Spring Rubber 609 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 That front page story about the new looks for the Canadian sports channels got me thinking...what gives with the new graphics on WGN's hockey coverage? In the past, WGN has always stayed fairly consistent for all of their sports platforms, but the new hockey graphics honestly have more in common with the new Sportsnet package than they do with WGN's current baseball and basketball (what little we've seen of it) graphics. I don't know if the baseball and basketball graphics were done in-house or by an agency, but did they go with someone completely different to do the hockey graphics? Heck, I don't even notice the usual WGN Sports signature in any of the new music. I suppose it's understandable that WGN might not care as much since hockey isn't that popular in Chicago unless the Hawks are having a championship season, but considering the NBA's woes, the Blackhawks might be all the sports WGN has until April. Don't get me wrong, the graphics are nice and readable, but they seem generic and dramatically unlike the rest of the WGN Sports graphics. I'm not in Chicago now, but maybe someone could get some screengrabs during the Blackhawks 9PM game on Tuesday or from their game on Saturday, both of which are on WGN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess 1110 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Do you have a screenshot? The graphics you're describing sound like the Comcast SportsNet graphics, so they might be producing the coverage for WGN. Which would be weird, because WGN has always done its own sports coverage, but it honestly is what I thought of once you mentioned it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 609 Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 Do you have a screenshot? The graphics you're describing sound like the Comcast SportsNet graphics, so they might be producing the coverage for WGN. Which would be weird, because WGN has always done its own sports coverage, but it honestly is what I thought of once you mentioned it. Nope it's not CSN's graphics. WGN's new graphics are much more silvery and "bubbly" than CSN's look. It's completely different. I can't say that I recognize WGN's new graphics from anywhere else, but it certainly doesn't look like something they'd do. The only part of the graphics that did look like it was from WGN was the double box that they use for player interviews during the intermission report, which was designed exactly in the style of the new baseball graphics, but all night long, the animation on that graphic was stuttering horribly every couple of seconds. It's like they threw it together without paying nearly as much attention to it as they did with the baseball package. Sorry, I'm out of Chicago and can't get a screenshot, but tune in at 9PM tonight or on Saturday to see what it looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5269 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 1. I think they look much better than the baseball/basketball graphics. 2. They did surprise me, seeing how "primative" the b-ball graphics look...alot more animation. 3. The theme is similar to the other themes, notice that each team has a different theme with the same 5-note i.d. in common. Frankly, I love the Hawks theme compared to the Sox or Cubs'. I'll look around online to find some highlight video from Sat. night's game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viper550 268 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 You talking about these? They definitely do have what RSN is missing, though part of it still seems a tad odd. Still looks nothing like Comcast, I personally think the Comcast look is more of a bootleg of the NBC Sports look (but seriously, EUROSTILE?! Its as bland as Arial.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5269 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Yes. The only thing I don't like is you'd think the team initials on the graphic would be color-coordinated, not just red for both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viper550 268 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Yes. The only thing I don't like is you'd think the team initials on the graphic would be color-coordinated, not just red for both. Oh lol. You can say that Rogers does that too, except everyone just gets black. They do get this nice blue backlighting effect ... if they're on power play though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 609 Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 1. I think they look much better than the baseball/basketball graphics. 2. They did surprise me, seeing how "primative" the b-ball graphics look...alot more animation. 3. The theme is similar to the other themes, notice that each team has a different theme with the same 5-note i.d. in common. Frankly, I love the Hawks theme compared to the Sox or Cubs'. I'll look around online to find some highlight video from Sat. night's game. 1. I kind of agree with you on the baseball graphics. The scoreboard is very bland and underwhelming, but I was ok with the rest of the graphics. 3. Oh, so the signature is in there somewhere? (Or is it only in the music that plays during the open? I missed the open when I watched Saturday's game.