How I Feel the NHL's Obsession with Money Now Costs Them Money Later

[@mchammer1809]

In business we call this over-earning. Yes, you can screw your customers now and make a fortune - but it will cost you long term.

[@RandomGuyCDN]

Welcome to how all the corps think now unless their owner isnt a complete tool. Everything is about short term business decisions and not long term. Gotta make more money every year because making the same amount of profit is somehow a failure

[@shawklan27]

@@RandomGuyCDN dystopian nightmare we're living in folks

[@empchampion40k]

It’s been a long time since my college Econ course, but the one lesson I can’t forget the lesson of a profit curve: there is only so much you can charge customers for a product/service before you start losing them and your overall revenue takes a loss.

[@dixonhill1108]

@@RandomGuyCDN Except that's not true at all, most tech companies build everything on the principle that eventually they can turn a profit. What's important is building up the value of the brand, not cashing in on the brands value. Infact what you're describing is something that more or less is a truism with publicly traded companies. The league is privately owned and is all about long term franchise values as the primary reason for justifying extreme expansion fees.

[@michaelkeller5927]

Late stage capitalism, folks

[@wadeschmidt]

The nhl has ruined the tv product with the digital ads. This is the single largest contact the league with its fans.

[@acanadianineurope814]

meh. they had the same argument with board ads years before eventually you will tune them out.. or you will turn it off.

[@wadeschmidt]

@@acanadianineurope814 Have you watched an north american nhl tv broadcast this season? I've tried too but they are in my opinion unwatchable.

[@f.n04]

@@acanadianineurope814 only difference is those original board ads didn't eat up the players and didn't play mini videos during the game

[@acanadianineurope814]

@@wadeschmidt yes I have, not nice but I also can remember version 1.0 of boards ads, which was not nice either. Try watching some euro hockey sometime... this is your future.

[@dixonhill1108]

@@acanadianineurope814 Turning it off is becoming the popular trend. If my jets weren't doing well I wouldn't even watch hockey this year. If the Jets go on a rebuild I won't be watching.

[@matthewmidigi4903]

The gambling ads is truly the biggest issue. It's like a pandemic. As a high school teacher, I can't even begin to tell you how often I hear students talk about their gambling losses from online betting sites. They're 15 years old.

[@coolbeansjr]

Wow. Sad

[@wareqo9768]

local blackouts suck so much, i pay money to watch a game but i can only watch games everywhere other than the area i live. makes no sense to me.

[@mikewheldon9470]

Get a VPN, and change your location, it seems to work

[@gocanuckurself1]

This is why Shannon is The Hockey Guy. The passion in this video. Speaking for all of us fans. ❤️

[@dixonhill1108]

Agreed I just wish he put more mention on them covering up faceoffs. I watched a game the other day, where the puck was in the net before the flash add was over. Faceoffs are a huge part of the game, depending on who your centers are.

[@dukem991]

He's a fan and a true pro....CBC hire this guy

[@e-c-dia]

no man deserves that title more than Shannon

[@b3n751]

agreed. hes an MVP every year. an absolute beauty

[@JamesCrosby87]

As someone who does sports betting himself, I think the NHL has gone too far in terms of advertising gambling websites and pushing it on people who have no interest in betting or have had a gambling addiction in the past...it's making the product unwatchable

[@gumbojones3133]

As someone who never gambles I certainly agree. Definitely hurts true passion for the sport

[@mh13mini]

the gambling adds every 4 seconds are becoming intolerable

[@1chound1]

Many thousands of us hockey fans are now on fixed incomes. We have to decide if we need to pay a lot of money for hockey channels on TV, or go to the doctor, put gas in the car, get groceries, plus pay a regular cable bill(obnoxiously priced as is) a to see hardly any hockey. More fans will tune in to watch if we get to see it easily. Even if the team I root for is not on, we still like to watch the game. Thanks for all THG videos, I watch probably 99% of them, and you tell it like it is, too little of this in the world today.

[@joelpilgert4373]

I'm old enough to remember thinking that a 0 - 0 tie was a great game. A defensive goalie duel can be just as good as a fire wagon score fest

[@v4v819]

I agree with you as a hockey fan but if you want to get the casuals and mainstream then you got to take the same approach comparable but more successful major sport's leagues have done in America to get more popular... And it's clearly people want more scoring... NHL is going down that road and it's starting to show in it's viewership ratings...

[@chadisnotachad]

I'll give a real world example. Up until KZbin added the 2nd ad to each ad break, I sat through the ads because 5-15 seconds before and maybe in the middle of a video was okay. I've used adblock for years now and wouldn't even stomach that anymore. In the quest for more money, you lose good will and more consumers, so you have to keep trying to get more out of who's left.

[@mercywilliams2698]

Well said . ✅ ads chase me off viewing …

[@dixonhill1108]

And youtube is free, the nhl business model is connecting with a niche audience, typically a middle class audience who'll dump $200-300 in the league each and every year.

[@thesweetermonster3453]

What ad block do you use for KZbin? Been trying to find a good one

[@SaintCyrX]

Pay for YT Premium, it is so worth it and pays money to the content creators.

[@dixonhill1108]

@@thesweetermonster3453 U block origin. I haven't seen an ad in years. Hell I don't even watch NHL adds. I have video speed controller added onto my chrome, so I can skip adds with ease. As soon as the ref blows the whistle I skip ahead to the next puck drop.

[@Flaris]

The NHL is absolutely risking hurting itself with the intense chase for more money. I get it. It's a business and they want to make money. But chasing it too hard will hurt more in the long term. The digital ads are bad. But honestly, I'm getting sick of the gambling ads constantly. Just all time and everywhere. And while it isn't all on the NHL itself, you get it with surrounding the league. Podcasts, news sites, etc. Just so darn much.

[@shawklan27]

Doesn't help were I'm from UK Football has gamble ads up the risuo and it's been normalised just about everywhere I go. The NHL is just following it and it will get worse

[@dustylover100]

What bothers me is the fact that the pro sports leagues actually embraced gambling. If they were willing to do this, then why isn't Pete Rose in the Baseball Hall of Fame? Gambling, over history, has compromised the integrity of the games. And Rose got caught up in it.

[@dixonhill1108]

@@shawklan27 Soccer is 45 minutes of continuous play. Hockey is short bursts that are more or less overwhelming for new audiences. Constant visual stimulation with adds is a whole other issue. You can't compare hockey to other sports. In Gridiron there's a lots of breaks and starts. In soccer//basketball, you can see the players faces, in hockey they have no personality and no faces.

[@byst33]

Sadly I don't think the gambling stuff is ever going away. I saw some statistics recently and something like over half of all fantasy sports players are men in their 30s that make over 90k. The money is there, ripe for the taking.

[@markdwolf3198]

@@dixonhill1108 you obviously have never watched a hockey game, you can see the faces of the players all the time,and you have always been able to see their faces.

[@deadlves]

why are blackouts still a thing? if a leafs game or a habs game or whatever is blacked out for me i can’t watch it on tv, i can’t stream it (legally) and i can’t go to the game because i live in saskatchewan. which leaves me no choice but to watch a pirated stream or not watch at all, making the nhl no money either way.

[@Earthboundmike]

Pretty much why I don't get the nhl package online. I don't have cable, but would like to watch hockey. But getting blacked out of games is, weird. Especially since so far as I know I paid for them - I'm not going to know what games are going to be blacked out before hand I can't be fucked to keep track of each and every thing for that.

[@v4v819]

It won't make sense for you but don't feel bad it won't make sense for any laymen... But trust me the business of the NHL is run by executives who know what they are doing... They are a billion dollar business and yes that doesn't happen if they don't know how to squeeze as much money out of their customers as they can... Also don't use blackouts or anything as an excuse to pirate hockey games or all the other media you pirate- this includes games and music and movies as well... You're not expected to have an MBA to know anything about the business of hockey but you SHOULD KNOW better than to steal content from businesses like the NHL- that you pretend to be a fan of...

[@CalSkywalker]

This guy is a real hockey fan. The passion he has for the game. You love to see it

[@GoodMenstruationAttitude]

You're the hero we need and deserve, Shannon!

[@edwardofgreene]

Saturday night I attended a VERY exciting AHL game, and missed the All Star Game as a result. Correction: I didn't miss the All Star Game one bit. I made the right call, and it wasn't close.

[@mozzartV]

The best part of the All Star Game was Fall Out Boy lol

[@davidfox9947]

I think all star games in pro sports are past time.

[@Chimeratech8]

Couldn't agree with this more. They're like addicts, always craving the next short lived high, not realizing the damage they're doing to themselves long term. 2020 is the biggest example of this, but as you explained with the Versus deal, there is a consistent history of this.

[@mdd47]

@@geoff3103 Bettman is the commissioner, he works for the owners. If you don't like the way the NHL is going, blame the owners first and foremost, and Bettman a distant 33rd.

[@ThomB1031]

@@mdd47 their point stands. If fans had any self discipline... things would change.

[@mdd47]

@@geoff3103 "obviously know nothing" why be so rude and insult people? If you think I'm wrong, OK, but there's no need to be a jerk about it.

[@mdd47]

@@geoff3103 “preposterous, foolish” again if you think I’m wrong, cool, but you could at least try not to be a rude jerk about it.

[@mdd47]

@@geoff3103 May you reap what you sow

[@lavalp]

The digital board ads were the last straw for me (on top of the ads on the ice, the glass. the helmets...). And many of us have ALREADY PAID for subscriptions for the privilege of being showered with even more advertising that actually now ruins the viewing experience! I literally cannot watch NHL hockey anymore because of the the ads. I am disgusted with the NHL for being so greedy and caring little for the game or its fans.

[@georgeblair3894]

When the NHL loses viewership, advertisers will take notice and offer less. So the NHL makes less money, BUT, those viewers? There's no guarantee they'll return.

[@aaronyoung5667]

I really wish that Bettman and the owners would watch this video and understand that Shannon is right about every point made. Die hard fan since 94. Only missed games if I had to. The local blackouts and poor television coverage has made it impossible for me to watch games, and I'm not missing it. The few games that I have seen were unwatchable. At least I can get my daily news and scores here! If it wasn't for THG I think that I would have given up completely.

[@razvanzamfir1545]

Stop making sense!

[@romaliop]

The problem with the NHL is not necessarily that they actively seek new revenue sources, but that they always seem to go just that extra mile to piss off everyone. Like the digital ads could have been done in a reasonable way with no animations and some conditions for the advertisers on the use of colors so that the players don't disappear into them. You could have gotten 90% of the money without basically any backlash.

[@sydisticsandman]

Hard agree on this

[@v4v819]

Why would a business aim to piss off their customer base... Think next time you post online, bruhhh.... You're insane if you think they are going to bite the hands that feed them...

[@carparthero]

the nhl has never been accused of being intelligent when it comes to needing to use critical thinking.

[@sebastiencarrieres8825]

Or just in general...

[@TheGundameister]

This is so true. Look how the league was created.

[@GodWeenSatan]

The all star challenge proves that

[@byst33]

Oh, they're intelligent. It's just that they give zero sh*ts about the fans and would rather risk alienating die hard fans for the chance to squeeze $200 out of a casual fan.

[@SalaciousBCrumb-md3lk]

Neither have hockey fans.

[@bikesarebest]

Don't forget about the trapezoid ads too. They don't bother me by themselves but it's gets obnoxious with the digital ads behind the net and on the boards

[@steamr0ll]

I have been watching this channel for a few years and this might be my favorite video Shannon has made. Thanks for the real talk THG!

[@dukem991]

Agreed one of his best on the money !

[@dukem991]

Agreed one of his best on the money !

[@closethockeyfan5284]

Absolutely agreed, with one quibble: the oversimplification of the ESPN-OLN quandary in 2004. -Reporting at the time indicated ESPN was also offering significantly reduced percentages of ad revenue. OLN was offering better ad rates than any of its other content. (Yes, big fish in a small pond, but it's also a pride thing.) -Reporting at the time also indicated ESPN wasn't even guaranteeing games on ESPN2 and up--that some number would be pushed to 360/ESPN+. Nowadays with streaming's evolution? Not as big a deal. Even five years ago, though--let alone 19? Absolute deal-breaker. OLN not only guaranteed multiple primetime slots a week, but also heavily promoted second-half games of the week on NBC. I get the argument of even ESPN2 vs. OLN, but people forget there was a chance even the FINAL wasn't going to reach ESPN or ABC. That is humiliating, and ESPN did everything it could to absolutely bury NHL on all its programs. -ESPN also had no interest in giving any attractive time slots to the NHL, which I can understand given their push of NFL at the time with NBA as the flagship. OLN made NHL the flagship overnight and did a great job despite its reach. The evolutions along the way (marked with milestones of the name switches from OLN to VERSUS and then VERSUS to NBCSN) were incredible. They drew well despite the limited reach of OLN especially. I can understand the opinion that it was still the wrong choice, but I think especially in hindsight it turned out great.

[@neighborhoodpranksters6214]

I was just about to say this, I have never even thought to have this discussion, let alone anyone else talking about this issue

[@balover214]

I've been a hockey fan for decades, and watching on tv has become irritating that borders on stressful. It's like my social media feed threw up on my television/computer screen. There are pop up windows for twitter and instagram, moving ads, gambling stats, all on top of the usual ticker with game scores and updates scrolling along the bottom and the scoreboard. I like to watch The. Game. If I wanted to watch ads and popup windows, I would play a Candy Crush or some other phone-based game. I miss *seeing* the games, the plays, and action. Thank you for calling attention to this and speaking for all us fans!

[@Ruprect44]

Yah, put me in the alienated category. The constant gambling ads were the final straw. I'll watch highlights online but won't sit down and watch a full game again.

[@pdubcentral]

Not sure if this last week felt ridiculously long because there was barely any hockey or because there was no Shannon lol. Genuinely missed him while he was gone. Glad you got a vacation! But man is this channel a big part of my day!

