I think I’ve just seen another miracle on ice …
The National Hockey League is back on one of the major American broadcast networks. Some would call that a miracle in itself, but I’m taking higher ground. Specifically, I’m referring to the quality of the broadcast. It’s one of the best-produced sports programs I’ve seen.
Kudos to NBC Sports!
America is a difficult market for hockey. It may be the world’s fastest team sport and it may encompass many attributes of skill and strength that should appeal to the American fan, but many regions in the USA have little or no local influence or infrastructure of any significance for the sport. That means any national broadcast package must overcome a series of complex perception issues, not the least of which is in attracting casual sports fans to even try viewing it. Some wags contend that the only real NHL fans are only found in their arenas — explaining why the capacity percentages for NHL games are higher than in any other sport — but, as a fan myself, I consider that a lazy observation.
I will agree that, more often than not, one has to actually attend a...