Komets President Michael Franke said moments ago the Komets will be part of the United Hockey League's presentation on the B2 web networks, but with a catch. Fort Wayne home games will be tape-delayed 90 minutes. This allows the Komets to comply with the league's desire to be able to archive all games but also considers' the Komets' concern that it may hurt attendance, and the Memorial Coliseum's concern over broadcasting fees. Franke said there's no chance the games will eventually be shown life.
``That's as far as it's going to go,'' Franke said. "I talked to (Memorial Coliseum General Manager Randy Brown) about it several times this summer, and he understands the league's point of view on it, and the league understands our point of view on it. We came to some happy medium.''
This will allow officials and coaches to pull down the game to be able to review plays if they'd like.
Comments
Dont let this fool you. It doesnt have anything to do with the league's ability to pull down copies of game tapes. The games were recorded well before B2 came to town.
This has everything to do with greed for the $.
How's that?
It hurts me as a season ticket holder who can only go to 10 games because of distance but I understand the fact that they only get a small amount of the $$ from B2 and if even 500 fans a game decided to stay home with the kids and watch the game online instead of going to the game it would make a huge impact on the bottom line by the end of the year.
edit above thought. Instead of 500 fans even take it down to 100 single fans per game or 50 families of 3. How would that loss change the bottom line. Of course it is about money as it should be. At this level that kind of loss is huge.
So here is the question. If the games were live, would people considering go to games choose to not go and watch it at home or would a fan not playing on going to the game anyway pay to watch it online instead of listening to WOWO. And does WOWO factor into this at all not wanting to lose ratings and maybe the Komets not wanting to upset their long time affiliate?
Not as much as you would think because WOWO would be supplying the audio. Now on the ads, I have no idea.
Edit above should read "a fan not PLANNING on going to a game..."
Why don't the Frankes do what they love to do more than anything and sell ads during the B2 broadcast? Then they can make a profit off of it. They can put a camera where public access puts their camera to improve the image and easily display ads during stoppages in play and in between periods.
Tony, did I read that right that you have season tickets but only come to 10 games? Can I look your way for ticket trade in day?????
Well that sounds like a decent compromise, but I still don't buy in to the fact that that many fans would actually gather around a computer (perhaps a whole family) to watch a not so great video feed with high cameras angles vs going to the game itself that it would have a affect on attendance.
Anyword on camera location? I don't understand why they can't use the TV wells that already exist between at the bottom of the upper deck.
Hoss, check your email. I would love to help you but we have plans for the extra tickets. I would rather not say publicly.
Got it, very cool of you!
And for those of us not out of the dark ages that still have dial up at home. B2 just doesn't work. So going to the game is the best option. IMO, the Frankes are makeing a mountain out of a mole hill.
I agree Greg. Everyone here will agree that there is nothing better than watching the games in person at the coliseum. Do you think the Frankes would take the same stance with B2 if it was lets say $20 a game to buy it? $30? Probably not. The bottom line is they are part of a league, and the league voted last season to adopt this. Every team in the entire league complied but the Komets. I think the big problems the Frankes have is that this isn't a huge money maker. I personally think the B2 is a great thing to use for out of town fans and for those that can't make it to a game. I can see it now.... we have B2 (even on a tape delay)... and for the home season opener, only 3,000 fans show up because the other 7,000 opt to stay at home to watch it. That is ridiculous and so is what they are saying about it hurting their business. Let's all keep an eye on attendance this year, and see if it changes...
No, but Tony had a good point. If 100 fans per game stay away, that's 3,700 fans per season and at $10 per ticket, that's a significant amount of money, and maybe too much money to risk at AA level. That might be the increase in their fuel bill this year. It's always a struggle to survive at AA level, which is why the Komets have had only one set of owners who have ever survived financially in their 55 years. Think about it, the original owners lost money, the Ullyot-Lister group lost money, Britt, Welker -- everyone lost money but the Frankes, and even they lost money by the end in the IHL days.
I guess I don't blame them for trying to protect their investment whatever way they feel the need to. It's always a fine line between success and failure financially in minor league sports -- as the UHL found out this summer.
I can see where 100 "fringe" fans a game may choose to stay home and watch online instead of go to the game. Especially those weeknight games. If I am correct, yes that is a large chunk of change at the end of the year. Especially at this level of hockey where every dollar counts.
All that being said, I also think there are a large number of people of people who would shell out the cash to watch the game who would not have gone to the game anyway. So maybe they cancel out depending on how much money the Komets get from B2.
I am sure this is not being done to screw the fans. Besides..if all of us are at the game, we don't need b2 anyway!
LOL Blake we have got to stop posting at the same time!
I can see their side of it.
But as a fan of any of the other UHL teams I would be mad that I couldn't watch my team play on the road live. On that same note...it would bother me if other teams did the same thing that the Komets are doing.
I have watched 2 or 3 games this past season and B2 is "okay" at best. The camera locations are not always the best and its still a little "grainy".
They can block local IP addresses from viewing the game, just like they do for local TV blackouts. So using the "less fans will come to the game" excuse is not really valid.
how about the fans who work an off shift and want to see the games? it is all about money. the komets are by far the biggest draw in the uhl and it is not like they have a huge payroll. if they broadcast the games it may bring more fans into the coliseum. look at the other major pro sports. the nba took off when they stopped broadcasting it on tape delay and brought it into prime time. it is all about marketing. if more people are seeing the games then they can charge more for ad space around the arena. how about putting it on tv and then you would have commericals too just a thought.