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5269 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 3. Oh, so the signature is in there somewhere? (Or is it only in the music that plays during the open? I missed the open when I watched Saturday's game.) The open is very similar to the baseball open...instead of batter(good guy) and pitcher(bad guy), it's player/goalie. The mysterious, shadowed player shoots the puck at the goalie, but instead of the puck going past him, the puck goes right through him- shattering him like glass. It's VERY well-done, be sure to check it out tonight at 9pm CDT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 609 Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 The open is very similar to the baseball open...instead of batter(good guy) and pitcher(bad guy), it's player/goalie. The mysterious, shadowed player shoots the puck at the goalie, but instead of the puck going past him, the puck goes right through him- shattering him like glass. It's VERY well-done, be sure to check it out tonight at 9pm CDT. The Blackhawks aren't on WGN America. :\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5269 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I'll try and tape it...but don't get your hopes up. It's going to be me holding a camera in front of the TV, but it'll get the point across. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abric 157 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 According to Wikipedia, Blackhawks games on channel 9 are exclusive to the Chicago market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5269 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 According to Wikipedia, Blackhawks games on channel 9 are exclusive to the Chicago market. Yeah, I had forgotten about that. Heck, 4 years ago they weren't even on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 609 Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share Posted October 19, 2011 I'm surprised MLB isn't restirctive of WGN in any way given how restrictive they normally are with their blackout policy. Heck, even the NBA severely limits the number of Bulls games they're allowed to show on WGN America. It's a shame the NHL won't even budge an inch on allowing some out-of-market Hawks games. How are they really helping themselves with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5269 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I'm surprised MLB isn't restirctive of WGN in any way given how restrictive they normally are with their blackout policy. Heck, even the NBA severely limits the number of Bulls games they're allowed to show on WGN America. It's a shame the NHL won't even budge an inch on allowing some out-of-market Hawks games. How are they really helping themselves with that? Speaking of which, anyone idea why Comcast Sportsnet Chicago would be showing tonight's Flyers/Senators game? Is this a new thing with the whole NBC/Comcast deal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess 1110 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 It's not a new thing. CSN has been sharing NHL games on its nets for a few years now. With there being no NBA, you'll probably see a lot more of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 609 Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share Posted November 26, 2011 Sometime between October and Thanksgiving, they changed the score graphic to a new style that features the team logos, but they kept the same Eurostyle font as before. I've also compiled an album of a few images from Friday's game @ Anaheim. I have to say, there's no lack of visibility in any of their hockey graphics compared to their baseball graphics. I'd also like to upload the opener to YouTube, but I fear that might get tagged for a copyright violation. Should I attempt it? Oh, and with the NBA expected to come back on Christmas Day, I guess we ought to see WGN's full new basketball package whenever their first game is. I have a feeling that it will be exactly like the baseball graphics rather than like the hockey graphics, though the hockey package is the nicer of the two. The album: http://imgur.com/a/9Uz7g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5269 Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 You could just flip the video horizontally...that's usually enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 609 Posted December 17, 2011 Author Share Posted December 17, 2011 The Bulls have the same package as the Blackhawks. Wonder if that means the baseball graphics will be updated to match next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5269 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 You just beat me to it...and I must say, the main graphics only have a little in common with the Hawks package, outside of the similar opening ...But that's just me. Either way, they're really nice - not hardly as clunky as CSN's! Maybe someone can get so screencaps of it. They're also having some really bad tech problems...audio and picture breaking up/blacking out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 609 Posted December 17, 2011 Author Share Posted December 17, 2011 The opening looked incomplete; just game footage and then the logo graphic. I'm assuming they'll have an actual nice opener ready for the regular season. I certainly hope so. WGN seems to have a lot of trouble with away broadcasts. A Blackhawks game back in late November was horrible; constant breaking up of the signal throughout the game; even worse than tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spring Rubber 609 Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 The start of the Blackhawks opener with the skater/goalie standoff was gone from the opener today. I hope WGN isn't tending towards simpler and blander openers now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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