Olympic Gold Medal GDT: Canada vs. USA

[es_19]

my friends and i discussed this yesterday - the american national team will only get stronger as more canadian born players are in the employ of american franchises, resulting in the next generation being born on american soil and claiming america as their home country.

canada, of course, will continue to produce top notch talent to counter balance.

(and this is before factoring in the kids of current european players)

the US and Canada hockey rivarly can only get more and more interesting for years to come

 

[newfiecomicguy1]

We visited there a few years ago and we loved it. It is so beautiful and majestic there.

... he was born in Canada (Red Bay, Labrador)!

 

[razzamaztaz]

Thank god someone agrees with me ; ) About the reffing, you still have to agree that if you like that kind of (absence of) reffing, it has to be equal for both teams? It wasn't, despite that I watched with Canadian-liking eyes!

As for exciting final, it sure was, intense and thrilling and for the most part good pace, but superb hockey it was not. I know Canadians love physical hitting hockey, imo hockey should be played a lot less physical, very fast, and with great skating and great looking goals. It's really sad Canada is brought up that way with physical play, just imagine what all these lovely nhl stars could play like otherwise...

 

[Metrags]

Thank god someone agrees with me ; ) About the reffing, you still have to agree that if you like that kind of (absence of) reffing, it has to be equal for both teams? It wasn't, despite that I watched with Canadian-liking eyes!

As for exciting final, it sure was, intense and thrilling and for the most part good pace, but superb hockey it was not. I know Canadians love physical hitting hockey, imo hockey should be played a lot less physical, very fast, and with great skating and great looking goals. It's really sad Canada is brought up that way with physical play, just imagine what all these lovely nhl stars could play like otherwise...

Compared to NHL games nowadays, I didnt think the gold medal game was all that physical. It was like an all star game where the winner gets bragging rights (which is all it was really).

This tourney was not the stanley cup playoffs, there was nothing to be gained but admiration. There was some physical play, but it seemed like whenever there was some physicality, everyone kind of backed away like "oops, i forgot this was just in good fun".

Like I said earlier, now we move on to the game which these players get paid to play.

 

[frankiefives]

Thank god someone agrees with me ; ) About the reffing, you still have to agree that if you like that kind of (absence of) reffing, it has to be equal for both teams? It wasn't, despite that I watched with Canadian-liking eyes!

As for exciting final, it sure was, intense and thrilling and for the most part good pace, but superb hockey it was not. I know Canadians love physical hitting hockey, imo hockey should be played a lot less physical, very fast, and with great skating and great looking goals. It's really sad Canada is brought up that way with physical play, just imagine what all these lovely nhl stars could play like otherwise...

Although I enjoy a faced pace game, I LOVE physical hockey. I hate watching a game where players avoid body contact. The European style is neat but nothing beats North American hockey IMO

 

[chihawk19]

Thank god someone agrees with me ; ) About the reffing, you still have to agree that if you like that kind of (absence of) reffing, it has to be equal for both teams? It wasn't, despite that I watched with Canadian-liking eyes!

As for exciting final, it sure was, intense and thrilling and for the most part good pace, but superb hockey it was not. I know Canadians love physical hitting hockey, imo hockey should be played a lot less physical, very fast, and with great skating and great looking goals. It's really sad Canada is brought up that way with physical play, just imagine what all these lovely nhl stars could play like otherwise...

It seemed to me like the non-calls went both ways equally. I don't know how many times I screamed at the TV (at Ryan Malone and Jack Johnson in particular) because I thought the Americans were going to get a penalty for doing something stupid. I'm surprised Johnson got away with the check he threw 3 seconds after the 1st period had ended.

The only time I felt officiating got in the way was when Bill McCreary got the 2nd assist on the game-winning goal

 

[newfiecomicguy1]

Wow, I wonder how many pages this thread will go?

 

[chadsexington]

Welcome to the essence of Canadian hockey.

I second that. I like a close physical game that isn't 60 minutes of end to end rushes and breakaways (I don't mind that happening for a few drives here and there.) Maybe it's the way I've been brought up watching the NHL perhaps and acclimatizing myself to that game, but I feel if I want a game with defensemen constantly up in the rush with countless breakaways and the occasional huge hit, I'll play NHL 10 (or watch the All Star Game, which gives me my once a year dose of that.)

