"No one goes to their games and no one watches them on TV"
by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 10:53 PM EDT
in Florida Panthers News & Analysis
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PrintThus spake Puck Daddy's Ryan Lambert on Friday, though to stay in context - and we're stretching here - he was using the quote to argue on behalf of the Versus/NBC conglomerate giving the Panthers only one appearance on national television during the upcoming 2011-12 season.
Yes, attendance in Sunrise has been an issue over the past decade (a decade with zippo postseason invites) and indeed, local television numbers on FS Florida have wallowed around the 3,000 mark for some time. Anywhere north of Palm Beach County and an observer can only conclude, based upon those two subjective "statistics", the situation is beyond dire, highlighting a franchise which must surely be tripping over itself to gain access to the theoretically lucrative shores of hockey's (recently) unexplored promised lands: the "twin cities" of Quebec and Kansas come to mind, but undoubtedly there's an abundance of expendable dollars in Nunavut as well.
The truth is of course far different, as local interest in the club has never been higher since the Bure days of so many years ago. Anyone with an eye on the region would acknowledge such.
Just as longtime Florida season seat holders begin the process of unification as elements within their club toss them to the curb, the timing of such a rabble-rousing, Canadian-MSM-pandering, headline-inducing accusation (oh, wait...) is lousy at best, but entirely transparent. Now that the Thrashers are the toast of Manitoba - and by extension, the entire nation - Broward's hockey club is the next target of derision, ridicule, and outright hostility.
Like it's ever been any different. Much as naysayers may unabashedly obsess/desire/lust for a relocation - or just website hits - the Panthers are remaining firmly planted at the BankAtlantic Center. Stand fast, Florida faithful.
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Stupid comment, make no mistake
But let’s be real, a lot of what Ryan Lambert says—especially in these Trending Topic posts—is stupid.
I’m not sure how you can suggest it’s Canadian MSM pandering, though. Lambert is like the Glenn Beck of hockey blogging, and seems to take a certain level of glee taking shots at Canadian squads. I think he’d be the last guy pushing further relocation to Canada.
I’m not saying the Canadian MSM isn’t guilty of being altogether unfair towards many struggling American hockey markets, Sunrise included. But suggesting Lambert’s post is in the same vein seems like you’re putting the cart before the horse.
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by Peter Raaymakers on Aug 19, 2011 11:01 PM EDT reply actions
I’m not sure it’s a stupid comment. The post here admits that 3,000 people watch on TV and nobody attends the games in person. How is “No one goes to their games” (true, admitted above) “and no one watches them on TV” (admitted above) stupid or untrue?
It sucks to hear, and it’s certainly not the fault of the people in Orlando who love hockey and go to games, but it’s the truth.
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Not to mention the real point here is the Orlando beat writer who put up the “no Panthers games on national TV because people don’t believe in Tallon’s rebuild” nonsense yesterday.
1. The Panthers play a game on national TV. They didn’t last year. This is an improvement.
2. It’s not about believing in a rebuild, it’s about getting big hockey markets to watch TV to make advertising statistics look good. Nobody thinks the Rangers will be good. They’re not appearing nationally 31 times for any reason other than being a huge media market.
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Nobody thinks the Rangers will be good
Who thinks that?
by Alexander Calloway on Aug 19, 2011 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Rangers will be ok
Not good.
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by CatsoverCaps on Aug 22, 2011 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions
How? They signed the best free agent on the market, resigned all their young players, and play in the weakest division in the conference.
by Alexander Calloway on Aug 22, 2011 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Both are untrue because 3,000 are watching on FS FLA and 2/3rds of the building is full on any given night.
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Referring obviously to your first comment, Chem.
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
3,000 is a lot? 2/3rds full is a lot?
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After ten years of losing hockey? South of Philadelphia? Answering your own question.
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
600,000 people watched Philadelphia – Toronto on the Leafs premium channel in March of this year.
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In Toronto. What does that have to do with the Miami/Palm Beach markets (which are not counted as one and the same – in fact PB outdraws Dade in hockey broadcasts)
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions
3,000 TV viewers is “no one”.
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Two entirely different worlds, my friend; we’ll never see eye to eye on this.
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions
If 3,000 people are going to watch on TV why would Versus broadcast the game to the whole country?
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No argument here whatsoever. Surprised they gave the Cats that PIT game.
Underdog label is jading me, apparently.