[@eirikrdberg1161]

Same here. Boring week. No hockey, no drugs.

[@kenyadakashai95]

I felt this so much. 😂

[@tyraelhermosa]

There was no Shannon? He released so many videos this last week! Also, he has a 2nd channel called "The Entertainment Guy" if you miss him. He posted a bunch of stuff there during his vacations.

[@kukxiv7070]

The NHL is making its product harder to watch with the constant advertising and the jersey ads (I primarily watch the Wild who have giant ads). Ive found myself watching and caring more about football and college hockey rather than the NHL

[@chickenfkeryay]

It sucks that soms teams have taken the jersey ad route but im proud that theres a large number of teams who havent

[@Railblade]

With the change to NIL I do worry how long College Football is going to last before it gets corroded by the chase for moooore money.

[@dixiewinxeqandmore356]

I've started caring about baseball again.

[@faulknavy]

Thank goodness the KINGS have no jersey ads or helmet ads... yet.

[@exeter1985]

For me only, I see what the NHL is doing to be like a new vehicle. It has wifi, it has a DVD player, it has all your Netflix and other subscriptions... "What about the engine?" ... "Well we had to go to plastic parts instead of metal because it was cheaper, so your engine could melt if you drive too much... but this vehicle has the coolest GPS, Siri, and Netflix!

[@bjp1920]

As someone who brought ESPN+ to watch other teams when the Sabres aren't playing, which means I watch a ton of hockey. The digital ads and gambling ads I'm able to tune out. But I can easily see how it would be distracting for new fans. Also with the poor marketing from the league. Watching the Skills Comp was a total mess and was an opportunity blown to get new fans. It's a shame because nothing beats hockey, but it sometimes feels like in my environment that I'm the only one who watches.

[@rickyaz8640]

ESPN+ is an excellent product. Virtually every game (except TNT) with a choice of home/ road broadcast. The only ads I notice are the moving ones(especially if they are going in the ‘wrong’ direction). It’s also reasonably priced

[@reverend_wintondupree]

@@rickyaz8640 ESPN+ has been a major disappointment for anyone who previously subscribed to NHLTV/Gamecenter online. Many features have been stripped out, most notably multi-window view, (except AppleTv). It’s a much more watered down experience than what we had enjoyed for well over a decade.

[@sydisticsandman]

@@rickyaz8640 doesn't include much Kraken coverage due to them having thier rights owned by roots.... Black outs constantly. While living IN Washington state annnnd in californina AND Colorado (while I visited) 🤬🤬🤬🤬 unreal. However with ESPN + you can watch any game black out or tnt covered the next day so not too terrible.... Thier broadcasters are 🤬🤬🤬🤬 unberable though Ps I am an Avs fan but I figured I'd join the Kraken bandwagon when they launchlaunched for a second team... so so hard to do though

[@dixiewinxeqandmore356]

I feel you on the last sentence. It's honestly sad when I get blank stares at "Do you watch hockey"?

[@SMG2fanatic]

In the vein of “just because you can doesn’t mean you should”, many of the bells and whistles they’ve added digitally are asinine. I don’t need a name tag above the player when they touch the puck. I don’t need a little circle around one guy so I can “keep an eye” on him. I don’t really need a timer to know a player has been on the ice a long time, or a shot speed indicator to know a slap shot was a howitzer. It’s honestly like they’re trying to impress us or something, but all it is is a cluttered viewing experience when I just want to watch some damn hockey.

[@schumdav]

Solid rant, love it! The whole short-sighted shift from ESPN to VERSUS was overshadowed by the lockout. Don't think most fans even noticed because they were just happy to get NHL hockey back. Agree 100% that the NHL is interested in $ over quality of the product. The dramatic shift to the NHL being a champion of online gambling is the thing that is going to come back and haunt the NHL. What a misguided move. And the ads on the rink and players will only get worse while ticket prices continue to rise. The NHL is going to price themselves out of a lot of households.

[@JPMadden]

I'm 3 years older than Shannon. I remember the talk in the '90s about the NHL becoming more popular than the NBA. Even here in New England, where hockey is more popular than in much of the U.S., that never seemed likely.

[@grumpybogart]

I'll never forget that Sports Illustrated cover! The most typical NHL thing ever to go into a lockout right after that. No one shoots themselves in the foot like this league.

[@isidornimages]

Staring too intensely on the money now will easily make a company shoot themselves in the foot. While not hockey related, it makes me think of when the local politicians let a new company take over running the local bus traffic. They made some more money with the new company, but as the old company left, they didn't need the facilities and garages that they rented from the city, so in the end, it became a major loss.

[@theniskycap8612]

Don't worry... our fearless leader Gary Bettman said that his poll we never saw any data for indicated that fans like the digital ads!

