Olympic hockey final produces record Canadian audience

The Olympic hockey gold medal thriller on Sunday pulled in a record television audience in Canada.

  A total of 16.6 million viewers watched Canada’s 3-2 overtime win against the United States, the largest viewership ever for a telecast on Canadian television.

  That audience figure represents the combined total of viewers on nine channels, including the main CTV network, where the majority watched the game. Included among the nine channels were the affiliated French Olympic outlets as well as the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network and the Rogers Omni ethnic channels.

   It’s an impressive audience, but not a surprise given the hockey rivalry between Canada and the United States, and the quality of the game. Canada took a 2-0 lead, but the Americans narrowed it to 2-1 and then scored in the final seconds of regulation time to sent it into overtime where Sidney Crosby got the winner .

  CTV reports that 80 per cent of Canadians (26.5 million) watched some part of the game.

  CTV also had a big number for the closing ceremonies. A total of 14.3 million watched, making it the second most viewed telecast of CTV’s Vancouver Olympic coverage.

   In the United States,  NBC earned a 17.6 overnight rating (percentage of potential households tuned in) for the Canada-U.S. game. That’s the largest rating ever for a hockey game televised in the United States. 

   That rating, SportsBusiness Daily reports,  represents a 45 per cent increase over the rating for 2002 Salt Lake final also between Canada and United States.

   It also ranks third highest among NFL regular season telecasts in 2009. It’s also higher than the rating for a World Series game dating back to 2004 and every NBA Finals game since 1998.

  SportsBusiness Daily suggests the rating will make it difficult for the NHL to discontinue participating in the Winter Olympics.

 Hope Prime Minister Stephen Harper sends CTV a thank-you note for at least trying to raise his image from that of the robot-that-walks-like-a-man to something a little closer to normal. CTV gave Harper more face time at the Olympics than most of the Canadian athletes.

  There were the shots of Stephen at the venues; in deep conversations, presumably about hockey, with Wayne Gretzky; and also the prime time interview with host Brian Williams on Saturday, clips from which, as I mention in Yahoo, could be used by Harper in election campaign ads.

   To be fair, Williams did press him on the future funding of Canadian athletes. Harper tried to slip by that stickler by saying he fully supported increased sponsorship, meaning the private sector. And public money? Harper mumbled something about that, too.

   Meanwhile, Jack Layton, leader of the federal NDP, tried to bask in the glow of the Olympic hoopla by finding his way to Gretzky’s restaurant in Toronto where CTV had a camera installed at the bar. Jack was able to get himself a spot right at the front.

   During the men’s hockey gold medal game, CTV went to the crowd scene at Gretzky’s several times, but not once did anyone at the network mention that the bald guy closest to the camera was the leader of the NDP.

 Here’s my Yahoo column on CTV’s final Sunday of coverage. I thought the flag waving was excessive.

 NBC made another in a long line of poor programming decisions on Sunday when it ended its coverage of the closing ceremony at 10:30 p.m. ET to go to something called The Marriage Ref.

  VANOC head John Furlong’s pathetic attempt to say a few lines of French during his speech at the closing ceremonies was an embarrassment.

 Here is a thank you note to Canada from Brian Williams, the NBC Brian, who, of course, was at the Olympics. Kind of nice:

LIVE BLOG: Canada-United States gold medal game

‘GREAT DRAMA, GREAT THEATRE, GREAT SKILL’

Canada 3,  United States 2, overtime

PRE-GAME:

  The CTV panel, host James Duthie with analysts Bob McKenzie, Darren Pang and Nick Kypreos, has been producing good commentary throughout the men’s Olympic hockey tournament.

   McKenzie reports that  offensively Canada has been okay, ahead in goal scoring compared with performances in other high level competitions. (Canada did have trouble finishing against Switzerland and the United States in the preliminary round.)  McKenzie notes Canada cannot afford a bad goal or defensive breakdown.

 Duthie interviews Brian Burke, the general manager of the U.S. team. He describes Canada as a “giant” in the landscape of hockey; says a U.S. win would be “a tremendous boost for hockey in the United States.”

Kypreos says Sidney Crosby doesn’t have to score for Canada, but a goal will go “a long way toward solidifying” a Canadian win.

  McKenzie says Canada, which will not get the last line change, will have either the defensive tandem of Scott Niedermayer and Shea Weber, or Duncan Keith and Drew Doughty out against the Americans’ most dangerous forward, Zach Parise. Canada will try to get Rick Nash on Parise up front.

 Duthie interviews Canada’s general manager Steve Yzerman who says the team that has “the most composure” will win.

  Game analyst Pierre McGuire says the Canadians will aggressive forecheck the Americans, similar to the “offensive onslaught” against the Russians.

  Camera goes to Gordie Howe in the stands.

 Reporter Ryan Rishaug interviews Canadian coach Mike Babcock who says “we’re ready,”  adding the team has improved “each and every game.” He says the key is to execute and “have fun.”  The game  ”should be a ton of fun.”

FIRST PERIOD

6:39  Americans off to a very good start. Pace on both sides is terrific. Canada looks tight. This will be a low scoring game.

Canada having trouble with American forecheck.

U.S. forward Dustin Brown has the best scoring chance of the period so far. Canada looking shaky in its own end, relentless U.S. forecheck.

7:10 1-0 Canada. Great work by Mike Richards on Jon Toews’ goal. This, Toews, Richards, Rick Nash, has been Canada’s best line so far.

Crosby has had a very quiet first period.

He makes a good defensive play in final seconds.

 Canada’s second half of the period was stronger.

Niedermayer is Canada’s best defenseman.

SECOND PERIOD

Canadian power play early. Execution better than in first period power play.

American power play does nothing.

2-0 CANADA, 7:13

 Another goal off a rebound. By Corey Perryr.

  Canada looks more confident, looser.

 Cheap penalty on Toews.

Great defensive play by Nash on PK.

U.S. goal, by Ryan Kesler, 2-1 Canada

 Looks like a weak goal, but it was deflected.

U.S. speed beginning to become a factor. Canada is getting caught standing around at times. Are they getting tired? Parise is outplaying Crosby.

  Period over. This is anybody’s game.

SECOND INTERMISSION

Kesler tells Rishaug that the Canadian players tend to “fade” as the game progresses.

Kypreos says, “They need more out of Crosby.”

THIRD PERIOD

Ample opportunities for Canada to win the game in the third,  two posts hit, squandered opportunities. Widely out-played the Americans — until the final two minutes when they went into a shell and allowed the U.S. team to tie the game. At some point, fatigue is going to come into play in overtime. Canada’s best hope is to end it early.

THIRD INTERMISSION

McKenzie says Canada just kept backing back, trying not to lose instead of trying to win.

 The Americans are more effectively checking Crosby than Canada is Parise.

Kypreos: Too many icings by Canada in the final two minutes. He says Canada must score early.

Well, they deserved to win, right? And, good for Sid.

 I’m done. I’ll never live blog this sort of game again. Too intense.

A good hockey telecast, as usual. McGuire described the conclusion were: “What drama, what theatre, what skill.”

  CTV will draw a massive audience for this. My guess is an English-French language audience of 15-million, perhaps more.

   A few words on the team: I thought Chris Pronger would be too slow for this level of play, but I was wrong. He played very effectively on Sunday. The other veteran on defense, Niedermayer, was Canada’s best player. Up front,  Nash was tremendous. Toews, too, a pressure performer.

Pierre McGuire: One bad goal will sink Canada

  The Canadian men’s hockey team was well in control of its a semi-final game against Slovakia, ahead 3-0 with 8:25 to play, when Roberto Luongo let in a soft goal.

  From then on, it was a scramble for the Canadians, who were lucky to withstand the Slovaks’ assault and escape an overtime period.

  Canada hasn’t received anything close to excellent goaltending in the Olympic tournament. Luongo has allowed a bad goal in every game he’s played except for the shutout over Norway.

  The United States, on the other hand, enjoyed a relatively easy ride to the gold medal game largely because of Ryan Miller’s goaltending. The Canadians are in the gold medal despite the performance of their goalies, not because of it.

