This is a MASSIVE problem for NHL hockey...

#nhl #hockey #montrealcanadiens
NHL viewership is down 22% from last year.. and this shouldn't surprise anyone. We breakdown why this is the case, and why fumbled events like the NHL All Star Game are a prime example of the NHL's struggles to market the game.
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[@_thebearden_]

The NHL: *wants to grow the game* Also the NHL: *puts a majority of the games behind blackout restrictions or a paywall*

[@hockeypsychology]

Makes sense eh!?

[@user-xg6sx5ev9u]

Hockey need more personalities too, half the players are so boring in interviews, the nba understood that

[@BarnJ]

@@user-xg6sx5ev9u doesn't help that half the league can barely speak English

[@user-xg6sx5ev9u]

@@BarnJ that’s a big reach, maybe 20%

[@MyName_Jeff]

@@user-xg6sx5ev9u Just different cultures. Hockey players are taught to be respectful and team centric. Basketball players are more disrespectful with a lot more self centric mindsets. NBA's GOAT, Jordan, is the epitome of that.

[@SparePartsBud]

Interesting how the majority of NHL fans knew going back to ESPN wasn't going to be good for the sport nor was ESPN gonna give hockey the time of day, yet Bettman and the NHL didn't.

[@giombi15]

The NHL need a fresh face as commissioner with good ideas. I don’t know why Bettman is still in charge

[@stephenmiano2392]

Bettman is becoming an old man. Time to leave

[@heathclark318]

It happens every time the NHL sells themselves to ESPN. That heinous network does not care about Hockey, never has and never will. Bettmen and the owners just wanted that cash, didnt care about growing the game

[@johnrwalker53]

@@giombi15 He's a Woke Commissioner pushing politics like Pride Night on the sport.

[@JasonSmith-pe5py]

People like you im guessing whine no matter where the games are-NBC,Versus,OLN...some of you are never happy. I have issues with ESPN,but its better than NBC,& TNT does the best job of any network-at least since the lockout. To say ESPN doesnt give hockey the time of day is ludicrous...compared to NBC. Hockey is my favorite sport,but the masses dont agree-so ya the nfl,cfb,nba,cbb,mlb...they are gonna get more covrrage for reasons that SHOULD be blatantly obvious. Whether we like it or not...hockey isnt in the neighborhood of those sports popularity on a national level. Hockey is popular on regional levels,but in America its just not on a national level. Many fans care bout their local team,but not the other teams. Im not like that,but unfortunately im in the minority.

[@NifeOO4niff]

I miss the NHL on NBC. You had your game of the week early afternoon on Sunday. Which was perfect because once you get to playoff push time for hockey football season has ended. And then Wednesday Night Rivalry night was always a fun watch in the middle of the week. And they covered the playoffs perfectly for every game, every night, because it's the cup! I enjoyed the broadcast guys more, and the coverage of the sport as a whole. It's almost as if ESPN's plan was to, instead of bring new people to hockey, they wanted to get the little hockey community into football or basketball.

[@chibinecco1981]

Holy shit, you're right... They ABSOLUTELY want to convert hockey fans to another sport they cover better. Every time I log in, I'm spammed with every game EXCEPT the hockey ones. I have to scroll all the way to the bottom to click the hockey, then scroll AGAIN to get NHL hockey. And then half the time my team is blacked out that night because... *SHRUG* I never thought I'd MISS NBC. They had some pretty massive problems of their own, but... This is so much worse.

[@Rockin_Ross]

And Wednesday night rivalry had Doc Emrick calling it. I watched every week just hear him regardless of who was playing. ESPN is killing this sport that already has such a limited, specific fan base.

[@allenelliott2114]

I agree completely with one caveat. Playoff hockey on NBC was a nightmare. Because They only used 2 channels, if the game before yours went into OT you were gonna miss at least the 1st period. I missed so much Avalanche playoff hockey in '18, '19, & '21

[@azuredusk991]

At least nhl on tnt is doing well for Stanley cup this year

[@studlyone12000]

My favorite game, out of the entire season, is the Winter Classic on New Year's day. I have the whole day off and I can sit and enjoy the experience, mid-day, with my kids. This year it was behind a streaming paywall. I refuse to purchase a one-month subscription for a station I will never watch, to view one game. I was so pissed off that I didn't bother watching it illegally either. Didn't even watch the highlights on youtube when it was finally available.

[@richardturner551]

Way around it, just get a masked card, get a free subscription. When it's time for renew who cares card doesn't go back to you.

[@katelynanderson8526]

Pretty simple. Viewership is down because we can't watch the games. I pay for ESPN+ and I can still only watch half the games that I want to watch. It's absolutely ridiculous the lengths that I need to go through in order to watch a hockey game anymore.

[@wrex509]

Not to mention the espn app is terrible

[@TheRealTroubleShooter]

Get a VPN (like expressvpn). Good for ur digital security and if a game is blacked out, just change ur location to somewhere else in the country. Being an Avs fan living in texas, the Stars games are blacked out. Set the VPN to seattle (or anywhere that isnt texas or colorado) and it's smooth sailing

[@johnrwalker53]

Totally agree Katelyn.Same problem for me with Horrible ESPN +

[@LisaMarieFord]

Although it’s not live, have you have tried watching the game 48 hours later when blacked out? It’s not ideal and should change, but better than not at all for good games.

[@alm4132]

And when your "market" team is playing 1000 miles away it is still blacked out??? WTF

[@shannond4142]

Nailed it. I’m 52 years old and have been a Bruins fan my whole life. I’ve never seen an entire seasons worth of games because of stupid blackouts. Incredible that this has been allowed to happen for so long. so many stupid things that would be easy to fix.

[@projektkobra2247]

I wore my Esposito sweater to work after they owned the Leaves the other day...LOL...I work in a rink...a few other guys were there with their Bruins kit...and that was fun..but I caught a bit of crap... Leaves fans know they suck though.. Go B's!!!!!

[@rosariocannistraro3561]

Bro I live in CT. and am a Canes/Whalers fan and live 100-200 miles away from both big cities , I have ESPN+ and traditional cable too and still get screwed , Like even the games against you guys plus Rangers and Isles are blacked even when the fricking game is in Carolina make that make sense lol . I have NESN but my cable does not carry MSG , We shouldn't have to have 2-3 platforms and then still get dicked out of games somehow its totally archaic its 2023 not 1985 anymore .