[@islesofmets]

I actually started disliking the flashing changing ads, I really miss the actual local ads on the boards because I usually memorize the ads in October/November so I don’t have to think much about where the game is being played. In addition, the local ads are actually of a help because I would likely shop at their stores when visiting. The more nationalized feel of the game is just making it too overly corporate. I even thought the Islanders were playing at home when they digitally overlayed Northwell Health (a local Health Network and Key Sponsor of the Islanders) onto the Ice of a different arena multiple times. It just doesn’t work.

[@Steve-xf4uv]

Long time hockey fan, NHL fan, season seat holder; that said, I hate the board advertising, it is a definite distraction and it should disappear. I also would never buy a hockey jersey with advertising on it and I have a dozen or more. And the gambling sites on tv now - when do we bring back cigarette ads ? It's got to stop and I congratulate you on your stand on this issue. You speak for the fans, unfortunatley the NHL has forgotten us.

[@smackx1486]

When Vegas came into the league, they did hockey tutorial segments during intermission. Dallas used to have some of that that too. I could the the NHL has teams explain back checking or what a hook is. If they explain penalties, maybe they need to have the zebras watch that too XD

[@jasonmazurkiewicz6960]

He is right about the ads. It's designed to get your attention and the fact that fans are admitting that it's distracting that's what the advertisers want. They want you to look at the digital board ad.

[@fantasticvoyage262]

Then viewers reach a breaking point. And stop watching. Just like I have.

[@coolbeansjr]

@@fantasticvoyage262 me too. Won't watch with it

[@fantasticvoyage262]

@@coolbeansjr I wouldn't be surprised if despicable ads are engraved into the Stanley Cup for a few extra dollars.

[@goaliecoachmike]

I lost some respect for Gretzky when he was on Bet MGM commercials. Pisses me off and I’m disgusted with all of the sanctioned betting.

[@puckpuff8719]

The 2005-06 season was actually nationally broadcast on OLN (Outdoor Life Network), before the channel was rebranded to Versus. That network choice definitely seemed odd to me.

[@chrisguardiano6143]

Along with a select number of games on over the air NBC & the reason why that happened was because the parent company that owned OLN Comcast also bought NBC from GE. NBC only showed the NHL because at that time they did not have any of "The Big 4" rights. The NBA had left NBC in 2002 & SNF wasn't going to be coming until 2006. The biggest things NBC had at that time were the Olympics, golf & NASCAR (which was at its peak popularity wise before it crashed) and that was it.

[@SuperChunk19]

NHLs broadcasting choices before NBC is hilarious

[@b3n751]

lol yep. spot on.

[@DrEldersAnatomyChannel]

Remember when the NHL would show first round playoff games on The Golf Channel?

[@ggitslificious]

THG the absolute GOAT

[@PauMaz]

Actually before it was Versus it was The Outdoor Life Network. The National Hockey League played games on the Outdoor Life Network in the States.

[@damonwebb813]

I've been a hockey nut for 50 + years But with more access and time, the digital boad ads are causing me to not care about watching hockey Am I wasting money/ice package, , by not maximizing what I watch meh(the meh is scary) If not for Shannon, I would be losing even more contact/interest with hockey(very scary) What is happening to a rabid hockey fan who has become dis- interested in hockey

[@craigwinter3792]

Never lose sight of the implication of the 20% drop in ratings. It means a bunch of new people watched hockey last year out of curiosity. Then went: "this is boring/this is the same NHL I didn't like in 2005" and didn't come back this year.

[@gabew7480]

The NHL today can’t be more different than it was in 2005

[@ChipMunkGuerrilla]

This rant about the league was awesome! Hat’s off to the hockey guy 🏒!

[@almVancouver]

I don't like the current playoff format. A better playoff format would have 1st in conference play 8th in conference, or 1st in league play 16th in league. The benefit in both these scenarios is the best regular season finisher playing the worst finisher.

[@darthvader3742]

They really need to go back to the 1 vs 8 format. This current format has long run it's course.

[@scotthoneycutt6967]

90s ESPN hockey was the best. The move to OLN was so weird and I've never watched as much since. Olympic hockey is beautiful with such clean ice and boards. Also speaking as a graphic designer, yes, the ads are designed to be eye-catching, and they are sold with the sponsor knowing they will be seen. Letting a sponsor hear that people aren't looking at them is bizarre.

[@theAV8R]

Good points Shannon. I'd like to share what I've done differently this year in response to gambling ads, board ads, gambling ads, jersey ads, gambling, and the league treating me like I'll just keep taking it: Last year I reckon I spent over $6,000 at live games. This year, I haven't gone to a single game, and I refuse to spend a dime until the league takes its viewers more seriously.

