1 of 1- paterson1
- Member
Offline
What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
Watched the Golden Knights/Panthers game last night. Sportsnet did a real good job of the game and played up the glitz and glamour of Vegas well. I always like to compare coverage when one of the US networks does hockey. I find them usually a nice change the way they broadcast a game.
Last night nothing on ABC. Just three hours of America's Funniest Video repeats from two months ago. Big fail on ABC where NHL hockey has been struggling. Maybe because they hardly carry any games? No flow at all to their coverage and less chance of the NHL ever to become a big TV draw in the US.
Yes ESPN has the playoffs but OTA coverage is also important. Everyone remembers what happened to major league baseball a few decades ago when the league was only on cable. Ratings and attendance eventually tanked. There were other factors as well but it did hurt MLB, and took them years to recover.
- SpinningWheel
- Member
Offline
Re: What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
I checked and oh boy, they're screwed for this year.
"The complete Stanley Cup Final airs solely on TNT (Turner Network Television) in the United States, marking the first time since 1994 (ESPN) that an entire Cup Final has aired on cable. "
They're in 93 million households in the USA. ESPN is in 26 million.
The 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC averaged more than 1.6 million viewers, an increase of 60% versus all 2021 playoffs
Trivia: Canadians on Vegas Golden Knights: 19
Florida Panthers: 15
Go Canada!
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Online! 
Re: What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
This article was in the Saturday Star's sports section, but originated with the Associated Press:
TNT readies for first Stanley Cup Final; first one exclusively on cable since 1994
- SpinningWheel
- Member
Offline
Re: What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
RadioActive wrote:
This article was in the Saturday Star's sports section, but originated with the Associated Press:
TNT readies for first Stanley Cup Final; first one exclusively on cable since 1994
How odd that it will revert and then TNT will have it in 2025 and 2027. What a strange arrangement. Especially considering that no OTA is detrimental to their overall exposure big time and there is competition with the NBA playoffs as well as growing legions of cord-cutters out there. "Entirely on cable" isn't something the NHL should celebrate at all.
- paterson1
- Member
Offline
Re: What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
Oh, didn't realize that ESPN/ABC didn't have any of the final. Guess ESPN has them next year. This is a good match up with two teams that have never won a cup.
- •
Thread Starter- torontostan
- Member
Offline
Re: What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
They're in 93 million households in the USA. ESPN is in 26 million.
Not even close.
TNT - 79.9 million
ESPN - 79.8 million
No the NHL is not screwed, in fact their current deals are proving to be a very big improvement over their deal with NBC. Look at the NBA, TNT will often out perform ABC in the conference finals. OTA doesn't matter to young people, most won't even know what the difference is. If they're fans of the sport, they'll find it.
Last edited by torontostan (June 4, 2023 7:03 pm)
- cash
- Member
Offline
Re: What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
Hockey will never be a big thing in the USA. Bettman held a news conference in Vegas yesterday and it lasted a few minutes. There were few questions from whatever media attended (very few Canadian). It was embarrassing.
Last edited by cash (June 4, 2023 6:55 pm)
- SpinningWheel
- Member
Offline
Re: What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
They're in 93 million households in the USA. ESPN is in 26 million.
Not even close.
TNT - 79.9 million
ESPN - 79.8 million
Based on my numbers they were "screwed" but I now see my check gave me numbers for ESPN+, not ESPN. I thought they looked a tad low.
Thanks for the correction!
On another note, that's just more evidence that Google is broken. It seems almost every time I hit it with a search it gives me a crap answer.
Last edited by SpinningWheel (June 4, 2023 10:38 pm)
- mace
- Member
Offline
Re: What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
Perhaps the folks at ABC figure they would get more viewers by televising the NBA Championship series. I believe they have done this since 2002 when ESPN outbid NBC for the NBA broadcast rights.
- Radiowiz
- Member
Offline
Re: What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
Plus also, this was planned long before a writer's strike. Hockey would have been good standard filler on ABC during this strike. TNT would have been a better (more expected) home for reruns.
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- ckg927
- Member
Offline
Re: What's With ABC's Lack Of NHL Playoff Coverage?
Honestly,I prefer how TNT covers the NHL compared to ESPN. With the latter, it becomes an afterthought even WHEN they have the rights considering everything that they have the rights to. With TNT, they only have the NBA(and March Madness. Maybe MLB, too.). Their studio shows are better and the presentation is better. Period.