NHL Thread: 2021-2022 Season

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Why are you going to YT for World Junior talk? What are you even complaining about anymore?

You and others keep saying stuff like this, and like "why do you need TSN or Sportsnet for news about the Oilers or Flames, or the CFL or curling or the CHL when you could get it via streaming or reddit or whatever?"

But honestly, why should Canadians have to search every nook and cranny of the parallel mediaverse, high and low, to find even a bit of information about Canadian stuff that has a demonstrated degree of popularity and interest, while at the same time CRTC-licensed and blessed (which means they have the highest profile by default) Canadian media operations are giving them more than they could ever possibly need to know about Wake Forest vs. Gonzaga basketball?

Sports marketing is very much a question of "profile". Cord cutting be damned, there are comparatively few positive "profile" impacts that result from having U Sport football on some type of streaming channel, as opposed to on a "broadcast" network where people see it by chance in bars, restaurants, when channel surfing at home, etc.

And then people deride Canadian sports for their marginality. Well, duh.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Acajack

But honestly, why should Canadians have to search every nook and cranny of the parallel mediaverse, high and low, to find even a bit of information about Canadian stuff that has a demonstrated degree of popularity and interest, while at the same time CRTC-licensed and blessed (which means they have the highest profile by default) Canadian media operations are giving them more than they could ever possibly need to know about Wake Forest vs. Gonzaga basketball?

It's literally entering less than a dozen letters into a search bar on your browser or phone, no more difficult than getting onto this site. I hardly conflate this with searching every nook and cranny for something you're interested in. There's a difference between looking for live coverage of events and looking for analysis or discussion of said events, as well.

If you want an actual non-biased look at the world of Canadian sports from our government overlords then I recommend setting CBC Sports as your homepage from here on out, but I warn you that they have a bias for Olympic sports.

Originally Posted by Acajack

Sports marketing is very much a question of "profile". Cord cutting be damned, there are comparatively few positive "profile" impacts that result from having U Sport football on some type of streaming channel, as opposed to on a "broadcast" network where people see it by chance in bars, restaurants, when channel surfing at home, etc.

Sure, but you're looking at this strictly through the lens of broadcast traditional TV, which is steadily on a decline not only in Canada but elsewhere. Bars/restaurants are able to register and show streaming options just as much as they're able to show broadcast TV. The longer that you automatically give TSN/SN profile just because the longer they'll have that profile. Nothing is stopping bars from showing DAZN or OneSoccer.

What CPL, and to a lesser extent CEBL, is doing is creating their own media channels, so that people can access their content without having to go through TSN/SN. CPL, via OneSoccer, literally created its own media platform for matches, highlights, and league analysis. That, IMO, is better profile than hopefully getting a weekly game on TSN/SN (like the CHL, for example). It depends on if you value access for actual diehard fans or access for complete casuals who know nothing of the sport.

[suburbanite]

Originally Posted by Acajack

You and others keep saying stuff like this, and like "why do you need TSN or Sportsnet for news about the Oilers or Flames, or the CFL or curling or the CHL when you could get it via streaming or reddit or whatever?"

But honestly, why should Canadians have to search every nook and cranny of the parallel mediaverse, high and low, to find even a bit of information about Canadian stuff that has a demonstrated degree of popularity and interest, while at the same time CRTC-licensed and blessed (which means they have the highest profile by default) Canadian media operations are giving them more than they could ever possibly need to know about Wake Forest vs. Gonzaga basketball?

Sports marketing is very much a question of "profile". Cord cutting be damned, there are comparatively few positive "profile" impacts that result from having U Sport football on some type of streaming channel, as opposed to on a "broadcast" network where people see it by chance in bars, restaurants, when channel surfing at home, etc.

And then people deride Canadian sports for their marginality. Well, duh.

I don't think any of us are saying that's how it should be, but rather that's how it is and it's only progressing further in that direction every day. I understand why people would like more evenly distributed coverage on a national channel. We used to have that and it has obviously been determined at the highest of levels that it is no longer a profitable or worthwhile endeavor. In no small part because of the exact reason that you pointed out. That being that the new generation does seek out the exact content they want and filters out everything they don't, and that doesn't fit the existing distribution framework for sports. You can call that searching every nook and cranny, I call it 2 minutes work for a cohort of people who are on the internet the vast majority of the day anyway.

