There has been more than one theory over the years as to why hockey does not receive higher television ratings in the United States.

Personally, I have to question the ratings process when the numbers show only a few hundred people typically watch a game in San Diego, then more than 300 call when there is an unexpected blackout on the same channel later in the season. Considering most people would not call to complain, the ratings seem to be a little low.

On top of that, the ratings do not take into account people who watch in bars or in large groups -- and that is a significant portion of hockey fans.

Regardless, television executives are continually looking for a way to prop up ratings south of the border. One of the more recent ideas was the rail cam on Versus. The camera ran along a rail on top of the glass -- good in theory, but questionable in reality.

The game was broadcast from Dallas, an arena with a notoriously low main camera angle. The shallow pitch of lower level seats means television cameras tend to shoot through the glass, and when there's a rail on the top of that glass, it is distracting to many viewers.

When the main camera angle was used, watching the camera move through the picture was bizarre -- even several casual hockey fans complained of the distraction. For the fans in the seats, it would be just as big of an issue -- maybe more so. In the end, it seems like another idea that worked better in concept than reality.

One of the latest notions indicates television does not accurately portray the speed of the game and that is something the rail cam was intended to provide. The theory states the casual fan will be impressed by the speed of the game and become hooked.

To aid with that concept, several arenas have adjusted their main camera angles the past two years to bring the fans closer to the ice.

The problem is, they are treating the wrong issue. Translating the speed of hockey to television is not an issue -- in fact, the speed of the game is what often makes the sport hard to follow for newcomers. Casual viewers never complain the game does not seem fast enough to be interesting. Instead, they complain the play is hard to follow and the puck is hard to see.

Many of the best broadcasts actually seem to slow down the play, allowing the viewer to watch the play develop. This is particularly noticeable in high definition broadcasts, especially on HDNet. A good HD broadcast finds a way to incorporate close to half the ice in a single shot, giving the viewer a good perspective on the development of the play. In the process, the game naturally slows down -- but that is not a bad thing.

Notice how scouts, press, and team executives perch themselves at the top of the arena? It is not because the front row seats sell for more, it is because the game can be better viewed and understood from a distance. Front row seats are interesting for the odd game, but for most hockey fans, a front row seat means the game moves too fast.

So why are television executives trying to bring the speed of the game into the broadcast? If the problem is casual viewers following the puck and understanding the flow of the game, the key is to slow down the game.

Many casual fans have commented they can not watch standard definition hockey and follow the game, yet they enjoy watching on HDNet. Mark Cuban's channel slows the game down with wide camera angles and slow-scrolling cameras.

Too many networks -- especially American cable channels -- feel they have to keep the puck in the middle of the frame. This simply is not the case -- in fact, sometimes it pays to lead the play and have the puck behind the center of the frame.

In addition, most HD television sets -- which are becoming more standard -- have a slower refresh rate than traditional tube televisions. As a result, whenever the camera is in motion there is a blurring of the action on the ice. Watching a game, especially a standard definition broadcast, on an LCD television is an exercise in futility no casual fan would want to undertake.

The answer to improving the NHL's U.S. television ratings is to make the game easier to follow. Go back to higher camera angles that show more of the ice -- televisions are larger now than 10 years ago, so why lower the camera angles to show less of the game? Scroll the camera at a reasonable pace and do not worry about keeping the puck in the middle of the frame -- watch a CBC, TSN, or HDNet broadcast to see how this should be done.

The Versus show On The Glass is a great sidebar if the league wants to portray the speed of the game. In this hour-long show, Versus shows extended highlights of a single game from a glass camera. Following the play is almost impossible, but it portrays the speed of the game.

When it comes to the actual broadcast, however, slowing down the game and making it easier to follow for the casual fan -- or even the die-hard fan -- should be the goal.