Carry On: Inspiring ESPN Outside the Lines story will leave you numb

This piece runs 21:12 and it is worth every second of your time.

It is about a former ESPN producer, Lisa Fenn, and the bonds she formed while doing a story on two incredible individuals who battled to overcome unthinkable obstacles. Here is a preview of the story.

Here is the link to the entire video, which includes a moving first-person essay from Lisa Fenn about her experience.

Fenn writes:

Perched atop Dartanyon’s back — yes, riding on his back — was teammate Leroy Sutton. He traveled around up there because he had no legs, and the school had no elevator. And because when he was 11 years young, he was hit by a train. Yes, a freight train. Though the paramedics saved his life, they could not save his entire body. His left leg was amputated below the knee, his right leg below the hip. His mother, ravaged by guilt, soon slipped into drug use and disappeared for stretches of time, leaving Leroy alone to care for his younger sister. His father spent nearly all of Leroy’s youth in jail. The “why” questions haunted Leroy, but he learned to mask their torment with a quick smile.

The one with no legs, being carried by the one who could not see. At first, I stayed because I simply could not look away.

 

Should Stanley Cup games be on NBC Sports Network? Nearly 2.5 million more viewers for Game 4 on NBC

The question needs to be asked: Should the entire Stanley Cup Final air on NBC?

The difference was striking between Games 3 and 4. On Monday, Game 3 pulled in 4.04 million viewers on NBC Sports Network. The network is in 80 million homes.

Wednesday, NBC, which is in 115 million homes, took over for Game 4. Number of viewers: 6.49 million.

That’s a 61 percent increase. Why?

Quality of games: Boston dominated Game 3, winning 2-0. Meanwhile, Game 4 was a wild affair, with the Blackhawks finally taking a 6-5 victory in overtime. The rating peaked at 8.192 million viewers during the extra session, a huge number for hockey.

So some of the increase obviously has to be attributed to the quality of games. However, Game 2 also went to overtime. The game attracted 3.94 million viewers on NBC Sports Network.

OK, it can be argued that ratings build as you get deeper into a series. Well then, what about Game 1, which pulled in 6.4 million viewers for the triple overtime? The network: NBC.

Clearly, the fact that NBC is in 35 million more homes than NBC Sports Network means that many more people will have access to the biggest hockey games of the season. And that includes the casual viewer who doesn’t have much interest in hockey but might just tune in while channel surfing. Who knows? That person might have been intrigued by the terrific end to Game 4 and decide to watch Game 5.

That’s how hockey fans are born.

As I wrote Wednesday, airing Stanley Cup Final games on NBC Sports Network is a way to drive viewers to that network.

NBC Sports Network wants to grow its subscriber base from 80 million homes to nearly 100 million homes, or comparable to the distribution for ESPN. It wants potential viewers to call their cable operators and demand that the network either be added to their systems or put on a basic tier.

NBC knows it takes missing out on Stanley Cup Final games for people to make that call.

The NHL also has a vested interest in growing NBC Sports Network. The network is the main home for hockey, airing more than 100 regular season and playoff games. More subscribers means more potential hockey viewers.

But can the NHL afford to be missing out on a potential 1.5-2.5 million viewers and possibly future fans by airing Final games on NBC Sports Network?

It is a question that should be asked within Gary Bettman’s office and then addressed with NBC.

 

 

 

 

 

Q/A: Former Sun-Times sportswriter’s book being made into movie about epic high school winning streak

Neil Hayes is living the dream of nearly every author. His book is being made into a movie.

In 2002, Hayes wrote, When the Game Stands Tall: The Story of the De La Salle Spartans and Football’s Longest Winning Streak. The high school in Concord, Calif. had an epic 151-game winning streak that stretched over 13 years.

It took almost as long for the book to be made into a movie. But after many twists, turns, and seemingly roadblocks, the film actually just completed shooting in New Orleans. The cast includes Jim Caviezel as coach Bob Ladouceur, Laura Dern as his wife, and Michael Chiklis as De La Salle’s defensive coordinator.

Thomas Carter (Coach Carter) is the director, and Scott Marshall Smith adapted the screenplay from Hayes’ book. The film is slated for release in fall, 2014.

Hayes left his job at the Chicago Sun-Times so he could be a consultant during the filming of the movie. Here’s my Q/A with him about the entire experience.

You wrote this book in 2002. Did you ever dream it would be a movie?

I never dreamed this big. I just wanted to write something that fully explained the most unique football program and coach I have ever encountered. Big publishers wouldn’t touch it. They said it was too regional of a subject so I went with a local publisher. I was convinced this story would resonate. It’s very gratifying to know my instincts were correct.

As far as the movie goes, it has taken 10 years and two different producers to get to this point. I never allowed myself to believe it would happen until it actually did.

How much input did you have on the script?

Although I didn’t write the script, I was included from the very beginning and felt my voice was heard and that I impacted the script throughout the process.

What has it been like to be in New Orleans to watch the film get made? What have you learned about making a movie?

Surreal. That’s the only way to describe watching actors such as Jim Caviezel, Laura Dern and Michael Chiklis play characters I know so well.

As far as the actual making of the movie, it’s as grueling as it is rewarding. We are working a minimum of 12 hours a day while switching back and forth from day shoots to all-nighters. You film all these short scenes, from three or four different angles, and not even in chronological order. Then it all gets pieced together in post-production. It’s an amazing creative process to watch unfold.

How much interaction have you had with the actors?

Tons. I spent a lot of time with Jim early in the process to help him understand his character. Chiklis is from Boston and is a huge Bruins fan, which has made the Stanley Cup Finals interesting. Laura’s one of the most approachable people you could meet and is a bright light whenever she walks on set. The young actors playing football players are terrific guys and terrific actors who have been a blast to be around.

Why did you decide to leave the Sun-Times?

Being on set during the making of a movie based on my book is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

Short version: What made the DeLaSalle story so special? Why has this story resonated through the years?

Here’s the quote from Bob Ladouceur that convinced me this story had to be told.

“Kids respect true humility and that you stand for something more than winning. They’ll fight for you and your program if you stand for more than that. It boils down to what you believe in as a person, and I’m talking about how life should be lived and how people should be treated. Kids see all that. It’s a whole package of things that has nothing to do with standing in front of a team with a piece of chalk. You can know who to block and what play to call, but it has no meaning unless the kids know who you are. Our kids aren’t fighting for wins. They’re fighting for a belief in what we stand for.”

 

 

Previously forbidden, Blackhawks dominating sports talk radio in Chicago

For years, the only time you would hear the Blackhawks mentioned on sports talk radio in Chicago was when their score (usually a loss) was reported during updates.

Program directors virtually forbid hosts, including my co-author Dan McNeil of WSCR-AM 670 (a huge pucks guy), to talk about the Hawks and hockey. They were ratings killers. Might as well chat about mahjong considering the low, low interest level.

Obviously, that isn’t the case anymore. In my Chicago Tribune column today, I write about the significance of the Blackhawks dominating sports talk radio in Chicago. Access the entire column via my Twitter feed.

From the column:

The hockey talk is a huge barometer in showing how the Blackhawks’ success goes beyond increased TV ratings for games. It is a sign the team has become more mainstream, keeping closer company with the Bears, Bulls, White Sox and Cubs.

“Now the conversation is going on with people who haven’t traditionally discussed hockey,” said Jim Andrews, senior vice-president for content strategy for Chicago-based IEG. “That’s what you want. It’s gravy on what you’d expect to get.”

WMVP’s Marc Silverman believes the Blackhawks bandwagon is much bigger this year than when they won the Stanley Cup in 2010, judging from the response on his afternoon show. Timing, though, might be a factor.

“It’s the perfect storm for the Hawks,” Silverman said. “The Bulls are done, and nobody wants to talk about the Cubs and Sox. We’re just trying to build a bridge between the Hawks and the beginning of Bears training camp.”

Also, another barometer is how the Blackhawks are registering is in the youth demos:

Ratings growth in the coveted youth demographics might be the most significant development in the Hawks run. Hawks ratings on CSN were up 110 percent for men ages 18-34 and 109 percent for men and women combined in that category.

Young fans have the chance to become lifetime fans.

“It’s a great sign,” Andrews said. “In many sports, the big challenge is attracting younger viewers. You don’t see positive numbers with them. They’re more into the action sports, video games. So any time you see a positive jump (in young demos), it’s a big deal.”

 

Awesome: AWSM celebrates 25 years of working to advance women in sports media

A significant landmark takes place this week in Arizona. The Association for Women in Sports Media, aka “Awesome,” will celebrate its 25th anniversary at its annual convention.

AWSM has championed advancement of women in a male dominated profession since 1988. It also has been a strong voice about locker room access as recently as earlier this spring. More importantly, the association has a scholarship/internship program that has affected the lives of 127 young women through the years.

Awesome, indeed.

I did a column on AWSM for the National Sports Journalism Site. I believe it is a must-read if you are a woman in this business and for anyone who cares about the profession for that matter.

From the post:

When the Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) held its first convention in 1988, the joke was that they hoped to put themselves out of business as soon as possible.

“We thought if we could resolve all the issues with women in sports media, our work would be done,” said Christine Brennan, AWSM’s first president.

Ah, to be young and naive. Obviously, there still are many miles to go. However, thanks in part to AWSM, women have come a considerable way in breaking the barriers and establishing high-profile voices in sports media.

AWSM, known as “awesome” by its members and others in the industry, will celebrate its 25th anniversary this week. Nearly 200 women, some veterans in the business and many just breaking in, will travel to Scottsdale for the annual convention. Note: Bring sunscreen and drink plenty of water.

Hitting the big 2-5 is a landmark achievement considering AWSM officials couldn’t be confident that there would be a second anniversary. The association was co-founded by Kristin Huckshorn, Michele Himmelberg, Nancy Cooney, and Susan Fornoff.

Back then the notion of women working in sports media still was somewhat of a novelty. A sports staff would have a token woman, maybe two. While leagues finally consented to open the locker rooms during the mid-80s, they still weren’t a friendly place for female reporters.

“I thought about how women in sports media were so scattered — few and far between in less enlightened parts of the country — and did not have anywhere to turn for support,” said Fornoff, a long-time Bay Area reporter in an interview on the AWSM site. “I guess my motivation was to pay it forward, and to help create a network for all women in sports media.”

Lisa Olson receives AWSM’s Mary Garber Pioneer Award this year. Brennan talks about AWSM’s quick and firm response to the infamous locker room incident involving the New England Patriots.

The first major test came in 1990. Lisa Olson, working for the Boston Herald, found herself being harassed in the locker room by members of the New England Patriots. The controversy became a national story, putting AWSM in the middle of the storm.

“It was a low point in terms of what happened,” said Brennan, now a columnist for USA Today. “It also validated the existence of AWSM. Because we had a network in place, it allowed us to rally around Lisa immediately. (AWSM) members went on every TV and radio show we could to speak out about what happened. We were prepared. We knew exactly what to do.”

Olson will be on hand this week to receive AWSM’s Mary Garber Pioneer Award. Thankfully, because of the intense reaction, the incident helped reform players’ and coaches’ attitudes toward female sports reporters. Yet the issue hasn’t completely gone away. This spring, AWSM was forced to speak out again, denouncing NHL analyst Don Cherry’s ridiculous statements about women in the locker room.

Meanwhile AWSM has a complete package about its 25th anniversary on its site, including Q/As with its founders.

Brennan also wrote a post about the anniversary. She writes about the scholarship/internship program:

We awarded our first scholarship/internship in 1990. From those humble beginnings, AWSM has given out 127 scholarship/internships and will honor another six students this year. It’s the best thing AWSM does, and it’s a tremendous credit to the generosity and leadership of this organization that this program not only continues, but thrives.

During those early years of the program, I had the pleasure of calling our recipients to let them know that they had won. The second year, I ended up talking for quite a while to our winner, a Princeton electrical engineering student, after she expressed some concern about heading into sports journalism. I did my best to convince her that a terrific adventure awaited. I was so pleased when I heard she had decided to become a sports writer.

Five years later, as I was leaving The Washington Post, that young woman, Amy Shipley, replaced me as The Post’s Olympics writer. She and I still smile about that.

If you are a woman in sports media, especially someone just entering the profession, membership should be a no-brainer. However, AWSM isn’t just limited to women.

I now am a proud member. Hopefully, my small contribution will impact a young woman who wants to break into the business through the AWSM scholarship/internship program.

Here is the link to join.

Again, congratulations to AWSM. Here’s to another 25 years and more.

 

 

 

Will Eddie Olczyk leave booth to return to run a team? Says he has ‘Unfinished business’

A colleague called the other day, raving about Eddie Olczyk as an analyst.

“He’s the best,” the colleague said. “He’s so quick. It’s amazing how he sees everything on the ice.”

Agreed.

NBC is thrilled to have Olczyk as its lead analyst on hockey, and his work on local Blackhawks telecasts is making him an icon in Chicago.

Yet the time might be coming where Olczyk gives up what he describes as “the best job in the world.”

Olczyk clearly has a bad taste from his only previous NHL stint behind the bench. He was fired in Dec., 2005 after a season-plus as head coach with Pittsburgh.

Now 46, Olczyk sounds as if the itch is intensifying to return as a coach or as a front office executive at some level. It might not happen next year, but to hear him talk, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he jumped back in sooner than later.

Olczyk repeatedly used the phrase “unfinished business” when the subject of his future came up during an interview.

“I’m a hockey guy,” Olczyk said. “There’s the unfinished business with the way I left Pittsburgh that’s always going to be there. Whether the opportunity presents itself remains to be seen. It’s always going to an enticing thought. It’s always going to be a stone I’m looking under.”

Olczyk noted that his family situation is changing. He has two boys playing college hockey, and a 16-year-old son who plays junior hockey and could be out of the house soon. Olczyk serves as an assistant coach for his son’s junior team when time allows.

“The stars would have to be aligned family-wise and professionally,” Olczyk said. “It may not occur. I am very content where I am. I take great pride in what I do. But there is that so-called unfinished business. When you get knocked down, you want to get back up and get at it again.”

It will be a tough call for Olczyk, considering what is coming up on the broadcast side. The Hawks are exploding in Chicago; he is part of a NBC/NBC Sports Network team (with Mike Emrick and Pierre McGuire) that is considered one of the best in sports; and he is set to work another Olympics for NBC in 2014.

Yet the pull of being part of the action again might trump all.

“When you’ve been involved in it, it’s always in you that you want to do it again,” Olczyk said.

*******

More from my interview with Olczyk:

On shortened season: Considering where we were six months ago, where you didn’t know if you would have a season, you couldn’t ask for a better Final. I use a phrase I used during the 2010 Olympics. It’s tremendously tremendous. It’s a win-win for everyone, except for the team that loses.

On the rise of the Blackhawks: As a kid, it was hockey, really? Now I couldn’t be prouder that hockey is front and center in our town. To me, a good indicator is that people are planning their day around the puck drop. For many years, it wasn’t like that.

On not winning a Stanley Cup for Blackhawks as a player: We lost to Edmonton in the conference finals (in 84-85) season. It’s still the record for the most goals in a six-game series. Edmonton may give up five goals, but they knew they could score eight.

Obviously, I’m disappointed we couldn’t win. I always dreamed of holding the Cup at home. I lived and died as a Blackhawks fan. To have not won it as a player was very disappointing.

On his place in the organization: This organization lives and breathes hockey 24/7. Everyone involved deserves the credit. To be part of the organization is very important to me. I know where I am on the totem pole. In the big picture, it’s very small. I do take pride that we’ve been able to teach the game and help sell the brand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘While We’re Young,’ pros; Networks need to insist on faster play

The United States Golf Association’s “While We’re Young” ads were well done. However, there also are a bit of a joke.

How can the USGA tell the rest of the golf world to speed up play when the players at the U.S. Open moved slower than Chicago traffic in rush hour?

The final group (Phil Mickelson, Luke Donald, Bill Horschel) on Saturday took nearly 5 hours, 30 minute to complete their round. I know it’s the U.S. Open; it was threesomes; and the conditions were brutally hard.

But 5 hours, 30 minutes? It took them 2:50 to play the front 9. Ridiculous. Hey, it’s not as if the three players were scrambling to break 100.

I only wish Rodney Dangerfield were there to yell, “While we’re young.”

John Huggan wrote at GolfDigest.com:

On a course where they had thousands of ball-spotters on hand, three world-class golfers took an average of almost 20 minutes to complete every hole. To all of which there is only one conclusion: at least in terms of encouraging a reasonable pace of play, something is wrong with the way Merion has been set up and, by extension, the USGA’s warped view of how golf should be played. The message emanating from Far Hills, New Jersey is not “While We’re Young,” but “Do as we say, not do as we do.”

Later, Huggan added:

Throw in the fact that no professional on the PGA Tour has been penalized for slow play since Tim Finchem took over as executive director and it is clear that there is little or no enthusiasm for addressing this long-running (make that “long-crawling”) problem. So pardon me if I view this latest initiative with an appropriate amount of cynicism.

For some reason, the TV networks allow the slow-play parade to occur during big tournaments because it continues to fester. If they are complaining to Finchem and the USGA, they aren’t doing it loud enough.

In my view, slow golf makes for bad golf on TV. How many movies have you seen that would have been good at two hours, but were terrible at three hours?

Rounds that last 5 hours, 30 minutes become tedious affairs. The hardcore fans will tune in, but I am sure the networks lose casual fans who become bored by the lack of activity.

Publicly, network executives continue to say they don’t have an issue with pace of pro on the pro tours. Privately, though, I have heard they are lobbying top golf officials about the need to pick things up.

I’d like to say it will get done sooner than later, but as we’ve seen, nothing moves fast these days at the top tiers of golf.

 

 

Hear this Boston: Eddie Olczyk won’t play favorites for Blackhawks during Final

In my Chicago Tribune column (please access via my Twitter feed), I wrote about how Eddie Olczyk, a former Blackhawks player and its current TV analyst, won’t play favorites in his role as analyst for NBC during the Stanley Cup Final.

Of course, the perceptions always are going to be there.

From the column:

Don’t think for a minute some viewers won’t notice the Chicago connection in Boston.

Olczyk knows there will be Bruins fans who will accuse him of favoritism toward the Hawks. He got a taste during the Pittsburgh-Boston series in the East Final. Olczyk spent eight years as a player, coach and analyst with the Penguins.

“I had Boston people saying I was favoring the Penguins because I used to work there,” Olczyk. “And you know what? There were people in Pittsburgh who thought I was favoring the Bruins. That means I’m doing my job. The perceptions always are going to be there. People are going to hear what they want to hear.”

Olczyk insists he has the same approach with Emrick as he does with Pat Foley. He admits there might be a bit more “shtick” as far as nicknames and other banter during local telecasts of Hawks games. However, he didn’t become one of the best in the business by playing favorites.

“My job is tell people why something happened,” Olczyk said. “If a guy makes a mistake, I’m going to call him out. It’s not any different on a local game or a national game. I take great pride in being consistent. I’m very comfortable in the chair that I sit in.”

Johnny Miller: Best analyst in TV sports ready to go centerstage at U.S. Open

I wrote about Johnny Miller this week in my column for the National Sports Journalism Center site.

In my mind, Miller is the best analyst in sports. Not just golf. All of sports.

