FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO WATCH HOCKEY!
We are asking players, coaches, fans and hockey families to join us in an important effort. VERSUS, the home of the National Hockey League and the 2007 NHL Playoffs is not presently included in the basic cable packages of nearly 50% of American homes. As a result, millions of people are deprived of the opportunity to watch the best players in the world perform on the biggest stage in hockey.
The exposure of the NHL Playoffs is important to every level of hockey in America. The lack of broadcast availability, even in the most avid hockey cities in the nation, can negatively impact the growth of our game.
Simply visit www.usahockeymagazine.com/versus.html for more information on how you can join the fight.
Our goal is simple. To have hockey fans across the nation convince the management of local cable outlets to add VERSUS to basic cable package at no additional cost.
FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO WATCH HOCKEY!
Moderators: Mitch Hawker, east hockey, karl(east)
Re: FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO WATCH HOCKEY!
mhjinsider wrote:FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO WATCH HOCKEY!
"We hold these truths to be self-evident.
That all men are created equal
That they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights
That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of a cable system that broadcasts NHL Hockey"
Works for me, but probably not for the cable companies.
When the playoffs were about to start, I called my cable company and added the $5 a month sports package so I could watch the playoffs.
Stop being cheap and kick in.
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HastingsDangler02
- Posts: 113
- Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 11:06 pm
- Location: Hastings
yea
I don't know why this isn't in the Cafe and not here but alright don't matter to me 
Anyways I have Versus so I am good but are the Stanley Cup playoffs not played on CBS or ABC or whatever? not all of the playoffs are but i am pretty sure the final matchup is, lets say the NFL playoffs were best of 7 my guess is they wouldn't play all the games on any of the main 20 channels or whatever either
And, subtract any homeless people, people who never watch TV, people who do not own a TV, or whatever else, I am guessing over 50% have cable, and if you don't have cable and you own a TV I think its time to catch up with technology or get a higher paying job.
Also, like hockeydad said I don't think 5 bucks is going to kill you
Anyways I have Versus so I am good but are the Stanley Cup playoffs not played on CBS or ABC or whatever? not all of the playoffs are but i am pretty sure the final matchup is, lets say the NFL playoffs were best of 7 my guess is they wouldn't play all the games on any of the main 20 channels or whatever either
And, subtract any homeless people, people who never watch TV, people who do not own a TV, or whatever else, I am guessing over 50% have cable, and if you don't have cable and you own a TV I think its time to catch up with technology or get a higher paying job.
Also, like hockeydad said I don't think 5 bucks is going to kill you
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HShockeywatcher
- Posts: 6848
- Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:21 pm
It amazes me the topics that get switched to other threads and then the ones that stay.
It's not just another $5. For many people it's another $30 or so to get the next cable package.
The thing that needs to happen, that may be the demise of many channels, is the have a la carte cable. If all you want is FSN, ESPN, and VERSUS, then you only have to pay for those channels. But we'll see.
The big thing is that it's a money game and a popularity game. Of the 4 main sports, sadly, which one is the least popular in America? Hockey. Well, ESPN didn't pick up the deal. Versus did. And they still don't have games on every night, which has confused me. NBA gets on TNT and channels like CBS, NFL gets on FOX, CBS and ESPN, MLB gets on ESPN, and FSN, and NHL on Versus and FSN. NHL you can at least watch some games without cable, but baseball you at totally screwed without FSN or ESPN.
It's not just another $5. For many people it's another $30 or so to get the next cable package.
The thing that needs to happen, that may be the demise of many channels, is the have a la carte cable. If all you want is FSN, ESPN, and VERSUS, then you only have to pay for those channels. But we'll see.
The big thing is that it's a money game and a popularity game. Of the 4 main sports, sadly, which one is the least popular in America? Hockey. Well, ESPN didn't pick up the deal. Versus did. And they still don't have games on every night, which has confused me. NBA gets on TNT and channels like CBS, NFL gets on FOX, CBS and ESPN, MLB gets on ESPN, and FSN, and NHL on Versus and FSN. NHL you can at least watch some games without cable, but baseball you at totally screwed without FSN or ESPN.
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EREmpireStrikesBack
- Posts: 5140
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 3:28 am
- Location: Minnesota
ESPN made an offer. The NHL chose versus. Please get your facts right (and you wonder why people tear you apart). And the NHL is the one to blame for this, not the major cable companies. The NHL has contibuted to its own demise. Ever notice how anything that was on ESPN gets to be on SportsCenter a lot longer? Do most people watch SportsCenter? Why the hell wouldn't the NHL want to be on ESPN even if they get a little less $. They want the $, but the # of fans didn't seem to matter to them.HShockeywatcher wrote:It amazes me the topics that get switched to other threads and then the ones that stay.
It's not just another $5. For many people it's another $30 or so to get the next cable package.
The thing that needs to happen, that may be the demise of many channels, is the have a la carte cable. If all you want is FSN, ESPN, and VERSUS, then you only have to pay for those channels. But we'll see.
The big thing is that it's a money game and a popularity game. Of the 4 main sports, sadly, which one is the least popular in America? Hockey. Well, ESPN didn't pick up the deal. Versus did. And they still don't have games on every night, which has confused me. NBA gets on TNT and channels like CBS, NFL gets on FOX, CBS and ESPN, MLB gets on ESPN, and FSN, and NHL on Versus and FSN. NHL you can at least watch some games without cable, but baseball you at totally screwed without FSN or ESPN.
Btw, baseball is on My29, TBS, WGN...
Elk River AA State Champions- 2001 Boys & 2004 Girls
"they get my 99 dollars a month, I don't think they need more. Do you? the channel would be appreciated..........."
Face it. The NHL and it's ratings are far behind the NFL,MLB, & the NBA. That is why ESPN wouldn't offer up more for the rights to broadcast 2+ months of the playoffs. Versus is not a major player (yet) and most cable providers know it would not be profitable for them to offer this in any fashion other than as an ala carte offering.
Easily, the MAJORITY of cable subscribers would not want to pay more on their bill for something they wouldn't watch.
Me... most games I've seen this spring have been on CBC - now that the Wild bowed out in the first round.
For most of us who want to see more games, it looks like we buck up and pay for a package - or at least quit whining about it.
Face it. The NHL and it's ratings are far behind the NFL,MLB, & the NBA. That is why ESPN wouldn't offer up more for the rights to broadcast 2+ months of the playoffs. Versus is not a major player (yet) and most cable providers know it would not be profitable for them to offer this in any fashion other than as an ala carte offering.
Easily, the MAJORITY of cable subscribers would not want to pay more on their bill for something they wouldn't watch.
Me... most games I've seen this spring have been on CBC - now that the Wild bowed out in the first round.
For most of us who want to see more games, it looks like we buck up and pay for a package - or at least quit whining about it.
There was an article in the Canadian paper in the "Globe Sports" section. It was saying that Hockey in the U.S is dying. You watch TV in Canada and 25% of the time its hockey. Its hard to find it in the U.S. Also it was saying how only a few newspapers from MN and the rest of the Country were sending reporters, and not even for the whole series. Most newspapers from places like Chicago, New York, California, and many others are not sending a single person to watch, they say it is to expensive.
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Indians forever
- Posts: 1459
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- Location: St. Cloud MN