Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia Gets Ready For Flyers Coverage

Versus and NBC may have exclusivity for the NHL Eastern Conference Finals between Montreal and Philadelphia, but that won’t stop Comcast SportsNet Philly from covering the series like a blanket. It’ll have wraparound programming on both Comcast SportsNet and during conflicts with the Phillies, the pre and postgame shows will spillover to The Comcast Network. In addition, Comcast is really happy over the ratings for Games 5 through 7 for the Eastern Conference Semifinals with the Bruins.

COMCAST SPORTSNET PROVIDES FLYERS FANS WITH LIVE GAME CHATS AND PRE AND POST GAME SHOWS THROUGHOUT THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

Flyers Second Round Ratings up 25% over 2008

PHILADELPHIA (May 17, 2010) –  Friday’s historic Game Seven, when the Flyers came back from a 3-0 deficit in the game, and in the series, was the most watched Flyers game on Comcast SportsNet history, averaging a 11.6 rating (345,000 households), beating the previous high of 10.1 rating set during Game Six on Wednesday, May 12. In the second round, Comcast SportsNet aired the final three games of the series with those games averaging a 9.6 rating (286,000 HHs), besting 2008’s Eastern Conference Finals average rating of 7.7 (229,000 HHs) by 25% in which Comcast SportsNet also aired three games.

Fans also stayed tuned in after the game, with Friday’s Flyers Postgame Live delivering a record-setting 5.0 rating (149,000 hhs), beating the previous high of 4.9 set on April 22, 2003, when the Flyers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

As the games move onto the national broadcasters, Comcast SportsNet will still provide Flyers fans with comprehensive coverage with live pre and postgame programs, The Ultimate Goal specials, live chats with Flyers broadcasters and former players and extensive online coverage from CSNPhilly.com Flyers Insider Tim Panaccio. 

The Ultimate Goal

Comcast SportsNet’s Flyers playoff special, The Ultimate Goal, continues into the second round. Local hockey experts including Rick Tocchet, Bill Clement, Al Morganti, Steve Coates, John Boruk and Chris Therien break down the game and offer their analysis on the series. The Ultimate Goal will air Monday, May 17 at 10:30 p.m.; Wednesday, May 19 at 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.; Friday, May 21 at 10:30 p.m.; Sunday, May 23 at 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.;  Tuesday, May 25 at 10:30 p.m.*; Thursday, May 27 at 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.* and Saturday, May 29 at 10:30 p.m.* *If necessary

CSNPhilly.com

Throughout the playoffs, CSNPhilly.com will have game previews, postgame recaps and feature stories from Flyers Insider Tim Panaccio, plus player and coaches’ video exclusives, live chats and much more. Fans can follow Comcast SportsNet’s hockey experts on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tpanotch (Tim Panaccio) and http://twitter.com/CSNFlyer (John Boruk).

Live Chats

On Tuesday, May 18, Flyers fans can chat with Jim Jackson, Steve Coates and Rick Tocchet beginning at 6:30 p.m. and carrying right through the postgame show only on Comcast SportsNet. Additional chats will be announced throughout the playoffs. CSNPhilly.com will also have exclusive live intermission reports between each period of every Flyers playoff game. Below is the chat breakdown for Game Two:

Flyers Pregame Live                            Jim Jackson

First Period:                                           Jim Jackson

Second Period:                                     Rick Tocchet

Third Period:                                         Steve Coates

Flyers Postgame Live                          Jim Jackson

That will do it for this press release.