The Bear Essentials: Bruins Win Big With National TV Schedule
BOSTON (CBS) - The Boston Bruins win again! This time it's not another trophy but something that may prove to be just as valuable, national exposure.
With NBC acquiring the broadcasting rights to the NHL, the network has been hard at work trying to come up with a preliminary schedule for the upcoming season.
And guess who wins big? That's right, your defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins.
With a total of 14 nationally televised regular season games, three more than last year, the Bruins will be growing their brand on a national level. This includes matchups with the Flyers, Canadiens, Lightning and Red Wings.
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Now let's not get carried away, we're not talking "Red Sox Nation" here. Don't worry, there won't be any pink Bruins jerseys in California. We're just saying that the television exposure can only help the team, not hurt it.
And this year will be different. With NBC recently inking its 10-billion dollar deal with the NHL, there's reason to believe they will be putting more effort into the product. And more effort means better quality. Better quality means more viewers. At least they hope so.
Other teams that made out well in the deal include the New York Rangers with 16 games and the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit with 14 games each. The losers include the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators who were given a total of zero national games this season. The Vancouver Canucks only have two national TV appearances.
Needless to say, people from Canada are not happy.
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Although our neighbors to the north may not appreciate the NBC/Versus schedule, we should be rejoicing. The Bruins are Stanley Cup Champions and can now defend their title on a national level.
