Stanley Cup Ratings

THE STANLEY CUP FINALS ARE A HIT…
ON SATURDAY NIGHT…GAME 1 ON NBC…DREW A 6 SHARE…
THE BEST NUMBERS IN THE U.S…FOR AN OPENING GAME OF THE FINALS…SINCE 1999…
AND ARE 12 PERCENT HIGHER THAN GAME 1 LAST YEAR BETWEEN DETROIT AND PITTSBURGH…
CHICAGO LED THE WAY WITH A 35 SHARE…WHILE PHILADELPHIA PULLED A VERY RESPECTABLE 25 SHARE…
GAME ONE ALSO HAD STAR POWER…
IN THE CROWD…VINCE VAUGHN…TONY LA RUSSA…AND REX RYAN…
TONIGHT FOR GAME 2…JOHN CUSACK AND JEREMY PIVEN ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND…
IN THE MEANTIME…THE TAMPA BAY RAYS HAVE CAUGHT THE FEVER…
ON SUNDAY THE RAYS FLEW INTO TORONTO TO TAKE ON THE BLUE JAYS…
THEY ARRIVED WEARING BLACK HAWK JERSEYS…WHICH WERE SUPPLIED BY CHICAGO…
IT WAS THE IDEA OF TAMPA BAY MANAGER JOE MADDON…WHO GREW UP AS A ST. LOUIS BLUES FAN…BUT IS NOW CLEARLY PULLING FOR THE HAWKS…
IN THE WORDS OF MADDON…”IT’S COOL”…
BUT WHAT IS REALLY “COOL” WAS THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE OF GAME ONE ON SATURDAY NIGHT…
TOMAS KOPECKY SCORED MIDWAY THROUGH THE 3RD PERIOD TO GIVE THE HAWKS A 6-5 VICTORY…
11 GOALS…COUNT ‘EM…11 GOALS…
DEFENCE MAY WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS…BUT OFFENCE STILL DRIVES RATINGS…
IT’S NOT LIKE THE NHL HAS NOT SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE…
THERE WAS GRETZKY IN L.A. AND MESSIER IN NEW YORK…
BUT IN THE LIGHT OF THE ECONOMIC MESS THE NHL IS DEALING WITH IN CITIES LIKE…
PHOENIX…NASHVILLE…ATLANTA…FLORIDA…AND DALLAS…TO NAME A FEW…
A GREAT STANLEY CUP FINAL…IN TWO GREAT HOCKEY MARKETS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE LEAGUE AND COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR…
ON FRIDAY BETTMAN ONCE AGAIN INSISTED...”THE MARKET IS NOT FLOODED” WITH TEAMS FOR SALE…
KEEP IN MIND THOUGH…THIS IS THE SAME GARY BETTMAN WHO TOLD US A YEAR AGO…THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS IN PHOENIX…
BUT FOR NOW…THE ATTENTION IS ON THE ICE…
AND ONE LOOK AT THE T.V. RATINGS…IT WOULD APPEAR THAT IS WHERE IT IS GOING TO STAY…
AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT WEEK…OR SO…