   It would repetitive to ask, one more time, why the Canadian brain trust never considered giving Marc-Andre Fleury a start. But it should be asked. As Don Cherry pointed out in my previous column, Fleury was playing the best of the three, Martin Brodeur being the third, leading into the tournament.

  Anyway, a loss by Canada because of inadequate goaltending will make the decision to start the tournament with Brodeur and then go to Luongo, while ignoring Fleury the main talking point of the post mortem.

  I asked analyst Pierre McGuire, who will call the gold medal game for CTV along with announcer Chris Cuthbert, about the goaltending, the tournament and what Canada will need to do to win.

   What is the one thing about the Canadian that has stood out for you?

  I’ve coached in the Stanley Cup final (as an assistant for Pittsburgh Penguins). I’ve called five straight Stanley Cup finals (for NBC). I’ve called eight junior gold medal games (for TSN). And I’ve never seen such intense scrutiny and pressure on a team. I don’t know how these guys are doing it every single day. I’ve never seen such a pressurized situation in my life. These guys deserve huge acclaim just by getting on the ice and making any kind of skilful hockey play. It’s amazing.

   During the women’s gold medal game, the camera went to members of the men’s team in the stands on two or three occasions. It was a grim bunch. No laughing, no smiles.

 The pressure on the Canadians is my stand lone moment. It’s unbelievable. And I’m right down there at ice level and I feel it. It starts when they come on the ice for a warm-up and it doesn’t dissipate. Even when they have success it doesn’t dissipate.

  Will fatigue be an issue in the gold medal game? Canada has played one extra game. It prevailed in a close game against Slovakia in the semi-finals while the Americans romped to a 6-1 win over Finland.

  I don’t think fatigue will be an issue at all, because in the last four days you’ve had two days of rest. You didn’t have to play on Thursday and you don’t have to play on Saturday. These guys are used to dealing with that sort of stuff. It’s not difficult and they’re not moving from city to city, so I don’t think fatigue be an issue at all.

  Is goaltending the most critical match-up?

  The answer is yes. If Ryan Miller plays like he did in the preliminary round against Canada, and Canada gets 45 shots or more, and he stops more than 40, it’s going to be difficult.

 For Luongo, he’s probably going to have to face between 22 and 28 shots, not much more than that. And he just can’t give up a bad goal. That’s going to be the most important thing. He can’t give up a bad goal. And for the USA, Miller is probably going to face between 42 and 46 shots and he’s going to have to be virtually letter perfect.

  Were you surprised by the Canadians dominating the Russians?

  I wasn’t. I saw that in 2005 at the world junior championship in Grand Forks. I saw it in 2006 in Vancouver at the world junior. Brent Sutter drew up the game plan to beat the Russians – attack them physically.

  I could feel it in the warm-up. The Russian players knew. And Chris Cuthbert asked me. He said, “Pierre is that the Russian team you’ve seen.” I said, “No, because, they’re preparing themselves physically and mentally for the physical assault that’s coming.” And they know. In any international event against Canada involving the best players, they know what’s coming.

  Do the Canadians have to play in similar way against the United States?

 They have to play with the same energy. They have to manage the puck a little better. But the most important thing for the Canadians is to not give up a bad goal early. That really put them behind the eight ball in the last game against the Americans. Bad goals took away the energy and momentum. So, they have to get off to a good start. That’s going to be really important.

Canadian viewership, English and French language, for the Canada-Slovakia semi-final was 9.7 million, the third largest audience for a Vancouver Olympic sports event telecast. CTV’s audience was 8.4 million.

NBC’s Mike Milbury on the Canada-U.S. hockey rivalry: “It’s like getting even with your big brother. There’s a feeling of entitlement when it comes to the Canadians and hockey. They are a little bit nervous about the Americans, because the little guy came to play.”
 NBC’s Jimmy Roberts, on hockey in Canada: “You know the old axiom. There are two things that matter in Texas, right? There’s football and there’s spring football. That’s the kind of the way it is in Canada with hockey. Tomorrow they’ll get a shot at what they feel is the single most important prize of these Games.”
NBC’s Cris Collinsworth, on Canadian hospitality: “It’s like they’re hosting you in their house. . . We’re all very lucky to have the Canadians around. They’ve been a great host.”  From an NBC release.

