No See T.V.: Panthers Only U.S. NHL Team Not Televised by Versus

The Miami Heat may be in hot demand by the NBA's broadcast partners, but the same can't be said for the NHL team up the road.

The NHL released its national television schedule on Wednesday, and the Panthers are hard to find.

In fact, Versus -- the NHL's main U.S. broadcaster -- doesn't have a single Panthers game on its schedule.

By comparison, the Heat will be available nationally in 29 of its 82 regular season games.

Of course, the NBA has many more television spots available with three major carriers (TNT/ESPN/ABC) and many more television nights than the NHL does.

The Panthers aren't alone on the Versus Blackout -- however they are the only American team to be blacklisted. Edmonton and Ottawa also aren't included in Versus' coverage, but then again, Comcast isn't an official sponsor of those teams either.

Comcast, parent of Versus, has advertisements inside the Sunrise arena.

The Panthers will be part of some Canadian broadcasts throughout the season, but only when playing other Canadian teams.

The Panthers could, however, make an appearance on NBC; Panthers at Devils on Jan. 23 is one of three games scheduled for the Peacock that day.

And yes, I know, Comcast owns NBC as well.

Randy Moller says the Panthers will unveil their season TV schedule in the coming weeks with 72 games expected to be on FSN/Sun this year.

Comments

[Puckbubba]

Couldn't care less, they usually don't have games on I am interested in. I have DirecTV and I went to a less expensive package that doesn't carry Versus. I have NHL Center Ice so I don't need Versus. Curious to see If the Panthers opening games in western Canada will be on FSN/Sun, hopefully not so I can listen to the Flames/Oilers broadasters and not Billy Lindsay.

[george richards]

I do believe the entire opening week (@ Oilers, @ Canucks, @ Flames, vs. Lightning) will be televised by the Panthers locally...

[JimH]

TSN snubbed the Panthers as well. They have just one televised Florida game (10/10 when Toronto visits). With no superstar on the ice and no playoffs since the Clinton administration (and a lousy chance of that changing this year), I kind of expect that level of coverage. The Cats will get it when they deserve it.

[No Hope Without a Change]

Don't forget though, our genius owner thinks the Panthers are a sleeping giant. Versus doesn't know what they are missing. NOT!!!!

[Same old panthers]

Versus should be fined by the NHL! Even if they do put a lousy product on the ice, they still are showing the other teams that are just as bad.....Jackets..Thrashers...etc. Its not fair to not show ONE team and show the all of the rest of the us teams.

[season ticket holder since day one]

You need to field a NHL product to be on a national game for the NHL.

10 years of not paying to scout and develop players has left us with this mess.

Yormark raised the budget to get Tallon in, be ready for the rug to be pulled out when Yormark decreases the budget and goes back to video scouting

[Pedro]

It seems being tight with spending is popular mong some owners in South Florida.

Check out Jeff Passan's article on Loria today at Yahoo Sports and find out how the taxpayers are going to be playing Mr. Ben Dover for the next 37 years for the Marlins' new stadium...YEESH!

[Pedro]

It seems being tight with spending is popular among some owners in South Florida.

Check out Jeff Passan's article on Loria today at Yahoo Sports and find out how the taxpayers are going to be playing Mr. Ben Dover for the next 37 years for the Marlins' new stadium...YEESH!

[Puckbubba]

Too bad FSN/SUN is doing the opening week I was looking forward to the Alberta broadcast. I hope Billy Lindsay has been practicing over the summer, he was God awful last season...

The Panthers not being on Versus has less to do about the standings and more to do about the following throughout the country and locally. You have to get good hockey TV ratings and Panthers are at the bottom of RSNs for ratings. I am sure Billy Lindsay has something to do with that but that is for another comment section. If Versus was showing games of top teams then they would have the Canucks on more than once they are the best team in the league, in my opinion but their TV draw according to VERSUS is low so they don't show them. They want to show teams that have a following or at least get some TV ratings. Panthers get little TV ratings locally and are not good enough to get any interest in another market. As for Thrashers they may have little local Atlanta interest but people may tune in nationally to see cup champs Big Buf and Ladd on their new team. It is about TV ratings and which teams draw interest, should be no surprise Panthers were not on the schedule.

[Pilam76]

Panthers gotta make playoffs before we get televised