NHL on SportsChannel America

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
NHL on SportsChannel America
Also known asNHL on SportsChannel
Hockey Night America
GenreSports
Created bySportsChannel America
Directed byLarry Brown
Billy McCoy (senior director)
Presented byBob Papa
Leandra Reilly
Lee Zeidman
StarringSee announcers section below
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
Production
Executive producerJeff Ruhe[1][2]
ProducersJohn Shannon (senior producer)[3]
Mike Connelly[4]
CinematographyTerry Ford
Dean Anderson
Bob Boykin
Marty Muzik
Running time180 minutes or until game ends (including commercials)
Production companiesNational Hockey League
NBC Sports
Original release
NetworkSportsChannel America
ReleaseOctober 16, 1988 (1988-10-16) –
June 1, 1992 (1992-06-01)
Related

The NHL on SportsChannel America was the presentation of

television network
.

Terms of the deal

Taking over for ESPN,[7][8] SportsChannel's contract paid US$51 million[9][10][11] ($17 million per year[12]) over three years,[13] more than double[14][15] what ESPN had paid ($24 million) for the previous three years[16] SportsChannel America managed to get a fourth NHL season[17] for just $5 million.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

The SportsChannel America deal was in a sense, a power play created by

Viacom that had interests in the MSG Network and NESN
.

SportsChannel's availability

Unfortunately,

SportsChannel America was only available in a few[27] major markets (notably absent though were Detroit, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis[28])[29][30][31] and reached only a 1/3 of the households that ESPN[32] did at the time.[33][34] SportsChannel America was seen in fewer than 10 million households.[35][36] In comparison, by the 1991–92 season,[37] ESPN was available in 60.5 million[38] homes whereas SportsChannel America was available in only 25 million. As a matter of fact, in the first year of the deal (1988–89), SportsChannel America was available in only 7 million homes when compared to ESPN's reach of 50 million.[39] When the SportsChannel deal ended in 1992, the league returned to ESPN[40] for another contract that would pay US$80 million over five years.[41]

SportsChannel America took advantage of using their

KBL (Pittsburgh) and Prime Sports Northwest agreed to carry the playoff package, expanding it reach to an additional 2.6 million homes.[43]

Philadelphia

Since SportsChannel Philadelphia did not air until January 1990, PRISM (owned by Rainbow Media, the owners of SportsChannel, at the time) picked up the 1989 Stanley Cup Finals. Other than that, there was no NHL television coverage in Philadelphia except for the Flyers for the first half of the original deal.

See also: 1988–89 Philadelphia Flyers season and 1989–90 Philadelphia Flyers season

Lawsuit

As previously mentioned, the NHL would return to ESPN following the

appellate court
found the agreement on which SportsChannel based its argument to be "too imprecise and ambiguous" and ruled that SportsChannel failed to show irreparable harm.

In the aftermath of losing the NHL, SportsChannel America was left with little more than outdoors shows and Canadian Football League games. For SportsChannel, the deal was a disaster overall. While the cable channel three years later, was available in 20 million homes (as previously mentioned), the broadcaster lost as much as $10 million on the agreement, and soon faded into obscurity. Some local SportsChannel stations – which carried NHL games in their local markets – were not affected.

Coverage overview

Regular season coverage

SportsChannel America televised about 80–100 games a season[46][47] (whereas ESPN aired about 33 in the 1987–88 season). Whereas the previous deal with ESPN called for only one nationally televised game a week, SportsChannel America televised hockey two nights a week in NHL cities and three nights a week elsewhere.

It was very rare to have a regular-season game on SportsChannel America that wasn't a regional SportsChannel production from the Chicago Blackhawks, Hartford Whalers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, or Philadelphia Flyers. The San Jose Sharks were added in 1991–92. As previously suggested, SportsChannel America for the most part, used the local telecasts. The dedicated SportsChannel America station was little more than an overflow channel in the New York area for SportsChannel New York.

Special programming

In

Kiev and Riga. The NHL clubs finished with a combined 6–2 record against the top Soviet teams, including the Red Army club and Dynamo Moscow
. Five of the eight contests were televised by SportsChannel America.

