I was glad to do interviews the day after, mostly with our rights holder Comcast Sportsnet.
We have great and interested and passionate fans. We generated a rating of more than 8 and we were the leading show in the demographic across all networks. We were the number 1 rating for Comcast Sportsnet and perhaps ever in their history. Perhaps Cal Ripken’s last game maybe generated better ratings? I don’t know.
Watch this interview. I thought it was a very weird question to hear your rights holder ask if the regular season mattered anymore 
. And how can we interest your fans in the regular season anymore?
So let me ask you a question Russ… will Comcast Sportsnet let us take back our programming? Will you let us out of our deal and allow us to take the regular season games to another outlet?
I expect an answer. It is a two way street. Can I have my rights back? Let me know… Thanks. Go Caps.
Patrick and Audrey are right on about BB… he is responsible for the Kolzig Curse, and every goaltender decision since then.
You don’t do that to a goalie who carried this team for years. He should have gotten at least one start in that series, after riding huet into the ground…
and to show you how much the Captials meant to him, huet walked…. while bb took a dump on a franchise player. It’s a curse I tell you!
Good to see your sense of humor is back.
As you know, you don’t have to worry about fans investing their heart and soul into the regular season because when true fans put their faith and trust into a team, its usually done with a passion that outweighs any negatives that may transpire during a season. As disappointing as the end was for us, we believe in this team and know what it is capable of accomplishing and what it will accomplish in the near future. Sure, there will be some changes, but they will be made in the best interest of the team. That concept is what the devoted fan believes in no matter what the circumstances.
You make that belief very easy to maintain due to your open line of communication that you have established with everyone. We’re very thankful for you and your passion for this team, not only as an owner but also as its number one fan! Have a wonderful summer with your family.
Much love and appreciation.
A Baltimore Caps fan.
My wife and I are season tickets holders and WE think the regular season matters. We were thrilled with the team’s regular season performance and have already renewed for next season.
However, Ted, who was responsible for putting up the sign under the Stanley Cup on the scoreboard that said something like “it’s the only thing that really matters”? Bruce kept telling the press that the Caps were going to go “deep” into the playoffs creating an expectation that no team can entirely control.
We are thrilled that you have publically stated you will not trade away your skilled players that delivered us the President’s Trophy. Keep up the fine work.
Doesn’t matter who he works for, he’s still a journalist and it’s a fair question. Now, for the most part, I agree with YOU regarding the answer. I love hockey and love watching the Caps too much to not watch, but it’s not like that for everyone. I’ll still watch as many games as I can, but I definitely won’t get excited about our success until we have a playoff spot locked up. That excitement will be muted until we’re in the finals next year.
Thaler was right to ask the question. He’s a journalist, not a CSN business manager. If the playoffs are all that matter, then this season was an abject failure. The regular season is effectively a glorified preseason and a tune up for the playoffs.
There’s no reason to get defensive.
This is the best response in years to what Boswell has called Cheap Nihilistic Snark (CNS for short) ……Way to go TED
I watched the interview. Not sure what your promblem is. It was a fair question. Don’t like it?…pretty simple solution-trade semin and green because they are historically bad playoff players
and T.L. enjoy the long offseason— =)
Hey Ted…I love you man! What other outlet would you consider taking the Caps to? MASN perhaps?
“Weird” is a kind way of putting this. Note to Russ, there was nothing more entertaining these past few months than watching the Caps. I gathered up my 4 and 6 year-old every game night and we had a blast watching one of the most exciting teams ever assembled. Last time I checked, the ratings reflected this.
Have you been hanging out with Rahm a little to much? His lead in question was awesome… The crisis is your’s buddy, don’t kill the messenger.
He said, how are we to hype the Caps after the biggest choke in 32 years of modern hockey?
btw Congratulations on owning the trifecta, you did a good job operating the Caps under the previous conditions involving dates at the Phone Booth (ice conditions, scheduling etc.)
Please get the right’s back and put the show on the net. My son heads out of town for college next year, he’d love to be able to watch caps games. We’re not going to do a sling box. We’ve got FIOS cable, but the only time the set is on is for Caps games, big political events. In addition he watches the college soccer/lacrosse/hockey. (we’re not a basketball family and foot ball isn’t too interesting.).
We/He can get the other stuff off the net or the dorm TVs. But Caps hockey is a problem. If you get it up and running, I can dump the cable subscription.
Great interview Ted, you guys will be just fine yeah it stings right now with round 2 under way and when you know you should to be there it’s rough, but I beleive your championship is just over the horizon. Some of the guys who I thought worked hard were Belanger, Chimera, Fehr, and of course Carlson. Keep in touch, Craig from Cobourg Ontario, Canada
Bitter much? I noticed the Penguins had a lot of difficulty getting power play goals and avoid blocked shots tonight…not to mention “the hot goaltender”.
Pens 6-3 over Montreal, going 3-3 on the powerplay. What’s your take on that?
While I have had a few days to digest this loss, it still feels horrible. As I watch the Pens beating the Canadians, 5-2 I have to wonder why we couldn’t do it. I think one of the issues is coaching. We don’t have an expierenced enough coach and haven’t everytime we step into the playoffs. I love Bruce, but the regular season is different then the playoffs and he doesn’t know how to adjust at this level. It’s not the Hershey Bears playing in the AHL playoffs and a 1-4 record in game 7′s which is just not acceptable. This series should not even have gotten there. To be 1 for 34 in PP goals~should not have been. Pens have scored 3 tonight alone. If Bruce concentrated on the PP in practice like he said in every news conference, why weren’t they listening to him? Something is wrong with the head of the ship in DC and the players are not listening to their coach. Ovie, Nick~they tried as hard as they could in that series and we had glaring mistakes from Green and Semin. Green played awful in game 7 and Semin was a complete no show. He gave up the puck in the neutral zone more then he had it. He should have been benched by bruce and not given more ice time. I love this team, love the Caps and many fans are having such a hard time with this series loss. It is so hard to watch 82 games a year, win the presidents cup and lose in the first round. I thank you for giving us a team we can be proud of, I only hope that Bruce can figure this out for next year.
I also have never heard BB ever take any accountability for his team’s performance. That shows a lack of honesty. He blames everyone else. Not a good boss.
I still do not understand why you would keep BB. He looked confused and dazed. He is flappable. His decision making seems flawed and his system is too predictable for playoff hockey at the highest level. He does not seem to be tough enough. You have stated results matter. I wonder in your other businesses if you had an extremely talented team and yet the team underperformed what would be your decision. I am pretty sure you would terminate the division head. You will regret not bringing in coaches that can inspire, lead and motivate. I respect you but you are making a terrible decision. As a fan since 1974 I have seen this show before. I am afraid that in 2011 you will have to let BB go because the results will be close to the same.. It is not the players fault. Martin understood every scheme and was in BB’s head. I hope I am wrong.
Where was this fight back in the playoffs? Soft leadership. Pick the important fights, Ted. Didn’t you learn that in the hallway when you went after the fan a few years ago?
I’ve always wondered why Comcast or MASN doesn’t televise Hershey games when the Caps are not playing. It would have to draw more fans than they have watching a fishing show.
Ted,
My question aimed to get your take on how best to keep the growing Caps fan base excited about the success you are poised to have next regular season, since some fans have questioned why this season’s success unfortunately didn’t translate to a deeper playoff run. In other words, how to make sure that regular-season success is not taken for granted by fans and continues to draw their enthusiasm.
Ted, I apologize if my phrasing of the question was inartful or misconstrued. After covering the team for more than nine years, I am excited about the team’s resurgence and look forward to covering many more great seasons (and we’re going to hold on to those rights, thank you very much!).
Thank you,
Russ
Keep on winning and being so much fun to watch and we’ll stay interested.
It’s a fair question. As long as you finish in the top 8, the regular season doesn’t matter. Took 7 of 8 points in the regular season against the Pens 2 last season and lose to them in the playoffs. Win the Presidents trophy and bow out in round 1. I go just for the entertainment value but don’t take much stock in it.
Also, this response “So let me ask you a question Russ… will Comcast Sportsnet let us take back our programming? Will you let us out of our deal and allow us to take the regular season games to another outlet?” is the snarky response I expected from Mr. Leonsis..
Hi Ted,
I have played hockey my whole life and have been a life long Caps fan, my Dad has had season tickets my whole life. Last night was tough to take for many reasons, we just did not look like a hungry team; we looked discouraged.
I am not of the belief that we should reinvent the wheel and fire everybody and start from scratch. The core group is a group that we should not forget has taken us from being pretty awful a few years ago to allow all of us to have expectations. I cannot say that when I was little I would have thought that I would ever say I expect the Caps to win the Stanley Cup. All fans should realize that we have come along way.
I know losing is difficult, we have all lost in something and I think the hardest part about being a fan is that you care just as much as the players, but you cannot physically play and have an on ice impact. So, of course this loss hurts for all of the fans and it hurts just as bad for the players I am sure.
We have a long off season ahead of us, one with lots of questions that will most likely remain until we win in the playoffs next season and although I am upset today I know that come September I will be itching for our caps to start again!
So for all who hurt like I do, Let’s Go Caps! Let’s Go Ovie, Backstrom, Green, Boudreau! These guys brought us to expect success and let’s continue to support them. The team will be different next year because there are always changes.
Ted I am sure you are just as excited as the rest of us to start next season to be hungry for a championship again.
Best,
Robbie
Definitely an ironic question.
I think Caps fans next regular season will hopefully enjoy seeing Varly, Neuvy (maybe Holtby?) in the nets for a full season. Seeing Carlson and Alzer as a great young D-duo should be fun. Seeing if some Hershey players like Perreault can break into the NHL long-term. Seeing if the Caps can find a reliable, productive 2nd line center for Semin and Laich.
And maybe seeing some new schemes for coping with trapping defenses and the Hall Gills of the NHL world. I think we’ll be eager to see any improvements and additions the Caps made. I wish it were October already.