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Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:59 pm EDT

Why NHL arenas were dark on two Sundays in October

By Greg Wyshynski

We're received a few messages and seen a few comments from readers regarding the NHL's decision not to schedule any games yesterday (Oct. 18) -- the second Sunday in October in which there hasn't been a single game played (the first being Oct. 4).

What gives? According to Steve Hatze Petros, Senior VP for Scheduling and Broadcasting at the NHL, "It's all about available dates."

Each franchise gives him a list of arena home dates well before the season. Factoring in the demands of the League's broadcast partners, special event games and "wrinkles" like massive 15-game Saturday dockets, the NHL develops a schedule; and, for whatever reason, these Sundays were left in the dark.

Considering these are NFL Sundays -- and in the case of Oct. 18, an MLB League Championship Series weekend -- there's a natural suspicion that the NHL didn't want to put early-season hockey against that level of sports entertainment competition. We asked John Dellapina, NHL Director of Media Relations, whether baseball or football played a role:

"There was no League decision to avoid the NFL Sundays or MLB playoffs on these two days -- that really doesn't make sense given the difference in markets from country to country and city to city. But we don't know whether any individual clubs felt that Oct. 4 and Oct. 18 were dates to avoid."

If case you're wondering what he's getting at, consider that the New York Rangers (1), New York Islanders (0) and New Jersey Devils (0) play a combined one game on Sundays in October; Jets, Giants and Yankees fans thank them for it.

The Pittsburgh Penguins don't play on a Sunday until Dec. 27 at 7 p.m.; hours after the Steelers face the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field. The Chicago Blackhawks, who have four Sunday home games on the schedule through December, also schedule their games for 7 p.m. faceoffs, presumably to avoid Da Bears.

So while the NHL doesn't schedule around the NFL, its U.S.-based teams clearly do -- even if the Detroit Red Wings don't play at home on a Sunday until Jan. 2010. Must be some sort of neighborly sports charity going on there ...

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25 Comments

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  1. 5 4 fighting
    1. Posted by 5 4 fighting Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

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    1) just being a good neighbor
    2) having Buttman as a boss tends to keep you in last place in the media ratings
  2. Svipal
    2. Posted by Svipal Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    Anything anyone from the PR department at the NHL says, is [profane].
  3. mgdrobert
    3. Posted by mgdrobert Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    Must be because of the Olympic schedule.... lol
  4. mgdrobert
    4. Posted by mgdrobert Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    Must be because of the Olympic schedule.... lol
  5. Louie
    5. Posted by Louie Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:34 pm EDT

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    Explain this:
    The Leafs have a week long break in an olympic year.
  6. redemption_value
    6. Posted by redemption_value Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:39 pm EDT

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    Some day the stupid people in this world will die out and hockey will be the only sport.
  7. gRant
    7. Posted by gRant Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

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    I dont think this is a bad thing, I follow the Giants as close as I follow the Rangers, I'm happy not to have to choose one team over another on Sundays.....probably one of the few good things the NHL does....hockey ratings are low enough as it is....why make them lower by going up against football and MLB playoffs?
    I guess its not a surprise then that NBC doesnt even air hockey until January when football is pretty much dunzo in most of the country
  8. Brad_Lee
    8. Posted by Brad_Lee Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

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    The St. Louis Blues have for multiple seasons had long off stretches in October, baseball's postseason. In 2006 when the Cardinals surprisingly won the World Series, the Blues played during the first WS game...and then didn't play for an entire week. Oddly enough that first game back was hosting the Red Wings 24 hours after the Cardinals beat the Tigers. Awesome timing.
  9. Bubbabanjo
    9. Posted by Bubbabanjo Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    Its cause its a leap month...or sumthin.
    Nobody watch hockey please!! That way it doesnt turn into B-ball or the endzone dance-a-thon.
    That would stink!!
  10. habs1rule
    10. Posted by habs1rule Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:00 pm EDT

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    I noticed my Habs hadnt lost on Sundays. Now I see why!!
  11. Cornholio
    11. Posted by Cornholio Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:30 pm EDT

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    I was peeved, I currently have a free month of NHL Center Ice! Sunday on the sofa and no hockey? For shame, NHL, for shame. I was forced to have the pitiful Washington Redskins game on in the background. These are the lengths I went to to get my sporting fix...
  12. G. G
    12. Posted by G. G Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:44 pm EDT

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    this guy is clueless........ the flyer played 4 games in 5 nights then 1 game in 2 weeks?and now another 3 games in 4 nights. I'll tell you This league will give anyone a job..We are surrounded by stupid people watch out they are everywhere!!!!!!!!!
  13. campbellmcdonald32
    13. Posted by campbellmcdonald32 Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:01 pm EDT

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    Come on. What competes with NHL teams at their arenas in most cities? Gangsta ball hasn't even started yet in the cities that have teams.
    This is the NHL knowing it's the 14th major sport and not wanting to bleed more fans to more entertaining endeavours.
  14. NightenDay
    14. Posted by NightenDay Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:03 pm EDT

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    @6- Amen. Now, if we could just figure out how to hurry that along!
  15. Nelson
    15. Posted by Nelson Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:13 pm EDT

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    Great marketing strategy Buttman!
  16. Hank L
    16. Posted by Hank L Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:46 pm EDT

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    Great bar trivia - what day of the week have the Isles NOT lost a game on???
  17. NYR34
    17. Posted by NYR34 Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:47 pm EDT

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    What scares me is how Ditka doesn't look all too out of place in that photo, in wearing a hockey jersey. Could you imagine?
  18. Ross
    18. Posted by Ross Mon Oct 19, 2009 7:18 pm EDT

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    The Penguins not scheduling against the Steelers certainly isn't charity, it's common sense. As popular as the Pens have become, they can't touch the Steelers in popularity. Last year they moved one of their games because it ended up conflicting with a Steelers playoff game. I love both teams, so I'm glad there are minimal conflicts.
  19. Marc M
    19. Posted by Marc M Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:06 pm EDT

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    Because Gary Bettman is a Douche!
  20. RedWingFan
    20. Posted by RedWingFan Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:38 pm EDT

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    If the Red Wings and Lions both played at home on the same Sunday . . there would be more people on the sidelines at Ford Field than in the stands . . .
  21. Strypes
    21. Posted by Strypes Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:40 am EDT

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    @5
    But who would the leafies play??? Would they seetle for getting their asses kicked vs OHL Teams???
  22. Eric H
    22. Posted by Eric H Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:02 am EDT

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    The schedule makers in NHL are morons and have obviously never played competitive sports. Why weren't there more games scheduled at this time of the season, rather than bunching up everything later to get all the games in? Looking @ my teams schedule, they have 16 games in 27 days coming out of the Olympic Break in March, but yet are in a current stretch now of playing only 1 game in 12 days. How about in these Olympic years we cut a few games off the regular season? In some of the US NHL cities, they wouldn't miss it anyway. Better hope your team has a solid farm team, or isn't sending many to the Olympics. Guys are gonna get hurt, and the playoffs will be a sham - just like the last Olympic year. Sets up well for, say, the Coyotes. Won't lose many to the Olympics and it can be the NHL's little Cinderella Story of the team that almost had no home and somehow fought through it all. Think it's crazy? This is Bettman's league we're talking about. Seem to remember the Pens were in about the same situation not too long ago.
  23. Mat
    23. Posted by Mat Tue Oct 20, 2009 10:57 am EDT

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    If teams are avoiding baseball's postseason games in their market, then why don't the Blackhawks start games in September?
  24. Hugo
    24. Posted by Hugo Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:08 pm EDT

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    As a Red Wings fan who grew up a three hour drive north of Detroit, I'm actually surprised the Wings have ANY Sunday games. For as long as I can remember, the Red Wings have few to no weekend home games on their schedule at all, which is why I didn't make it to my first game at the Joe until last year, at age 31, after flying in from Boston.

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