As the Blackhawks skate into the second round of the National Hockey League`s Stanley Cup playoffs, it`s as good a time as any to take a look at the team`s-and the league`s-television plans.
First, the team.
The Blackhawks remain the only major Chicago sports team that doesn`t televise postseason home games unless they are sold out 72 hours in advance. It`s a league rule, they say.
The Wirtz family always has had a backward relationship with the electronic media. As late as the 1960s, when teams such as the Cubs and White Sox were putting their home games on free TV, the Hawks would only allow radio broadcasts of the last period of games.
While the blackout rule is nettlesome, it apparently doesn`t bother many fans, according to Jim Corno, general manager of SportsChannel Chicago.
”We`ve had a few calls,” Corno said after the Hawks routed the Detroit Red Wings last week. ”But not as many as past years. Most fans are used to it. We`re hoping to get some home games in this next round.”
Second, the league.
When SportsChannel America plunked down $51 million for three years for the national TV rights to NHL games last June, the fledgling cable outfit predicted 10 million viewers by the start of the 1988-89 season. That simply hasn`t happened. At most, 8 million households have access to the Stanley Cup games.
More Top Picks Best Tortilla Presses For Homemade Tortillas
Even in the Chicago area, SportsChannel worked with various cable operators to carry NHL games live other than the Hawks this week because the station already was overloaded with Bulls and White Sox games.
”Monday night was one of the eight (White Sox) games we added to our schedule when we saw it wasn`t going to be televised,” said Corno. ”We told the Sox, `We`ll do them, but on tape delay.` ”
Which, with the Blackhawks reaching the second round of playoffs for the first time in four years, means the Sox will be playing second fiddle at SportsChannel for a few weeks.
”Our people in the office are going crazy,” Corno said. ”There are so many factors to figure in. We`re on the phone every morning with
(SportsChannel headquarters in) New York.”
On Tuesday night, for example, SportsChannel will telecast the Hawks-St. Louis Blues game, followed by the conclusion of the Los Angeles Kings-Calgary Flames contest. All of which could push California Angels rookie Jim Abbott`s debut against the White Sox well past ”Sermonette” time.
”It`s an embarrassment,” said a reporter for another TV station, ”but an embarrassment of riches.”
To those who watch the games, according to Corno and Marc Lustgarten, president of SportsChannel`s parent company, Rainbow Enterprises, the telecasts themselves are first-rate.
”The response has been very positive about our coverage,” Corno said. ”We`re doing a better job than anybody has ever done,” said Lustgarten. ”We`ve begun to find a way to televise hockey that`s never been done before. Where it has been distributed, it`s been getting raves. The next thing is to get it in more homes.”
Which leads back to the crux of the matter. Did the NHL take an unnecessary penalty when it switched to SportsChannel America from ESPN? If it wanted to become an American national sport, yes. If it wanted to present more of its product to NHL cities, no.
Now will NBC, a partner of SportsChannel America, take over hockey coverage to fill those spring Saturday afternoons without baseball next year? Not according to Lustgarten.
”What (NBC is) getting is the All-Star Game,” Lustgarten said. ”An exhibition. All the rest will stay on SportsChannel America. We should have the problem that the NHL is so popular that NBC wants it.”
– Great shots from a great weekend: ABC`s Racecam shot of Al Unser Jr. colliding with leader Mario Andretti near the end of the Long Beach Grand Prix Sunday on WLS-TV (Channel 7). . . . Cubs pitcher Scott Sanderson whacking himself on the helmet after failing to sacrifice Friday night on WGN-TV
(Channel 9). . . . An angry New York Mets pitcher Dwight Goodeeritage Classic Sunday on WBBM-TV (Channel 2).
– Best production: The Mets-Cardinals game Saturday on NBC. The excellent camera work caught everything from Gooden`s temper tantrum to the footwork of St. Louis shortstop Ozzie Smith. Play-by-play man Bob Costas offered his usual gems (”If you don`t have the tool box, you can`t build a house. . . . When Darryl Strawberry moves, the spotlight moves with him.”). And analyst Tony Kubek contributed his insight in a low-key manner (”When you`ve got Ozzie Smith on your team, you elevate the defense of everybody else. . . . There may be better teams than the Cardinals, but there aren`t any more exciting.”).
Which brings up Bobby Murcer`s network debut on Saturday`s game at Comiskey Park. The former8 Most embarrassing production: Raycom`s ”10th Annual Emmy Awards for Sports” Saturday on WLS-TV. Bad writing and awkward moments made for uncomfortable hosting by Tim McCarver, Brent Musburger and Dick Enberg.
– Best interview: Andretti, after being bumped out of the Long Beach race by Unser, telling ABC`s Brian Howard: ”If that`s the way they want to race, it`s pretty sorry.”
– Best analysis: CBS` Hubie Brown, explaining the Bulls` woes: ”Their game plan was excellent, but (there`s) no execution.”
– Top Rank Boxing celebrates its 10th season on ESPN at 8 p.m. Tuesday with a 12-round World Boxing Organization middleweight title bout between Robbie Simms and Doug DeWitt.
– WTBS will televise the Cleveland-Atlanta NBA game Friday, replacing the previously scheduled Utah-Dallas contest.