Media
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Full NHL Games on Google Video
Google Video has an NHL page with full length games. Most recent, but a few historical mixed in as well (like game 6 of the 1980 Stanley Cup Finals).
There’s a press release about it on NHL.com:
NEW YORK—NHL Interactive Cyber Enterprises (ICE), the digital arm of the National Hockey League (NHL), today announced a multi-year deal to provide NHL video content to Google Video. The NHL will provide in-season full-length games on delay to Google Video at http://video.google.com/nhl.html Googl.e also will receive select NHL classic games.
In addition to the game content, the NHL also will work with Google to allow certain NHL themed user-generated content on http://video.google.com/nhl.html This .is the first time Google Video has worked with a major professional sports league in such a manner.
To celebrate its 89th season and this increased access to video content, the NHL will be offering its content for free—without ads—for the first two weeks of November.
“When web users are searching for diverse video content, Google Video is the first place they go, just as NHL.com is the first place hockey fans go when they want NHL video,” said Keith Ritter, President of NHL ICE. “The combination of our content and Google’s massive reach is a terrific pairing, and we’re excited to add fan-generated content to the mix.”
Business First of Buffalo reports games will most likely be $2.99 after the initial two-week period. (hat tip to KK for the bizjournals story)
It’s good to see the NHL offering more options for fans.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Fighting Majors
Fighting majors are 5-minute penalties given to players when they fight during an ice hockey game.
For the most part two players fight and two penalties are awarded. Two penalties. One fight.
The CP either doesn’t get it or doesn’t care:
While the new NHL hasn’t been kind to the slow and unskilled goons, fights numbered 147 in the first 166 games this season - up from 129 last season - .
There have been 147 fighting majors this season, not fights. There have been 74 fights this season (one time one player was given a major when the other wasn’t).
Whether or not you approve of fighting and hockey, it’s a misrepresentation of the game.
Thanks to Kukla’s for the pointer to the article.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
An Intermission Clock
No matter what hockey broadcast I’m watching, I’m wondering why none of them have an intermission clock. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just a simple countdown in a corner, and maybe even lightly watermark it over commercials. Think of all those times you flipped around and went back to flipping when you saw a commercial on, when you might have left the channel on if you saw the clock under 1:00.
I know networks are thinking of ways to make hockey broadcasts better, but sometimes it’s the little things that go a long way. Hopefully we’ll see this soon.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
VS Posters
Snapped this shot from a cab (didn’t have the good cameraphone, sorry). Can’t say I’ve ever seen sports-related marketing on the posters they hang up on construction/cleanup sites all over the city, but I like the fact that VS is taking an unconventional approach to branding.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Center Ice Gets Porntastic
The new background music for the Center Ice screens is absolutely pimptacular.
For those that don’t get Center Ice: during the day the schedule is on the screen. Sometimes during the games a local commercial may be blocked and a “be back soon” message will be up. After a game, it simply says “good night” before the schedule comes back.
Over the last few years we’ve gotten used to the old music, which was a little grating to be honest. The new sound is an improvement, but completely porntastic. Give a listen:
Laugh all you want, but if you’re watching a game and the pizza guy arrives while that’s turned up he might just think he’s won the lottery.
If we’re going to keep the theme, I think they should contact furiousBall next time, he can crank out some sound for a certain California valley (try So Funky It Stinks) and change it up some.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Hockey The Way It Should Be
I got a taste of HD Net tonight. I’ve seen it in blips, but was able to really watch it for the first time. HD Net doesn’t do a standard def broacast and they really take advantage of the 16:9 aspect and the 1080i broadcast looks amazing.
These are obviously condensed, compressed screen caps, but I thought I’d post them just so you get a feel of the future of hockey on tv.
Getting ready for the faceoff. As I mentioned above, HD Net doesn’t have to think about an SD broadcast, so the logo is neat and all the way to the left side.
Even stats screens can take advantage. Everything was easy to read and you could crop out the “small” box with Marc-Andre Fleury warming up and it’s still at a higher resolution than a standard tv.
Summed up: it’s awesome.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Bloggers and Media Interaction
Much has been talked about hockey bloggers and access to NHL teams. I wrote about things to consider if you are given access. Most of it is related to the league, teams and players. A large part of how a game night might go will also be based on how a blogger would deal with the other press at the game. I thought it would be interesting to think of this from the mainstream media angle as opposed to the blogger opinions we’ve all been reading. Alan Hahn, current New York Knicks and former New York Islanders writer for Newsday, was good enough to share his thoughts on how things could go smoothly for non-traditional media.