[@judee00]

We need a 350.00 dollar a year subscription to NESN to watch a bruins game!

[@carlroberts7830]

been a bruins fan from the time i could walk but jack edwards sickens me

[@ProudBostonian]

@@carlroberts7830 Cope harder!! People like you are just pathetic. Having grown up in Boston 6 miles from the Garden/Fleetcenter before joining the military almost 20 years ago including spending the last 14 years living in N.C. If you get to listen to Jack and Brick every night you should CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY!! Clearly you’ve never actually had to listen to TERRIBLE commentators like The Canes, The Blackhawks, The Kings, The Red Wings just to name a few! Not to mention you brought up Jack Edwards in a topic that had NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM!!

[@neilreid2298]

Gotta agree. The plays are better than ever. It's like all-star hockey in most games. The camera and replay work is fantastic. Those stupid digital hockey boards are highly distracting and I end up disliking the companies posted. ESPN is a disaster in every way. If they don't get the broadcasts right, there is no single larger liability to hockey. I've played and loved this game all my life- it's not that hard to fix.

[@michaelcoletta4547]

Bettman has to actually want to fix it tho... that's the problem.

[@weskentner8037]

All star hockey really?

[@ianhall6614]

The only time the bar I work at has hockey on anymore is the very occasional time that ESPN isn’t showing division 3 college basketball and decides to air a freaking hockey game once in a while. We all knew it was going to be bad but being down 22% is insane. Thanks Bettman

[@Vertigo11]

At times I cant help but think the NHL fails repeatedly on purpose.

[@dougaldarcy6463]

I live in Australia, and even when we try to stream them, and pay for it, many of them are blocked. Last year so many of the playoff games were blocked. It was really annoying. I was subscribed to multiple services to see games. Real pain in the ass. They would get a bigger fan base across the world if they were reasonable

[@cope847]

The NHL should really have their own service and just have all games available. I would pay for that. It'd be cheaper than getting 20 different services to watch almost half the games and would make all the fans happier. Even if they did it like the NFL and had some blacked out but replays available immediately after the games.

[@SouthCanada]

Reasonable on national sports ? these all should be free to watch period. just like watching the news, tv show, they are free, this is pure greed. and it's failing in viewer ship. good!

[@johnrwalker53]

@@cope847 They had that before-the NHL Package,you got all games and even pregame/postgame until Greedy Bettman eliminated that. It sucks now-talking to you ESPN +

[@projektkobra2247]

When I was in Japan teaching English a while back, we had teachers from all over...a new Aussie guy comes into the office, and after finding out I was Canadian, starts asking me a series of really complicated and well-informed questions about things like..."who was going to win the Norris?"..or, "how will Player X's groin injury affect the Leaf's blue line?" All in that (to me) awesome accent. If he came up to me and spoke Swahili I think I would have been less surprised...So its always cool when someone is a fan from a place you might not think has fans of something.

[@mrfake675]

Nhl66 is your friend

[@alext3571]

You hit this right on the money man. I have ESPN+ so I can watch ufc and the premier league but I can’t even watch my home team on there because of the stupid blackouts. Its ridiculous.

[@RomanMestas]

This video is 100% accurate, I live in Colorado and it’s almost impossible to watch an Avalanche game. The late great Peter McNab said it best about winning the cup last year “it’s only live once” and so many of the fans missed the once in a lifetime Stanley Cup season.

[@AMM3.]

Lol in Canada all the playoff games are free on cbc

[@nathanroy8520]

100% correct

[@SFRR22D]

Get woke go broke! Majority of the fans just want Hockey. Quit with the antics and quit blacking out games!

[@stardustie]

nothing is wrong about this video.. there are even more reasons it's getting worse. its even more alarming when you consider the surge of way more eu viewers with the early game starting times

[@ryanbrown3283]

honestly the worst part is getting ready to watch a 5 or 6 o'clock game when I get home from work and it doesn't even start until 20 minutes or more late

[@SteveSmith-mp5fh]

They're scheduled roughly 10 after

[@jimmiller6704]

I don't see that as a problem. When I plan to watch a game, I only get the 7:00 cbc game on a Sat. I know it doesn't start at 7:00, it starts 7:10, 20. That's what I plan for, when you get home for a game starting at 5, 6 you just plan for a 5:20 start.

[@Mike-pn8ln]

I don't see the problem seeing as you already know the actual start time

[@glennhankins6927]

It's extremely annoying and if they add nauseating pre-game crap it's a 4:20 or 4:25 start for a 4pm game. NHL is the best sport in the world, but they need to follow the NFL's lead (10am Sunday start means I turn on my set at 10am and the ball is being kicked off. Love the structure and precise start time)

[@derekdehaas8624]

That sounds like a pretty manageable problem

[@purpletacos4609]

I've had more trouble watching my local team this year than any year before.

[@angeluniverse792]

You forgot to mention the real bad refereeing. The very confusing rules. When you have your number one player in McDavid come out and say he is confused about what a offside is you know you got problems. The league is fixed I've literally been saying it for decades. You just have to really keep an opened mind when watching the inconsistency of the calls being made across the board. It's really an eye opener.

[@chibinecco1981]

I would like to disagree that the league is "fixed". Only because I don't think it's that coordinated. I'm a pens fan, and half the time the refs are sucking our dicots, and the other half they're kicking us in the Balls. It's VERY inconsistent which way they'll swing, but a good 70% of the games DO swing wildly in favor of one team or the other. The only time I saw the reffing make a coordinated effort was in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final when the refs just... Stopped calling penalties against the capitals after the first game. One of the Knights' greatest strengths that first year was their discipline and their power play. Neither of which made a lick of difference because of the reffing. And you KNOW it was because they felt the Knights "hadn't earned it".

[@lelouchvibritannia4028]

@@chibinecco1981 The Knights were handed a star-filled team that year by the league. I'm certain the Caps earned their Cup. The 2019 Blues, on the other hand, did not. The refs were 100% against the Sharks and Bruins.