All-Star Game coverage

SportsChannel America was the exclusive American broadcaster of the

NHL Skills Competition and Heroes of Hockey game. SportsChannel America would continue their coverage of these particular events through 1992. In 1991, SportsChannel America replayed the third period of the All-Star Game on the same day that it was played. That was because NBC broke away from the live telecast during the third period in favor of Gulf War coverage.[51][52]

Year
Play-by-play
 Color commentator Ice level reporter Studio host Studio analysts
1989[50][53][54][55][56][57][58] Jiggs McDonald Scotty Bowman Gary Thorne Denis Potvin and Herb Brooks

Stanley Cup playoffs

Divisional finals
Year Teams
Play-by-play
 Color commentator(s)
1989 Montreal-Boston Rick Peckham Gerry Cheevers
Pittsburgh-Philadelphia (Games 1–5 aired on tape delay)[59][60] Mike Emrick Bill Clement
St. Louis-Chicago[61][62][63][64][65][66] Pat Foley Dale Tallon
Calgary-Los Angeles (joined-in-progress)[64][65] Jiggs McDonald Herb Brooks
1990 Boston-Montreal (Games 1–2 aired on tape delay)[67][68][69][70] Mike Emrick Bill Clement (Games 1–2, 4–5)
Peter McNab (Game 3)
New York Rangers-Washington (Games 3–5 aired on tape delay) Rick Peckham Dave Maloney
Chicago-St. Louis[71][72][73][74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85] Pat Foley Dale Tallon
Edmonton-Los Angeles (joined-in-progress)[86][87][88][89] Jiggs McDonald Herb Brooks
1991 Boston-Montreal[90][91][92][93][94][95][96] Jiggs McDonald John Davidson
Pittsburgh-Washington (tape delay) Rick Peckham Gerry Cheevers
St. Louis-Minnesota[97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105] Mike Emrick Bill Clement
Los Angeles-Edmonton (joined-in-progress)[106][107][108][109] Pat Foley Dale Tallon
1992 Montreal-Boston (CBC's feed; Game 1 was joined-in-progress; all other games on tape delay)[110][111] Bob Cole John Garrett and Dick Irvin Jr.
New York Rangers-Pittsburgh (Game 1 was joined-in-progress)[112][113][114][115][116][117][118] Jiggs McDonald Ed Westfall
Detroit-Chicago[119][120] Pat Foley Dale Tallon
Vancouver-Edmonton (Games 1–4 used CBC's feed; Games 3–4 were joined-in-progress)[121][122] Chris Cuthbert (Games 1–4)
Pat Foley (Games 5–6) 		Harry Neale (Games 1–4)
Dale Tallon (Games 5–6)
Conference finals
See also:
NHL Conference Finals
Year Teams
Play-by-play
 Color commentator(s) Ice level reporter(s)
1989 Montreal-Philadelphia[123][124][125][126][127][128][129][130][131][132][133][134][135] Mike Emrick Bill Clement
Calgary-Chicago[136][137][138][139][140][141][142][143] Jiggs McDonald Herb Brooks
1990 Boston-Washington[144][145] Jiggs McDonald Bill Clement Mike Emrick and John Davidson
Edmonton-Chicago[146][147][148][149][150] Pat Foley Dale Tallon
1991 Boston-Pittsburgh[151][152][153][154][155][156][157][158][159][160][161][162][163] Jiggs McDonald John Davidson
Edmonton-Minnesota Mike Emrick Bill Clement
1992 Pittsburgh-Boston[164] Jiggs McDonald Bill Clement Mike Emrick and John Davidson
Chicago-Edmonton[165][166] Pat Foley Dale Tallon
Stanley Cup Finals
Year Teams
Play-by-play
 Color commentator(s) Studio host Studio analyst Ice-level reporter
1989[167][168][169][170][171] Calgary-Montreal Jiggs McDonald Bill Clement Mike Emrick[172] Herb Brooks[173][174]
1990[175][176][177][178] Boston-Edmonton Jiggs McDonald Bill Clement Mike Emrick John Davidson
1991[179][180] Pittsburgh-Minnesota[181][182][183] Jiggs McDonald[51] Bill Clement Mike Emrick[51] John Davidson
1992[37] Pittsburgh-Chicago[184][185][186][187] Jiggs McDonald[188][189][190] Bill Clement Mike Emrick John Davidson[191]
Notes

SportsChannel America's national coverage of the

SportsChannel Chicago aired the first two games, and Hawkvision
aired the next two.

