The issue with comparing ESPN content to NBC Sports is that NBC Sports is not available to the same number of people... It is similar to how theateical box office reports are done as an overall dollar amount as well as the 'dollars per theater'. This enables an 'apples to apples' comparison for how movies perform.
Joey - 12 years ago
If you're a fan of a team or if there is a game you want to watch, you'll find a way to watch it. Every city has a sports bar(s) with some sort of TV package that will get everything (except soccer, I had to order that one on my own). So to all those "fans" that complain they can't watch the game, your not trying hard enough.
Paulie3323 - 12 years ago
Reality. Baseball > hockey... and not by a small margin. Though, regional pockets of "give a sh@t" do exist... they're called Minnesota.
Chris - 12 years ago
It wouldn't stop someone from watching it if they were a big fan, but it would be a lot harder to stumble upon the game and then decide to watch
Dane - 12 years ago
Complete garbage. If there is something I want to see, I will find the channel. And if I don't have that channel, I will get it.
The sports bar arguments don't fly here, because those TV's don't count in the ratings.
The biggest complaint about watching NHL is that NBC Sports (formerly Versus) is not available in most hotels, which is true.
Bottom line - many people are lazy.
Mike - 12 years ago
Agree with alot of comments above.....
Esp about ESPN.....that is on no matter what is actually on.
(Philly area) I just switched from Comcast to Verizon and I have learned about 5 channels in 2 months.....if something isn't on those channels, I am gonna miss it!
Travis - 12 years ago
I do this all the time. NBC sports is passed upon because they have unrecognizable analysts compared to NBA, NFL, espn ect.....Plus bad titles for shows.
shawn - 12 years ago
i know ive completely stopped watching my local NBA hometeam's games bc when i switched to directtv the FSN channels are in the 600's, and there are so many of them. so i never make my way up there, thsu never stumble on the game.
directv shoudl really make a push to put the local FSN on a regular number, somewhere in the top 200
Dustin - 12 years ago
I wouldn't say it's actually not being able to find the channel. For a lot of us, the channel that used to be VS. isn't available with our cable provider (Fargo, North Dakota). There are a lot of hockey fans up here but not all of them are hardcore. By that I mean that a more casual fan wouldn't be willing to buy a bunch of extra channels just to have VS. I myself subscribe through my PS3. You would see far more "casual" watches if the games were on a channel that came with their cable plans. The biggest note I took away from your comment wasn't Baseball vs. Hockey, but "ESPN Sunday Night". How many people saw that there was a game on ESPN and just flipped their TV's to it while doing other things around the house. If all hockey fans could just casually flip on the game you would see slightly higher numbers.
Scott - 12 years ago
Its simple -
1. Sports bars always have ESPN on, no matter what is airing.
2. At home, regular Joe sports fan turns on ESPN first and might stay to watch even if he isn't that into the game. He rarely goes to channel 638 (or whatever it is) to watch a game if he isn't a huge hockey fan. Its the convenience and habit of the channel.
3. Baseball is more popular than hockey in the US.
John K - 12 years ago
I've sat down to watch a game that was listed, only to find it's not being broadcast by my provider.
Tom - 12 years ago
Matt's comment is spot on. When people say that they "can't find the channel" they are not saying that they're too stupid to locate a channel on their cable system. I think they are actually saying that they don't see the channel because it's in they're regular surfing rotation. If it's not in that regular rotation, they are infinitely less likely to stumble on the game. Hard core fans will find and watch a game regardless of what channel the game is on. It's the casual fans that "happen" upon a game that moves the ratings dial.
Bob - 12 years ago
Casual sports fans are always more likely to default to whatever is on ESPN vs NBC Sports. That could be one reason for the descrepency.
Dan - 12 years ago
Maybe it is not so much 'can't find the channel' as 'don't get the channel'?
Aaron - 12 years ago
The problem for me is that the electronic guide on my cable is not accurate, especially for hockey. I can find NBC sports, know there is a game being played, but all that shows up is some documentary on some long dead coach. My guess is that it has something to do with blackout rules, but I would hope the cable company could figure that out and get listings posted correctly.
Marc - 12 years ago
As a marginal fan I agree. NBC Sports is up north on my dial. If I forget that the games are on, I won't come across it. But I'll almost definitely happen upon something on ESPN and take a look, if only to see the scores at the bottom.
Matt - 12 years ago
It is not that you can't find the channel, it is making the effort. If NBC sports is not on your regular rotation and you are a marginal fan (ie - not looking fro the game specifically) it could make all the difference. Not really relevant to your point though as people certainly "go find" the NFL network for games............
Ben - 12 years ago
If it's a marginally interesting sporting event, not finding the channel could definitely deter me.
The issue with comparing ESPN content to NBC Sports is that NBC Sports is not available to the same number of people... It is similar to how theateical box office reports are done as an overall dollar amount as well as the 'dollars per theater'. This enables an 'apples to apples' comparison for how movies perform.
If you're a fan of a team or if there is a game you want to watch, you'll find a way to watch it. Every city has a sports bar(s) with some sort of TV package that will get everything (except soccer, I had to order that one on my own). So to all those "fans" that complain they can't watch the game, your not trying hard enough.
Reality. Baseball > hockey... and not by a small margin. Though, regional pockets of "give a sh@t" do exist... they're called Minnesota.
It wouldn't stop someone from watching it if they were a big fan, but it would be a lot harder to stumble upon the game and then decide to watch
Complete garbage. If there is something I want to see, I will find the channel. And if I don't have that channel, I will get it.
The sports bar arguments don't fly here, because those TV's don't count in the ratings.
The biggest complaint about watching NHL is that NBC Sports (formerly Versus) is not available in most hotels, which is true.
Bottom line - many people are lazy.
Agree with alot of comments above.....
Esp about ESPN.....that is on no matter what is actually on.
(Philly area) I just switched from Comcast to Verizon and I have learned about 5 channels in 2 months.....if something isn't on those channels, I am gonna miss it!
I do this all the time. NBC sports is passed upon because they have unrecognizable analysts compared to NBA, NFL, espn ect.....Plus bad titles for shows.
i know ive completely stopped watching my local NBA hometeam's games bc when i switched to directtv the FSN channels are in the 600's, and there are so many of them. so i never make my way up there, thsu never stumble on the game.
directv shoudl really make a push to put the local FSN on a regular number, somewhere in the top 200
I wouldn't say it's actually not being able to find the channel. For a lot of us, the channel that used to be VS. isn't available with our cable provider (Fargo, North Dakota). There are a lot of hockey fans up here but not all of them are hardcore. By that I mean that a more casual fan wouldn't be willing to buy a bunch of extra channels just to have VS. I myself subscribe through my PS3. You would see far more "casual" watches if the games were on a channel that came with their cable plans. The biggest note I took away from your comment wasn't Baseball vs. Hockey, but "ESPN Sunday Night". How many people saw that there was a game on ESPN and just flipped their TV's to it while doing other things around the house. If all hockey fans could just casually flip on the game you would see slightly higher numbers.
Its simple -
1. Sports bars always have ESPN on, no matter what is airing.
2. At home, regular Joe sports fan turns on ESPN first and might stay to watch even if he isn't that into the game. He rarely goes to channel 638 (or whatever it is) to watch a game if he isn't a huge hockey fan. Its the convenience and habit of the channel.
3. Baseball is more popular than hockey in the US.
I've sat down to watch a game that was listed, only to find it's not being broadcast by my provider.
Matt's comment is spot on. When people say that they "can't find the channel" they are not saying that they're too stupid to locate a channel on their cable system. I think they are actually saying that they don't see the channel because it's in they're regular surfing rotation. If it's not in that regular rotation, they are infinitely less likely to stumble on the game. Hard core fans will find and watch a game regardless of what channel the game is on. It's the casual fans that "happen" upon a game that moves the ratings dial.
Casual sports fans are always more likely to default to whatever is on ESPN vs NBC Sports. That could be one reason for the descrepency.
Maybe it is not so much 'can't find the channel' as 'don't get the channel'?
The problem for me is that the electronic guide on my cable is not accurate, especially for hockey. I can find NBC sports, know there is a game being played, but all that shows up is some documentary on some long dead coach. My guess is that it has something to do with blackout rules, but I would hope the cable company could figure that out and get listings posted correctly.
As a marginal fan I agree. NBC Sports is up north on my dial. If I forget that the games are on, I won't come across it. But I'll almost definitely happen upon something on ESPN and take a look, if only to see the scores at the bottom.
It is not that you can't find the channel, it is making the effort. If NBC sports is not on your regular rotation and you are a marginal fan (ie - not looking fro the game specifically) it could make all the difference. Not really relevant to your point though as people certainly "go find" the NFL network for games............
If it's a marginally interesting sporting event, not finding the channel could definitely deter me.