The GLOBE & MAIL's David Shoalts writes the impact of CBC’s decision to "allow for-profit Rogers Communications to broadcast NHL games for free on the public network could hit CBC’s bottom line hard over the next two and a half months thanks to the Stanley Cup playoffs." Rogers under the terms of the deal "collects all of the advertising revenue from games shown on CBC." That means CBC is "about to go for weeks without any significant prime-time ad revenue." There will be playoff games on CBC "almost every night through the first three playoff rounds because Rogers is carrying every series" (GLOBE & MAIL, 4/14).
IN THE ZONE: In California, Michael Lev notes ESPN debuted its "every-pitch K-Zone Live graphic" this season, and people have complained that it is "distracting. Unnecessary. Un-American even." But Lev is "in the other camp," as the K-Zone graphic "provides valuable information in real time." ESPN Senior Coordinating Producer for MLB Phil Orlins said, "Change is never easy. People take comfort in the way things have always been. But clearly -- and I’ve said this many times -- we view it as a very useful enhancement." Lev writes K-Zone Live "definitely has a video-game quality to it, and that’s not a bad thing." Broadcast nets "constantly are looking for ways to appeal to younger viewers" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 4/14).
SECOND-ROUND KNOCKDOWN? NBC said that its second "Premier Boxing Champions" card Saturday night, which featured Danny Garcia's majority-decision win against Lamont Peterson and the draw between Andy Lee and Peter Quillin, "averaged 2.9 million viewers." ESPN.com's Dan Rafael noted the figure is "down from the March 7 debut of the PBC on NBC, a time-buy series, which averaged 3.4 million viewers for Keith Thurman’s win against Robert Guerrero and Adrien Broner’s win over John Molina." But there "was also a lot more sports competition this past Saturday than there was on March 7" (ESPN.com, 4/13).