Ryan > Keep sharing. If the thread was going to get unruly, it probably would have by now.

 

[wingnut888]

Shockingly enough the early tv ratings in the US gave the US/Canada final a 17.6 rating Pretty sure that was comparable to the college football championship game. I know Canada had 70% of the people watching the game (as they usually do) but getting a 17.6 in the US for a hockey game is terrific. Usually hockey gets at the most a 5 share.

 

[chadsexington]

Shockingly enough the early tv ratings in the US gave the US/Canada final a 17.6 rating Pretty sure that was comparable to the college football championship game. I know Canada had 70% of the people watching the game (as they usually do) but getting a 17.6 in the US for a hockey game is terrific. Usually hockey gets at the most a 5 share.

That's fantastic news to hear...was the game live across the entire country, or were there tape delays on the West Coast that you know of? I suppose I could've checked our local NBC affiliate myself but we had it glued to CTV

 

[wingnut888]

That's fantastic news to hear...was the game live across the entire country, or were there tape delays on the West Coast that you know of? I suppose I could've checked our local NBC affiliate myself but we had it glued to CTV

Pretty sure the game was live across the US. At least that's what they were saying on sports radio here on Sat.

 

[timber09]

That's fantastic news to hear...was the game live across the entire country, or were there tape delays on the West Coast that you know of? I suppose I could've checked our local NBC affiliate myself but we had it glued to CTV

It was live - there was a minor upheaval on the west coast when it was announced that the US-Finland semifinal game was going to be tape delayed - NBC revamped and that game as well as the GOLD medal game were live (the Swiss game was live as well and was seemingly never under threat of being delayed - not sure how they schedule this stuff sometimes).

 

[holygoalie]

Wow, I wonder how many pages this thread will go?

THERE'S NO TIME LIMIT WHEN
TALKING...GOOOOOOLD!

WOULD YOU LIKE A SHMOKE UND
A PANCAKE??

 

[suitman19]

Wowwwwwwww!!!

Here are a few new details on the TV ratings :

Courtesy of Yahoo Sports Article:

"Sunday's game drew a higher overnight rating than every World Series game since 2004 (including every game of Yankees/Phillies last year), every NBA Finals telecast since 1998, and every NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four game since at least '98.

Excluding the NFL, the 17.6 overnight for the game is the second-highest of the year for any sporting event, behind only the Texas/Alabama BCS National Championship Game in January (18.2). "


Those numbers are historic!!!!
If you EVER wanted to know why the NHL is still trying to grow hockey in the US - that is your answer. The numbers are just too incredible to ignore. Yes they are certainly jaded since this was an 'Us vs Them' event - lets beat them at their own game and so on and so forth.

And before anyone tries to troll this thread - and my post - it is not my intenet to start the whole Phoenix Coyotes/ Basillie debacle argument about moving teams to Canada. The fact that 29M people were watching the game in Canada which is about 70% to 80% of the population answers the question. There is no growth room - ok there is but we are talking miniscule. Having 1 in every 3 TV's in the US tuned in to 'The Hockey Game' gives the sport the kind of kick start it sorely needs in the US. People were entertained and they saw drama - and for the un-intitiated viewers, they saw hockey in a light that they had never considered before.


Let us hope the HNL, NBC and the players were all paying attention.


Bruce

 

[Boom Boom]

Wowwwwwwww!!!

Here are a few new details on the TV ratings :

Courtesy of Yahoo Sports Article:

"Sunday's game drew a higher overnight rating than every World Series game since 2004 (including every game of Yankees/Phillies last year), every NBA Finals telecast since 1998, and every NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four game since at least '98.

Excluding the NFL, the 17.6 overnight for the game is the second-highest of the year for any sporting event, behind only the Texas/Alabama BCS National Championship Game in January (18.2). "


Those numbers are historic!!!!
If you EVER wanted to know why the NHL is still trying to grow hockey in the US - that is your answer. The numbers are just too incredible to ignore. Yes they are certainly jaded since this was an 'Us vs Them' event - lets beat them at their own game and so on and so forth.