[@chibinecco1981]

@@lelouchvibritannia4028 that's revisionist bullshit. The knights were expected by EVERYONE including the knights themselves, to be mediocre, middle of the pack. William Karlson, who scored 47 goals that season scored SIX his previous season. His former team didn't even make him a tribute video. They weren't 'stars' until after they landed on the knights, where they were EXTREMELY well coached. BESIDES THAT, even if they HAD been "handed a star studded team" so fucking what? That doesn't mean they didn't deserve to win. And the biased reffing DID have an impact on that series TOTALLY agree with you about the 2019 Blues. And would like to throw the Lightning in there too. Those two cups were NOT earned.

[@D-Fens_1632]

Hand pass.

[@NoLanConnection]

It's not fixed it's just garbage

[@sturnie1]

Moving games to steaming services was my breaking point. I live on the East coast and when my team plays West coast teams we are going to bed before puck drop most nights. The way they schedule games stinks also some teams have several days break while other teams grind out several games in 5 days it can change teams momentum and for younger teams it hurts cohesiveness.

[@Writeous0ne]

same thing happened with soccer in the UK. they put popular teams on tv and the rest just get fixture congested and the league don't care about it, the little teams get shit on lol.

[@jameson1239]

Unfortunately time ones can’t really be fixed as it’s either to early or to late for east coast or west coast

[@johnfeeley5716]

So, what would you like a Vancouver or LA to do, start their games when the bulk of the attendees are at work? Grow up

[@geegaw14]

Yeah, I agree. Every team in the league should play their games so that the east coast is not inconvenienced in any way. Everyone knows they are the only people that really matter.

[@jeremykraenzlein5975]

They did address the time zone issue in the 2013 realignment. Now every eastern time zone team is in the Eastern Conference. This was a big deal for Red Wings fans like me, who used to see our team take two trips each year to each west-coast NHL city, plus often early round playoff series against west coast teams. I used to joke that one shouldn't buy a car built in the springtime, made by sleepy autoworkers who were up watching key playoff games which started at 10:30 the previous night. Yes, eastern time zone teams sometimes have to play on the west coast. This is something else that fans demanded earlier, that every team play at least one game in each city every year. But now for eastern time zone teams, it is only ten regular season games per year in the mountain and pacific time zones, and all playoff games except for the Stanley Cup Finals are guaranteed to be against eastern time zone teams. This used to be a major problem. They have largely fixed it.

[@TheAlexmacintyre7]

Also they went super woke this season, no surprise fans left

[@JCA51698]

Bulls hit.

[@jacoblamb3535]

1. Leah hextalls voice 2. League trying to remove physicality and fighting 3. Political statements on broadcasts 4. Regional blackouts 5. Espn doesn’t care about hockey Etc etc etc. at this rate the NHL not only won’t grow viewership but they’ll lose lifelong fans like me

[@gabe_p92]

Hey man! Stumbled across this video and saw that my Instagram comment was used in the thumbnail! Love it! The NHL really does need to get their broadcasting situation sorted out.

[@chrisstopher2277]

I thought it was the real Gabriel Landeskog

[@jeronimo2666]

W habs fan

[@hockeypsychology]

Hey! Saw your comment on IG & it was dead on. Happy this video stumbled across your page! Thanks for watching

[@mikepurdue7472]

And they need to cut the gay woke shit.

[@Oldschool-hb8rk]

Nothing beats watching replays on KZbin.

[@deserttrailscout]

It sucks when you can’t watch your team play because of regional blackouts even though you are paying for that streaming service

[@that1hockeykid298]

Tbh I think as long as Bettman is commissioner the game will continue to go down hill. Seems to be limited marketing over seas and my biggest issue I think is the fact that he doesn’t seem to be interested in fixing issues that r constant complaint from not only the fans but the players themselves. Examples like the new digital ads, playoff formats, reffing consistency and overtime/shootouts. There’s so much I feel that could be done right away (I know most changes take time but in terms of “short term” solutions) that can instantly have a positive impact on the over popularity on the league. Just my 2 cents

[@jade8245]

100% agree with you homie. All these issues can be somewhat easily fixed. Bettman can't or doesn't want to fix them because he's a tiny turd

[@_Alex_Sander]

I wouldn't even say limited marketing overseas. Is there even any? There was a push like 10-12 years ago, but it's slowly gotten worse since then. Watching the NHL costs 60USD/Month in Scandinavia. Sure you get some other streaming content, but there's no hockey-specific, or NHL Package. At that point you're better off just getting season tickets to your local team instead. Long term, this probably hurts growth of the sport in general, especially since the NHL gets all the top talent from the EU (and Russia).

[@that1hockeykid298]

@@letsmakeit110 ya there’s a lot actually. Zach Hyman, all 3 Hughes brothers, Chychurn, Fox, Devon Levi to name a few

[@that1hockeykid298]

@@_Alex_Sander the limited market is basically the global series like Colorado and Columbus played 2 games in Finland this year Jets and Florida played in Finland a few years ago too and the games that Carolina and Nashville played in Germany I think it was this year too

[@doublecheeseburgr...]

​@@_Alex_Sander 60 dollars a month? I live in the UK and its only £15 a month 😅

[@sacreligious74]

I am a big sports fan and I haven't been watching much sports anymore because of politics being jammed down my throat.

[@slagmacg]

We shouldn't be shocked as this downward trend in viewer ratings continues. We're approaching the tipping point between profitability of cable broadcasting and streaming. Hopefully the NHL has a team working on their streaming model. Until then, I recommend that everyone embrace piracy to avoid blackouts and pray for better on-air personalities.

[@gomezfriesen]

YES! Re: the regional blackouts, I would watch way more hockey if I could, but they don't let me.

[@subfail4810]

For me it's the inconsistent refs. Mistakes are made and some calls get missed, but the amount of calls missed right in front of refs or lopsided calls for one team comparer to the other is astounding

[@dailysmiles]

Spot on bud! I was infuriated at how hard it was to A) Simply find out when the all star skills comp was airing and where I could watch it, and B) find out my choice is to watch at my local sports bar where I get no sound and pay $15 for a few beers, OR sign up for an app that $60/month just to watch one thing I wanted to see. Honestly, trying to watch hockey (including recent world juniors) has been a nightmare for me for years. Far too expensive and even cool special events like this were far too difficult to access, monetarily and otherwise. disappointed hockey fan here saying get it together NHL!

