The New Jersey Devils avoided an embarrassment on Wednesday night when they defeated the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth game of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals. With their 3-1 victory at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Devils were able to end the Kings' hopes of a sweep, which would have been the 21st since the Stanley Cup Finals went to a best-of-seven series in 1939.
However, as great an indignity as the Devils were able to evade, the Stanley Cup itself avoided a greater one. The Devils' win ensured that when the Cup is finally won, whether by the Devils in a miraculous comeback or by the Kings as early as Saturday night, the Cup will be presented on network television on NBC, and not to a much smaller audience on NBC Sports Network, which broadcast the third and fourth games of the series.
This is not a criticism of NBC Sports Network. The transition from the channel's previous existence as Versus has been handled well, and in terms of the coverage itself, there is no discernable difference between a game on NBC and a game on NBC Sports Network. However, the fact remains that there's a big difference in available audience between a broadcast network and a cable channel that still is not part of the basic package on many cable systems, and having the Stanley Cup presented on the latter reflects poorly on the NHL and on the Cup itself.
For whatever disadvantages the NHL has against the other major North American sports leagues, the Stanley Cup is the most celebrated trophy in sports. From the trophy itself with the players' names engraved on it, to the traditional passing of the Cup from player to player on the ice, to the Cup's white-gloved caretaker, Phil Pritchard, who has become so recognizable among hockey fans as to have his own Discover Card commercial, the Stanley Cup has a mystique that the NFL's Vince Lombardi Trophy and the NBA's Larry O'Brien Trophy will never match. That mystique would be wasted if the Cup were to be awarded on NBCSN.
That's not to say that the Cup needs to be shown exclusively on NBC. Given that the cable network has become the regular home of the NHL throughout the season, it does make sense to have a couple of Finals games on NBC Sports Network. Also, it's understandable that the cable channel needs to have some coverage of the finals to boost its value, so that the channel can become available on more basic cable packages. However, it shouldn't happen in a game where the Cup can be awarded.
In fairness, it's hard to blame NBC and the NHL for not taking the possibility of a sweep seriously. While it's happened 20 times in 70 years, the last of those came in the late '90s, long before the current deal began. However, the Kings' dominance early in this series was a good reminder that it's possible, and the NHL and its American broadcast partner should take steps to ensure that the Cup is only awarded on network TV in the future.
If NBC Sports Network is going to continue to broadcast Stanley Cup Finals games, then those games should be the second and third of the series. That way, NBCSN gets its two games, the series gets a big start on NBC, and the Cup is guaranteed to be awarded on network television. It's a win-win for everyone.
Of course, the power of network television has been diminished over the years, with the growth of cable and the explosion of available options through fiber-optic systems and satellite broadcast. However, the biggest events still happen on network, and that's where the Stanley Cup belongs.
