NBC Chooses Preakness Pre-Race Over Senators-Sabres Overtime

NBC Leaves NHL Playoff Game For Pre-Race Coverage Of The Preakness

NBC earned a 5.4/13 overnight Nielsen rating for its coverage of the Preakness Stakes from 5:00-6:30pm ET on Saturday, down 5.3% from a 5.7/14 last year. NBC earned a 1.2/3 overnight for the decisive Game Five of the Senators-Sabres NHL Eastern Conference Finals Saturday, even with coverage last season of Sabres-Hurricanes Game One. With the hockey game going into overtime, NBC cut away from the broadcast after the third period to begin coverage of the Preakness at 4:44pm. NBC’s Dave Strader told viewers, “For those of you who want to stay with this game, our coverage will continue on Versus. For those of you in the Buffalo area, your NBC station will stay with this game.” Approximately 30 minutes into the broadcast of The Preakness, NBC aired highlights of the Senators’ winning goal (THE DAILY).

NBC’S CALL: NBC Universal Sports Dir of Communications Brian Walker said of the decision to leave the hockey game before it was completed, “NBC was obligated to provide its traditional coverage of the Preakness. We protected the game in Buffalo and alerted viewers ... that overtime would be shown on Versus.” In Toronto, Chris Zelkovich writes, “An hour of pre-race racing blather is far more important to NBC than an overtime conference final. What’s worse is that the NHL isn’t outraged.” NHL VP/PR Jamey Horan said, “We were fully aware of NBC’s programming commitments” (TORONTO STAR, 5/21). A source close to the NHL called the decision “‘disappointing,’ but said the network’s contract with the league allowed it to pull out after three hours.” In Toronto, William Houston writes the move “will be seen as an embarrassment to the NHL” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 5/21). In Miami, David Neal writes the move “demonstrates why the NHL is where it is in terms of TV visibility in the U.S. ... Both the NHL and NBC share blame” (MIAMI HERALD, 5/21). In Edmonton, John MacKinnon writes the decision makes moving the start time of the game from 7:00pm to 2:00pm to accommodate NBC, which does not pay the NHL a rights fee, “all the more ridiculous” (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 5/21).

NBC Earns 1.6/4 Overnight For Ducks-Red Wings Game Five

SUNDAY: NBC earned a 1.6/4 overnight for Game Five of the Ducks-Red Wings Western Conference Final. There was no comparable coverage last year (THE DAILY). In Detroit, Steve Schrader notes NBCSports.com’s headline promoting yesterday’s Ducks-Red Wings Game Five was “Deep Sixer.” Sometime during the game, “they changed it to ‘High Five’” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/21).

PLAYING THE HORSES: With TVG filing a patent infringement suit against HRTV, Magna Entertainment and XPressBet, one cable source said that the filing “is a defensive gambit by TVG to maintain relevancy amid its recent loss” of broadcast and wagering rights for Churchill Downs (CDI) tracks. The source: “This is less about patents and more about the fact that TVG is in a fight for its very existence.” While TVG currently leads HRTV in distribution, CDI’s acquisition of a 50% stake in HRTV “sets TVG up for a stretch fade.” In addition, CDI and Magna have made a bid with NYRA for exclusive rights to its tracks, which would give HRTV control of all three Triple Crown races (CABLEFAX DAILY, 5/21).