[@rossrobertson674]

It's so easy to watch where I live, I have cable and every Jets game is on TSN or Sportsnet, same with the all star game, and there's at least 1 other game on each day of the week with other NHL teams playing

[@dailysmiles]

@@rossrobertson674 good for you. you and my grandpa still have cable. Me and all future generations all have multiple apps we already pay for. The only thing not included is hockey. I don’t want to pay $60 per month just to watch the skills comp and the odd hockey game. Many people just want to option to pay a reasonable amount like $5 to watch the skills comp. Make it easy and affordable and they’ll make more money and have less annoyed fans like me who have to settle for going to the bar and watching with no sound, which I’m about to have to do again this afternoon :( get it together NHL!

[@rossrobertson674]

@@dailysmiles if u could watch it for $5 it would diminish the value of what the TV sponsors are paying the NHL, it's not as simple as the NHL just streaming it out for $5, they obviously don't want your $5, they want u to sign up for the full service or f/o and don't watch, who knows maybe they're F ing themselves and they regret how they handled it, it won't be the first, remember blockbuster, those dummies could've bought Netflix early on but they thought they knew better

[@Feedback4Utoday]

greedy players union & agents

[@Thick1]

After not watching the NHL for 4 years I signed up last season. Got to the playoffs to find that my package didn't include playoff games. Then I got a notice during the offseason that another season subscription included a 30% price hike. Glad I didn't resign with all the woke nonsense being pushed this year. I just watch highlights from channels like this and Eck.

[@gambiit08]

i love when conservatives call everything they don't like "woke"

[@vengezize2708]

@@gambiit08 everything we don’t like? Pushing gender ideology and other people’s political views down people’s throat that has no place in hockey? Get woke, go broke baby

[@kelsealawrenson7188]

@@gambiit08 I love when progressives typecast anyone who's sick of incessant agenda pushing as conservative.

[@johnrwalker53]

@@gambiit08 Because Woke/Cancel Culture are the perfect terms for Clueless Liberals!!

[@rossrobertson674]

@@gambiit08 it's really telling that u labeled him as a conservative just cuz he doesn't like woke shit, I hope u realize there's alot of liberals and non whites that don't like wokeness either

[@rafaelsoltren237]

Don’t forget they get pissed if someone doesn’t where the rainbow shirt

[@steezyg35]

This is so accurate that im blown away! Thank you for speaking the truth! Stop the black outs!

[@AdamFlintGuitar]

Excellent video - the only thing you missed, and only because you were a little early, was the cartoon-ish All Star Game festivities. I didn't agree with everything Don Cherry said, but Coach's Corner was must-watch TV. I also enjoyed Roenick and Milbury, and they were unceremoniously dismissed, too. So the standard has been set for milquetoast commentary. I've watched hockey since the 70's, and find the modern NHL incredible. The skill is unprecedented, no lead is safe, and the league is slowing figuring out how to maintain physicality without the predatory hits or staged fights. Perhaps the NHL should play the long game? Realize it's not the NFL or NBA and quit attempting to be something it's not. Satisfy hockey's fiercely loyal fans, and while never growing to #1, the owners will profit, players will be well-paid, and the on-ice product will continue to dazzle.

[@abowla7187]

Millbury is trash.

[@donziperk]

That was cartoonish. Very good description of it.

[@michael506]

100% agree with your analysis. Coach’s Corner was a must. Every bar in Canada used to quiet down when Cherry went on with his “speeches”. Some agreed with what he said, some disagreed, but everyone listened. Hockey Night in Canada was a staple until they sold the anthem, cancelled Don, and went vanilla to please an audience I’m not sure even exists. Hockey is by far the most skilled and exciting sport on earth and yet the NHL has no clue how to market it. Bettman needs to go for starters. My 2¢

[@rosariocannistraro3561]

I didn't even mind when they went to 3 on 3 , But the skills should be the classic stuff if they are going to do it . WTH is all of his costume nonsense ? its boring and incredible dumb and just totally feels forced like some comedy skit that bombed and they still have to stand there and get heckled in the club lol .

[@boysilver2556]

Nice analysis, lots of positive points. What I find cartoonish is overtime. 3 on 3 is not hockey, it's as ridiculous and bizarre a way to decide games as penalty shootouts are in soccer. As for Cherry, he had to go, he was bigoted and was turning CC into his personal political soapbox. The problem isn't that he left, the problem is they never replaced him with something that was half-decently interesting. Also, the 82-game schedule is way too many games, and hockey runs for way too many months of the year, it should finish up in April as it did in the 70s. People lose interest, plus the first 60 games of the season mean nothing really. Lastly the over-reliance on conference matchups is awful. Who wants to watch the same teams play each other over and over again? Every team in the league should play each other twice each season, once at home and once away.

[@Gergentine]

Idk about anywhere else, but here in manitoba, a bunch of people I know stopped watching when they got into politics, vitue signaling and in general promoting their opinions as the only reasonable option, especially during covid. Back in the day you watched to escape that crap, now it's IN our entertainment. The non stop ads haven't helped either.

[@abowla7187]

I'm not afraid to say it, the pride night stuff is bullshit. Nobody cares who you fuck in your bed.

[@noellemly]

as a chronic baseball-watcher, it really can be mega important to have day/early afternoon games- for TV viewer retention, for east coast viewership, and just to spice things up a bit

[@rossrobertson674]

It wouldnt be possible for weekday games, the people that buy tickets and go to the games work during the day, that's why games are scheduled in the evening, usually 7pm

[@2buxaslice]

Baseball stadiums are empty though, they have major problems selling tickets in most markets.

[@zacharytasker9321]

@@rossrobertson674 baseball has plenty of weekday afternoon games

[@rossrobertson674]

@@zacharytasker9321 and they play twice as many games and barely ever fill the stadiums

[@Studley2]

Honestly, its the damn board ads that is finishing it off for me! So damn annoying, I am finding myself that when I do want to watch a game, the ads piss me off, and I'll end up just watching highlights the next day! I would pay for a sub right now to a channel that offers no stupid board ads!! Or at least don't chang them until a whistle!!

[@nalaeel219]

Bring back Don Cherry and Berry Melrose!!!!

[@flybynight1929]

Cherry is a bigot, and Melrose isn't in the greatest health anymore.

[@stephenmiano2392]

@@flybynight1929 Cherry is a bigot? What does "bigot" even mean anymore? No one fuckin cares bud

[@huge_legend9944]

@@flybynight1929 the day Cherry got fired, the day HNIC died

[@nalaeel219]

@@flybynight1929 that’s a shame about Melrose. I always enjoyed his commentary

[@glennhankins6927]

@@flybynight1929 Cherry is a good man. Bring him back !

