Stanley Cup Finals Ratings & Broadcast Team Still Suck
Did Game Two of the Stanley Cup Finals really outdraw Nascar and the Indy 500? I find this really hard to believe.
NBC's Philadelphia Flyers-Chicago Blackhawks NHL Stanley Cup Final Game 2 on Monday night drew a 4.1 overnight, which translates into 4.1% of TV households in 56 urban TV markets — the best Game 2 Cup Final overnight ever. That's also up 21% from last year's Detroit Red Wings-Pittsburgh Penguins Game 2.
Considering there's no Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin playing in this finals; this improvement is quite impressive. But keep in mind that the NHL's 4.1 rating is still miniscule compared to other major sports. Compare 4.1 to last year's NBA Finals (8.4) and the World Series (11.7); the NHL is still way behind.
While we're talking about the Finals. I can't stand the broadcast team. Read more after the jump...
No offense to New Jersey Devils fans but I can't stand Mike 'Doc' Emrick. He obviously knows his stuff; he's in the Hall of Fame. But he sounds like a crazy man on TV. He makes a simple dump-in play sound like it's a breakaway with one second left in a tied game.
It's pretty easy to see what the NHL marketing and broadcasting group decided to do by using Emerick and Joe Beninati as their primary play-by-play broadcasters. They selected the league's two most enthusiastic spastic commentators to grab the attention of the casual fan. It might work but it really just turns me off.
I have to give credit to Eddie Olczyk though. He's been able to turn his homer-ism down quite a bit. Considering he's done the Blackhawks color commentary for the past three seasons; he's had to have been fighting his love for Patrick Kane every second of this Finals. Pat Kane! Pat Kane! Pat Kane!
And finally. I know why the NHL selected Charissa Thompson. She's alot easier on the eyes than say...Darren Pang. But let's be honest here. She's not very good at asking questions. I found her obnoxious as the sideline reporter the 'Shaq Vs' show. And now I have to sit through her interviews on these playoff broadcasts. Her job is to ask questions and let the players and coaches answer them. Yet, she can't ever ask a question without answering it. Her questions are long-winded and about two sentences too long. And it gets annoying to watch on TV. When a coach only has about 30 seconds for a couple questions; she takes forever to actually get to the question and that's if she didn't already answer it..
A typical Charissa exchange with a coach on the bench would go something like this:
Charissa: So your team's down 3-1 here in the second period. It's been a tough fought battle on both sides. That last goal by Kariya assisted by Selanne with twelve minutes left in the period was a beautiful goal and brought your team within two. Your team seems to have really rallied around that and responded well. The goal seemed like it really swung the momentum in your favor. Now with only five minutes left in the period and your team trailing by two. Do you get back into this game with a tougher forecheck, better goaltending and scoring two more goals?
Coach: (Looks at her puzzled) Yes?
Charissa: Thanks for your time Coach! And good luck to your team.
Maybe she's not use to asking questions right in the middle of the game which I think is a stupid idea anyways. And maybe she'll improve. But for me. It's been tough to listen to these Stanley Cup Playoff broadcasts.
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