The point is, things are likely not going back to the way they were. I'm offering alternatives to adjust to the new reality, instead of complaining about decisions that are based on nothing but numbers. If you want to talk about some publicly subsidized system of regional sports networks to capture the ever-diminishing number of "drive-by" viewers who still have cable, that's a different discussion.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

It's literally entering less than a dozen letters into a search bar on your browser or phone, no more difficult than getting onto this site. I hardly conflate this with searching every nook and cranny for something you're interested in. There's a difference between looking for live coverage of events and looking for analysis or discussion of said events, as well.

If you want an actual non-biased look at the world of Canadian sports from our government overlords then I recommend setting CBC Sports as your homepage from here on out, but I warn you that they have a bias for Olympic sports.


Sure, but you're looking at this strictly through the lens of broadcast traditional TV, which is steadily on a decline not only in Canada but elsewhere. Bars/restaurants are able to register and show streaming options just as much as they're able to show broadcast TV. The longer that you automatically give TSN/SN profile just because the longer they'll have that profile. Nothing is stopping bars from showing DAZN or OneSoccer.

What CPL, and to a lesser extent CEBL, is doing is creating their own media channels, so that people can access their content without having to go through TSN/SN. CPL, via OneSoccer, literally created its own media platform for matches, highlights, and league analysis. That, IMO, is better profile than hopefully getting a weekly game on TSN/SN (like the CHL, for example). It depends on if you value access for actual diehard fans or access for complete casuals who know nothing of the sport.

I won't dispute that things are going in that direction and that the influence of TSN/SN is probably diminishing as things get more and more fragmented.

But I am honestly not yet seeing the day where the mainstream sports media/marketing's hold on what most people are interested in or pay attention to is going to take a serious hit. And I'd strongly disagree that we're already there or even on the verge of being there.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

I don't think any of us are saying that's how it should be, but rather that's how it is and it's only progressing further in that direction every day. I understand why people would like more evenly distributed coverage on a national channel. We used to have that and it has obviously been determined at the highest of levels that it is no longer a profitable or worthwhile endeavor. In no small part because of the exact reason that you pointed out. That being that the new generation does seek out the exact content they want and filters out everything they don't, and that doesn't fit the existing distribution framework for sports. You can call that searching every nook and cranny, I call it 2 minutes work for a cohort of people who are on the internet the vast majority of the day anyway.

The point is, things are likely not going back to the way they were. I'm offering alternatives to adjust to the new reality, instead of complaining about decisions that are based on nothing but numbers. If you want to talk about some publicly subsidized system of regional sports networks to capture the ever-diminishing number of "drive-by" viewers who still have cable, that's a different discussion.

The problem stems from the fact that market entry is strictly controlled by government with the CRTC acting as the gatekeeper for what amounts to a licence to print money.

The least they could do (or that we could impose upon them) is that they serve the country well or even just a bit better, given the privileges that they have been given.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Acajack

The problem stems from the fact that market entry is strictly controlled by government with the CRTC acting as the gatekeeper for what amounts to a licence to print money.

The gatekeeper for traditional TV, you mean. I've already provided an example of a league/sport that's been able to enter the market with their own video production company and platform.

[Calgarian]

Loooooch!

[esquire]

Originally Posted by JHikka

The gatekeeper for traditional TV, you mean. I've already provided an example of a league/sport that's been able to enter the market with their own video production company and platform.

These types of models exist, but mostly on the margins. I mean, I'm sure I as a Winnipegger could seek out information about Welsh billiards and watch the big tournaments live from my couch if I was so inclined, but availability and prominence are two different things.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by esquire

These types of models exist, but mostly on the margins. I mean, I'm sure I as a Winnipegger could seek out information about Welsh billiards and watch the big tournaments live from my couch if I was so inclined, but availability and prominence are two different things.

I access streaming services the exact same way I access traditional broadcasters. It might be on the margins for some if they're not used to technology but it's the same access as anything else. No different than using Netflix or TSN's streaming platform. You can get access to any sport if you really want to. Who cares about prominence as long as you're able to watch a sport you like?