Don Cherry to the Americans: We’re going to kick your ass

   Don Cherry predicts Canada and the United States will advance to the gold medal game of the men’s Olympic hockey tournament on Sunday.

  And then it will be payback time for the Canadians.

  “I can hardly wait until we get at the U.S.,” he said in an interview. “I can hardly wait.”

   Cherry said U.S. players made a mistake when they slagged the Canadians after defeating them 5-3 last Sunday.

   Cherry, the Hockey Night In Canada commentator and radio show personality, appeared on the Jim Rome show this week during which U.S. commentators ragged him about Canada’s loss to the Americans.

  “They were giving it to us (Canadians) pretty good,” he said. It was, ‘This is your game. How goes it feel? And you’re going to lose again.’ They were kidding, but they weren’t kidding, if you know what I mean.”

  “I said we are going to win the gold. This was before the game against Russia. I said, we’re going to meet your guys in the final and we’re going to kick your ass.”

   After the U.S. win over Canada, least two Americans players, Jack Johnson and Ryan Kesler, told reporters they hated Canadian hockey players.

  Johnson chartered a flight to Vancouver to participate in the Olympic opening ceremony, but didn’t extend an invitation to Los Angeles Kings teammate Drew Doughty, who’s playing for the Canadians.

  “When the U.S. players said they hate Canadians, I mean that is dumb to say stuff like that,” Cherry said. “But you know what? I think they do.”

   Cherry is impressed by the Canadian team, which started slowly in the tournament but dominated Russia, winning the quarter-final 7-3.

   He believes the 1976 Canada Cup team, for which he was a member of the coaching staff, was more talented.

 “But I’ll tell you one thing. You’re never going to get a bigger team than that. It’s the biggest (Canadian team) I’ve ever seen. Holy smokes.”

  Cherry noted the 1976 team had Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, Larry Robinson, Serge Savard and Guy Lapointe on defense.

  “I don’t know if anybody on the team could make that defense. The fourth line was (Marcel) Dionne, (Darryl) Sittler and (Lanny McDonald), so it was a pretty good line.”

    Cherry rates Canada’s goaltending as above average.

  “(Martin) Brodeur (against the United States) wasn’t bad, but he was just good. He played good, but not great. (Roberto) Luongo was good too (against the Russians), but he wasn’t great, either. He made a couple of good saves.”

    He said he’s a little surprised the third goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury, wasn’t given a start.

  “Here’s the funny thing. Fleury was the hottest guy going down the stretch than both of them. And he won the Stanley Cup last year. I thought he was the MVP. But they’ve made up their mind and he’s not going to get in.”

A surprisingly low audience for Canada’s 2-0 win over the United States in the gold medal game of the women’s hockey tournament on Thursday. Only 5.8 million viewers. I was expecting something closer to eight million.

UPDATE: CTV revises the women’s auidence to 7.5 million.

 CTV and its affiliated cable channels drew 10.5 million viewers for the Canada-Russia men’s hockey quarterfinal on Wednesday, just short of the 10.6 million that watched Canada-United States last Sunday. CTV, alone, drew 9.3 million.

Bouquets for Joannie

   NBC analyst Scott Hamilton on Joannie Rochette’s bronze medal performance: “I’ve never seen such a superhuman amount of courage and determination. What an inspiration.”

  Announcer Tom Hammond: “It is the stuff of Olympic legend.”

  Invoking the U.S. Miracle on Ice 30 years ago, CTV’s Chris Cuthbert said, after the Americans scored six goals on Finland in the first period of Friday’s semi-final, “The Finns might remember the first period as the Debacle on Ice.”

  NO APOLOGY NECESSARY

  So, the Canadian women returned to the ice, at the empty Canada Hockey Place and had a bit of celebratory fun. They were drinking champagne and beer, a few were smoking cigars. Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored both of Canada’s goals against the Americans and is 18, was drinking a beer. The drinking age in B.C. is 19, but in Quebec it’s 18. What a scandal.