[@MrWumbologist]

I remember stumbling upon this channel and thinking "This guy calls himself The Hockey Guy? That's quite a boast!" And yet you definitely live up to that name, Shannon. In a world of bombastic editing, clickbait and react videos, your substantive videos that are what they say on the tin are a breath of fresh air, and I can see that your channel follows the ethos you're espousing in this video.

[@AdamCatalyst]

Shannon, this is the best video you have ever done. Every word is spot on. The NHL Board of Governors needs to watch this. Thank-you for taking what so much of us have thought and felt, and putting it so plainly and clearly.

[@robbiegenell8284]

I think your point on all the on-TV distractions can be made about the in-arena product as well. I think there are too many in-arena distractions too. I think arenas feel like they have to do all of this extra crap to make a hockey game watchable. I went to and Avs game in December. The whole time I was there it felt like everything else going on in the arena was the main focus and the game itself was secondary.

[@ShannonFerguson]

I agree. NHL needs more eyes on it. I remember being in Pennsylvania in the early 2000s. I thought I would be able to watch Pens, Devils, or Flyers games on TV. Couldn't find one game all week! Sports channels were replaying old basketball games instead.

[@dalriada]

It's only a matter of time before the NHL plasters all the team jerseys with ads as they do with European soccer. It's an embarrassment.

[@jimmybilly3336]

I agree with everything you said. sadly, you only touched the surface of money problems the NHL has created themselves. I felt like this was a 5 minute video and was shocked to notice it was almost 30 minutes. Just proves you right, in my opinion. Keep it up bud

[@mikedrndarski2707]

It's getting to the point I can hardly watch the TNT broadcast on Wednesdays. The between periods is damn near impossible to watch. The damn betting commercials and seeing the same 12 ads through the games is nuts.

[@cameronmccormick89]

Gambling needs to go back underground. The amount of gambling ads is disgusting considering that most of the industry is based on preying on addicts.

[@gabew7480]

Give it another 5 years and it’ll be normal the same way people don’t complain about beer commercials being at ever commercial break in nfl games

[@jtsparky876]

The digital board ads are a disgrace .I felt like my loyalty was being taken advantage of so I barely watch the NHL now . Have now found other ways to spend my free time and i doubt i ever have the same interest in the NHL again even if changes are made .

[@thispersoncommented]

I think what the nhl has seemed to forget is that hockey is already the most visually busy sport out of the big 4. With baseball and football you have frequent breaks between each pitch/play. And in basketball, the court is small enough where you have extra space at the top that isn’t really being used. With hockey you don’t have any of that.

[@ihnchaser10]

I never understood the blackout concept, but it sucked when I went to college in Hawaii in 2018 and was paying for the nhl subscription and the ducks and knights games were blacked out. I’m back in California now and I can’t even watch the ducks without paying to go to a game. Last year I paid for ESPN+ and the games were still blacked out so I spent money for no reason which I guess is my fault for not looking into like it. I just want to turn on the tv and watch a damn game haha.

[@pennalty9]

it feels like eventually there will be so much stuff on the screen that it will just feel like playing a video game

[@n00RBERGx]

This is so true. Imagine the NHL asking the fans what they want before doing things or the NHL talking to you Shannon because you are the most passionate fan that i know of. You truly live, breath and think hockey and we can see it. I wish that the NHL could see it

[@ianhall6614]

You are the man Shannon. You are absolutely right when most people would still respect you and find no fault in you achieving as much money as possible. But I believe more people respect and admire you for being genuinely you, even when it comes at personal financial cost. No one does it better than you!

[@thomascapellini1306]

Don’t think I’ve ever bought a product because it was on a board advertisement

[@lusiouse]

i dont mind the digital ads,,, i dont like ads on the jerseys though , im glad Detroit has no jersey ads

[@fantasticvoyage262]

I hate both equally.

[@estellegrignon]

I remember when the helmet ads came around. It was supposed to be temporary, just to bring in more money right now because of 2020. And hey, at least, it's not on the jerseys! That wasn't that long ago. That helmet ads season started what, two years ago? And now, we're already stuck with both jersey ads, and digital ads. On top of all the unrelenting betting commercials. People use to snob illegal streaming sites because of all the pop-ups and ads all around. But now, even the actual game on TV feels like an endless barrage of pop-up ads.

[@Chimeratech8]

23:16 really hammered home something in my mind. THG and Dangle are the two hockey personalities I listen to the most, more than any TV or radio people. But the paths each have taken recently could not be more different. Unfortunately, Steve has given in to a lot of the things THG has resisted. The SDP podcast not only has gambling ads, but actual sponsored segments where they chat with a gambling company employee about what bets to make. It's gotten really out of hand and I know a chunk of his fanbase have called Steve/Adam/Jesse out for this, but they have consistently refused to even acknowledge any criticism.

