Originally Posted by pgiaco

The NHL will never get beyond "niche" status (this from an avowed hockey nut) because the game doesn't translate to TV. There is too much going on away from the puck that takes away from the nuance of the game on TV. The league attendance is up this year in the regular season as well as playoffs, and apparently season ticket renewals are ahead of last year's pace in most markets.....even Long Island. I also happen to think Versus does a terrific job.

Originally Posted by Danzig

i prefer vs coverage to nbc. but that sport absolutely is best watched live. i will get nhl center ice come fall, so much better to watch than to listen to the radio.

Originally Posted by pgardn

infinite vertical image...

expletive laden gambler's rage...

Originally Posted by pgiaco

The Center Ice Package is awesome, but make sure you can also get the NHL Network so you can watch the Hockey Night in Canada package every Saturday night. That's hockey coverage.

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

How many times did you hear or read how going to the Preakness was not in her best interests, or made no sense, or there was no point.

Imagine if she was never bought by Jess Jackson. Mine That Bird would not of had the pace to close in on, Musket Man would have likely been the Preakness winner and the buzz surrounding this year's Preakness would be non-existent.

Handle on the card yesterday was exceptionally strong - this stuff works. Having big match-ups, big names, stars - it works.

Now I read in various locations how going to the Belmont makes no sense with Rachel Alexandra. Huh?

Kudos to Jess Jackson for putting her in a spot where she belonged. And provided she is healthy and no worse for the wear, I hope it's the Belmont next.

It's weekends like this which prove horse racing still has a place.

Originally Posted by MisterB

Handle up, Attendence down is a good thing?

Originally Posted by joeydb

Well, how many of the 35,000 drunks they were missing actually put more than $2 down on a bet?

I don't think anyone missed the "Running of the Porta Potties" this year.

The AP story speaks for itself:

To compensate for not allowing fans to bring in alcohol, Pimlico sold beer at modest prices. From 8-11 a.m., fans could get a cup for a buck. After that, it was $3.50.

"Kids my age won't pay that much," said Kendall Wadsworth, 21, who went to the race with her father. "If you could pay $1 all day, that would be different. It wouldn't cost that much to get wasted."

Good riddance.

Originally Posted by Danzig

i prefer vs coverage to nbc. but that sport absolutely is best watched live. i will get nhl center ice come fall, so much better to watch than to listen to the radio.

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

completely disagree, hockey poorly negotiated with ESPN and they finally walked away from the table and left them on a no name network. It has killed the game.

Racing should be doing everything it can to get on any platform that will shown them, TVG and HRTV should be on all mediums and the tracks would be wise to try and make that happen with the funds to do so.

Direct TV has additional channels to support HRTV, the only reason is poorly negotiated contracts with TVG.

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

How many times did you hear or read how going to the Preakness was not in her best interests, or made no sense, or there was no point.

Imagine if she was never bought by Jess Jackson. Mine That Bird would not of had the pace to close in on, Musket Man would have likely been the Preakness winner and the buzz surrounding this year's Preakness would be non-existent.

Handle on the card yesterday was exceptionally strong - this stuff works. Having big match-ups, big names, stars - it works.

Now I read in various locations how going to the Belmont makes no sense with Rachel Alexandra. Huh?

Kudos to Jess Jackson for putting her in a spot where she belonged. And provided she is healthy and no worse for the wear, I hope it's the Belmont next.

It's weekends like this which prove horse racing still has a place.

Originally Posted by MisterB

And you couldn't find 500 people at the track after the one day wonder. People talk about bringing the young into the sport?? With over 50 years in this sport, I can say it's soon disappearing in the rear view mirror.

Could care less about the pot smokers, beer bongs, and potty runners.

Originally Posted by mes5107

I, for one, would love to see a RA/MTB rematch in the Belmont if both are able to run back. Nobody's really talking about that here. That final stretch run in the Preakness was really exciting. "Can MTB get there?; Can Rachel last til the wire?; Where the heck IS the wire?" The early speed/closer dichotomy is very fun to watch.

Originally Posted by philcski

I hope not... they were closed on Sunday

Originally Posted by sumitas

This has to be the biggest rivalry since Affirmed and Alydar .

Originally Posted by philcski

I hope not... they were closed on Sunday

Originally Posted by MisterB

Really:rolleyes: