The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / American Hockey Fans Prefer Sportsnet Coverage To ESPN

**Posted by RadioActive** May 7, 2025 5:15 pm

I have no idea exactly what's going on at ESPN, but it appears it's not good. American viewers are praising the Sportsnet coverage of the NHL playoffs, which they say is far superior. (Not sure exactly how they're seeing the SN versions, but whatever ESPN is doing, they hate it.)

Calls Mounts Against ESPN as Americans Praise Canada’s Sportsnet for NHL Playoffs

**Posted by Ale Ont** May 7, 2025 5:19 pm

Perhaps some Americans watched the CBC coverage which is produced by Sportsnet.

**Posted by RadioAaron** May 7, 2025 5:32 pm

I watched the first bit of the last game on ESPN, and I found the whole broadcast drab and boring. No colour in the graphics, low crowd noise, bored PxP. Sportsnet was far superior.

**Posted by mace** May 8, 2025 5:57 am

I wonder how Americans are watching Sportsnet coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Perhaps through some streaming sites whose legality is questionable.

**Posted by mic'em** May 8, 2025 6:02 am

I would imagine an Edmonton versus Toronto Stanley Cup final makes Gary Bettman's sphincter sizzle when it comes to U.S. tv ratings.

**Posted by Radiowiz** May 8, 2025 7:12 am

RadioActive wrote:
(Not sure exactly how they're seeing the SN versions, but whatever ESPN is doing, they hate it.)

https://goldipt.tv/

**Posted by paterson1** May 8, 2025 8:42 am

They could also use a VPN with a Canadian server to watch Sportsnet or CBC. Same as what some people do here to watch US programming. As Ale Ont mentioned above, others that live near the border could get CBC off air. We have all heard the stories over the years how bars in places like Buffalo and Detroit would carry the Olympic coverage from CBC rather than NBC since they felt the coverage was more extensive and better. Could be the same with hockey.

This sort of makes Steve Simmons article in the Toronto Sun which was complaining about Sportsnet's cheap and poor hockey broadcasts laughable when the evidence seems to be pointing the other way. He was whining about this after Rogers recently renewed their huge NHL broadcast contract. Personally I have always felt Sportsnet does a great job with their hockey and baseball coverage.

**Posted by mace** May 8, 2025 9:32 am

Don't forget. We have been televising NHL Hockey since 1952. CBS experimented with a few Saturday afternoon telecasts from 1956-60. Until the NHL expanded to twelve teams in 1967, there was very little interest shown by the U.S. networks in televising NHL games on a regular basis. For the record, the very first NHL game to be televised occured on Feb 25,1940. W2XBS [Now WNBC] broadcast a game from MSG between the Canadiens and Rangers, won by NY 6-2. Roughly 300 people were able to view the game.

**Posted by canam2021** May 8, 2025 10:18 pm

I agree Sportsnet is better I get CBLT here in WNY.