How should a blogger approach other media members before, during and after a game?
Treat it like a party and you’ve been invited but you don’t know anyone, or no one knows you. Don’t make a spectacle of yourself and yet don’t be a wallflower, either. Most of the time beat writers stick within a pack, eat together, talk together. Try not to force your way into their inner-circle. It’s select company that you have to earn and you can earn it by getting to know each on an individual basis (that is, if you’re a regular at a specific team’s games). TV and radio people are usually very approachable, but if they know anything in-depth, they rarely let on.
How far should a blogger go before it is time to back off?
Just strike up casual conversations and don’t try too hard to ask questions that might suggest you’re digging for dirt. It’s happened where bloggers or dot-com writers have taken stuff they’ve heard in the press room and used it and reporters absolutely hate that. It’s a major no-no, like kissing and telling.
All reporters, and this includes bloggers, should keep some things in the notebook. Personally, I live by this credo: “Tell the reader everything they need to know, but not everything you know.”
Isn’t part of being a blogger having the freedom to write as one pleases?
As a blogger, you do have a certain rope for editorializing that most beat writers don’t. You can toss in things without having to attribute them and paint the real picture that a beat writer can’t because he doesn’t have enough evidence or enough of a foundation to base it on. As a blogger, you can take something that everyone on the inside knows and put it out there. Some beat writers, as you earn their trust, might even confide such things in you knowing that once you “put it out there” then they can go with it from there. It’s sort of being used in some ways, so be careful (not all of us are ethical).
With that license to be creative, how to you know where you stand in the media crowd?
Bottom line: don’t be rude, don’t be arrogant. Know your place and accept the fact that the beat writers are the leaders of the pack in the locker room, the press room and the press conference. Let them get their work done and you won’t have any problem with them. Shoot from the hip, but be respectful and know the subject you’re covering and you’ll soon fit in comfortably.
What about approaching a player post-game, and at the same time as the rest of the media?
Again, be aware of who is in the scrum. If it’s a handful of microphones connected to tape players of guys who just sell “sound” to radio outlets, then you have full reign to dominate the interview. If you notice at least one beat writer or columnist or a person from the team’s radio or team TV broadcast, back off until they are done.
You don’t need to explain yourself to a player, but it doesn’t hurt to introduce yourself and say what you do. Make sure the team PR people know you by face and name. Don’t be a pain or you’ll soon see your access decreased. Most players don’t care who they are talking to, as long as the questions are intelligent and you don’t waste his time. Most players don’t care who you are, they’re going to blow you off. So just go with the flow of the room.
Bottom line: the more you are around, the more players see you and the more you are accepted as part of the media horde.
Tip: DO NOT offer to give players or PR people copies of your work. These guys really don’t want to read your stories and that will only cheapen who you are in their eyes. Have confidence that you are read and you don’t need to validate who you are to them. A PR guy will know your link and will probably check out what you’re writing if you’re asking for a season credential. So leave your clips at home. I’ve seen this a few too many times and it’s always a train wreck.
Backing this up a bit, how should a blogger decide what to print?
As I said before, bloggers have few restrictions and a longer rope when it comes to rumors and things that you hear but never read about in the papers. Just be careful because you have to maintain some semblance of integrity and respect for the job. Don’t try to be the NY Post and write rumors and say things like “you’ll only read this here on hockeywhatever.com” or “as only reported here on hockeywhatever.com”, that’s cheesy and pretentious.
How important is it not to step on the toes of the beat writers?
Don’t ever take shots at the conventional media, especially beat writers, by saying “no one has the guts to report this”. Keep in mind, whatever you know those guys probably know but - as I said before - they have to prove it or they have to find a way to prove it. There is also a bit of integrity to consider.
The personal lives of players is a sensitive issue, how far into that does a blogger go in terms of publishing?
For instance, I might know that a player and his wife were going through an ugly separation last season and it probably impacted his performance. But that’s a personal matter and I didn’t think it was necessary to make it public, unless he was arrested for spousal abuse or something where it made it public. To me, you earn more respect from players when you leave their personal lives out of print if it doesn’t belong there. But if you know a guy is getting tanked every night and he’s out of shape, it doesn’t hurt to let him know you know. Or let the PR guy know. Or the coach. They’ll call it an “internal matter” but you know. And then you can “put it out there” knowing they know.
