Boston Sports: TV Watch

As an Over the Air (OTA) television house, it is extremely difficult to follow your local team. Teams align with cable channels to increase their revenue but narrow audience. When I was a child, I was able to watch my teams in every sport on a consistent basis. Now my child has access to a fraction of those games and does not have the affordable opportunities to become a local sports fan. When he becomes my age, he may not spend his income on tickets and apparel. And as a subset, may not frequent a restaurant or tavern to specifically watch these games.

Here is the raw data from each of the four major sports that broadcast OTA this past year plus the 2014 Boston Red Sox.

Boston Red Sox: 2015 Season
Preseason: 0/34
Regular Season: 3/162
  Sat, May 23 7:00 PM (FOX) – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Boston Red Sox
  Sat, May 30 7:00 PM ET (FOX) – Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers
  Sat, Jul 11 7:15 PM (FOX) – New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
Post Season: N/A

Total Games: 196
Games Televised OTA: 3
Percentage: 1.53%

New England Patriots: 2014 Season
Preseason: 4/4
  Thu, Aug 7 8:00 PM @ Washington L23-6
  Fri, Aug 15 8:00 PM vs Philadelphia W42-35
  Fri, Aug 22 8:00 PM vs Carolina W30-7
  Thu, Aug 28 8:00 PM @ New York L16-13
Regular Season: 15/16
  Sun, Sep 7 1:00 PM (CBS) @ Miami L33-20
  Sun, Sep 14 1:00 PM  (CBS) @ Minnesota W30-7
  Sun, Sep 21 1:00 PM  (CBS) vs Oakland W16-9
  Sun, Oct 5 8:25 PM (NBC) vs Cincinnati W43-17
  Sun, Oct 12 1:00 PM  (CBS) @ Buffalo W37-22
  Thu, Oct 16 8:30 PM (CBS) vs New York W27-25
  Sun, Oct 26 1:00 PM (FOX) vs Chicago W51-23
  Sun, Nov 2 4:25 PM (CBS) vs Denver W43-21
  Sun, Nov 16 8:25 PM (NBC) @ Indianapolis W42-20
  Sun, Nov 23 1:00 PM (FOX) vs Detroit W34-9
  Sun, Nov 30 4:25 PM (CBS) @ Green Bay L26-21
  Sun, Dec 7 8:25 PM (NBC) @ San Diego W23-14
  Sun, Dec 14 1:00 PM (CBS) vs Miami W41-13
  Sun, Dec 21 1:00 PM (CBS) @ New York W17-16
  Sun, Dec 28 1:00 PM (CBS) vs Buffalo L17-9
Post Season: 3/3
  Divisional Playoffs: Sat, Jan 10 4:35 PM (NBC) vs Baltimore W35-31
  Conference Championship: Sun, Jan 18 6:50 PM (CBS) vs Indianapolis W45-7
  Super Bowl XLIX: Sun, Feb 1 6:30 PM (NBC) @ Seattle W28-24

Total Games: 23
Games Televised OTA: 22
Percentage: 95.65%


Boston Bruins: 2014 Season
Preseason: 0/7
Regular Season: 2/82
  Sunday, Feb. 22: Boston at Chicago (3:30, NBC)
  Sunday, March 8: Detroit at Boston (12:30, NBC)
Post Season: N/A

Total Games: 89
Games Televised OTA: 2
Percentage: 2.24%


Boston Celtics: 2014 Season
Preseason: 0/8
Regular Season: 0/82
Post Season: 2/4
  Sunday, April 19 1:05 PM ET (ABC) – NBA First Round Game 1: (7) Boston Celtics at (2) Cleveland Cavaliers
  Sunday, April 26 3:05 PM ET (ABC) – NBA First Round Game 4: (7) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Cleveland Cavaliers

Total Games: 94
Games Televised OTA: 2
Percentage: 2.12%


Boston Red Sox: 2014 Season
Preseason: 0/32
Regular Season: 4/162
  Saturday, May 31 7:00 PM ET (FOX) – Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox
  Saturday, June 7 7:00 PM ET (FOX) – Boston Red Sox at Detroit Tigers
  Saturday, June 28 7:00 PM ET (FOX) – Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees
  Saturday, July 5 7:00 PM ET (FOX) – Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox
Post Season: N/A

Total Games: 194
Games Televised OTA: 4
Percentage: 2.06%

As we become more of an internet viewing world with Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services, the gap will widen. The NBA, MLB and NHL may not suffer but we can definitely see that the NFL will continue to grow because of the reach it has.