Agree? I know the players don’t, which is a big reason why I like him so much.

From my post:

Miller’s mix of brutally frank analysis, plus his own unique “Millerisms”, makes him a must-listen whenever he pops up on the tube. Really, how many analysts command your attention the way Miller does? Off the top of my head, I only can think of a handful: Charles Barkley, John McEnroe. John Madden in his prime. Dick Vitale still rates with me on college hoops, and Jeff Van Gundy also is a new entry on my short list.

Apologies to anyone I left off, because there are many talented people out there. But when it comes to Miller, we’re talking about taking it to another level.

It is often said that Miller lacks a filter between his brain and his mouth. Whatever pops into his head comes out. It also isn’t in his nature to hold back. His style is the golf equivalent of reaching for the big club for that really long shot over water on a par 5. No risk, no reward.

“In the booth, you can play it safe and down the center of the fairway,” Miller once said in a Golf Magazine interview.  ”Or you can go for glory. That means you’ll be close to water hazards and O.B. stakes. I could be Joe Namby Pamby and say trite, obvious things, but growing the game is part of what I do. Viewers tell me all the time, ‘If you’re not announcing, I don’t even turn it on.’”

 

Esposito brothers revisited: Chicago-Boston Final should be huge for NBC

I am sure Mike Emrick is gathering his stories on the Esposito brothers. Phil and Tony went at it back in the day.

Throw in some Bobby Orr, Johnny Bucyk, Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita, the old Chicago Stadium, and the old Boston Garden, and “Doc” should be good to go about a Final that links hockey’s present to its glorious past.

It’s hard to imagine a better scenario for NBC than Chicago-Boston in the Stanley Cup Final. It marks the first Original 6 Final since Montreal-New York Rangers in 1979.

If it is a compelling, tight series, NBC stands to break its network record for a Stanley Cup Final.

For starters, it has two large-market teams with passionate followings. Chicago is No. 3 with nearly 3.5 million TV homes, while Boston is No. 7 with 2.366 million homes.

You could argue No. 1 New York with the Rangers might produce better overall numbers, but ratings for that city usually are splintered when it comes to their sports teams. Boston will be fully behind the Bruins. It did a 25.4 rating for its Game 4 clincher against Pittsburgh.

Chicago, meanwhile, did a 19.6 rating for its Game 5 double OT victory over the Los Angeles Kings.

Both teams did huge ratings during their last visits to the the Finals. Chicago pulled a 32.6 local rating for the Blackhawks Cup winner in Game 6 in 2010. Meanwhile, Boston delivered a 43.4 rating for its Game 7 victory over Vancouver in 2011.

Not coincidentally, those games were the highest-rated NHL games since the 1974 Stanley Cup Final, back when the TV universe was totally different.

Large ratings from the Chicago and Boston markets will have a dramatic impact on NBC’s national number again. Interest in hockey has increased in both towns since winning the Cup. Those local ratings might be even higher.

Big smiles here for NBC and the NHL.

A Chicago-Pittsburgh Final with Sidney Crosby might have had a bit more star power. But it’s hard to beat the romance of two Original 6ers from storied hockey towns playing for Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Cue up the stories, Doc. This should be great.

*******

Here’s a rundown of NBC’s coverage:

NEW YORK, N.Y. – June 9, 2013 – NBC Sports Group’s exclusive presentation of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final begins Wednesday night with Game 1 between the Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins (2011 Stanley Cup Champions) and Western Conference Champion Chicago Blackhawks (2010 Stanley Cup Champions) at 8 p.m. ET on NBC from United Center in Chicago, Ill. NBC Sports Group broadcast (NBC), cable (NBC Sports Network), digital (NBC Sports Live Extra and NBCSports.com), and regional (CSN Chicago and CSN New England) assets will all contribute to the comprehensive coverage of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final.

