You're Kidding Right?

Seriously Ted? What's the deal here?

9.2 million people watched Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.

Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals drew 2.9 million viewers.

The NHL didn't even get a COMBINED 9.2 million viewers for the ENTIRE Stanley Cup Finals (8.589 million according to the numbers I was able to find). And you're trying to tell us that everything is ok?

I agree that viewers have ever increasing options and as a result "everybody is hurting" but let's not kid ourselves here; if the NHL could draw 9.2 million TV viewers per Finals game, there would be no discussion whatsoever about the problems that the NHL has and you wouldn't be preaching about heading into "alternative media" as a way to fight dismal TV ratings and lack of traditional media coverage.

As I said last time, somebody needs to figure out how to make the internet profitable. And even when that happens, I still have my doubts about the viability of the NHL's product. It's pretty clear that people aren't buying the product that's being sold. Because people have the ability to watch the games if they want to, it is clearly a case of people not wanting to buy what the NHL is selling.

How widespread broadband access is going to change that is beyond me...