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HD offerings gluing Americans to their couches
You won't color us impressed on these statistics, but it's finally becoming a bit more apparent that HD offerings are making more and more Americans park it on the couch for longer periods time. While we've given you plenty of reasons (that you probably didn't need) to gander at HDTV, recent numbers are showing that folks are watching HD broadcasts at times for no other reason than the fact that it's in HD. In a recent survey conducted on ESPN's behalf, a whopping "22 percent" of sports fans said they watched events now that they would've never even glanced at if it weren't in HD, while another 22 percent said that HD converted them into sports fans altogether. Although ESPN has been a frontrunner in the push for total HD programming, their offerings are apprently transforming folks who were previously indifferent about March Madness and Rivalry Week into dedicated viewers of all sorts of HD content, and we couldn't possibly agree more. Moreover, an astoundind one-third of all reposndents said that having the program in HD influenced their decision to watch or pass, so maybe there is something magical going on in that 720p / 1080i hubbub, after all.
Deal of the Day: NHL 07 $20 at Target
Now that the NHL season has begun, what do hockey fans do when not watching their favorite sport? No, not drive a Zamboni up and down the street. How about playing some video game hockey? If that tickles your fancy, then I'm happy to inform you Target is selling NHL 07 for only $20 right now through Amazon.com.If you're hesitant to take the plunge, then allow me to let IGN give you some friendly peer pressure. They liked the game, saying "... EA was able to cram in pretty much all the content from the PS2 version of the game, including a solid dynasty mode and online play."So there you have it, a game that truly shows that the PSP is really the Playstation Portable. So get off that Zamboni and play some video hockey![Via Cheapassgamer - Registration required]
RIM exec picks up hockey club
What's a surefire sign that your company has survived scandal, moving on to become one of the predominant players in wireless communications, enterprise messaging, and hot phones with trackballs? Your CEO buys a sports franchise, that's what. In what can only be described as a proudly Canadian thing to do, Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM CEO Jim Balsillie recently scooped up the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins for a cool $175 million from previous owner Mario Lemieux and pals. Though Balsillie and the NHL sound committed to keeping the team in Pittsburgh, it seems fitting that Hamilton, Ontario -- not too far from RIM's Waterloo -- is in search of an NHL franchise itself. We'll try not to get too wrapped up in the conspiracy theories, though; Balsillie's folks back at the RIM camp make enough on-topic news without us branching into the wide world of sports.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HDTV Listings for October 4, 2006
What we're watching: Lost. The big one is back, one of the most popular HD shows of the last two seasons makes it's season debut tonight. TV Squad will be live blogging the episode if the recap episode and music video weren't enough for you. After Lost is the series premiere of The Nine. Something odd happened during a bank robbery turned hostage situation and if the show is anything like Lost, we suspect they'll spend a whole season not telling us what it was. Also returning tonight is hockey, with Sabres at Hurricanes on INHD. Finally, no matter what your program guide says, America's Next Top Model is not in HD.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Where is HDNet on Comcast?
Mark Cuban's high-def network, HDNet, cannot be found on Comcast and with hockey season right around the corner, many fans want the network not because of the Hogan's Hero's reruns but the 52 high-def hockey games they are going to broadcast this year. Comcast owns the NHL high-def broadcast rights and you would think that they would want to provide their subscribers with the most possible high-def NHL content but it all boils down to one thing: money. Comcast is blaming subscribers by stating that they don't want to watch HDNet and plus, the station is very expensive. We highly doubt that Comcast subscribers would not want to watch the station as the vast majority of HDTV owners would agree that there is a dearth of programming on their current high-def stations and we will take anything we can get. Hogan's Hero's, hockey, anything HDNet can add to the good of the HD cause would be greatly appreciated. Mr. HDNet himself, Mark Cuban, was contacted and he said that they are trying to get a deal on the table but it's going to take the subscribers saying they want the NHL in HD via HDNet. Can you hear that in the distance? That's the grassroots stating to organize into a movement.
Hockey showdown brings back the memories
The current hockey demo showdown (NHL 07 vs NHL 2K7) on XBLM is bringing back fond memories of EA vs. 2K rivalries of yore. For many grid iron gamers, that old football favorite, ESPN NFL 2K5 for Xbox, still compares favorably with the latest Madden in several respects, especially presentation (Half-time highlights with Chris Berman!). Would Madden 07 really be a better game if EA didn't have a monopoly over the NFL license? How do you think the NFL 2K series would have developed given the chance?
NHL 07 ready to shoot it out with 2K?
After spending last season stuck in the penalty box, EA makes its Xbox 360 ice hockey debut with a 541mb NHL 07 demo showcasing the upcoming game's shoot-out mode. Featuring highly detailed player models, new controls, and an honest-to-God dynasty mode, this could be the first next-gen EA Sports title that doesn't feel like it's short a Hanson Brother or two. In fact, I have heard buzzing from hockey fans with mullets far longer than my own, that this could be the year EA steals the puck back from the 2K series. Based on your limited experience with the demo, will NHL 07 bring a toothless smile to your facemask?
EA names NHL 2007 cover athlete
I was so busy not watching the World Cup, I forgot about the other sport Americans don't care about, NHL Hockey. Fortunately, the few who did tune in to watch Carolina win the Stanley Cup are a dedicated bunch, who demand the best from their hockey video games. They're fanatical enough to be excited that lamp-lighting rookie phenom Alexander Ovechkin is the new cover boy for NHL 2007. With hockey TV ratings melting and 2K Sports hampered by their fondness for post-ship-date product testing, the pressure is on EA to do right by the brutal ice ballet. But given the recent history of spartan port..er..sport titles on the 360, it's going to take alot more than just a hard-to-pronounce pretty face to make cautious fans pass the puck.Incidentally, Tracy McGrady is McGracing the cover of NBA 2007. The same comments apply.
NHL highlights in the iTunes Music Store
Way back in January I blogged that the NHL was close to making a deal with Apple, and it would seem the deal has been done. As of yesterday you can buy (for $1.99 each) 20 minute highlight clips of both the Eastern and Western conference Stanley Cup final games. I can only assume that the Stanley Cup games will be available as well.
Hockey widgets
If you like hockey and widgets have I got the site for you! HockeyWidgets.com, as you might suspect, specializes in a number of hockey themed widgets (though they all do the same thing). At the moment there are about 110 widgets available from a number of teams. Each widget is the jersey of the team of your choice, and it displays the current date. The clever part is that the corresponding player's name is shown on the jersey.Show your team some love on your Dashboard.
Olympic Hockey HDTV schedule announced
Hope you like your Olympic hockey in high-def because NBC recently announced the television coverage; there's more minutes of high-def hockey than Sean Avery's penalty minutes (but Sean is getting closer with 168). Right off the bat, every single Team USA game will be carried live on either NBC, USA or MSNBC. The NBC games will be high-def of course, but what about USA and MSNBC? Those games will have a live high-def simulcast on Universal HD, so that you get the full 1080i feel for the ice. The first puck drops with the USA Women's team on February 11, 2006 at 2:30 p.m. ET against Switzerland.
NHL close to iTunes deal
Attention hockey fans, Kukla's Korner is reporting that Doug Perlman, exec vp of Media for the NHL, says that, 'it would be fair to say we are close,' when asked about a deal with Apple to distribute hockey games via the iTunes Music store.Perhaps Steve will tell us exactly how close later today.[via Teal Sunglasses]