Production

SportsChannel America's Master Control facilities were located in Floral Park, NY at Cablevision's Rainbow Network Communications facilities, and their studios were located at Dempster Hall at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Most of the games that aired on the network were simulcasts of the other SportsChannel Regional games. However, there were times when the network did produce games of importance not available on one of the regional networks.

If any of the aforementioned teams made the playoffs, SportsChannel America focused on those teams. For example, SportsChannel Chicago produced the SportsChannel America coverage for the Blackhawks' 1990 playoff run. Because of Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz' disdain for free and basic cable home game telecasts, the road games were shown in Chicago, with the home games only given short live look-ins as "bonus coverage". The same occurrence happened in 1992, but this time, their home games were broadcast on a pay-per-view basis via "Hawkvision".[192] The Blackhawks broadcasts were also simulcast on Chicago's WBBM radio during those years. The typical outcue to commercial break was...."(score) on SportsChannel......(pause) and WBBM" SportsChannel America would run their own bumper music from the Floral Park Master Control facility so that they could fade out the remote's audio after the announcers said "SportsChannel".

For the Stanley Cup playoffs, SportsChannel America used Bob Papa as the anchor for the coverage. The studio kicked off coverage of each night with a pregame show for all of the regions. Once the games began, the studio produced live cut-ins of every goal for each of the regional games aired. The studio also switched viewers of one game to another game when a period ended or when the game was over. After the early games, the studio then took all viewers out to a West Coast game. After all the hockey for the night, the studio finished the night with a postgame wrap-up show. In 1989, both Conference Finals series involved two of SportsChannel's regional teams.

Announcers

Bob Papa[193] and Leandra Reilly were the studio hosts while Denis Potvin was the studio analyst during the regular season coverage. For the Stanley Cup Finals, Jiggs McDonald[1] called the play-by-play, and Bill Clement was the color commentator. Also during the Stanley Cup Finals, Mike Emrick[64] served as the host while John Davidson[194] served as the rinkside[64] and studio analyst[191] (Herb Brooks filled that role in 1989).