[@matthewvacaro6337]

I’d pay the monthly sub to ESPN+ in a heartbeat if I could watch my city’s team play, but the blackout prevents me from doing that, so I just listen to it instead. Why pay for something I can’t use?

[@rokitman34]

Just shared this on my Twitter; dude this is 100% spot on. This sums up the NHL viewership experience in the US. Down 22% and everything is “fine”. Insert “everything is fine” meme here

[@toryzaytsoff3605]

Good video. You really nailed all the points; However, you put up a picture of the hockey night in Canada crew and gave no love to Bieksa. He's one of, if not, the best explayer turned analyst in the business. If he sticks with it long term, they should focus around him.

[@rossrobertson674]

And he scored that ricochet of the glass goal to send the Canucks to the Stanley Cup, I still remember being in disbelief as it bounced to him and not one person on the ice but him knew where the Puck was

[@-Twenty-Nine-]

He's alright but he's an uptalker and that's very annoying to listen to. He needs to fix that. Every sentence he says sounds like a question

[@eddiek4301]

This can all be fixed by getting rid of Gary... and you are 100% right about the broadcast. I'm stuck up here with hockey night in Canada and the constant virtue signaling. Ron M can go bleep himself.

[@danieldagenais8269]

It will be very interesting when the Rogers deal is over in Canada. I don't think Bell or Rogers will pay 5.2 billion again. I bet Rodgers still loses money on that deal.

[@glennhankins6927]

@Buried Unkind I miss Grapes

[@danielpetrucci8952]

@Buried Unkind Same

[@Fasteddie32]

Gary Bettman is in his 30 year as Commissioner, considering he has never even been popular leader he has managed to be around longer than most. Time for some new blood at the top !

[@andrewhogan6533]

I’d love to hear suggestions on who would make a great intermission show. The older I get, I could care less about pre, post, mid game shows in any sport. I’ve been watching the sport for almost 40 years, there’s nothing new I’m going to learn other than a huge trade, injury, or something unusual that’s happened. As for a panel of guys that would get me to watch, I always enjoyed the Bucciagros, Ferraro, Melrose guys on NHL2Night, but that’s almost 3 decades ago. I’m curious if a panel of Sean Avery, Mike Smith (when he retires), Mike Babcock grouping would be interesting. You need guys who can talk hockey, won’t give standard answers, can break the game down, keep it relevant and talk a little street when necessary. Hell, get the crew from Shoresy to do some stuff for an American version of Hockey Night in Canada, anything for gods sake.

[@quickdry3]

I agree about not caring about the pre/mid/post game panels being uninteresting. I'm not the audience they're for - I don't care about trades, but technical insights that could improve my own game would be interesting - but majority of armchair viewers don't care about a subtle tactical shift, or a trick someone found for angling more effectively. I agree bout having "different" characters - but how do they backflip on Avery? I don't watch much NHL, I'm busy competing, but they demonised Avery and invented rules because "we can't have people facing the goalie" - it was like that Semi-Pro movie with Will Ferrell when the ref gets confused by a new play and declares it illegal.... how do you stifle innovation and then bring that back in?

[@andrewhogan6533]

@@quickdry3 it’s ratings, people will tune in to see what happens, but the league is too buttoned down for that and it could get out of hand as he is a bit off the wall. I’m just spitballing.

[@spazz743]

Amen!!!!

[@theodorebelmont7922]

Thank you so much for this. A game usually starts at 7:08 of the start time is 7. I totally agree with the BORING PERSONALITIES the NHL puts on the Intermission shows. And the Worst one is Sportsnet

[@rossrobertson674]

Yes, Jets games start by 7:10, maybe even 7:05 if we don't have to do the American anthem

[@LisaMarieFord]

Yep. I listen to Penguins games on the radio and they generally start at 7:05-7:10 at most, unless there is a special ceremony or they’re out West of course.

[@Actionronnie]

Back in the 80's they actually listed the start times in Winnipeg at least, as 7:35 during the week and 12:35 on a Sunday. I won't even watch the Jets on SN if it's a national game. SN has so many regional announcers, I feel like I'm watching the opposing teams feed on a national game. At least with TSN Jets, they call it like it is. If the other team makes a good play they acknowledge it, same if the Jets do something stupid. Give me a broadcast that's unbiased and not a homer set of announcers.

[@rossrobertson674]

@@Actionronnie that's true, last week Wheeler tripped a guy and the refs missed it, the announcers were quick to say the Jets got away with one, they'll also call them out when they have slow starts

[@beaverchicken]

As a Canadian, I'm very glad Sportsnet and sometimes TSN play games with Canadian teams every time they play. Rarely will I get to see a US vs US game, mainly only after every game with Canadian teams are over but not having to pay for a separate service is definitely handy

[@blackriver5522]

Your luckier then me I live a hour outside Ottawa and pretty much every sens game on Tsn is blacked out on me.

[@shawnpitman876]

This is a lie, I'm Canadian too and I've seen a TON of Canadian team games get blackouts this year.

[@beaverchicken]

@@shawnpitman876 oh really? I live in central Alberta if that might have anything to do with it. I could be wrong as I don't often watch games if they aren't the Flames, Oilers or Jets so maybe they just aren't playing some games

[@shawnpitman876]

@@beaverchicken I live in southern Ontario and a lot of Jets, Oilers, Flames, and Canucks games are on blackout for us. Yes, I watch all of the hockey.

[@yothythoty729]

Nothing on sportsnet premium is blacked out? You can watch every single game in the nhl

[@shaman9]

Last year, in Australia, we could buy a centre ice package and watch any game we want. This year, we have to have an ESPN+ subscription (which is more expensive) and are stuck with the paltry number of games they carry here.

[@gbalph4]

I really wish they would use this to show regular season games on local ABC stations like they do with NBA games since I wouldn’t have to go to Bally for Kings and Ducks games and/or see other games across the league. But considering they have close business partnerships with the MLB, not surprised they took lessons from them.