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Loooooch!

And Reider.

All we need now is for Talbot to pitch a shutout.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

You can call that searching every nook and cranny, I call it 2 minutes work for a cohort of people who are on the internet the vast majority of the day anyway.

.

I *am* on the Internet all day every day. I contribute to content on various social media platforms that many of you guys probably get stuff from on a semi-regular basis.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Acajack

The problem stems from the fact that market entry is strictly controlled by government with the CRTC acting as the gatekeeper for what amounts to a licence to print money.

The least they could do (or that we could impose upon them) is that they serve the country well or even just a bit better, given the privileges that they have been given.

The CRTC is acting in the best interests of the nation. They severely limit expansion in the GTA. The only opportunity is to buy stations in the rest of the country and expand local content there. Without these controls, I would say national stations ignoring the rest of Canada would be even worse. Of course, the CRTC could be better. They aren't the underlying issue here. There a line between encouraging private enterprise and controlling it.

Canada has protected and nurtured our chartered banks to record profits and in response they have laid off tens of thousands outsourcing jobs to India and beyond. Sport broadcast seems so superfluous in comparison.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

The CRTC is acting in the best interests of the nation. They severely limit expansion in the GTA. The only opportunity is to buy stations in the rest of the country and expand local content there. Without these controls, I would say national stations ignoring the rest of Canada would be even worse. Of course, the CRTC could be better. They aren't the underlying issue here. There a line between encouraging private enterprise and controlling it.

In all honesty, I am preaching for the other guy's parish on here. In Quebec we're actually very well served by the current mediascape. Certainly as well and perhaps even better than even the GTA/Golden Horseshoe is.

I am really sticking up for the East Coasters and the Westerners on here. And to some degree those Ontarians who live further than 100 km from the CN Tower. (Some of whom want to be helped, and some of whom don't.)

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

Canada has protected and nurtured our chartered banks to record profits and in response they have laid off tens of thousands outsourcing jobs to India and beyond. Sport broadcast seems so superfluous in comparison.

Indeed it is, but it's all very symptomatic of the way corporate regulation operates in Canada: in the name of stability these awesome privileges are afforded to a very small group of actors, who eventually proceed to screw over the people with impunity due to their untouchable legacy status.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Acajack

In all honesty, I am preaching for the other guy's parish on here. In Quebec we're actually very well served by the current mediascape. Certainly as well and perhaps even better than even the GTA/Golden Horseshoe is.

I am really sticking up for the East Coasters and the Westerners on here. And to some degree those Ontarians who live further than 100 km from the CN Tower. (Some of whom want to be helped, and some of whom don't.)

But, that's what I've been saying all along. Quebec's mediascape is local benefiting from language but language isn't the be all or end all. Where's that entrepreneurial spirit this forum was inundated before the energy crash? The CRTC would certainly not be a hindrance to a start up station in Western Canada. The resolution to this void is at a local level. It's just futile to expect media suits in Toronto to put patriotism before the bottom line. It's entertainment. There are far more disconcerting developments where the government should be stepping in.

Ford laying off some teachers is front page news for weeks. GM shutting a plant laying off a couple hundred people gets a press conference from Trudeau. Bay Street outsourcing thousands of jobs gets a blurb every now and then next to an IKEA ad. It's about money and publicity. The ridiculously powerful unions have huge media relations budgets. It's not about providing context.

[theman23]

Don’t you guys ever get tired of dressing up the same conversations in different dresses? I thought this was the NHL thread. Jesus.

[Coldrsx]

Oilers just getting by the Kings last night, but I will take it.

[esquire]

As long as I live I will never forget Ehlers stepping up to take on Getzlaf as he did yesterday afternoon.

[Calgarian]

Bill Peters must really have lost the dressing room, the Flames are 5-0 with out him!

[TownGuy]

Originally Posted by theman23

Don’t you guys ever get tired of dressing up the same conversations in different dresses? I thought this was the NHL thread. Jesus.

Quebec, Quebec, Quebec, Quebec. Every fucking thread.