nhl to make live games available on web

Saw the story in the Wall Street Journal today that the NHL will be "using Internet video to make up for the dwindling television audience." And they'll be doing it via a "Center Ice" package showing about 45 games a week at a cost of $169 for the season.

The notion of playing "where the (censored) is the puck?" on choppy internet video is laughable. Even if it's offered for free (hell no, I'm not paying).

Commish Bettman is quoted in the article saying "we need to be nimble in this space." Of course he's referring to these internets we're using. How about we be nimble in another space: high def signal.

Hockey in high-definition is a remarkably satisfying experience. Now that I've got a plasma HDTV, I have a hard enough time tolerating the standard-def hockey games via Center Ice on DirecTV. Standard def sucks. Putting up with watching the playoffs (THE PLAYOFFS!) on standard def Versus was infuriatingly unsatisfying.

If you're serious about being nimble, Bettman, you'd better move all your broadcasts to high def and quickly. Hey, make a deal with HDNet to broadcast the "Center Ice" package in high def only. I'd pay a premium to get that coverage, even though most of the games are done by the time I get home from work on the West Coast.