Interesting discussion on here regarding the Michigan goaltenders in
the wake of the AHL Finals...Personally, I thought the Pirates
should have flown in Lee Saunders for Game 7, if only to sit in a seat
behind Shields during the game: The psychological impact might have
been worth a goal...I have a feeling Shields still sees that puck
in his nightmares; then again, he didn't see it the first time, so who
knows.
 
On a serious matter, however, WPXT (Fox 51) of Portland got help from
the AHL, NESN and the Empire Sports Network to pull off a great trick
that allowed Mainers to see the game live.  NESN was scheduled to carry
the game on tape-delay at 11:30PM, receiving the feed from ESN of New
York.  However, FOX-51 contacted league officals, the ESN and NESN
and arranged to air the game live on broadcast television.
The league praised NESN for giving Fox-51 permission because it
allowed a greater number of people to watch the game.
 
"That's nice John, but why are you writing it here?"
 
Glad you asked.
 
The same thinking processes which went into making this decision
could also be used to put NC$$ playoff games on regular, old-
fashioned television.
 
 
NESN realized that very few people in Portland would be able to
watch the game, and no one could see it live.  The game result would
obviously be available on the 11:00 local news, which would take some
of the drama out of the game.  So, they allowed FOX-51 to carry the
game live to a large audience.  Why, aside from their obvious generosity
and being all-around wonderful, thoughtful human beings, would they
do this?  Because they wanted the showcase event of this season
broadcast to as large an audience as possible in the hopes that
some of the people watching would be hooked and then subscribe
to NESN next year.  In economic terms, NESN took a short-term
risk with the opportunity for a long-term gain.
 
How does this apply to the NC$$ ?
 
The NC$$ should realize that television is the way to attract
new fans to sports.  Some of you may recall (I can only read about)
the dark days of the college b-ball tourney before the tv explosion
(spurred by Magic and Larry).  TV is also the way to market your sport.
Again, look at b-ball.  Since David Stern was able to attract a
high-priced contract for the NBA, that league has sky-rocketed
in popularity.  Rather than taking a bid from ESPN2 (seen in 33 million
homes, mostly in non-college hockey cities) the NC$$ could take
bids from local stations(which, being a) local and b) over-the-air
can attract more people), even if those bids are not as high as ESPN2.
The short-term loss incurred would be more than made up by the
fan base attracted by the playoff games.  New fans who would
buy tickets, magazines, hats, sweaters and other stuff.  And who
would add to the TV ratings, making the games more marketable towards
The Majors:ESPN1, CBS etc.  Sounds like a lofty goal, but attainable
if it was done right.
 
I am a prime example of why this is a good idea.  I trace my love of
this game back to the final Sunday of February in 1989.  Maine
played Providence in game 3 of the NC$$ Quarterfinals in Orono.
That game is still the most-exciting college hockey game I have
ever seen.  The image of Martin Robitaille flipping the puck
past Rob Gaudreau into the Providence net in the second overtime
will forever be in my memory.  I have since gone on to buy more
than my share of tickets, sweaters, hats and pins, and to work
for the Maine Hockey program.  It is safe to say that had ESPN2 been
around to broadcast that game, rather than WLBZ and WCSH, I would
have remained a die-hard baseball fan and I would now have a large
collection of baseball junk.  How many others have been brought into
the game because they saw it on television?  How many new fans
would college hockey have if some games had been carried on over-the-
air stations rather than The Deuce?
 
Feel free to pick this idea to shreds, that's why I posted it.
I'm planning to send a proposal to the NC$$ later this summer.
Last summer I sent in an idea and two weeks later I read in the
USA Today that the NC$$ had released new guidelines, including one
that looked vaguely familiar.  It was, of course, a sheer coincidence
and my letter had absolutely nothing to do with it, but I can dream.
Besides, "It is better to have tried and failed than to have never
tried at all."  Someone famous said that once.
 
Speaking of USAT, be sure to check out page 12A of today's edition
dealing with, you guessed it, NC$$ regulations.  The letters
printed there are in response to the USAT Debate on Monday.
And yes, the John Forsyth listed there is the same as the one
writing this.  :->
 
John Forsyth
"Are you a sinner?"
"The worst kind: I write for newspapers."
-Gene Kelly as EK Hornbeck in 'Inherit the Wind'
 
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