Play-by-play

Color commentary

Studio/ice level personalities

Commentating crews

See also

Chicago Blackhawks seasons

Hartford Whalers seasons

New York Islanders seasons

New Jersey Devils seasons

San Jose Sharks seasons

References

  1. ^
    YouTube
  2. ^ Hasen, Jeff (October 4, 1989). "Broadcast Column: Sportscast Preview Release at will". UPI. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  3. ^ Nidetz, Steve (January 16, 1991). "AS TV FARE, HOCKEY STILL OUT IN COLD". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  4. ^ Costa, Brandon (January 23, 2019). "The SVG Podcast: Michael Connelly, SVP/EP, Fox Sports Regional Networks". Sports Video Group. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  5. ^ "NHL on SportsChannel America, About 769 results (0.43 seconds)". Google Books. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  6. YouTube
  7. ^ Blockus, Gary (November 16, 1988). "MAYBE ESPN DID FANS A FAVOR IN LOSING THE NHL". The Morning Call. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  8. ^ Sarni, Jim (August 19, 1988). "PICK ANY HOUR -- OR HEMISPHERE -- TO TUNE IN COSTAS". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  9. ISBN 9781000060447
    .
  10. Washington Post
    . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  11. ^ Springer, Steve (October 3, 1991). "NHL 1991-92 : There's a Lot Not to Watch : Hockey: There is no national TV, no collective bargaining agreement and no Eric Lindros. But there are Sharks". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  12. ^ Greenberg, Jay (October 8, 1990). "THE BUCKS START HERE". Sports Illustrated.
  13. ^ "The News - Apr 2, 1991". news.google.com. April 2, 1991.
  14. Washington Post
    . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  15. ISBN 9781450286077
    .
  16. ^ Demak, Richard (March 18, 1991). "SHOOTING STAR". Sports Illustrated.
  17. ^ Nidetz, Steve (October 4, 1991). "NHL FEELS PINCH IN TV DEAL". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  18. New York Times
    . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  19. ^ Demak, Richard (February 17, 1992). "SCORECARD". Sports Illustrated.
  20. ISBN 9781623686567
    .
  21. ^ Moshavi, Sharon D. (January 13, 1992). BC-1992-01-13.pdf (PDF). p. 78.
  22. Baltimore Sun
    . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  23. ^ Shea, Jim (October 4, 1991). "NHL, SPORTSCHANNEL SIGN ONE-YEAR DEAL". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  24. ^ Williams, Jennifer (October 4, 1991). "LOCAL TV STATION GIVES NFL FANS OPTION PLAY". Daily Press. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  25. ^ Barry, Sal (October 29, 2018). "John Ziegler Did More Harm Than Good for Hockey". Puck Junk.
  26. ^ Deacon, James (June 8, 1992). "Palace revolt". Maclean's. Archived from the original on March 16, 2021.
  27. ^ Moncour, Gilles (October 29, 2018). "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of John Ziegler's NHL reign". HockeyBuzz.com.
  28. ^ Strachan, Al (March 15, 2005). "NHL needs a TV partner". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on November 3, 2019.
  29. ^ Swift, E.M. (August 22, 1988). "WOE, CANADA". Sports Illustrated.
  30. ^ Martzke, Rudy (May 2, 1989). "NHL broadcast boss pleased with cable move". USA Today. p. 3C.
  31. ISBN 9781501717857
    .
  32. Baltimore Sun
    . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  33. ISBN 9780801483424
    .
  34. ^ Taaffe, William (June 27, 1988). "A Better Open; Too Much Brent". Sports Illustrated.
  35. ^ Pergament, Alan (October 4, 1990). "SPORTSCHANNEL'S COVERAGE WON'T BE SEEN LINE IS OVERDRAWN HERE". The Buffalo News. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  36. ^ Armour, Terry (January 19, 1990). "HOCKEY RETURNS TO NETWORK TV WITH ALL-STAR GAME". Daily Press. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  37. ^ a b Nidetz, Steve (June 1, 1992). "NHL'S TV POLICY RILES ANNOUNCERS". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  38. ISBN 9781623686567
    .
  39. ^ Greenberg, Jay (October 7, 1991). "GREED, INDEED". Sports Illustrated.
  40. ^ Swift, E.M. (October 19, 1992). "DON'T CHANGE THAT CHANNEL". Sports Illustrated.
  41. ^ Clark, Cammy (September 3, 1992). "NHL okays ESPN deal". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  42. ISBN 9781468465211
    .
  43. ^ Hasen, Jeff (March 29, 1991). "Broadcast Column: Sportscast". UPI. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  44. ^ Sarni, Jim (September 4, 1992). "SPORTSCHANNEL SUES OVER NHL DEAL". Hartford Courant. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  45. ^ Tilsner, Julie (October 11, 1992). "The Puck Stops Here For Espn". Bloomberg. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  46. ^ "USA NETWORK MAKING SOME MAJOR-LEAGUE CUTS". Miami Herald. February 10, 1984. p. 7F.