[@j.b.7133]

lol Dangle is pure cringe

[@thawk1435]

@@j.b.7133 the only good video Dangle has ever made was about some no name zamboni driver.....🙃🙃

[@TheLvBret]

Last weeks dang it’s was filled with ads..for the first time since I discovered dang it’s I did not watch the whole video…if it’s the same this week I’ll probably unsubscribe

[@modernthinker300]

Steve Dangle is possible one of the world's most annoying personalities. I could not watch him no matter how his content was augmented/not augmented.

[@jejsemin33]

Dangle is an absolute hack lmao

[@SteeleZack]

The sports betting ads legit infuriates me , children are watching hockey games too Gary !!

[@JohnnyBuschi]

I'd be pissed if I paid for a regular board ad and it was covered up digitally.

[@Gralro]

I will loathe the day NHL jerseys look like soccer jerseys where the ads are bigger than the team logo.

[@magicseadog8674]

HERE IN AUSTRALIA WE CANT EVEN LEGALY PAY TO WATCH THE NHL. It's the odd game on Kayo or illegal streams only

[@jkliao6486]

One thing I noticed with the digital ads is that the top of the goalie water bottle keeps flickering because of poor technology. So you would have this dark small object that is roughly the same size as a puck keep flickering at the back of the net, as if someone has scored a goal, and it's really distracting under certain circumstances.

[@IcyVegeta]

Much love THG.

[@little_buster4289]

They could have at least made the digital ads static. The animation is whats making them incredibly distracting.

[@derick-smith]

I've found myself watching other things more this season than any other time in my 25 year hockey fandom. Its the boards 100%

[@azaz911c]

The NHL's heavy promotion of sports betting is going to hurt them. As a parent, it changes my perception of the NHL for the worse, and makes me question if I want my kids watching the broadcasts when they are being bombarded with betting ads. There was a time when HNIC could be relied upon as clean entertainment on a cold Saturday night - a shared Canadian experience for any one with a TV with rabbit ear antennas. I don't feel the same way about it anymore.

[@chrisstopher2277]

What's funny is Comcast owners in Colorado still don't have access to altitude sports and can't watch the Avs or Nuggets. Also the Stanley Cup champs practice facilitiy is in a Family event center. They practice where laser tag is next door. We're also talking about Stan Kroenke the Dude who owns the Rams, Nuggets, Avs and Arsenal name a few. The 2nd richest NHL owner.

[@prochrgedLT1]

Same. I had to add Hulu with ESPN+ to get Altitude.

[@tomfilipiak3511]

The NHL has turned into a circus!

[@mtvpl]

I couldn't agree more with this video. When the helmet adds became a thing, I knew exactly what was just let through the door. I love watching a good game, but I'm starting to lean more and more to just listening on the radio vs watching on TV. The amount of advertising on everything has just gotten so ridiculous.

[@fantasticvoyage262]

And that's exactly why I listen to way more games on my phone than I watch on TV. The viewing experience has been significantly diminished.

[@chrisstopher2277]

I hope you had a great vacation. I went to Disneyland with my nephews a couple years ago and the amount of money you can spend there is insane. It was super fun though.

[@donaldmulrooney942]

Digital ads and gambling have turned off me conpletely. I watch you and hockey highlights now, that's it.

[@Christoph5782]

I wouldn’t mind the jersey/helmet ads if they were just solid black/white, though i completely agree with the digital board and on ice ads especially during live play

[@picklesz745]

I’m really glad the Leafs’ helmet and jersey ads are solid white(blue with away) bc I honestly forget they are there. When I look at other teams ads that are either multiple colors or another color that is not part of their jersey (like the Wilds) it looks bad

[@leftcoaster67]

ESPN and no blackouts (Even in Canada too). Growth is as important as $$$$$$$$. Well said Shannon. Thank you!

[@lazyluci4803]

I started watching and playing hockey in the late 1950's. Objectively speaking, the game is played better today, but I don't watch it anymore. The simplicity and the soul are on life support. You're the man, Shannon; a Canadian who knows and loves hockey.

[@quiccksilver57w20]

The board ads remind me of when the nhl tried the puck halo in hopes it was easier for viewers to track the puck.

[@stephenphillips6245]

Those lockouts really reduced my interest in the NHL product and that clown show, of an all star, weekend didn't help...LoL

[@andrew6815]

Its just the way of things right now. There's this pervasive and overriding NEED to maximize profits over absolutely anything else and the financialization of absolutely everything. It's not just hockey, its society wide. But it does definitely feel like a lot of these organizations are essentially eating themselves out of greed... what could possibly go wrong?