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions
If they play the Penguins a whole lot more people would watch now wouldn’t they?
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by Chris S Roberts on Aug 19, 2011 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions
So the Panthers should be given games against popular teams on national tv to piggyback on their ratings? I don’t get it.
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Sure why not? Or would you rather they played Phoenix and ‘no one’ would watch?
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by Chris S Roberts on Aug 19, 2011 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Anyone remember the days where the Penguins wish they could get 3,000 people to watch and 2/3rds of the arena full.
by Alexander Calloway on Aug 19, 2011 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
And the Caps…?
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes. I wouldn’t have put them on national TV either.
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Gee look at how one team can go from rock bottom to NHL elites. But dont show that on TV, no one would watch.
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by Chris S Roberts on Aug 19, 2011 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes! We’re going to draft Crosby!
by Alexander Calloway on Aug 19, 2011 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Pens fan
I like this post…
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by CatsoverCaps on Aug 22, 2011 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions
The BAC averages 16K fans a game. Its not 100% capacity, but thats far from no one.
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by Chris S Roberts on Aug 19, 2011 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
which is more than the Thrashers will have in their arena WITH a sellout
by Rob PKane McMahon on Aug 21, 2011 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions
It's both stupid and untrue
It’s untrue because it’s an intentional over-exaggeration in order to get a rise out of people—which, apparently, it has done. And it’s stupid because it’s crap writing, which is why I called him the Glenn Beck of hockey blogging; he says intentionally belligerent things because it gets people talking about his writing.
“Poor TV viewership” is not the same as “no TV viewership.” The difference may not be much, but it’s still a difference.
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by Peter Raaymakers on Aug 20, 2011 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions
the 3000 viewers it refers to is the general area of the team which was relocated to a nearly remote of sorts location.. it doesnt include the ones further south who watch as well, nor does it include the fans from out of state as well as in canada who are watching. If the team were still in the heart of Miami I’m sure the views would be higher than they are.
by Rob PKane McMahon on Aug 21, 2011 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions
I will gladly drive 2000 miles yet again to make Ryan Lambert eat his words.
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by Chris S Roberts on Aug 19, 2011 11:05 PM EDT reply actions
Are you going to beat him up because he said mean things about your hockey team? Get real.
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Not to kick his ass, to go see my team.
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by Chris S Roberts on Aug 19, 2011 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Watching the Florida Panthers play hockey.
A punishment worse than death.
The First Certified Grabbo Lover
by SkinnyFish on Aug 19, 2011 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Only every year of the last ten beyond the first 70 in 2008-09.
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Clever. Never heard that one before. Are you going to insult my mom next?
The First Certified Grabbo Lover
Your mom has a tramp stamp of Olli Jokinen!
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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Aug 20, 2011 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions
I can’t blame the TV lords for not showing Panthers this season, but Lamberts commentary was nothing but pointless jabs. He is a fool.
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by Chris S Roberts on Aug 19, 2011 11:08 PM EDT reply actions
I don’t care one whit that the Cats got a single game; point being is that it’s being used to again publicly disembowel the franchise.
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions
This has happened to many a team that has had a stretch of bad luck. It’s just Florida’s turn (well, it has been for this millennium so far). Hopefully, things will turn around, and the BAC will again be filled with the Florida faithful. A natural ebb and flow.
While we may be in the bottom half of attendance, we are not on the bottom of that list. 07-08 was the last season in which we were dead last, and even then it was 80%.
Except the Panthers haven’t finished last in attendance in the last decade, according to ESPN.
by Alexander Calloway on Aug 19, 2011 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions
The Point...
…is not that the Cats only got a single game on national TV, the reason I posted this was because the charge (“No one goes to their games and no one watches them on TV”) was inherently insulting. End of story.
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I do not care about how many games are broadcast outside of the market, and neither should anyone else.
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 19, 2011 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Right, no one watches them on TV. I’m just glad the Toronto fan base dictates FSFlorida.
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by Chris S Roberts on Aug 19, 2011 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions
local television numbers on FS Florida have wallowed around the 3,000 mark for some time
The NHL’s lowest local viewership was for the Florida Panthers, with a 0.16 rating and 3,000 homes.
I don’t need to dictate FSFlorida, seems like the locals have been dictating it just the same as I would; by watching something else.