[@northerndriver2020]

Hockey has always had the team first concept over individual personalities. It tends to breed more of the same via the path it takes to get there. It's hammered into the player to be humble, team first, deflect praise. Television panels largely mirror this too. Is it boring? Maybe. I love listening to Spittin Chiclets as much as the next person. I think Hockey, in this sense, is unique compared to other sports, and probably won't change too much in the near future. That said, the on ice product should speak for itself. The excitement, the speed and the physicality over other sports should make the game grow on it's own, but that would require the NHL to allow people to actually view their games. This is what needs to change. Stop the blackouts and paywalls, subscription services.

[@Dunkdamonk]

ive payed over 180$ a month to still not be able to watch certain hockey games. its ridiculous.

[@murdamitten9259]

That lifetime award looking real good for bettman

[@lucasdevlin609]

I definitely agree! Last seasy was when my family got cable tv for the first time, and every time i tried to put on a game, I couldn’t even watch it, and after calling ESPN, they just said “only some games are blacked out.” Ridiculous NHL.

[@pat6146]

I miss Cherry but there's a reason why he's not coming back lol

[@WilliamTheDestroyer.]

You missed the NHL's identity politics from 2020 to 2023. A once season ticket holder in Calgary - as soon as Ovi retires I'm done with the NHL.

[@eddies.9090]

This.

[@cal8362]

Same reason I gave up the NBA and NFL, then I was glad I did, so much more free time for better things

[@cmdrfunk]

@@cal8362 I tossed my Steelers jersey and haven't seen a game since 2020

[@S1mpleHum4n]

In the UK, we have a similar thing. Getting new fans into EIHL is hard as only some games are televised (and on ViaPlay, which isn't a well known channel to begin with), and the others cost £15 per game to stream (through each Club's own streaming channel). Leagues lower than EIHL are even harder, as no options to watch other than going to the games, fixtures of which are hard to find and tickets can only be purchased at the door on game day (at least EIHL you can usually book tickets online and in advance).

[@sqidvishus]

I live about 5 hours from Dallas, still in Texas. I haven't caught many Stars games at all. It's not like I can catch any game live during the week without missing too much work, yet I am subject to blackouts regularly. I consider myself very lucky to be able to afford a few streaming services but even though I am paying, I can't see the Stars very often. At least the Bruins are having a good year and I can watch them without having to hear Jack Edwards.

[@noellemly]

i almost (almost) don’t hate the delays between theoretical game start and actual puck drop because it means i can watch jeopardy and then not miss the game lmao

[@crazyworld5449]

I live in Colorado, home of the Stanley Cup Champions, and I can’t watch the games on tv even through ESPN subscription because Xfinity and the Avs are having a dispute. I am forced to watch from a shady stream online… it’s extremely frustrating.

[@rossrobertson674]

That's crazy, I'm in Winnipeg and every Jets game is on cable through Sportsnet and TSN (Canadian ESPN)

[@crazyworld5449]

@@rossrobertson674 yea they screwed us… I have to mirror my phone screen to my tv every time I watch a game.

[@jn6011]

You are absolutely correct. In the modern era of hockey this year is absolutely the worst coverage.

[@joshuabailey3397]

True on the blackouts. Was in south Texas for some work. 612 miles away from Dallas. Stars blacked out unless I had cable. Right now I pay for 2 subscription services and still can't watch all 82 games. What's worse though for the NHL, is destroying all the passion in games by reducing hitting/fighting. It's getting to the point where you no longer need to watch an entire game. You're not going to miss any fights or major hits and team X is going to score 4 goals in the 3rd to come back. Even worse than watching no rivalry hockey, is injecting politics. People watch sports to get away from the real world for a few hours.

[@donniedoesdishes]

i said this exact same thing a few months back in the real kyper and bourne show , some leaf fan was saying the game is growing , im like no dude its not and nobody is watching the playoffs, the game has become to expensive for the average kid to play all the black outs hurt the game , i hate when the only option is a leaf game some nights, great video

[@SouthCanada]

i agree with the leaf comment. lol,,, next season

[@danielpetrucci8952]

I'm a leaf fan and I hate how everyone and everything needs to revolve around Toronto it's annoying the game is not growing the reson why the NBA NFL MLB and Soccer are better is because the stars have personality it's cheaper for kids to get into especially soccer and basketball because you just need some good shoes and a Jersey hockey costs way to much for a goalie your looking a 2k total just for basic goalie equipment more if you want to personalize and customize it for a skater your looking at $800 on the cheap end and 1.5k on the expensive end the game lacks personality you look at McDavid he is a hell of a hockey player but he is just boring he has no flare off the ice he is just boring I'd say Ovi and PK Subban have more personality but thats like 2% out of the whole NHL

[@tomaspetr6771]

Wow, I thought living in the US you guys would at least have it easier then us internationally. Guess we all end up having to stream our games.

[@rossrobertson674]

Listening to these comments is baffling to me, I'm in Winnipeg and every Jets game is broadcasted on cable plus you can usually find at least 1 game each night of other NHL teams playing each other

[@fndmntl5341]

Regional blackouts are such a pain... I live in BC and my team has and always will be the Oilers... But unless I get Sportsnet premium which is like 30 or 40 bucks a month (I have plus which is 15) I'm easily missing out on like 20 games...

[@blurrss]

regional blackouts have been dumb asf ngl, i pay for espn+ to still have 90% of the games im trying to watch be blacked out, big bummer

[@Katie-hb8iq]

You forgot all the forced diversity and identity politics stuff forced into sportsnet pregame and intermissions. It was really bad last year and I noticed them pull back a bit but it's still everywhere. Gotta love the scotiabank commercials telling us every 10 minutes hockey is racist and sexist. I feel really appreciated for being a fan and supporting hockey the last few decades.

[@cal8362]

Exactly

[@cmdrfunk]

If the NHL is racist, then the NBA is racist.

[@GODSREAL]

Has to be aired local and free like it used to be. All sports.

[@Gooseys11]

I miss the days of NHL game center. Super affordable and I could watch my teams entire season and post-season, no matter what channel they played on. Now I pay $20/month for a crappy streaming service that only lets me watch about 70 games and won't include post-season at all. I have to watch live because it's impossible to hide scores and they have a million post game interviews and recaps you have to dig through just to find the actual game. Pirating has never been so tempting. I want to support them, but they make it so hard. Fans deserve better

[@iceKOId]

ESPN is replacing the NHL with the UFC as the BIG 4 in America

[@n2oSpark]

I didn't know anything about NHL before randomly getting your channel in my feed. Now i'm slightly interested in watching a game

[@cope847]

Hockey is s great game and the NHL has most of the best players in the world. If only the league could figure out how to market it to more people, maybe then could they see more meaningful growth outside of Canada and the Northern US.

