Game 1 of Cup final might not be seen in Tampa Bay

As of right now, local hockey fans will not be able to watch Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final Saturday night.

The game between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins is being shown nationally at 8 p.m. on NBC, but Ch. 8, the local NBC affiliate, will not carry the game because of its 26th annual All Children’s Hospital Telethon, which runs from 8:30 Saturday night until 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

The only hope left is the NHL farms out the rights to NBC’s broadcast to another local station, but as of now, no deals have been struck and it's not known if the NHL is negotiating with another station.

This happened last season, too, when Game 3 of the Cup final was pre-empted because of the telethon. Bright House Networks showed the game on what was then called Catch 47 (now Bright House Sports Network), but non-Bright House subscribers did not see the game.

NBC’s coverage of the French Open on Sunday also will not be seen because of the telethon. This story could change in the coming hours, so stay tuned.

Comments

[politically incorrect]

Great! But they never pre-empt Redneck Auto Racing,do they? Looks like I am going to a sports bar to watch the only good sport on tv.

[mike in tampa]

God....it is so sad to see how far the NHL has sunk. Hockey is the best sport in the world. If I cant watch the game, I am going to freak out.

[Timjk54]

Speaking as a HUGE hockey fan . It is ONE game . that's why they play at least 4 with a chance to play 7 .. The All Childrens Tele-thon happens once a year .
You people make it sound like seeing the first game is life or death . The money raised for All Children's will honestly BE life or death for someone's child .. Get over it !!

[R.M.]

Unbelievable that in an NHL city that a game in the Finals would be pre-empted. The NHL wonders why ratings are bad and interest waivers and goes to other sports. Do you think the NBA would EVER let a local affiliate not show a game of the NBA finals,no way!

[Timmy]

Timjk54:

I don't think any of us think the All Children's telethon is a bad thing, all we are asking is for it to be shown on an alternate station so we can watch the sport we love.

[A-Viewer]

The telethon comes up every year, and though a noble cause, it's always been disappointing that WFLA couldn't find a way to do their job as NBC affiliate, and support the telethon.

However, this year is a bit different. WFLA is willing to broadcast the sports programming on their HD subchannel - 8.2 as they did last year. This year we've all gotten the word on digital TV. The Government even paid for our DTV boxes. Sports over digital is awesome - even with standard definition TV (just read

http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/how-to-get-the-best-standard-def-tv/

to see what I mean).

NBC claims they didn't know that WFLA used the subchannel last year and has turned this into a Network vs. Affiliate pissing contest. At this time, NBC refuses to let WFLA broadcast on the sub-channel. Not much we, the actual customers can do. Maybe just smile as our kids use the Internet to get network programming commercial free.....

[Der_Buzz]

Timjk54: You are clearly not a HUGE hockey fan. Maybe on Sunday night NBC can replay the preakness instead of Game 2.

[Luigi Peckinpaugh]

And you want me to believe Tampa is not a second rate sports town?

[HAL]

Well thats great but, I do have digital TV and a box, but, I don't have HD, so how to I tune it to channel "8.2"??

[politically incorrect]

If you have Verizon, then it is channel 460. I don't know what channel 8.2 is on Brighthouse.
It makes no difference either way as NBC is not allowing the game to be aired strictly on the HD station. And, yes, missing game one is huge! It is the FINALS, not preseason or just another game. This is the reason why hockey fans watch hockey- the FINALS!- and also the fights :-)

[Wing Fan]

All games of the finals are important, as is the telethon, but c'mon it's the Stanley Cup! I'm hoping they resolve something before game time tomorrow, otherwise I will be freaking out. Go Wings!

[Tim in Albany, NY]

We have a similar situation in Albany, NY this weekend. The local FOX affiliate, WXXA, is running a children's telethon which conflicts with a NASCAR race. However, FOX is allowing WXXA to move the race to their .2 channel and Time Warner will carry it on channel 3 (even though 23.2 is already available on channel 423).

[A-Viewer]

Wow Tim, thanks for that info. I guess FOX is a much more customer friendly network than NBC.

[soisay]

Brighthouse put WFLA digital #2 up in the HD channel neighborhood, although it is not HD. NASA, Schools, County, PBS, etc are also up there, but available to all. Half the 600's are HD. Ch 607 is "8 prime", the "retro network", over the air as digital 8.2. Also, BrightHouse 630 is "THIS network", another new independent rerun network. This broadcasts as digital 32.2, WMOR over the air.

[Heather]

I say if NBC is stuck up enough to not be willing to show game one on one of there many other stations than as true hockey fans we boycot NBC and it's subsidiaries. There is NO reason that we are the ONLY area in the country that can't watch the run for the cup!!!!

[Frank]

What the hell is going on. Stanley Cup Finals Pre-empted by Telethon???? This is insane. I hate local NBC station

[Gordon]

No HD...sucks big time...my eyes hurt.

[yvonne]

FOUND IT!!! It's on Sun Sports....channel 31 if you have Brighthouse.

[eVince]

Hey Dummy, NBC affiliate knew this was likely - since it happened last year also.

They should had made arrangements ahead of time. It should have at least been available on cable - What the hell are we paying for, if not things like this.

Some Schmuck(s) should be fired over this.

[Charles Cooper]

It's a case of some network not being able to screw the last dime out of somebody's pocket so they show reruns of Poker stars, or some reality show of how Ms. Daisy can get a good night's sleep - we are all dying to know that, right?

There were three baseball games, a girls softball game, poker stars on all the sports channels last night- where was the hockey game? American T.V sucks beyond recognition, why I will probably just cut off the cable.

There is NOTHING to watch! So to all the producers - you have lost this customer. rather read a book!

[a-viewer]

To eVince, Charles Cooper, and anyone else that doesn't like being treated like a second-rate viewer. Consider exactly what happened here. NBC chose to Blackout our viewing area rather than let WFLA broadcast on their 8.2 digital subchannel. When faced with the same situation, FOX network allowed programming on their affiliates digital subchannel.

The airwaves are regulated by the FCC. Broadcasters are supposed to behave "in the public interest". Sure doesn't seem that NBC behaved in the public interest.

Consider filing a complaint with the FCC against NBC at

https://esupport.fcc.gov/sform2000/formF!input.action?form_page=2000F

Maybe if enough of the public speaks up, the FCC won't allow programming blackout when a network and its affiliate can't agree on what gets shown on 8.1 vs. 8.2.