The First Certified Grabbo Lover
Sorry FL isn’t the hockey mecca Toronto is and can absorb the shock that ten years without playoff does to local viewership. I guess you’ll just have to settle with knowing there will always be people undeserving of hockey while you fans watch the Leafs like vultures. Sorry to burden your pleasure Canada.
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by Chris S Roberts on Aug 19, 2011 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions
the only reason bad canadian teams get higher ratings is simply for the fact that theres nothing else to do there other than ride polar bears and build igloos..
it sure does suck to have the beach, warm weather, clubs, an NFL team, NBA beast and an MLB game which tends to attract the hispanic fans as many of them grow up knowing the game in their home countries etc.. so yeah with all of that going on and 10 yrs of losing hockey due to bad ownership and management, I’m perfectly happy with 16k per home game..
by Rob PKane McMahon on Aug 21, 2011 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Am I missing something? When did the Buds become fun to watch? Nothing says excitement like watching Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamillton put up points for the Lea…… OH WAIT
Different teams, different markets, different fan base. There’s nothing more to the discussion than that, so don’t let Lambertard troll you all.
The leafs were more fun to watch when they still had Toskala.
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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Aug 20, 2011 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions
I like you.
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by Peter Raaymakers on Aug 20, 2011 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think the leafs were ever fun to watch, and this is coming from someone whos been a fan of hockey long before having a team down here..
by Rob PKane McMahon on Aug 21, 2011 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions
donny
with the words of wisdom! who cares? most of us will be at the games, and in time a ton of others will be as well. a winning team means more attention.
by stopdropandbreathe on Aug 19, 2011 11:28 PM EDT reply actions
This crap is what makes me want to walk away from the internet and go back to just watching the games. Seriously, who cares how many games are on Versus? Let’s be honest here, as far as television ratings are concerned, “no one” in the US watches hockey on television. Who cares what Ryan Lambert thinks or says? The guy likes to provoke people. So what? Don’t fed the trolls. And who cares what some guy from a Leafs site thinks? The culture of South Florida is not the culture of Ontario. If Leafs fans want to fill the building for a team that sucks and people in South Florida would rather hang out at the beach than watch a team that sucks (Dolphins included), who cares?
We have nothing better to do on a Friday night than argue with a Leafs fan about exactly how many people watching a game constitutes “no one”? That’s unfortunate.
"We don't need the designated goon. Those fights aren't even fun to watch." -Mike Milbury
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by John Beatty on Aug 19, 2011 11:38 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I know you’re reading this Lambert. I’m not sorry I called you Adam.
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by Chris S Roberts on Aug 19, 2011 11:39 PM EDT reply actions
I loved you in The Monster Squad, Ryan!
by Alexander Calloway on Aug 19, 2011 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions
The point remains the comment, not the writer, in my head.
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by Donny Rivette on Aug 20, 2011 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions
Living in Ocala I get fsflorida but they broadcast fishing or something instead where I live. Even if it says Panthers Vs. Whoever on the guide It’ll be something else like fishing. I think the Lightning and Sunshine Network worked out a deal with the NHL where they have the local broadcast rights to most of the state. So I have to buy center Ice every year. But its weird cause I’ll get Marlin games on Fox Sports Florida and I’ll get Devil Rays games on Sunshine Network at the same time even but I’ve just concluded that hockey doesn’t have sweet tv deals like baseball. Or the sort of national deals that basketball and football teams get affiliated with. Look all I’m saying is those ratings are flawed they don’t take into account houses with multiple television sets and things of that nature. And Dorothy Mantooth is a saint!
Ocala!
My hometown! (escaped in 1992)
You’re right, btw, Panthers games arent allowed to be broadcast in Lightning country and vice versa. I don’t know if it’s a network thing or a league thing but it’s probably a little bit of both.
It’s a league thing. The network is definitely willing to do Tampa games in Miami — I get Rays games, but I can’t watch Lightning games.
I was in Orlando for vacation last fall and watched a Panthers game. How far from Orlando is BAC?
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by CatsoverCaps on Aug 22, 2011 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions
You sure? When I lived in Syracuse, we got all the Sabres, Rangers, Isles and Devils games that were on the regional sports networks (which at the time were Empire [Sabres], MSG [Rangers, of course] and Fox Sports NY [Isles and Devils]). The only thing that was ever blacked out was if any of the other NY teams played the Sabres, then we only got the Sabres broadcast on Empire. That was true if the Sabres were on ESPN too. We only got the Empire broadcast.
