The Watermark: Belak Coverage + NBC SportsTalk

Anyone else as ecstatic as I am that August is over? It’s my least favorite month of the year for a variety of reasons, not the least being that it doubles as the hottest month of the year and the last one standing between us and regular, ACTUAL on-ice related hockey news. Couple that with the absolute insanity of flash storms, earthquake tremors, hurricane-or-maybe-tropical-storm weather and other general indications of it being the end times, I am glad we’re done with the month. It’s September, which brings us the Traverse City Tournament, training camp and the first chance to get legitimately excited for the coming season. And to top it all off, I’ll actually be able to look at some content for this hockey media column. Seriously, you have no idea how desperately I am waiting for the first pre-game show snafu or dumb comment. But until then, let’s take a look at what’s going on with the NHL and media.

As it stands right now, there are two topics that are dominating discussion within NHL media circles: The horrific summer of tragedies that has engulfed the sport and the gradual progression of NBC from being the lame “other sports channel” to one that might actually produce some compelling content.

It’s tough to speak correctly about the horrible passing of Wade Belak. When I say correctly, I don’t mean appropriately. As far as I have seen, the coverage surrounding the tragedy has been approached with the proper levels of appropriateness and respect that such news should always require. But, as has been the case with the deaths of Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien, it’s become very easy to politicize these tragedies. While some people might have actual intent on using such news for their own personal views or agendas, I think a large number of responses that call for the elimination of fighting or “some serious study that results in serious structural changes” are actually honest. I don’t think writers and the media are actively trying to fit news into pre-conceived narratives; they truly believe that the NHL has an issue right now and are simply voicing their opinions based on that.

This is a tough line to walk. Because just as it is easy to politicize tragedies, it is equally easy to attack people who you think are politicizing them.  Personally, all I can say about all of this with any conviction is: I don’t know. I don’t know what the correct course of action is for the NHL. I don’t know to what level there should be structural changes to the game that we all love. I’m confident that it should not be the elimination of fighting, but in reality, I just don’t know. All I can hope is that IF there is some serious correlation between the tragedies of this summer and the controversial topic du jour, then both the NHL and the NHLPA do what they can to make sure it is eradicated.

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So NBC seems to be serious about this sports thing, right?

Via the Wall Street Journal:

"NEW YORK — Versus is adding live weeknight studio shows as part of its evolution after the NBC-Comcast merger.The “NBC SportsTalk” programs will air from 6-7 p.m. on Monday through Friday starting Sept. 8.“If we’re going to be important to sports fans, we have to be relevant each day,” NBC Sports Group chair Mark Lazarus said.Monday’s show will be called “ProFootballTalk.” Fridays will also focus on the NFL.“NBC SportsTalk” will be hosted by former Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic anchor Russ Thaler.Versus will also launch a sports business show with CNBC’s Darren Rovell for Friday nights."

The biggest takeaway in all of this is: NBC will have a nightly sports talk show that competes DIRECTLY with ESPN during the 6-7pm hour block. This is fantastic news.

Some of you might think it’s stupid for what is essentially a start-up to go up against the current king of the sports media domain. I wholeheartedly disagree. If one thing has been clear this past summer, it’s that ESPN is receiving more backlash and criticism than I have ever seen it garner in previous years. That’s not to say that suddenly everyone will stop watching ESPN if there is another option, but it does imply that there is some space for a competitor to make noise and grab attention.

The biggest knock on the Worldwide Leader is that they are becoming more business-oriented and less journalism-oriented. I think there is a lot of truth to that as they have signed content and broadcasting deals with the University of Texas Longhorns and other sports. And that on top of all the criticisms we have volleyed at the mothership for not focusing on hockey or any sport or sports market that would not generate the biggest audience possible.

All of this, combined with the other flaws that are regularly attributed to how ESPN operates, provides plenty of information for NBC to know what not to do. They have a serious chance to look at what ESPN has done right and what it has done wrong, and then attack the network’s weaknesses to differentiate themselves and become a compelling alternative to the current Bristol-based behemoth.

Furthermore, basing the Monday and Friday shows around football makes me think that NBC is going to provide a different show every night. It implies that they will focus on the sports that are probably most relevant at that point. I mean, it makes sense to talk about football during the Friday and Monday telecasts because, well, that is when football matters the most during any given week in the season. While ESPN is NFL Network 2.0 each day of the week, NBC might just give the league focus when it actually is relevant to do so.

The NBC Sports Network will cover hockey during the middle of the week, which is incidentally the same time they actually air nationally televised games. Once again, it makes sense. I don’t think it means that other sports will be totally ignored on specific days of the week, but specific ones will probably receive more focus depending on when they are the most relevant. I am totally in-line with that model, and not just because my hatred for ESPN has me salivating at the prospect of even a remotely-competent alternate sports network.

I’m a huge fan of the NBC SportsTalk websites. They provide some quality content and are generally great to read. If the network can even partially translate them into a visual setting, I… I… let’s just say that I’ve been dreaming about it for long enough, and now would really enjoy seeing it become reality.

Also, because it needs to be said: Darren Rovell’s sports business show that will air on Fridays will have an attractive sideline reporter. Yes, you read that correctly. Sideline reporter. For a studio-based sports business show. Don’t ask me how or why, because you know you’d do the same thing if you had your own show.