Sunday, May 20, 2007

Dear NBC

Dear Mr. Topol,
I'm writing you about the NHL on NBC. I have been a hockey fan for some time now, and always look forward to watching the NHL on NBC however yesterday you really let me down. Switching right before OT to VS in game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals is a little bit ridiculous. I know you probably feel that horse racing comes before hockey but I'm from Kentucky and I don't even watch horse racing. Luckily, yesterday I was at home watching the game so I knew about the switch but many people were not able to either because they weren't home to hear about the switch or the fact that most people don't even have VS. I am one of the lucky hockey fans who have VS and Center Ice so I get just about every game. But, what you did yesterday was wrong. I run a hockey blog and there have been many people upset by this, I'm sure I'm not the first e-mail you have received. If you aren't going to show hockey to it's fullest extent please don't show it at all. If I'm watching the Stanley Cup Finals on NBC and there is a horse race or golf supposed to be on right after you need to let your viewers know that there will be a switch although I think it is ridiculous in the first place not to show the entire game. That's all I have to say.
Bethany


Will I get a response? I doubt it...but at least someone knows I am angry now. I am also going to put up some articles about it.

6 comments:

ScottJaredZimmerman said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDSY5-y2BRs

Check this out to lighten the mood

Heather B. said...

I can't believe that the national carrier of the NHL dumped a potential elimination game overtime for pre-race stuff. Not the race itself - pre-race stuff! The NHL should throw a fit.

Jocelynn said...

You know, I don't understand why people are complaining that they were not notified of a switch. I clearly heard the announcements about the move to Versus for OT. I had no problem switching over.

NBC has a contract: they HAVE to show the Preakness stuff. If anything people should complain to the NHL for signing with a channel that does not give playoff games priority.

Heather B. said...

NBC also has a contract with the NHL. To dump the overtime of an important playoff game on a channel that a huge chunk of their viewing audience doesn't get for pre-race stuff - NOT the race itself - is terrible.

If anything people should complain to the NHL for signing with a channel that does not give playoff games priority.

I'm assuming the NHL wasn't figuring on something like this happening. Which is why I think the league should make sure it voices its displeasure with NBC. (Fat chance since that would require someone actually caring about the health of the league.)

This is also the kind of thing that could eventually lead to the league doing away with OT in the playoffs which I never, ever, ever want to see happen. TV rules all.

Bethany said...

Jocelynn most people in the US don't have VS...and the fact that most people tivo their games NBC needed to let people know it would happen that way. And, Heather B preach on sista haha...and Margee informed me I wrote the wrong guy...lol so that's fine.

Marie said...

I was on the same page as Jocelynn till Bethany's comment. At first I thought NBC did I good job planning for OT by immediately switching to VS. But if I had Tivo'd the game, I would have been livid if I didn't catch OT.