NBC will broadcast Games 1 and 4, and, if necessary, Games 5-7, while NBC Sports Network will telecast Games 2-3. In addition, NBC Sports Network will present pre-game and post-game coverage each game night. And for the first time ever, the Stanley Cup Final will be streamed live through NBC Sports Live Extra.

NBC Sports Regional Networks will continue to surround the Blackhawks (Comcast SportsNet Chicago) and Bruins (Comcast SportsNet New England) with in-depth live-event and/or news coverage. NBCSports.com will provide comprehensive online coverage of the Final with online-only video, contributions from Comcast SportsNet insiders, and constant news updates from ProHockeyTalk.

2013 STANLEY CUP FINAL SCHEDULE

Coverage of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final begins Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET when the Chicago Blackhawks host the Boston Bruins on NBC. All 2013 Stanley Cup Final games will air exclusively on NBC or the NBC Sports Network. Following is the full schedule (all times ET and subject to change):

Wednesday, June 12
8 p.m. Bruins @ Blackhawks (Game 1) NBC
Saturday, June 15
8 p.m. Bruins @ Blackhawks (Game 2) NBC Sports Network
Monday, June 17
8 p.m. Blackhawks @ Bruins (Game 3) NBC Sports Network
Wednesday, June 19
8 p.m. Blackhawks @ Bruins (Game 4) NBC
Saturday, June 22
8 p.m. Bruins @ Blackhawks (Game 5) * NBC
Monday, June 24
8 p.m. Blackhawks @ Bruins (Game 6) * NBC
Wednesday, June 26
8 p.m. Bruins @ Blackhawks (Game 7)* NBC

* If Necessary

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA COVERAGE

For the first time ever, the Stanley Cup Final will be streamed live. NBC Sports Live Extra — the NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will live stream all Stanley Cup Final games. NBC Sports Network games will be live streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

Stanley Cup Final games airing on:

  • NBC will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra.
  • NBC Sports Network will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere.” “TV Everywhere” is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

In addition to live streaming the Stanley Cup Final, NBC Sports Live Extra will offer bonus coverage by utilizing Star Cam and Spotlight Cam for each game of the Stanley Cup Final. Star Cams are dedicated cameras that follow a star player from each team throughout the entire game. Spotlight Cam is a unique top-of-the-glass camera that is positioned at center ice. They are exclusive to NBC Sports Live Extra. This also marks the first time this season that alternate cameras have been used for the live streaming of games that air on NBC Sports Network.

COMMENTATORS

Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-glass’ analyst) will call the action during each game.

The studio team will feature host Liam McHugh and analysts Mike Milbury and Keith Jones, with the latest highlights, news, analysis and player interviews, live on-location from either the United Center in Chicago, Ill. or TD Garden in Boston, Mass. The team will cover intermission reports during games, and pre-game and post-game shows on NBC Sports Network.

Additionally, Jeremy Roenick will conduct on-ice segments and demonstrations as part of the coverage.

ENCORES

NBC Sports Network will air encore presentations of the previous night’s NHL Live post-game show, as well as a cut-down version of the Stanley Cup Final game from the previous night.

NHL Live post-game encores will air nearly every day at 6 a.m. ET and 8:30 a.m. ET, with the game encore airing from 6:30-8:30 a.m. ET.

COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE

Comcast SportsNet Chicago, the hometown network for the Chicago Blackhawks, and Comcast SportsNet New England (Boston Bruins) will air special pre- and post-game coverage for all games, as well as in-depth coverage and analysis of their hometown teams.

COMCAST SPORTSNET CHICAGO

Comcast Sports Net Chicago, the hometown network for the Chicago Blackhawks, will provide expanded, local “Blackhawks Post-Game Live” coverage, hosted by Pat Boyle & Steve Konroyd, following every Stanley Cup Final telecast. CSNChicago.com will also deliver “Blackhawks Post-Game Live” via live stream following every game.

In addition, the network will provide expanded pre/post-game coverage nightly on “SportsTalk Live”, weekdays at 5:30 p.m. CT, and on “SportsNet Central”, nightly at 6:30 p.m. CT, on game days, along with providing a half-hour show nightly at 11:00 p.m. CT on non-game days entitled “Blackhawks Fever”.