Boston Sports-break Hill

With all the articles being written about how Boston is a title town, we are like the economy and we are in the midst of a slight recession. After having 5 parades in six years, there has only been 2 since then,

Please consider the last decade divided into two parts and you'll see that the losses in recent years have been downright painful and historic.

(OCTOBER 29, 2007 - PRESENT)

Patriots

2007 Super Bowl XLII loss to New York Giants (End season at 18-1)

2008 Did not make playoffs

2009 AFC Wild Card loss to Baltimore Ravens

2010 AFC Divisional Playoff loss to New York Jets (1st Seed)

Bruins

2008 First Round loss to Montreal Canadiens (Lost Game #7)

2009 Conference Semifinals loss to Carolina Hurricanes (Lost Game #7, 1st Seed)

2010 Conference Semifinals loss to Philadelphia Flyers (Lost Game #7 after being up 3-0)

2011 Won Stanley Cup over Vancouver Canucks

Celtics

2008 Won NBA Championship over Los Angeles Lakers

2009 Conference Semifinal loss to Orlando Magic (Lost Game #7, 1st time losing series after leading 3-2)

2010 NBA Finals loss to Los Angeles Lakers (Lost in Game #7, 2nd time losing series after leading 3-2, 1st ever NBA Finals Game #7 loss)

2011 Conference Semifinal loss to Miami Heat

Red Sox

2008 ALCS loss to Tampa Bay Rays (Lost Game #7 after coming back from 3 games to 1)

2009 ADLS loss to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Lost Game #3 when leading in the ninth inning)

2010 Did not make playoffs

2011 Did not make playoffs (Leading 3-2 into the 8th, lost 4-3 on Papelbon's Double-Double-Single. Tampa Bay overturned New York 8-7 in 12 after being down 7-0 in the 8th inning.)

FEBRUARY 3, 2002 - OCTOBER 28, 2007

Patriots

2001 Super Bowl XXXVI win over St. Louis Rams

2002 Did not make playoffs

2003 Super Bowl XXXVIII win over Carolina Panthers

2004 Super Bowl XXXIX win over Philadelphia Eagles

2005 AFC Divisional Playoff loss to Denver Broncos

2006 AFC Conference Final loss to Indianapolis Colts (Lose 38-34 after leading 21-6 at halftime)

Bruins

2002 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals loss to Montreal Canadiens in 6

2003 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals loss to New Jersey Devils in 5

2004 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals loss to Montreal Canadiens in 7

2005 Did not make playoffs

2006 Did not make playoffs

2007 Did not make playoffs

Celtics

2002 Conference Final loss to New Jersey Nets (Game #4 largest comeback in NBA playoff history)

2003 Conference Semifinal loss to New Jersey Nets (Swept)

2004 First Round loss to Indiana Pacers (Swept)

2005 First Round loss to Indiana Pacers (Game #7 loss after being Atlantic Division Champions)

2006 Did not make playoffs

2007 Did not make playoffs

Red Sox

2002 Did not make playoffs

2003 ALCS loss to New York Yankees (Lost Game #7 in Extra Innings after leading 5-3 in the middle of the eighth.)

2004 Won World Series over St. Louis Cardinals

2005 ALDS loss Chicago White Sox (Swept in 3 Games)

2006 Did not make playoffs

2007 Won World Series over Colorado Rockies

Seven (7) Years Ago Today Cornerback Earthwind Moreland was signed onto the New England Patriots Practice Squad

Earthwind Moreland is being interviewed during Super Bowl week in 2005.

Yea, I know it's been seven (7) years but I still think this is a funny story.

CB Earthwind Moreland, named after the group Earth, Wind and Fire was signed onto the New England Patriots practice squad on September 21.

Here is the New England Patriots Printer Friendly Document from their website the day after...