Post by Jazz on May 20, 2004 1:48:03 GMT -5
This is on the heels of the news of NHL's new TV deal with NBC.
Follow me here, because this point has been vastly under-rated in the past 2 Olympics games.
One of the reasons the NHL has failed to capitalize (in the US) on the NHL's participation in the 1998 Nagano Olypmics and the 2002 Salt-Lake Olympics is due to the fact that they have not synchonized with who owns the American Olympics TV rights. In 1998 in Nagano, the Olympics were on CBS, whereas NHL games were on FOX. In 2002 in Salt-Lake, the Olympics were on NBA whereas the NHL games were on ABC.
The reason this mis-match is a problem is in terms of cross-promotion. With NBC now owning both the 2006 Olympic and the NHL rights, there is vast potential for NBC to use TV spots to promote both properties (the Winter Games and the NHL). During '98 one CBS official stated point blank: "Why should we promote FOX's property??" I'm sure NBC had the same thinking 2 years ago in SLC when the NHL was on ABC. The NHL needs as many opportunities to get into the American public eye and the potential for this to happen with the NHL going to Turino should not be missed.
This could be just another casualty if the CBA is not signed in time.....
Follow me here, because this point has been vastly under-rated in the past 2 Olympics games.
One of the reasons the NHL has failed to capitalize (in the US) on the NHL's participation in the 1998 Nagano Olypmics and the 2002 Salt-Lake Olympics is due to the fact that they have not synchonized with who owns the American Olympics TV rights. In 1998 in Nagano, the Olympics were on CBS, whereas NHL games were on FOX. In 2002 in Salt-Lake, the Olympics were on NBA whereas the NHL games were on ABC.
The reason this mis-match is a problem is in terms of cross-promotion. With NBC now owning both the 2006 Olympic and the NHL rights, there is vast potential for NBC to use TV spots to promote both properties (the Winter Games and the NHL). During '98 one CBS official stated point blank: "Why should we promote FOX's property??" I'm sure NBC had the same thinking 2 years ago in SLC when the NHL was on ABC. The NHL needs as many opportunities to get into the American public eye and the potential for this to happen with the NHL going to Turino should not be missed.
This could be just another casualty if the CBA is not signed in time.....