Bloggers don’t necessarily have to get a team reaction from something they’re writing, but it doesn’t hurt to try. Always looks like you’re making the effort when you can write “I checked with a team spokesman and he refused comment” or “I gave the team an opportunity to respond but the PR spokesman didn’t get back to me.” And, like I said, if the PR guy does get back to you, that develops a relationship and he’ll appreciate that you’re at least checking with him instead of dropping bombs in the internet about his team without giving him a chance to tell his side. And if they choose to ignore you, that’s their problem when whatever you write reaches the newspapers or, perhaps worse, the fan boards.
To me, a blogger’s value is in his opinion. If you’re lucky enough to get into a locker room or have a few relationships with players who are willing to share with you stuff they’ve seen or heard, you can create a great unbiased image for fans. You can take them into the locker room and use your space for that instead of game detail and whatnot. But make sure to remain unbiased. If you’re a fan of a player, you can take up his cause for a contract or more playing time, but don’t get so carried away it’s obvious you’re kissing up. Also, don’t rip a coach or a GM or a player so mercilessly it’s clear you’re motivation is to get him fired or traded. Always have a good measure of balance, even just a little, to keep your integrity. You can say you believe this coach needs to be fired, but make sure you say it with no reference to him personally.
How wary does a blogger need to be of being used by PR and players or coaches?
The business is so tricky and people are out to use you. Even people you would never suspect. Some just hate you for no reason other than you have a pad and pen and you are in their locker room. Some think if they’re nice to you, then you’ll eat out of their hands and they’ll never have to worry about you (until they day you have to write an ugly truth about their performance and you see how quickly they turn on you). And a few are genuinely nice and know the job you have to do and they’re cool with it.
Other reporters are the same. Some are dominant and seem to always want a fight. Some are so insecure they befriend you so they can make allies on the beat to protect them, and then all they want to do is share quotes and secrets, which is a precarious thing. Then you have the ones that get it. You can have a beer after the game and not have to talk about what you know or what you wrote. Competitors yet friends. I was lucky to have that on the Isles beat with Peter Botte and Evan Grossman.
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I’d like to thank Alan for being generous with his time.
Bettman on Tech
Staci over on paidcontent.org has a post about Gary Bettman’s thoughts on new methods to view media, like place-shifting with a Slingbox.
Unlike MLB’s immediate dislike of the Slingbox (to put it nicely), Bettman is admittedly using a Slingbox (hooked up to DirecTV in his office) with his Motorola Q to keep track of games on the go.
Asked about whether or not the league considers place-shifting a legal use of the content:
It’s something that everybody is going to have to take a good, close look at. On the one hand, I’m told that most people are using the shifting in their homes, on their computer, laptop in the garage while they’re cleaning it. To the extent that it’s being used out of market, that’s something everybody’s going to have to take a look at. … It varies by the kind of programming, Somebody might make the argument that I have my favorite teams on pay cable, I pay for it at home, why does it matter where I’m watching? But if you’re making movies you want it a certain way … Do rights holders have the right to control how their product is viewed? I’m not answering that question right now.
He was also asked about Youtube, and the league’s digital strategy among other things. Answers were anything but definitive, which is understandable as the league, content makers and the masses are all still learning how to use these emerging technologies.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Eastside Hockey Manager 2007 Released Today
NHL: Eastside Hockey Manager 2007 offers ice hockey fans the ultimate challenge - the chance to manage your favourite franchise from over 20 playable leagues across the globe in an attempt to build up a team capable of challenging for glory. Keep an eye out for the top drafts, sign that gritty defender your fans are so desperately screaming out for, or nurture your youngsters into contenders, and eventually champions!
Eastside Hockey Manager 2007 sees some great new features including a brand new 2D match engine bringing you even closer to all the action and all new match tactics including playmakers, zoning and face-off takers. Plus, the all-new fantasy draft feature which allows you to build-up your own dream team.
With 45,000 players and staff, 3000 teams and 20 playable leagues to choose from worldwide, including the NHL, AHL, Major Junior, DEL and Swedish leagues, NHL: Eastside Hockey Manager 2007 offer unrivalled depth as the definitive ice hockey simulation.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
NHL 07 vs NHL 2K7
Joystiq’s got a little metareview of the two games.
Each game’s metacritic page:
NHL 07 - Critics: 82/100 - Users: 6.1/10
NHL 2k7 - Critics: 77/100 - Users: 8.4/10
Both games were just released this Tuesday, but a fair amount of reviewing has been done so far. The discrepancy between critics and users is certainly noticable.
Pimpin’ links on Amazon:
NHL 07: Xbox 360 - PS2 - Xbox - PC - PSP
NHL 2k7: Xbox 360 - PS2 - Xbox