Broadcasters know technology is key to improving
ratings.

By Charles Elmore
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

It has been a harrowing year for hockey, but
broadcasts are likely to change for the better.

In meetings this week, for example, the Florida
Panthers will discuss putting microphones on coaches
and players during regional cable broadcasts.

The changes are designed to work hand in glove with
revised rules to promote more scoring — shootouts
instead of ties, for instance. It's part of a wider
strategy to make the game come alive again at the rink
and the living-room couch after the sport's deadest
year in almost a century.

"It's more likely than not that you will see new
technology in our games and that the product will be
brought closer to the viewers," said Michael Yormark,
chief operating officer of the Panthers. "Miking the
players is one great example."

Executives from Fox Sports Net Florida, now under
combined management with Sun Sports regional cable
network, are expected to announce a slate of 70 to 75
Panthers games shortly. The dollars have not been
announced, but they have not changed significantly in
a resumed multi-year deal that has three seasons left,
according to Panthers officials.

Expect to see more player profiles on network shows
between games, said Cathy Weeden, vice president and
general manager for the cable networks. The idea is to
give viewers a way to identify with the human beings
under the helmets.

"If you get some emotional contact with the players,
you can get people to invest in the team," she said.

Dave Strader, who has been waiting a year to start his
new job as TV play-by-play announcer for the Panthers,
said he welcomes ideas such as putting a camera in the
locker room between periods or interviewing a player
between shifts. As with the NFL or NASCAR, not every
mike may go over the air live.

"Some of it may have to be put to tape to make sure
we're not getting something inappropriate for the
family hour," Strader said.

Strader knows this much: He has had his fill of raking
pine needles and washing windows.

Hockey's yearlong labor face-off allowed him to catch
up on household chores, but he needed a pay advance
from the team's broadcasters to make ends meet. He
could not commit to more than piecemeal work.

"It was tough because for the first five months, we
were on the edge of our seat thinking this thing would
be resolved at any moment," Strader said. "It's been a
very demanding time psychologically for everyone
involved. I'm excited on a lot of levels."

One thing won't be completely new: Strader will team
up with longtime Panthers color analyst Denis Potvin,
with whom he has called playoff games on ESPN in
recent years.

Radio will feature a mix of old and new. Steve
"Goldie" Goldstein will pick up the play-by-play
microphone on WQAM (560-AM) and affiliates, teaming
with veteran analyst Randy Moller.

Similar "mike" ideas have been discussed for national
broadcasts, but for franchises such as the Panthers,
regional broadcasts are especially critical.

For example, the NHL's previous deal with ABC/ESPN
produced only about $4 million annually per team, less
than most teams got from regional contracts.

The current contract with NBC does not involve upfront
money at all. Revenue will be shared by NBC and the
league. NBC plans to carry seven regular-season
contests, six playoff games and Games 3 through 7 of
the Stanley Cup finals.

The league is still looking for a national cable deal.
ESPN, TNT, Spike TV and USA Network have been
mentioned as potential partners. ESPN is "open to
listening to potential scenarios that have us both
equally sharing any risk," a spokesman said Monday.

Make no mistake: Hockey has a steep mountain to climb.
Pro bowling drew higher ratings than NHL games on ESPN
networks before the lost season.

But the new deal helps teams such as the Panthers. For
teams with payrolls in the $24 million to $32 million
range, a 24 percent rollback in player costs yields a
savings of between $6 million and $8 million, said
Patrick Rishe, associate professor of economics at
Webster University in St. Louis.

"Now that the game is trying to re-invent itself,
perhaps the marketing departments from these teams
stand a better chance to sell the team in each
respective market," Rishe said.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005



____________________________________________________
Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs