More on HD

Rich, is FSN announcing other markets too? Curious how we rank with the rest of the NHL. Is there site you're checking?

Folks, it's all about revenue and ratings - the 2 "R's".

Lakers get all HD broadcasts because they generate the biggest ratings in L.A. - which translate into ad dollars. With those large $'s the Lakers have more than enough funds to insist on HD coverage. The financial pie is bigger. There is also the cache of saying, "watch EVERY Lakers game in HD." This trickles down to the Clippers, as basketball just flat out has greater interest in So Cal measured by eyeballs watching the tube (digital that it may be).

Hockey is a niche sport with a fanatical, loyal base but miniscule ratings. The cost for across the board HD broadcasts just doesn't justify the extra cost. That's why Ducks + Kings get only 10 HD games per team. Also, FSN is flat-out not committed to hockey. An award-winning, veteran TV colleague of mine - who shall remain nameless - has left FSN after decades of producing hockey broadcasts for both local teams because of the sad lack of support FSN has for NHL hockey.

FSN and the rest need to wake up and realize that in order to draw more fans to NHL broadcasts and raise their advertising revenues, they need to step up and offer most games on HD. Using your HD set to watch SD broadcasts, especially hockey is a pitiful blurry mess. Even us die hard fans can barely stand to tune in, so imagine the current non-hockey fan that prefers football, basketball, baseball, etc. Maybe if Bettman was smart he would fund the effort, hoping fior the "Field of Dreams" concept of "If we build it they will come." HD broadcasts could lure the fence sitters when there is nothing better in sports to watch, and then we all know that this great sport could have a chance to hook them in.

I agree with HB Kings Fan. I would never watch baseball on TV before the games were in HD but now when I see one in HD I usually will.

Agree with the "if you build it, they will come" attitude regarding HD. Hockey looks spectacular in HD. So much easier to follow the play and the puck. HD is GREAT for the loyal fan and COMPELLING for the casual fan.

Better broadcast + better interest = better ratings.

Don't forget that all of the Dodgers games (124) will be broadcast in HD and all 75 local games will be in HD on FSN Prime. As well 75 Angels games will be broadcast in HD on FSW.

As usual hockey gets the short end of the stick.

at least the kings got the same amount of games in hd as the ducks. small victories people, small victories.

I have HD and I am disappointed too, however I realize how lucky I am to see as many Kings games as I do. I am thankful to Foxsports for letting me see a team and a sport which has miniscule ratings. As far as watching sd on an HD set I was shocked at how lousy the picture was on Time Warner. I changed to Directv and though the game may not be broadcast in HD I have the option of watching it on the FSWHD channel is standard def and the picture is much clearer.