[@p-47thunderbolt57]

The experience at a live game is unbeatable. Pity it's so hard to watch. The Carolina Hurricanes' radio broadcast is excellent, and you can get a feel for the stadium's energy in home game broadcasts. I highly recommend it; that's what got me into hockey in the first place.

[@n2oSpark]

@@cope847, Yeah as an Aussie, i'm guessing my best way of watching a game is with the assistance of the jolly roger...

[@gabby127_]

Hockey is a great sport, you should totally watch one

[@kwaty]

I think you pretty much nailed it! The game itself arguably is more electrifying than ever before. Limiting it to people who are already fans & would go the extra mile & dollar to watch anyway penalises their loyalty and furthermore restricts the game from new, especially young, fans. That’s a FAIL NHL!

[@rodneyjaynes2485]

I love to watch Hockey games, but I can't because I can't afford the subscription fees. I only have broadcast tv, so I lose out on everything. This is the same model That Nascar is using, broadcast a few over the "free" network, and hide the rest behind a paywall. I am so frustrated with the NHL!

[@mattmcgarrity27]

All very good points, can we point out too how bad the gambling ads are getting? It's right in the broadcast now, for me that is a turn off and I don't want my kids being influenced by draftkings every 2 minutes instead of watching hockey. We are now going to local Junior B games instead of watching NHL

[@vampirepvssy]

I became a leafs fan in the last few years and I live in Colorado. Only because of local blackouts and cable disputes. I can watch any other team except the one I grew up rooting for . It’s sad honestly .I haven’t seen live hockey either in years due to ticket prices . I was once a truly diehard fan . I doubt I will ever forgive KSE for what it did in this city.

[@rossrobertson674]

How much is a ticket to an Avs game? I got season tickets for The Jets, front row upper deck on the face off dot and they average about $90 per seat, but u get a discount for buying all 41 games, walk up price for my section if the Leafs were playng is like $140

[@GrayNWolf]

@@rossrobertson674 I live in Edmonton and just for the upper bowl is 220 something dollars in Rogers place

[@lelouchvibritannia4028]

@@rossrobertson674 The nosebleed seats here are $70 while the lower bowls are a good $150-200.

[@rayl8298]

I agree 100% but you forgot one HUGE thing. GO WOKE GO BROKE ! ! !

[@sportsgamer2342]

?

[@abowla7187]

@@sportsgamer2342 he's talking about all the stupid pride night bullshit. Players are starting to reject it. I'm just waiting for the pregame drag shows.......

[@cmdrfunk]

I'm never going to a game again after the mask mandates, especially since they've been proven repeatedly to not work in studies to the extent that it's even been in the New York Times, who normally would be loathe to admit such things.

[@matthewevans4177]

Could the drop in viewership be because the NHL got WOKE??

[@JCA51698]

No.

[@GuitarLessonsBobbyCrispy]

I've been saying this for years; there's way too many teams in the NHL! Right now there are 32 teams, so only half ( 16 teams ) make the playoffs. And every time another team is added, the chances of any one team winning the Stanley Cup diminish. Also, more teams means less rivalry between two teams. If I had it my way, there would be only eight teams in the NHL, that way every team would enter the playoffs in the quarter final, and there would be more rivalries since teams would play other teams more often.

[@robertlittlefield1855]

my experience in Boston is that blackouts hindered the growth in viewership and wider interest beyond their devoted followings

[@conradbiggums4294]

New hockey fan this season. Live in northern Kentucky. Red Wings are my team… Have espn+ and find it amazing for the value. Granted I’m somehow blacked out for Columbus and Nashville games but for like $6-$10 a month, I find the value incredible. I mean no other NA pro sports league is this accessible for so cheap. Also can rewatch any game on demand that’s not on NHL net or TNT. Maybe I’m missing something or lucked out from my market..

[@QuackAttack]

I live in Michigan but I'm a Habs/Red Wings fan... ofc I can watch the Red Wings on local TV but I have to buy a subscription to watch the Habs on whatever Canadian broadcast they've got, which is kinda annoying...

[@TheMujiFuji]

Oilers fan in KY…used to get Center Ice from Dish and have all the games. Now I’m an fool for spending the same $150 and also blacked out for Columbus AND Nashville games.Have to buy ESPN plus plus too? NHL is killing themselves slowly…NHL games are better than ever…who can hold a lead this year? Gary has to go guys…been saying it for years.

[@brodyhess5553]

Bowling green almost always has the best colors . Good choice on the wings haha

[@conradbiggums4294]

@@TheMujiFuji I guess my point would be it’s only really $40-$50 additional a season (6 month season) for almost every out of market game.. Again, for my location which I have a feeling has something to do with it.

[@conradbiggums4294]

@@QuackAttack My conspiracy theory would be that the NHL sees US states like Michigan, where hockey is already popular, as potential markets to juice. While giving markets where hockey isn’t so prominent more affordable viewing to try and draw in new consumers.

[@donaldmckinstry5365]

The NHL compared to the other major leagues in North America has a very small fan base yet the league is determined to sacrifice their traditional fans in the hope that they can attract new fans.The saying " go woke,go broke " definitely applies to the NHL. The removal of Don Cherry in 2019 from the telecasts and more recently the despicable rant by Sid on Breakfast Television, slamming his fist on the table while lecturing to viewers that the Flyers should be fined a million dollars because one of their players chose to not participate in a warmup during a pride event are some of the distasteful occurrences that help people decide not to tune in to the NHL. I have not watched a single game on TV yet this season (canceled cable after the Don Cherry incident)but still go see the AHL live on occasion.I love the game of hockey but the politics are getting in the way of an enjoyable experience

[@treygray2817]

The NHL is asking for trouble since there fan base is whiter and subsequently more conservative than the NFL and especially the NBA.

[@entermachine6531]

That political rant is just a straw man for the few racist fans left to continue to be racist. If anything fans like the racist ones have been driving the other fans away for many years. Sure, the NHL has other issues, but “woke” is a straw man that has nothing to do with it.

