NBC Sports Network going big with NHL rivalries next season

[sarsippius]

Hmmm....didn't know Buffalo and Detroit was such a big rivalry

NBC Sports Network going big with NHL rivalries next season

Cam Tucker

Jul 20, 2013, 1:00 AM EDT

The NBC Sports Network will exclusively showcase some of the fiercest and historic rivalries in the National Hockey League this upcoming season.

NBC Sports Group announced Friday that the network will carry 24 games throughout the 2013-14 campaign as part of its exclusive Wednesday Night Rivalry coverage, which returns for a second consecutive season.

The Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings have the honor of beginning the weekly rivalry night, as they battle on Oct. 2.

Perhaps the most talked about rivalry game in the opening month of the season will be between the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 30.

That night will mark the return of Jarome Iginla to Pittsburgh, where he was traded in a blockbuster deal prior to the April deadline this past season.

Iginla, of course, signed with the Bruins – the team he declined a trade to before approving the move to Pittsburgh – as an unrestricted free agent.

Oh, the intrigue.

The rivalry night coverage will also feature one team from north of the border – the Montreal Canadiens will host the Bruins on March 12.

Of all the rivalries in the NHL, the Canadiens and Bruins might have the most longstanding contempt for each other, dating well back to the Original Six era.

[jammer2]

@sarsippius Here is a big surprise, huh? The big wigs at NBC don't know how to sell the game, or decide which rivalries get the spotlight.....tools.

[sarsippius]

@jammer2

As much as I loathe ESPN, at least they knew what they were doing when they handled broadcasting games. NBC comes off like they have no idea about the product they're delivering.

[hf101]

@sarsippius

I don't know, I really like the "Rivalry Night" on NBC it is kind of a take off the successful "Monday Night Football" imo. For what it is worth viewership was up last year even after the dreaded lockout, so they have to be doing something right.

[sarsippius]

@hf101

The whole rivalry night thing is a good idea, just make the games rivalries of the present or the past.....not a made up marketing gimmick to fake Detroit and Buffalo into thinking there has ever been a rivalry between the Wings and Sabres.

And when they say this in the article, which came from NBC's website:

"The rivalry night coverage will also feature one team from north of the border – the Montreal Canadiens will host the Bruins on March 12."

Um, we got one team from Canada on one night? I guess EDM-CAL, TOR-DET, MON-TOR, et al won't be featured.

[WingNut722]

@hf101

The whole rivalry night thing is a good idea, just make the games rivalries of the present or the past.....not a made up marketing gimmick to fake Detroit and Buffalo into thinking there has ever been a rivalry between the Wings and Sabres.

I think they were on the right track with this last year. And I'd say....4 out of 5 times, they were right in getting an established rivalry on TV, at least to some degree, But the schedule has to agree with it though. If there's no marquis match-up that particular night, they'll throw anything on there.

I guess what they need to remember is that if you don't have an established rivalry playing that evening, just put on the Penguins game...everybody hates them!

[Haliax]

That is a bit of a slow way to start "Rivalry Night", but in general I've found that they do a decent job of finding interesting match ups. At any rate, I'm always happy to see hockey broadcasted nationally.

[B21]

If there was ever a rivalry to be "manufactured", it's Pens/Blue Jackets.

[DaGreatGazoo]

I wish someone in the US, NHL Network would be logical, would figure out a way to carry BOTH games of HNIC doubleheader's. I hate the fact that the early game is usually the only one shown here in the States.

Doesn't matter if NHL Network carries one, and NBC the other, etc.....

[dilbert719]

It's hard to blame them for choosing Sabres/Red Wings, since they only have three games to choose from that night, and one of the three starts at 10 PM EST. Toronto/Philadelphia might have been the more logical call (the other game being Anaheim/Colorado), but NBC carries exactly one Toronto game this year, and it's the Winter Classic, which is being broadcast on NBC, CBC, and RDS. Makes me think there's a broadcast rights issue. For that matter, NBCSN carries only four games all season that include even one Canadian team, and only one (the Heritage Classic between Ottawa and Vancouver) that doesn't include the Montreal Canadiens.

