U.S. newspapers give cold shoulder to hockey's showcase event

By IRA PODELL
Associated Press
June 2    

OTTAWA (AP) - U.S. newspapers are largely declining to staff the Stanley Cup final. So the NHL is trying to bring the game to them.

Already dealing with minuscule American cable television ratings through two games of the championship series between the Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators, the NHL anticipated a small turnout of American-based reporters and took action to try to maximize coverage.

Of the 21 U.S. markets that have NHL teams, only nine were represented for any of the first three games. That includes local coverage in the Los Angeles area. The Daily News of New York covered the entire series, while The New York Times sent a reporter only to the opener.

"It's sad," Tampa Bay forward Vincent Lecavalier said Saturday before Game 3. "If people are not watching it they are really missing out. It's a great series and they definitely should cover it. It's exciting and it's the Stanley Cup."

News conferences before the series opener were made available by telephone - the next best thing to being there.

"We did take advantage ... for staff-written stories about Ottawa carrying the Canadian flag and a more general preview," said Ray Stein, sports editor of The Columbus Dispatch, absent from the past two finals. "As much as I hate to jinx myself, I have yet to receive one reader complaint about it."

The league also provided remote availability for commissioner Gary Bettman's state of the NHL address before Game 1, set up phone access to the top prospects in this year's draft and did another conference call Saturday with statistical award winners Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh (scoring champion), Lecavalier (goal leader) and Minnesota goalies Manny Fernandez and Niklas Backstrom (fewest goals allowed by team).

The NHL's public relations staff also has been e-mailing transcribed quotes from various interview sessions before and after games as well as on off days.

All six Canadian markets were represented.

"I wish everybody were here because watching our game in person, particularly the final, there's nothing like it in sports," Bettman said.

While extra availability off site is good, the argument can be made that such action provides less reason to show up.

Read more HERE.

Everyone I know here on the Lower Mainland is ignoring it too!

Opinion from Poynter.org, the top journalism site:

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Posted by Steve Klein 3:54:37 PM
Credentialing Bloggers

As the Stanley Cup finals began Monday in Anaheim, Calif., between the Ottawa Senators and the Anaheim Ducks (Quick, could someone please tell the mainstream media?!), hockey folks find themselves stuck in that tired just-who-is-a-journalist argument again.

For a professional sport that often has to go begging for coverage, blogs should be a godsend. Forward-thinking media relations people like Nate Ewell, who just happens to work for Ted Leonsis's Washington Capitals, knows a good blog from a bad one and understands that the only bad coverage is no coverage at all.

But up in Ottawa, where you'd think the Senators' organization would be thrilled with all the coverage it can get for its first appearance in the finals, there seems to be some question as to whether those so-called "typo-ridden excuses for journalists" (I'm summarizing in anything but my own opinion) should be permitted in the press box to share hot dog and donuts with the mainstream hockey media.

One of those dirty little bloggers, Martin Thornell, whose blog is aptly named Hockeydirt, writes about contacting Phil Legault (vice president of communications for the Senators) earlier in the season about the team's media credentials policy for bloggers. The Washington Capitals have been credentialing bloggers now for the better part of two years.

Legault, in making an argument against credentialing bloggers, pointed out the difference in markets between Metro D.C. and Ottawa, but also raised the issue of standards: "... regardless of number trained and professional media that attend Senators games and practices, our main concern revolves primarily around the standards set for bloggers. At present, there are none."

Hockeydirt said the Senators' policy was "fair and reasonable, but also very safe and even short-sighted. Teams in the Canadian markets where hockey is always the sports story and where the demand for press box access exceeds the available space have little choice but to be highly selective when granting press box access. On the other hand, every team in every market aims to attract new fans. By opening themselves up to coverage by bloggers, vloggers and podcasters, teams like the Senators have an opportunity to generate coverage from unique perspectives that will attract and appeal to new audiences."

Another excellent hockey blogger, Eric McErlain from Offwing Opinion, has a good entry about the ongoing debate over giving bloggers access to the press box -- including a link to a Sports Media Journal poll on the issue. McErlain, at Leonsis's request, created a set of guidelines for granting credentials to bloggers and other online correspondents -- the first such set of guidelines I'm aware of.

Given the lack of mainstream media coverage of the NHL in many markets, including metro-Washington D.C., bloggers and other online correspondents provide niche coverage that any league franchise should welcome.

Think not? Thirty-five years ago, when I was just getting started out in journalism at the South Bend (IN) Tribune, I would occasionally drive 90 miles to the old Chicago Stadium to cover the Black Hawks, who sold out every seat in those days. I literally had to beg the public relations director to grant me credentials (and the Tribune had a circulation of more than 120,000 in those days). I can still remember him saying, "What do we need you for?" Today, the Black Hawks are the worst-drawing team in the NHL. They could probably use a few bloggers -- let alone the South Bend Tribune!

After Pronger's elbow smash and an Ottawa win....more Canadian viewers might now tune in.  In the States?   Its all about MMA and NASCAR.

The NHL needs to get a better TV/Media deal in the US.  

Catch-22 though isn't it.... if no-one's watching, how will the NHL get a better deal.

I know it's getting play in Detroit, I read the Detroit News on line and they're covering it, but then, that's Hockeytown.

I wonder if most people treat the NHL in the same way they do Unlimited Hydroplane racing, or Arena Football.  If you're in a market with a race or a franchise, it is of interest, but on the national level it just doesn't create a buzz like the NFL or MLB.  The NBA suffered from the same problem 30 years ago outside of the New York/Boston area.  Maybe the NHL should study their model.....

last year we were spoiled with having the Oilers in the finals which was great for our station

we were live from Whyte Ave and from the games

had oiler ticket auctions on air for thousands of $$$ that went to various Camrose charities

But this year  ZERO....ZIP..ZILCH

no interest at all

Lack of American interest in hockey, I think, makes for great bits.  Last year I booked tee time for Joe Thornton at a golf course outside of San Jose.  Dude didn't even know who Joe Thornton was...

During the final I called up some bars in South Carolina and asked if they were planing on playing the games on their TV's.  Most said no.  There was one that said yes, so I asked him who he thought would have a bigger impact, Stephen Harper from the Oilers or Rick Mercer of the Hurricanes.  He didn't even call me on it.  Boy did I hear about it after the long distance bill came in though.

Is this news?? Hockey is, at best, always ignored in the States. Why is this news?

..and the NBA finals are ingnored, largely, in Canada.  So what does that prove?  Americans, by and large, don't like hockey.  So what?