[@Cdanto95]

Pathetic argument, if the nhl can’t garner new fans then the league won’t survive

[@ericksonjustinAK]

@@entermachine6531 You don't understand the term "strawman". Strawman arguments are arguments made against someone that doesn't exist because bad logic and assumptions are used to argue against a point that was never made and not against what the person actually said. Actually, what you said is a strawman argument. Whether you like it or not, the NHL jumping on the "woke" activism train is turning off a lot of people and they aren't racist people, despite your assumptions you want to impose on people so you can make people that disagree with the messages and activism into racist villains. Don Cherry didn't make racist comments. To assume what he said was racist, IMO, is projecting internal feelings towards immigrants on to Don Cherry and realizing YOU shouldn't feel them and vocalize them so neither should Don Cherry. I can see a point that he was being nationalistic, but not racist. It would be like saying native americans are racists if they want people to participate in some of their traditions if they move into their communities.

[@entermachine6531]

@@ericksonjustinAK Even if we take the racist stuff out of Cherry, what did he say that would have identified him as being in touch with how hockey was evolving. If Cherry did the right thing and retired at 65 he’s sitting on a beach somewhere with his reputation in tact.

[@alexrussell3907]

They charge people to view, and then wonder why viewership is down

[@JohnDoe-hu9ve]

I live more than 500 miles from the nearest NHL arena and I am blacked out from THREE NHL franchises. Absolutely stupid.

[@turnerjazz7872]

I mean, espn+ is $5 per month, so it's hard to blame that. Local blackouts seem like a much bigger problem. Local cable viewership is way down but local hockey games are almost always exclusive to some local sports network you can only get on cable. I agree with all the other issues you point out though.

[@thatONEmachine]

Quit making excuses for a huge corporation that just wants your money.

[@pomerlain8924]

It's a problem if a person pays for cable or streaming service, and has the sports pack with all the ESPN channels, but yet, if they want to watch their team play on Tuesday night, the only way they can watch it is if they shell out some more money. National games should not be made exclusive to just a paid streaming service. It's one thing if the game airs on ESPN, but then is also on ESPN+ for convenience. But when it's only airing on ESPN+, that's a bit of a turn off and it's not promoting anything. And it sticks out when you consider ESPN doesn't do this for any of the other 3 sports leagues they cover.

[@bobsmith8124]

Don cherry was the Shaq of the NHL... so silly to let him go.

[@workshoptelescope]

Disliking foreigners is a personality now…

[@Captain_Howdy]

Not to mention everyone who vowed to never watch the NHL again after the last lockout. I even hear certain arenas kick people out for cheering too loud, friggin Winnipeg! If I got kicked out for cheering too loud, I probably would stop watching too.

[@hunterhicks6726]

I live in Ohio and cannot watch the Blue Jackets unless I go to some shady websites. It’s ridiculous. If you want to grow the game, let the fans watch the game and by doing that, maybe they’ll invite their non fan friends to watch with them and convert them. It all starts with accessibility. The fact that I can’t watch the games of the team that plays a few minutes away from me is absurd.

[@rolieg81]

Less fights, less interest. That's the way it is

[@nastythomashobbs]

The fact that they have gone so woke has also turned off viewers like myself

[@Christopher.Charles]

I think a big problem is they are now signed with ESPN, and a bunch of people told ESPN to eff off cause they constantly spew racial BS.

[@martabaker5052]

regional blackouts also sometimes just randomly black you out even if they shouldn’t. For example, I’m in Ohio and should only be blacked out for CBJ and PIT games, but for whatever reason, I couldn’t watch a game between the Bruins and Canes. I had to stream the game bc it was only airing on RSNs. Even it was on NHLN, I don’t want to pay for cable, so I have to stream those games too.

[@seekerscovereal]

female announcers in their effort to be woke guarantee that drove people away

[@williamcovarrubias1070]

way too many

[@joeflake5829]

In Canada, Rogers got rid of the more expensive, but entertaining talent like Cherry, but also Nick Kypreos and Doug Maclean. I do watch less hockey than I did 5 years ago, but I also miss parts because I can't stomach the woke panel. I usually check to see if they have started around 7:15, and during intermissions I turn to something else for 15-20 minutes.

[@danielpetrucci8952]

Yup NHL is way to woke the woke bullshit does not work with hockey

[@leatherface70]

Too many teams it’s impossible to build up a rivalry I was an oiler fan living in Vancouver for three years and games would start at 4pm so I missed the first period I can only imagine what it’s like for a Canadians fan when they play in Vancouver non-division teams play each other so infrequently it has no intensity

[@DozerMane]

In The Crease on ESPN Plus is actually one of the dopest shows. recaps every moment of every game from the day before. Honestly insane

[@cal8362]

I stopped watching when the NHL introduced all the woke agenda. I wanted to watch a hockey game to escape and be entertained, not to be preached at by woke religious zealots

[@USCxGAMECOCKS1801]

You did miss something. And whether anyone wants to admit it or not, the politics that have been injected into hockey is unreal. Whether it's a "pride" night or something regarding race, it feels like it's on every game now. The NFL did it and lost viewership and so did the NBA. I've never met someone that wants to watch sports and have a political agenda forced on them. Most folks just want to escape politics for a little bit. I liked hockey as a kid but then just lost interest in it. I actually decided to start watching again after the NBA and NFL started injecting politics into everything and just my luck, the NHL pushes it more than any other league i've ever seen.

[@daynasafranek7807]

I am so sick of ESPN

[@bmf00]

The NHL is woke. Go woke. Go broke.

[@jamespungello8361]

I keep getting blacked out of games I shouldn't be blacked out from. I've called ESPN+ multiple times and they confirm the game should be available to me but then say "we don't know what's wrong, sorry".

[@alexjedlicka8567]

Absolutely ridiculous how much bs I gotta go through just to watch a simple hockey game.

[@nsregelman]

Blackouts are the primary reason I haven't watched a minute of live broadcast hockey recently. I was getting back into the game, got excited for a matchup, blacked out of course, haven't seen a game since.

[@criticalmass9198]

Couldn’t agree more with this, it’s a shame. I felt the same way when the UFC switched over to ESPN as well.

[@robbieceleski1086]

At least NBC would put one game on per weekend towards the end of the season and playoffs. I have yet to see any game appear on regular ABC at all. Hearing that the cup final is gonna be on TNT is devastating for people who don’t have satellite TV, etc…. On top of all the other issues like blackouts of course….