  47. ^ FCC Record: A Comprehensive Compilation of Decisions ..., Volume 8, Issue 5. 1993. p. 4900.
  48. ^ Allen, Kevin (June 16, 1989). "A look at the NHL's 27th draft". USA Today. p. 8C.
  49. ^ Fachet, Robert (December 26, 1988). "Soviets In, With Army and Dynamo". Washington Post.
  50. ^ a b Nidetz, Steve (February 7, 1989). "MCGUIRE'S GAME IN TOP FORM AGAIN". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  51. ^
    New York Times
    . p. B13. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  52. ^ Craig, Jack (January 18, 1991). "All-Star Game pinpoints NHL's limited exposure". Boston Globe.
  53. Buffalo News
    . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  54. YouTube
  55. YouTube
  56. YouTube
  57. YouTube
  58. YouTube
  59. YouTube
  60. YouTube
  61. ^ Nidetz, Steve (1989-04-18). "NHL PROVIDING SPORTSCHANNEL WITH A CUPFUL OF RICHES". Chicago Tribune. p. 3. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  62. YouTube
  63. YouTube
  64. ^
    YouTube
  65. ^
    YouTube
  66. YouTube
  67. YouTube
  68. YouTube
  69. YouTube
  70. YouTube
  71. YouTube
  72. YouTube
  73. YouTube
  74. YouTube
  75. YouTube
  76. YouTube
  77. YouTube
  78. YouTube
  79. YouTube
  80. YouTube
  81. YouTube
  82. YouTube
  83. YouTube
  84. YouTube
  85. YouTube
  86. YouTube
  87. YouTube
  88. YouTube
  89. ^ "Gainesville Sun - Apr 4, 1991". news.google.com. April 4, 1991.
  90. YouTube
  91. YouTube
  92. YouTube
  93. YouTube
  94. YouTube
  95. YouTube
  96. YouTube
  97. YouTube
  98. YouTube
  99. YouTube
  100. YouTube
  101. YouTube
  102. YouTube
  103. YouTube
  104. YouTube
  105. YouTube
  106. ^ Nidetz, Steve (1991-04-19). "WGN`S OPENING TELECAST MIXES POLITICS WITH BASEBALL". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  107. YouTube
  108. YouTube
  109. YouTube
  110. YouTube
  111. YouTube
  112. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  113. YouTube
  114. YouTube
  115. YouTube
  116. YouTube
  117. YouTube
  118. YouTube
  119. YouTube
  120. YouTube
  121. YouTube
  122. YouTube
  123. YouTube
  124. YouTube
  125. YouTube
  126. YouTube
  127. YouTube
  128. YouTube
  129. YouTube
  130. YouTube
  131. YouTube
  132. YouTube
  133. YouTube
  134. YouTube
  135. YouTube
  136. YouTube
  137. YouTube
  138. YouTube
  139. YouTube
  140. YouTube
  141. YouTube
  142. YouTube
  143. YouTube
  144. YouTube
  145. YouTube
  146. YouTube
  147. YouTube
  148. YouTube
  149. YouTube
  150. YouTube
  151. YouTube
  152. YouTube
  153. YouTube
  154. YouTube
  155. YouTube
  156. YouTube
  157. YouTube
  158. YouTube
  159. YouTube
  160. YouTube
  161. YouTube
  162. YouTube
  163. YouTube
  164. YouTube
  165. YouTube
  166. YouTube
  167. YouTube
  168. YouTube
  169. YouTube
  170. YouTube
  171. YouTube
  172. YouTube
  173. ^ Serby, Steve (October 24, 2020). "Mike 'Doc' Emrick reflects on legendary broadcast career in chat with Post". New York Post.
  174. Baltimore Sun
    . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  175. ^ Bogaczyk, Jack (April 28, 1990). "'SPEEDWORLD' CREW SHOULD POLISH ITS ACT". The Roanoke Times.
  176. YouTube
  177. YouTube
  178. YouTube
  179. ^ Deacon, James (May 27, 1991). "Defying the odds". Maclean's.
  180. ^ Clark, Cammy (October 13, 2005). "Esposito's view from center ice". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  181. YouTube
  182. YouTube
  183. YouTube
  184. YouTube
  185. YouTube
  186. YouTube
  187. YouTube
  188. ^ Nidetz, Steve (May 26, 1992). "BLACKHAWKS' BROADCASTERS ARE PUMPED FOR CUP FINALS, TOO". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  189. ^ Baskin, Jake (April 15, 2020). "NHL's all-time best voices: Broken down by American and Canadian, play-by-play and color commentators". Sports Broadcast Journal.
  190. ^ Hickey Jr., Patrick (June 9, 2017). "Jiggs McDonald: 50 Years of Broadcasting, Islanders & More". The Hockey Writers.
  191. ^ a b Scher, Jon (June 8, 1992). "SWEPT AWAY". Sports Illustrated.
  192. Washington Post
    . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  193. ^ Woodward, Steve (April 12, 1990). "Lighter load at ABC doesn't bother McKay". USA Today. p. 3C.
  194. ^ Bradley, Jeff (May 13, 1991). "A STRONG VOICE FOR HOCKEY". Sports Illustrated.
  195. ^ Schuster, Rachel (May 11, 1989). "NBC's O'Neil known for boldness, making changes". USA Today. p. 3C.
  196. ISBN 9781683582120
    .
  197. Baltimore Sun
    . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  198. Baltimore Sun
    . Retrieved February 9, 2016.

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NHL_on_SportsChannel_America&oldid=1218310180"