  The only mistake made here was Hockey Canada apologizing to the IOC .  Hockey Canada should have told the Olympic body that nothing would be done, no apology needed, and also suggest the committee stick to more important things, like doping and various other IOC scandals. Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson was correct to tell IOC president Jacques Rogge, in some many words, to shut his mouth about the  women’s game being on notice. What a jerk this guy is. The Globe and Mail’s Roy MacGregor writes about this here.

Milbury slags Russians; CTV gambled millions on Canada

  CTV had a lot riding on the Canada-Russia quarterfinal – several million dollars in fact.

   With Canada defeating Russia 7-3 in the Wednesday quarterfinal, the cost of a 30-second commercial in the semi-final game involving Canada will skyrocket.

  Should Canada defeat Slovakia in the Friday semi-final and advance to the gold medal game on Sunday, the fee will go through the roof, more than tripling.

  The price of a 30-second spot for Canada-Slovakia is $215,000, more than twice the cost of a spot in the Canada-Russia quarterfinal, which was selling for the standard $90,000.

  As I reported in my Yahoo Canada! column yesterday, if Canada advances to the gold medal game Sunday afternoon, the fee escalates  to $365,000, a record for a 30-second spot airing on a Canadian sporting event.

 Had Canada lost to the Russia and been eliminated, the  standard fee for the semi-finals and  final would have remained — $90,000 for a 30 second spot. That’s a significant ask from advertisers, just a bit under the $100,000 for a Super Bowl spot earlier this month, but nowhere near the $215,000 for the Canada semi-final and $365,000 for a final.

      The $90,000 fee for Canada-Russia was a good buy for advertisers. When the audience figures are released later on Thursday, viewership for that game will be in the eight to 10 million range. CTV drew 6 million for Super Bowl, charging the slightly higher ad rate of about $100,000.

   The gold medal game of the women’s hockey tournament on Thursday, Canada-United States, was also a good deal.  A 30 second spot fetched the standard $90,000. That game should draw in the eight to 10 million range.

  The only downside in the hockey schedule for CTV right now is the start of the Canada-Slovakia game – 9:30 p.m. ET is a little late for viewers in the East, but preferable to the 3 p.m. ET start, on a workday, for the United States-Finland game.

 Mike Milbury denounced the Russians for playing a “Eurotrash” game against  Canada. The NBC (and Hockey Night In Canada) commentator said after the telecast he was disgusted by the weak, dirty effort by the Russians. Reminds me of the CBC’s Don Cherry calling the Russians liars and cheats at the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games. You can read the full Milbury story by Yahoo here.

  Former Toronto Blue Jays general manager joins ESPN:   From ESPN’s release:  J.P. Ricciardi, a 30-year professional baseball veteran – including roles as a Major League Baseball front office executive, scout, and Minor League Baseball manager and player – has joined ESPN as a Baseball Tonight analyst.  Ricciardi will debut in March.

 “I’m really excited about joining the ESPN Baseball Tonight family,” said Ricciardi. “I look forward to sharing my perspective of the game, which has many layers and has been built over the years through my various roles.”

 Comment: Given the leaks to ESPN out of the Jays front office, he’s been a source of information to the network for years.

ESPN says it would air Olympic events live, unlike NBC. From The New York Times:   With 25.2 million viewers watching the Winter Olympics in prime time, NBC Universal feels vindicated by a strategy that features tape delay of some events and shows nothing live in the Mountain and Pacific time zones.

 ”A tremendous amount of time and experience goes into how we plan the Olympics,” Gary Zenkel, the president of NBC Olympics, said Wednesday from Vancouver. “Quite frankly, we’re pleased with the results.”

  But fans who crave the chance to see everything live, as many Canadians do, may find an ally in ESPN, which plans to bid for the 2014 Winter Games and 2016 Summer Games. It would discontinue the tape-delay template.

  ”I don’t think nonlive is sports fan-friendly,” said John Skipper, ESPN’s executive vice president for content.