[@matthewaxford655]

You are correct 💯. I have already this year turned off games entirely because of all this nonsense. I hate the ads on the helmets and the jerseys! I think all the different jerseys are becoming too much!

[@talcat8031]

I have friends who are hockey fans but not as much as I am and they definitely have said they watch fewer games because of the board adds.

[@mikedevison5316]

speaking as a fan from across the pond, how busy the screen is now when watching games really makes it a tough watch as well as a tough sell to my friends, especially when it can be tricky to follow the puck on a clean screen (I have many years experience of stopping up late in the 90's to watch a game on a cheap analogue small screen TV so I its easy enough for me) but with the points raised about growing the game, the on screen presentation is actively hurting the game. The on ice product is defo the best I've seen in my 20 years plus of viewing. As always Shannon, a great, balanced, insightful and thought provoking video.

[@wernerreiser9381]

I agree with your comments. Time to get back to what is on the ice and not be distracted with ads. Great content. Thanks.

[@damonwebb813]

Did the NHL get my money for Center Ice yes Does digital boards make me less likely to watch numerous games, I normally watch.....yes Do I find myself watching a lot less hockey yes Do I go numerous days with out watching...... yes Am I thinking about not renewing my contract........maybe

[@Furens]

Talking about advertising, I bought TSN's streaming service for a month for World Juniors. So I paid whatever it was, call it $20 for the month. Of course, within the broadcasts there are commercials, that's a given. But before any channel would being streaming I would have to watch an additional ad, like on KZbin. There's never enough for these idiots, product be damned.

[@GrandFunker]

I'm fairly new to the channel and the Bettman picture always makes me giggle.

[@Satarnoch]

Welcome to Europe where if you don't know the team, you sometimes don't know which picture is the logo on the jersey because of the ads.

[@lylewhitfield3210]

Just wait till they start putting ads in the commentary: "here comes Jack Hughes on a Honda Civic™ breakaway! He shoots and a huge Tim Hortons™ glove save by Ullmark! What a brilliant McDonald's McStretch Pass™ by Hamilton that was.

[@irafair3015]

Ugh!

[@brianjones7660]

@@irafair3015 game.. set... and match sir! Well played

[@brianjones7660]

I meant for lylew.😁

[@jbmac2359]

Hockey Guy, your sincere commentary on the the state of the game is much appreciated. Hopefully the nhl will listen to in regards to the advertising and tone this back. It seems like the sport should only be gaining fans with the HD picture now on all televisions. More so than any other sport. Unless the owners ass it up with these distracting ads,

[@loismiller2830]

Great Video Shannon. I totally agree about passing up short term gains with an eye to increasing and maintaining your fan base, which is really how the NHL can sustain their earnings over time. Any hockey fan can tell you, high scoring games can be the most boring. Listen to Shannon, Gary. Get rid of the electronic boards and let the best hockey players in the world do their jobs.

[@bradparker5784]

Very well done, Shannon! The grab for money at any cost, the cost of integrity, pride, history, or the sentiment both good and bad. ( you acknowledge both, to be better) is very short-sighted and cost you more.

[@michaeloconnor6151]

I look forward to your vidoes EVERY SINGLE DAY Shannon. Thanks for all you do. Rarely comment on KZbin but thought you deserve to know how much your efforts are appreciated

[@rmg110]

Agree. Board adds and gambling commercials suck.

[@Christian_Martel]

Last night I watched the AHL All-Star organized by the Laval Rocket, farm team of the Montreal Canadiens. You know what? It was 10 times more entertaining and competitive game than the NHL gimmick over the weekend. Players seemed to enjoy the format and we saw the intensity increased towards the end of the game. Fans were cranked up, as it is usually the case for Rocket games. It was the perfect mix of tradition and modernity last night. Kudos for the AHL and the Rocket. They, at least, get it.

[@treygray2817]

Of course it's more competitive. AHL all-stars want to prove themselves; NHL all-stars have it made and have to reason to compete.

[@GoBlue8118]

I want to make a point that emphasizes one of the great points you've made. When the NHL was deciding between ESPN and Versus, it wasn't Versus yet. For an entire season, the NHL was broadcast on the OUTDOOR LIFE NETWORK. I will never understand that decision. Talk about penny wise, dollar foolish.

[@pomerlain8924]

Correct. When you think OLN, NHL hockey is not what comes to mind. Putting the NHL on a network called the Outdoor Life Network was growing the game? Ugh. Not to mention, they took more money from OLN to have them air less games weekly than ESPN did. ESPN was a national network, and with ESPN and ESPN2, they were able to consistently broadcast up to 3-4 games a week. OLN was one channel, and they usually did just 2 games a week.

[@fantasticvoyage262]

I never got OLN. So for the next 5 years, the only hockey I could watch was the NBC games.