Sure Sidney Crosby's Penguins just went up 3-0 in a playoff series against the Flyers, but the
National Post suggests HDTV might give a bigger boost to the sport of hockey than either he or Alexander Ovechkin can. Courtesy of an expanded widescreen format that gives a better look at the ice and enhanced resolution allowing viewers to finally discern the puck without annoying FoxTrax graphics. While we've always found being able to see what's going on as a plus, we're not sure high definition alone will move hockey, soccer, arena football or any other hopefuls closer to the big three in American's sports consciousness.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Daimyo Nintendo @ May 15th 2008 10:48AM
Booo sports are boring to watch on TV.
steedums @ May 15th 2008 10:49AM
if they want to go mainstream, they need to at least have their playoffs on network tv. their current setup on random cable channels might be fine for the regular season, but a lot of people dont get whatever channel the playoffs are on. and NBC's once in a while coverage sucks. They should get back in bed with ESPN
andrewgreene @ May 15th 2008 10:55AM
That's just like Fox's once in a while coverage of baseball. I want to see games that aren't the Yankees, Mets, or Red Sox. Braves, Cubs, and White Sox are always on too thanks to TBS and WGN.
However, I'm not a hockey fan and I think I'd be more inclined to watch NHL games if it was always available in HD and on a consistent basis.
why not the LS2LS7? @ May 15th 2008 11:04AM
You're right it's a mess, but ESPN carried fewer games than Versus does.
Although I too would like to see every playoff game carried nationally, Baseball has a worse patchwork of coverage, and they seem to do okay.
UnnDunn @ May 15th 2008 10:51AM
I'm surprised it took this long for people to realize it. I'm even more surprised the NHL hasn't mandated HD from ALL of its networks, or set up its own HD production facility for NHL games.
HD makes NHL games actually watchable.
Kevin C. Burns @ May 15th 2008 12:28PM
if I'm casually watching hockey, I probably won't watch unless it's in HD (if it's my Dallas Stars I'll watch however I can though). Since I don't have Versus in HD, my viewing during the regular season is generally once a week when it's on NBC in HD. HDTV makes hockey much, much better. Possibly the sport that benefits most...
Eric Hollenbeck @ May 15th 2008 10:58AM
Well it is hard to get soccer in HD and I doubt that will be coming anytime soon. Living in Philly and seeing most flyers home games in HD is awesome but sinceI live in philly i do not get the playoffs in HD... stupid versus in philly.
Ryan @ May 15th 2008 11:51AM
What does living in Philly have to do with it? Both Comcast and DirecTV offer VS in HD. If you don't get VS in HD it has more to do with your provider than your geography.
why not the LS2LS7? @ May 15th 2008 11:00AM
Hockey is a lot better on HDTV. It's still not as good as live. It's really key to see how plays are being set up in the neutral zone when the defensemen clear the puck to them. This works better in HD than in SD, but is still better live.
I think that Versus getting the NHL contract has been a big factor. Versus actually shows a lot of games. When ESPN had the NHL they showed maybe two games a week. But Versus shows a lot of them, and much of the time in HD (if you have Comcast or DTV). What hasn't been useful at all has been the NHL network. They loop their programming so often. And although they have an HD channel, they don't seem to have HD production facilities. I can watch a game in HD on Versus, then switch over to NHL network HD and they are replaying the highlights in SD, with bards on the side.
I find "saved" to be a bit hyperbolic, given that the NHL has added more teams than any other US major-league sport in the last 20 or even 40 years.
teej @ May 15th 2008 2:47PM
back in the day, ESPN showed a few games, but ESPN2 showed doubleheaders pretty much every other night (i'm talking 1996ish). however, ESPN2 wasn't even on my standard tier of service.
Maxx @ May 15th 2008 11:19AM
The signal gets commpressed so much that the puck will turn to 8 black blocks everytime it gets hit.
Andrew @ May 15th 2008 11:41AM
This actually is a very big problem at the moment. The signal is compressed so bad and older TVs are slow enough that the puck ends up being a blur most of the time. However, with a nice TV and good signal hockey is amazing to watch in HD.
Ryan @ May 15th 2008 11:52AM
>>Hockey is a lot better on HDTV. It's still not as good as live. It's really key to see how plays are being set up in the neutral zone when the defensemen clear the puck to them. This works better in HD than in SD, but is still better live.
This could be improved by framing the shot for 16 x 9, rather than 4 x 3 'with wings'.
mrHTN @ May 15th 2008 12:21PM
HDTV could save hockey if it was on a channel people heard of. If I tell people the game is on VS, I always get a "What's that" response. I don't get VS HD and I'm sure most Americans don't get it either.
mrhammerstein @ May 15th 2008 1:11PM
i don't like hockey in HD...
i LOVE hockey in HD!
mjpd1 @ May 15th 2008 1:23PM
I don't know the reason, but hockey is far and away the best sport to watch in HD. Maybe it's the brightness of the ice on an HD screen or something, but it just looks incredible. I was at a hockey game recently (in person), and I leaned over to my friend and said "Is it just me, or is hockey better in HD than it is in person?" :) He agreed.
WilsonGoneWild @ May 15th 2008 1:39PM
HdNet has many hockey games on throughout the year, and when I do accidentally go past the channel and see it, it is beautiful.
Law @ May 15th 2008 2:03PM
DirecTV has done a pretty good job of allowing almost every game broadcast in HD to be available, both nationally and locally. The next step is for the local RSNs to step up and actually broadcast more games in HD. I wish the NHL would apply more pressure in this regard similar to what they did with every teams homepage -- i.e. mandate a certain uniform standard across the board. I know it's a pipe dream, but it would be nice if every team had to broadcast games locally in HD.
And as some others have already stated, it's still not the same as being there, but it's a huge improvement. Hockey was the sport hurt most by 'watching on TV' vs 'being in attendance'.
Spiza @ May 15th 2008 2:11PM
I just got versus in HD, 500% better for hockey.
MadMike @ May 15th 2008 2:46PM
I love hockey. It looks great in HD. Now just if the Flyers could win.... Well thats the cost of being a Philly fan. We love our teams even though year after year they find a way to disappointed us. Then we get drunk, violent and end up at the drunk tank in the tombs for the night.
Ahhh I love philly!
ieko @ May 15th 2008 3:05PM
If the NHL wants to be saved they need to move to a broadcast network that will actually have pre/post-game shows, and to a cable network that is actually watched. Really now, who watches VS? Ever since NHL moved to that channel I just forgot hockey even was a sport.
Oh, and it'd help I think if they had annual outdoor games like they had this season on NBC, it was really great to watch!
I think the NHL needs to work on getting some diversity in its players as well, it'd gey more interest from communities that usually wouldn't watch hockey and bring in alternative advertising $$$$.
Jazper @ May 16th 2008 4:28AM
Problem is, you find kids/youth that can actually *play* the game (as in have a place to do so) only in the north and most (not all) of the diversity in North America is in the south.
Miami, Biloxi, Tuscon... um, sorry, hockey rinks few and far between. Buffalo, Maine, Minnesota, Toronto... more rinks than 7-Elevens. :)
Captain Obvious @ May 16th 2008 2:03PM
"While we've always found being able to see what's going on as a plus, we're not sure high definition alone will move hockey, soccer, arena football or any other hopefuls closer to the big three in American's sports consciousness."
I think it's time we all admit that there is no "big three in American's sports consciousness" anymore. There is just one - the NFL. MLB and NBA are so far behind, they might as well be hockey, soccer, and arena football.