CSNChicago.com‘s Blackhawks “Insider” Tracey Myers and Comcast SportsNet’s Blackhawks beat reporter Chris Boden will cover every Stanley Cup Final game from either the United Center or TD Garden.

COMCAST SPORTSNET NEW ENGLAND

Comcast SportsNet New England will provide extensive coverage of the Bruins/Blackhawks series with Pre-Game Live and Post-Game Live shows surrounding every Stanley Cup Finals game. Michael Felger and Tony Amonte will lead the coverage, with analysis of each game and response to Bruins fans’ questions, posts, and tweets submitted on Twitter, Facebook, and CSNNE.com.

Unfiltered, in-depth discussion and analysis of the team’s playoff performance will also be part of all Comcast SportsNet programming, including Chevrolet SportsNet Central and UNO’s Sports Tonight. CSNNE.com Bruins Insider Joe Haggerty will once again be on-site providing in-arena reports from every game, both home and away, and will be joined by Comcast SportsNet anchors Mike Giardi and KevinWalsh.

CSNNE.com will provide 24/7 coverage of the Bruins Playoffs action including daily game-day and off-day coverage from Haggerty and the entire CSN crew and post-game editions of “The Great American Hockey Show.” Fans can also follow @CSNNE on Twitter and join the conversation by using #BruinsTalk in their Twitter comments throughout the series.

NBCSPORTS.COM

In addition to its live stream coverage via NBC Sports Live Extra, NBCSports.com’s ProHockeyTalk will anchor NBC Sports’ online and mobile coverage of the Stanley Cup Final.

ProHockeyTalk provides unique, informative and entertaining news, commentary and analysis — updated around the clock — on all the stories surrounding the Stanley Cup Final. Other NBCSports.com features will include:

  • PHT Extra, a multiple-times-a-week online-only video segment.
  • Online-only videos featuring NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network hockey commentators previewing upcoming Stanley Cup Final games.
  • Content provided by Comcast SportsNet NHL insiders.
  • A NHL Stanley Cup Final Channel Finder tool that will help fans locate the times and stations for every Stanley Cup Final game.

SOCIAL MEDIA

In addition to broadcast, cable, regional and digital platforms, NBC Sports Group will connect with NHL fans via numerous social media initiatives, including social integration, on-air integration and news:

  • Social Integration:
    • Social Stanley Cup Final Schedule:
      • Fans that come to the Stanley Cup Final Schedule page on NBCSports.com/NHLonNBC will not only be able to see schedule updates, but also dive into a deep photo experience. Fans can upload photos showing their Stanley Cup Final team spirit directly to NBCSports.com or through team specific hashtags. Fans can vote on their favorite pictures and see the best of photos from the NHL and the teams using #StanleyCup. The best fan photos from this experience will be featured on-air during NBC and NBC Sports Network games.
    • #StanleyCup: NHL Fans can join the conversation by using the #StanleyCup hash tag across every game of the Stanley Cup Final.
    • NHL on NBC Sports Instagram: NHL fans can upload photos to Instagram and use #StanleyCup. The NHL on NBC Sports Instagram account will feature select fan photos.
    • Live Twitter Chats: Fans will have the opportunity to have live Twitter chats with NHL and NBC Sports personalities and commentators.
  • On-Air Integration:
    • Polls: Fans can weigh in on a variety of NHL themed polls on Facebook and Twitter that commentators will discuss throughout the Stanley Cup Final.
    • #MVPonNBC – During pre-game, post-game and in-game coverage, fans can tweet who they think is the #MVPonNBC. Commentators will discuss the fan favorites and weigh in with their own opinions.
  • News:
    • Fans can engage with Twitter (@NHLonNBCSports) and Facebook (facebook.com/NHLonNBCSports) to receive the most up to date tune-in information, scores, reports and stories from around the NHL and ProHockeyTalk.