65 NHL Games on HDNet During 2003-04 Season

[Gregg Lengling]

HDNet and the National Hockey League announced yesterday that HDNet will broadcast 65 NHL games in HDTV during the 2003-2004 hockey season. Fans with HDTV systems will find games on many digital cable and both major satellite TV systems on Tuesday and Friday nights.

Under the multi-year partnership, NHL games will be telecast on HDNet networks on DIRECTV, DISH Network, Charter Communications, Insight Communications, cable companies affiliated with the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC), and other distributors that affiliate with HDNet in the future.

All NHL on HDNet broadcasts will be original HDNet productions, using HDNet's HD mobile production units and with HDNet announcers and graphics. Historically, HDTV broadcasts of many professional sporting events often borrow non-HDTV commercials, play-by-play and color commentary from the standard NTSC broadcast with choppy results at best. HDNet will be taking on the responsibility of creating entire NHL presentations for the HDTV audience. Hopefully for serious hockey fans this means fewer chances to have to endure inane blabbering and inaccurate predications from ESPN's perpetual bad hair day, Barry Melrose.

Years ago, Fox caused quite a controversy when they innovated the "glow puck" to help new fans to the sport follow the fast-paced NHL game on NTSC TV broadcasts. Mark Cuban's HDNet will not need a glowing puck because HDTV has many technical advantages that help make hockey a more entertaining sport on TV. The first advantages is the 16x9 aspect ratio on HDTV is more rectangular (like a movie screen at your local Cineplex) versus your TV at home which is closer to square in shape. The more rectangular shape allows viewers to follow the development of the play more easily. Another significant advantage to watching hockey in HDTV is the dramatically increased resolution, brightness and contrast on HDTV versus the traditional NTSC broadcasts that many of us are used to. The puck moves more clearly in HDTV even for non-hardcore hockey fans. The brightness of the white ice looks more stunning versus the incredible details and vibrant colors that can be seen on the players and the boards that enclose the playing surface.