And before anyone tries to troll this thread - and my post - it is not my intenet to start the whole Phoenix Coyotes/ Basillie debacle argument about moving teams to Canada. The fact that 29M people were watching the game in Canada which is about 70% to 80% of the population answers the question. There is no growth room - ok there is but we are talking miniscule. Having 1 in every 3 TV's in the US tuned in to 'The Hockey Game' gives the sport the kind of kick start it sorely needs in the US. People were entertained and they saw drama - and for the un-intitiated viewers, they saw hockey in a light that they had never considered before.


Let us hope the HNL, NBC and the players were all paying attention.


Bruce

Historic numbers. Nice to see. Lets hope this gives the game some momentum south of the border and converts lots of new fans :beer:

 

[kmitchel]

Wowwwwwwww!!!

Here are a few new details on the TV ratings :

Courtesy of Yahoo Sports Article:

"Sunday's game drew a higher overnight rating than every World Series game since 2004 (including every game of Yankees/Phillies last year), every NBA Finals telecast since 1998, and every NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four game since at least '98.

Excluding the NFL, the 17.6 overnight for the game is the second-highest of the year for any sporting event, behind only the Texas/Alabama BCS National Championship Game in January (18.2). "


Those numbers are historic!!!!
If you EVER wanted to know why the NHL is still trying to grow hockey in the US - that is your answer. The numbers are just too incredible to ignore. Yes they are certainly jaded since this was an 'Us vs Them' event - lets beat them at their own game and so on and so forth.

And before anyone tries to troll this thread - and my post - it is not my intenet to start the whole Phoenix Coyotes/ Basillie debacle argument about moving teams to Canada. The fact that 29M people were watching the game in Canada which is about 70% to 80% of the population answers the question. There is no growth room - ok there is but we are talking miniscule. Having 1 in every 3 TV's in the US tuned in to 'The Hockey Game' gives the sport the kind of kick start it sorely needs in the US. People were entertained and they saw drama - and for the un-intitiated viewers, they saw hockey in a light that they had never considered before.


Let us hope the HNL, NBC and the players were all paying attention.


Bruce

If anyone stumbles across the breakdowns city by city for the US, I'd love to see them. Were the ratings in the 25 region for Seattle, Minny, Detroit, and 10 for the south, were they the same across the country, etc?

Kevin

 

[suitman19]

If anyone stumbles across the breakdowns city by city for the US, I'd love to see them. Were the ratings in the 25 region for Seattle, Minny, Detroit, and 10 for the south, were they the same across the country, etc?

Kevin

I am not sure that I ever see the numbers broken down like that - but I will keep checking. The numbers were already almost 3 hours later than I can usually get them. The ratings will likely be unskewed by as great a proportion as you are suggesting.

 

[kmitchel]

I am not sure that I ever see the numbers broken down like that - but I will keep checking. The numbers were already almost 3 hours later than I can usually get them. The ratings will likely be unskewed by as great a proportion as you are suggesting.

Bruce,

I have seen them in the past for Super Bowls - ie, Indy had XX, NO had XX and the US average was XX, was wondering if they would be broken down like that. I believe the only other sporting event that was broadcast at the same time was a Nascar event - be curious if it's ratings were down compared to previous Nascar events.

Kevin

 

[timber09]

I know they do breakdown those numbers as a local sports radio guy was talking about them after the World Series and where the big viewership was coming from, however, getting a 17 is crazy for any sporting event and there is going to have to be a pretty widespread fanbase watching - Minneapolis or Buffalo simply aren't going to be able to pull that kind of number.

Regardless of exactly where it is coming from - it should be proof to the NHL that hockey is a sport that Americans will watch if done properly - no one has mentioned yet but a huge sponsorship note should be made that Direct TV paid for all of the ad spots so we could watch the entire game commercial free - that in and of itself is amazing and helped to keep people glued to the couch (the game probably didn't hurt either...ha).

 

[timber09]

Here is a quick blurb on it as well from USA Today...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2010-03-01-vancouver-olympics-ratings-nbc_N.htm

NBC's U.S.-Canada Olympic hockey overtime title game Sunday drew an 17.6 overnight rating, which translates to 17.6% of TV households in 56 U.S. urban TV markets. The overnight rating peaked at 21.6% from 5:30-6:00 pm ET.
The top local TV markets include Buffalo, where the game drew 32.6%; and Pittsburgh, where it drew 31.9%.

The 17.6 overnight was higher than the overnights of all but two of the NFL's regular-season games last season and all college football games except the Texas-Alabama BCS title game.