I thought NBC learned its lesson about making crappy programming decisions (see Jay Leno), but apparently they still suck at it. Today, they chose ice dancing, bobsledding and skiing over the single biggest Olympic hockey game in 30 years; USA vs. Canada.
Sure, the game was on MSNBC, but most of the country doesn’t get MSNBC. We have more than 120 channels with our DISH Network package including HD, but we don’t get MSNBC because it’s on the “ridiculously expensive” plan. And a lot of other people on the east coast were in the same boat. You see, the game aired live on the west coast.
NBC defended its decision by blaming women viewers. But, NBC is getting killed on the interwebz, especially considering the game, from what I’ve read and heard, was one of the most exciting games every played in Olympic hockey. Oh, and the USA beat Canada in the Olympics for the first time in 50 years. Final score, 5-3.
In 1980, when the USA upset the USSR in the Miracle on Ice, the game was shown via tape delay. That was 30 years ago, we’re in the 21st century now. There is no excuse for this type of programming blunder. Another colossal programming failure at NBC.