@hf101

The whole rivalry night thing is a good idea, just make the games rivalries of the present or the past.....not a made up marketing gimmick to fake Detroit and Buffalo into thinking there has ever been a rivalry between the Wings and Sabres.

And when they say this in the article, which came from NBC's website:

"The rivalry night coverage will also feature one team from north of the border – the Montreal Canadiens will host the Bruins on March 12."

Um, we got one team from Canada on one night? I guess EDM-CAL, TOR-DET, MON-TOR, et al won't be featured.

Given that NBC/NBCSN are only broadcasting 5 games featuring even one Canadian team between them, again, I'm fairly certain there's a broadcast rights issue that's keeping the games locked to US teams only. To watch the Canadian teams in the US, the options are local team broadcasts, NHLN, Center Ice, or less savory internet-based options.

Edited July 22, 2013 by dilbert719

[ZeZel25]

I for one would rather watch a crap game, WITHOUT Pierre, I wanna have Crosby's kid, McGuire than watch a good one with em...

[AJgoal]

It's hard to blame them for choosing Sabres/Red Wings, since they only have three games to choose from that night, and one of the three starts at 10 PM EST.

I dunno. I find it hard to believe that NBC doesn't have a hand in making the schedule. They're a huge source of revenue for the NHL, as well as the biggest mouthpiece for expanding interest in the league.

[dilbert719]

I dunno. I find it hard to believe that NBC doesn't have a hand in making the schedule. They're a huge source of revenue for the NHL, as well as the biggest mouthpiece for expanding interest in the league.

A hand, certainly. Schedule creation has to be one of the hardest parts of a season from an administrative standpoint, though. About half the teams in the league aren't their building's primary anchor tenant, so they have to negotiate with the other team, there are one-off events, you have to balance travel days, nights off, making sure you don't require back-to-back cross-country flights, TV broadcast issues, arena maintenance work, that sort of nonsense. It's got to be more rigid a process than people think it is.

There's also the alternate possibility that the league recognizes that Detroit and Buffalo have much less reason to dislike each other than any other team in that division not based in Florida (who are just kind of screwed on the rivalry front), and wants to gin up some hatred.

[jammer2]

@dilbert719 "Given that NBC/NBCSN are only broadcasting 5 games featuring even one Canadian team between them, again, I'm fairly certain there's a broadcast rights issue that's keeping the games locked to US teams only. To watch the Canadian teams in the US, the options are local team broadcasts, NHLN, Center Ice, or less savory internet-based options."

I believe CBC and Leafs TV have exclusive rights to Toronto hockey games. So, that explains a bit. It's a shame, cause NBC is missing out on a lot of the pure hatred rivalries. With Montreal and Toronto for instance, the fan bases and the actual teams hate each other, and no matter where they happen to be in the standings, it's always an outstanding game 9 times out of 10. If you wanna push the sport, show the games with intensity and passion....although tv rights come into play here, making it impossible. Some big stuff the NBC is missing out on here.

[Samifan]

I thought NBCSports stood for Nothing But Crosby Sports network?

[hf101]

I believe CBC and Leafs TV have exclusive rights to Toronto hockey games. So, that explains a bit. It's a shame, cause NBC is missing out on a lot of the pure hatred rivalries. With Montreal and Toronto for instance, the fan bases and the actual teams hate each other, and no matter where they happen to be in the standings, it's always an outstanding game 9 times out of 10. If you wanna push the sport, show the games with intensity and passion....although tv rights come into play here, making it impossible. Some big stuff the NBC is missing out on here.

True......yet we do get to see these matchups as the NHL channel usually covers the Hockey NIght in Canada matchups on Saturday evenings.

[jammer2]

@hf101 Oh yeah, I found that out after I posted that. I think it's great you guys get some HNIC coverage. Leafs must have allowed some NHL Network coverage. I've seen a few game in FLA where the Leaf fans are almost as loud as the Panther fans, so they should be pandering to the sunbirds.