hunt for a playoff spot and there's only 3,000 households tuning in to watch them play each night. Atlanta came right out of the gates and surprised everyone this year. You wouldn't be able to tell by the attendane at Phillips Arena and the ratings on SportsSouth. There is hope for Tampa with the sniper Stamkos, but even with the huge hike in interest for the Lightning, there still isn't nearly as much excitement down there as other markets. There is hope for Tampa Bay, though. Atlanta and Florida have been hopeless for a while.

The old milkshakes in Tampa just arent excitable. Look at the attendance at their baseball games and they have a pretty good team.

Maybe they need another female goaltender.....

Edited February 7, 2011 by Rick Zombos Ghost

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

The old milkshakes in Tampa just arent excitable. Look at the attendance at their baseball games and they have a pretty good team.

That's true, the Marlins have just atrocious numbers, as well. Florida (Miami and Orlando) do great when it comes to the NBA, though.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

I'm certain Bettman, and his cronies are working on a reply to this article; telling us how rosy things really are, and that this report is nothing but rubbish

The proof is in the pudding. Can't argue with laughable attendance and TV ratings statistics like those. There's no sugar-coating it.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

Oh I wouldn't say that.

Bettman is a slick little jerk; if he could get away with it he'd sell chocolate coated dog turds as Baby Ruth's to blind kids.

He probably does

[VM1138 1,921]

Three thousand for Florida, eh? That's rough...I imagine if they remove Atlanta and Florida Tampa Bay could see a boost in fans and viewership. Like people have said, there is simply no interest in hockey down in Florida, let alone enough for three teams within hours of each other. Tampa Bay is by far the most solid franchise out of the three, and "competition" with Atlanta and Florida is probably hampering their efforts to develop more of a fan base.

With NASCAR and Football, the two pastimes of the American south, there's just no room for most cities down there to have professional hockey teams.

I understand the league not wanting to pull all of the southern teams because that would be admitting their sunshine policy was a failure, but even getting rid of Atlanta and Florida there is still a presence in the South. Nashville, Washington, Carolina, Tampa Bay, and even Dallas can represent the South. Nashville is a little weak, but if you get rid of Atlanta it might stand a better chance.

Park a team in Winnipeg and Quebec City, maybe a second franchise in or near Minnesota and suddenly the league has viable markets (if not necessarily fantastic markets).

Edited February 8, 2011 by VM1138

[titanium2 867]

[titanium2 867]

Looking at that map I'm not really sure what states would appreciate a new team.

[HockeyTownHouligan 57]

Hey now wait a minute what about the fox sports vs dish network thing that was earlier in the season, these numbers are a little off if thats the case. We have to be beating chicago viewership if thats the case.

[Hiei 192]

tampa recently had a sellout vs the caps, 20,000+

[VM1138 1,921]

Looking at that map I'm not really sure what states would appreciate a new team.

The trouble with that map is that it pretty much HAS to look that way. US population is centered where the teams are. Those big gaps are there for a reason, population-wise. No way to make that look prettier. Canada could use another team or two, but out west, except in California or Washington I'm not sure they could support a team.

[Chelios57 31]

These aren't necessarily tied to location.

They are however DIRECTLY tied to success. Most of the lower viewed teams have had little to no recent success.

I went to a Florida Panthers game when they were fighting for a playoff spot. The fans went nuts.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

Wisconsin seems like a good relocation site. Madison, maybe? Milwaukee?

[Rick Zombos Ghost 82]

Seattle!

[#19=Legend 29]

move the islanders to the upper peninsula (sp?) and call them the Peninsalers.