NHL Schedule-Makers Must Hate Detroit
NBA, NHL May 20th. 2008, 2:07pm
We hadn’t noticed this until a reader sent it in this morning, but on Saturday and Monday, the Detroit Red Wings will play in the Stanley Cup Finals at home … and on those same days, the Detroit Pistons will host games three and four of the Eastern Conference finals. Writes a disgruntled reader:
“Isn’t Detroit the one NHL market that gets really good NHL ratings, so by putting them on against the Pistons, is the NHL purposely trying to losing ratings in arguably its best market? The Finals will probably get better ratings than the NBA Conference Finals, but what about fans that have tickets to both teams? And the bar owners who would love separate nights of crowds? Games 1 and 2 are on Versus. Game 3 of the Pistons-Celtics is on ABC … why would you want to go against the one night where the NBA is on network TV? [The NHL] treats a storied franchise and its fanbase like crap.”
The guy’s got a point. If the NHL is hoping to say, ‘we beat the NBA in ratings, straight up!’ … well, that’s not exactly like the 1980 US Hockey team beating the Soviets. The Detroit locals are getting the shaft here. Right up their five hole.
35 Responses to “NHL Schedule-Makers Must Hate Detroit”
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May 20th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Do they even have Versus in Michigan?
May 20th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Besides, what self-respecting Detroit-area fan would watch an Eastern Conference basketball game over the Stanley Cup Finals?
May 20th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
The people of Detriot should be happy that they have two teams in the playoffs right now. I don’t feel sorry for them at all.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Don’t complain until you actually show up to fill the arena.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Can Mike’s Hard Lemonade (”We don’t do Soy”) break out a new commercial for the Finals? Would that be asking too much? And, am I the only one who finds the Edge Shave Gel commercials (with the chicks squirting each other with shaving cream) absolutely riveting?
That’s all.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
This sucks to be sure, but it was also discussed last week as a distinct possibility here in this area. We are very happy to have both teams doing well & (so far) living up to expectations.
Pistons sell out every game and the Wings sell out most games.
CRM – Yes, we have Versus here believe it or not. Do you get Versus in your trailor or parents basement?
May 20th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
maybe the fuckin wings fans can actually go to the games and quit bitching
May 20th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
of course roethlis beat me to it, oh well. screw the wings and pens anyway.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
by the way, don’t know if anyone saw this but yesterday on mike and the mad dog they had the ratings for saturday’s pens/flyers and i guess it got 0.4 or something, whereas the WNBA got a 0.7. as an NHL fan, this is very disappointing and you know gary bettman is cringing somewhere
May 20th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
The cleavage shot of the chick flying up his nose is top notch
May 20th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Chelsea Chris: Nice try – my parents live in a trailer – therefore – no basement.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Two team from the same city deep going deep into the playoffs with a chance to win?
I don’t understand.
/Philly sports fan
May 20th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I get a perverse thrill from the sound of the last dollop of cream hitting smacking off the chick’s chest as she arches her neck.
/Yeah, I’m a married man with no sex life.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
That would imply that he cares about the future of the league.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
I get a perverse thrill from the sound of the last dollop of cream hitting smacking off the chick’s chest as she arches her neck.
/otherwise known as a pearl necklace.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
We already knew that based on your crazy right-wing leanings.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Actually, the Pens/Flyers game got a 1.7, not 0.7 on Sunday (not Sat.) These ratings are up 15% from last year, and Versus has had record viewing during the playoffs. Are the ratings great – no – but they are improving.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Recc4, Mike and the Mad Dog are full of shit. Saturday’s Pens/Flyers game drew a 1.7. Sparks/Mercury earned a 0.9.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
*Sunday’s Pens/Flyers game. You’d think I’d remember what days I go to hockey games…
May 20th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
All these schedules are basically set ahead of time. What the hell are the NHL and NBA supposed to do? People need to stop whining.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Sorry guys, my mistake i think they meant that in NEW YORK those were the ratings. Obviously, they could be wrong (which wouldn’t be the first time, the 100th time, or the millionth time and definitly not the last time).
May 20th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
“Besides, what self-respecting Detroit-area fan would watch an Eastern Conference basketball game over the Stanley Cup Finals?”
this guy. and about 85% of my friends. really, nobody cares about hockey. not even up here. sportsgal is obviously the exception. but she’s a cubs fan, which leads me to believe she has severe mental issues.
May 20th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
1. I don’t live anywhere near Detroit.
2. I hate the NBA, and especially hate the Pistons and Celtics.
3. If I lived less than 5 hours away from the Joe, I would be attending every game.
May 20th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Why is the NHL the only league getting shit over this, shouldn’t the NBA be getting some shit too? I realize the NBA likes to think that they are high and mighty sometimes but their ratings haven’t exactly been stellar either.
May 20th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
because the pistons have been off for a week now and they need to start this fucking series as soon as possible, so as to avoid a backlash like the world series got the last two years. plus, they want a game on every night, so they need to start tonight.
May 20th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Detroit is arguably the NHL’s best market? Figures coming from the same people to call themselves Hockeytown and then not sell out the playoffs.
I can’t wait to see all the Pens fans at that dump Joe Louis after they figured out the season ticketholders code for ordering playoff tix before releasing to the general public.
May 20th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
The reason Red Wings games aren’t selling out is because the Owner of the Red Wings is kind of an idiot. Even the cheap tickets are sitting upwards of $95/game. The cheapest Piston’s Tix are $24.
I realize it’s the Stanley cup finals, but spending $95 on nosebleeds is absurd. I wouldn’t go to a game either.
May 20th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
The dates of the beginning of the Stanley Cup Finals and the NBA Finals are set before the playoffs even start, games have to be scheduled around that. It’s not one leauge doing something to the other, or the leagues being dumb, it’s how things shaked out.
May 20th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
@ jibble. He’s gotta pay for the under-producing Tigers somehow. Selling pizzas for $5 isn’t doing it (though I love him for it).
Go Wings, Pistons, Tigers…and…Lions.
May 20th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
@cbh: What about the NBA conference finals?
May 20th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
NBA Conference finals aren’t set but now that they know when they are over, they want to have the Conference finals done in enough time before the NBA finals.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Wondeful. I’m headed to the Tigers-Twins game with my dad, grandpa and uncle on Saturday. I’ll be missing both games. I bet Detroit will be batshit crazy/busy on Saturday, though.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
As someone who grew up in Michigan, it’s not a question of people not wanting to go to hockey games. They can’t afford the tickets. Michigan has the highest unemployment rate. The Detroit area has a home foreclosure rate of 5 times the national average. Nearly every business there depends on the auto industry. Most hockey fans are working and middle class (the groups that are not weathering the storm).
Add that to the fact that Detroit is the most segregated area racially in the entire country. So hockey fans (mostly white) would have to drive 20-30 min and spend money for gas to get downtown, which they can’t afford to do.
Also, a number of fans used to come across the border from Canada to go to Wings games, and that has become much more of a pain in the ass because of homeland security.
But hey support your team! Don’t pay your gas bill or make sure your kids have clean clothes.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Wings will win it all.
Pistons will win it all.
Tigers will turn it around.
Lions suck.
Fire Millen.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
@cbh: So the NBA could have averted this disaster by scheduling a day-game for Pistons Celts game 3?