Lightning puts 4 more games on TV

From the team, which now has 69 games on the tube:

The Lightning and WTOG Channel 44 (CW 44) in Tampa Bay are combining to bring Lightning fans four games of hockey excitement on Saturday nights during the 2008-09 season. Dubbed “High Voltage Saturday Nights,” these games (all of them on the road) will augment the team’s 65-game package brought to fans across the Lightning’s Florida television territory on Sun Sports. The first High Voltage Saturday night game will be Tampa Bay’s game at Colorado on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 9 p.m. ET.

The entire High Voltage schedule:

            Nov. 29             Tampa Bay at Colorado                         9 p.m.
            Dec. 20             Tampa Bay at Atlanta                            7 p.m.
            April 4               Tampa Bay at New York Islanders          7 p.m.
            April 11             Tampa Bay at Atlanta                            7 p.m.

“Our agreement brings four great weekend games to Lightning fans, two of which come right at the end of the season as we make our playoff push,” said Oren Koules, owner and governor of the Lightning. “We appreciate the partnership WTOG-TV Channel 44 is offering us to not only bring ‘High Voltage Saturday Nights’ to our fans but also to help better promote the Lightning in the Tampa Bay market to a key demographic for us.”

In addition to the four-game broadcast schedule on CW44, the station is creating twice-monthly on-air “watch and wins,” as well as a link on its website for High Voltage Saturday Nights. It is also offering pre-promotion for each of the games to be aired on WTOG and purchasing radio spots to promote game broadcasts. CW44’s Gossip Girl, Courtney, will also get involved by talking to Lightning fans for the station’s website.

“WTOG-TV Channel 44 has a long history of providing quality sports entertainment to its viewers that dates back to the inception of the station,” said Laura Caruso, station manager at WTOG. “We understand the important role sports play in our viewer’s lives and we have an obligation to provide those viewers with programming that brings them closer to our local sports teams so this was a natural fit. Both the Lightning and WTOG are dedicated to providing the Tampa Bay area with quality sports entertainment so we are very excited about this partnership.”

Comments

[Oscar]

High Voltage....I have to laugh.

It often pains me to see our Lightning waft around the ice like....well shucks I won't say girls because Chic could take the puck away from me....but you get the idea.

Vincent Lecavalier: you Sir, are starting to remind me of a waste of space who wore #10 many moons ago. Adam Creighton did nothing on the ice, shift after shift and could've been a Captain of a very sorry mob.
Time to rewrite your story, Vince. Hit people, and hit them often.
Get that mindset and it won't hurt if they hit you.
(That CAN'T be the first time you've heard that!)

Lightning? Heck, I don't even see any clouds, most nights. Why should other clubs worry if we consistently mail it in?
Get tough to play against. Become Motrin Monsters and hit everything that moves! HARD!!

Every shift. Every game. Win.

Go Bolts!

[Ruthe]

Playoff push? To quote Jim Mora, "Playoffs? Don't talk to me about Playoffs, I just hope we can win a game." Mr. Koules is smoking something!

[madgal]

Brighthouse blacks out the Panther games as well...maybe an nhl rule?

[Don]

I am very disappointed in the TV coverage this season. A few times I would look for the game on TV and there would be no coverage, for away games?!?!
I guess this is a step in improving the coverage but I'm slowly losing interest in this team, it's sad, I've been a fan since the early '90s. New ownership, many new players, and poor TV coverage are not a good combination for attaining new fans and retaining old fans.
And before anyone says "Go to the games", not all of us are in a position to buy tickets no matter how cheap some may be.
While I'm on a rant why is Verizon blacking out the stinkin' Panther games on FSN?

[geo]

all 82 should be on tv

[Josh]

CW44? Will that work for CW18? Because Sun sports has turned into a cheap-a** football zone.

And even if Sun doesn't televise it, you'd think that the other team would. *Sigh*

[Boltflasher]

Hey, the Bolts aren't responsible for the schedule, but they're all road games which should have been televised anyway...

[Marv]

While we would like to have all of the games on TV, thanks for the addition of these games.
Marv

[McGz]

For those of us out of state extra games available on center ice are better than nothing even if it's against bottom feeding teams.

[Bobo]

The Isles and Atlanta during the last week of the season? The implications for the #1 overall pick could be staggering.

[Steve from New Jersey]

65 games is weak. They show every ranger/devil/islander game up here, home or away. How can you not televise every game? I don't understand it

[HockeyBay.com]

BAN Sun Sports! Sad Sorry NHL support! Blackouts and other laime sports biased station! ( Fishing is more important )

[NCF Bolts Fan]

That's great for the Bay area,but what about the rest of the fans around the state? As usual we are forgotten.

GO BOLTS!!!!!!!!!!!