MVN: Most Valuable Network

If the Capitals win in a shootout and it's not televised, does anyone cheer?

I guess only those in attendance. 

The Caps won what sounded like an exciting game against Nashville on Tuesday night. They won 2-1 in a 4-round shootout.  It was just the type of game that the NHL would want showcased.  Sure, the Caps played without Alex Ovechkin, but there were plenty of quality players on the ice for both teams.  I'm sure it was a great game to watch.  I would love to talk about it and give my thoughts, but what do I know, I didn't see a thing.

It's no wonder the NHL is so far behind football, baseball, hoops and that other sport where cars ride around in circles.

I will first say that if I am wrong about any of these facts, I invite anyone to chime in and let me know if I have made any mistakes.  Here's the situtation as I understand it:

The Capitals game Tuesday night against Nashville was not televised anywhere in the country.  Why, you may ask?  Because Versus has some crazy rule that no game scheduled at the same time as their game can be televised anywhere?  How is this possible?

If the Caps had decided to start their game at 7:30pm instead of 7 then it could be shown.  What kind of ridiculous rule is this?  Gary Bettman, what is wrong with you?  Well, we all know that man singlehandedly ruined the sport that I love over the past 15 years, but if you want to promote your game, why would you not allow a game to be televised anywhere? 

Wouldn't you like to make sure games are shown in markets like D.C. or Nashville??  Wouldn't you like to have your biggest stars on TV in those smaller markets in order to help the game grow in those areas?  Do you really think those hockey fans will turn to Versus (a channel that most people can't even find or even know exist) to watch the Flyers play the Thrashers just so they can see some hockey?

This rule makes no sense.  I wonder if the Caps were aware of it beforehand, and once they were, I wonder why they didn't just change the game's starting time to 7:30 in order to get it on.  Or were they allowed to?

I work in TV and I understand the need for exclusivity rights and such, but this one is utterly ridiculous.  The hockey fans in D.C. and Nashville are screwed tonight because a small channel that paid about $1.50 for the rights to the NHL wants to show the Flyers and Thrashers go at it and be the only game televised... for 30 minutes! 

Nice job NHL.  Another great move by the commissioner to futher bury my favorite sport.