Then again, that was 9-10 years ago. The rules could be different now.
"We don't need the designated goon. Those fights aren't even fun to watch." -Mike Milbury
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by John Beatty on Aug 22, 2011 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m pretty sure. I’ve definitely tried to put on the Lightning on one of the nights the Panthers weren’t playing and gotten a “this game is blacked out in your coverage area” message. If I understand the current blackout rules correctly, it has to do with being in the primary media market for the Panthers — even though MSG is available in Buffalo and Rochester, they have to black out their non-Sabres games there, so I assume similar rules apply to the FSFL channels.
I decided to read the column and
Dr. Who? Voombatz? Our doctor IS excellent. Dr. Robbins been with the team since day one I believe. He gave me a tour of the locker room once I met laus in there it was really something he didn’t have to do. But I get it, its a joke, got it. Oh and I personally don’t give a shit if were not on the bullriding channel or not thats why I get center ice.
“I went to my doctor the other day. You know my doctor don’t yah? Dr. Vinnie Boombatz? I said I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I got up this morning looked in the mirror and wanted to throw up. My doc, he says, I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but your eyesight’s perfect! So I says I want a second opinion! He says, OK, you’re ugly, too!”
“I tell yah. I don’t no respect!”
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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Aug 20, 2011 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions
in Rochester
We would have started a riot in Rochester if we had to endure more than one Panthers game on TV. :p
Wait.. we’ll have to when they play the Sabres. Oh well, at least it’ll be easy wins. =D
by keithwozniak on Aug 20, 2011 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions
San Antonio
will finish above Rochester this year, you can bank on it.
Oh, how I’m sure we will all miss you amerks fans though, good times were had by all.
Damn Donny...
When did all these ass-hats show up?
Do they really have nothing better to do than bash a team that has nothing, and is going nowhere, by they’re own admission?
Keith, just let ride man. The Cats are gone…outta sight, outta mind. You got The Sabres to hang your hat on now, good for you, but coming back on here and blowing hot air is just dumb, you gotta know that, right?
As for the rest of the haters and trolls…especially the ones from Toronto…all of you had to “eat it” at one time or another, depending on how long you’ve been a fan of your respective team, and how successful or unsuccessful they’ve been. If it truly makes you feel better to come over here and give us the same grief you either are deling with now(I KNOW Leafs Fans eat A TON of crap all over North America) or have dealt with in the past, then have at it. But know this, it ALWAYS comes around, and I feel sorry for you having to crawl on your bellies just to make it easier to look in the mirror every day.
Now, go on home and play with the rest of the “good hockey fans” and “worthy hockey markets” before you stay too long and your precious, flawless, hockey clubs get games taken off national television beacuse the network execs found out you had the nerve to slum around this pathetic neck-o-the-woods.
Mark my words…Cats win the cup before Toronto.
What man is a man who does not make the world better
by CatsoverCaps on Aug 22, 2011 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions
True, but I think the Leafs will make the playoffs this year. They won’t win it, but I see a first round exit.
by Alexander Calloway on Aug 22, 2011 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions
If that's the case...
Then I 100% apologize. I always enjoyed his contributions to this site
Just have to keep his comment in context, considering the history between the two organizations :)
He’s good people.
Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Aug 21, 2011 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I hoped the emoticons gave away my sarcasm… we had fun and made the best of the whole situation. I stay up to date with things around here.
by keithwozniak on Aug 21, 2011 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions
And I keep an eye on ROC as well. Not an easy task throwing away 6 years of history.
And what a tremendous jones now that I’ve finally learned to correctly spell “Oklobzija”.
Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Aug 21, 2011 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Can you spell it without looking? I can’t. lol
by keithwozniak on Aug 23, 2011 1:41 AM EDT up reply actions
Occasionally. Nah…let’s call it “rarely”.
Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Aug 23, 2011 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Sad. This is why hockey will never be competing for primetime spots against the nfl, mlb, and nba. Too much bias and hate towards southern teams. The panthers are no different than the hawks or penguins a couple of years ago. The cats attendence is pretty good considering phoenix is a playoff team and barely brought in 11k a night. Everyone else around the NHL is butthurt because the cats have a gm who is doing what should have happened 10 years ago. Build a contender.
Shooooooooot!!!!!!!!
by jmslavick on Aug 21, 2011 9:39 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
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