Jeremy Laura: NHL viewership down, where are the fans going?

Nice article Jeremy

Well Written Jeremy. I think part of it may be due to COVID lock downs. Messed everything up I believe.

Nice article Jeremy
- Tee56

Thanks for that

ESPN basically doubled the amount of games they broadcast, and is running a lot of those extra games up against Sunday Night Football. TNT also is showing a lot more games than last year and a lot have been blacked out in big regional markets. Those things alone probably explain the vast majority of the per game decline year over year.

That being said, people are also just bailing on cable TV in general and also are not necessarily keen on giving Sinclair/Bally $200 a season either.

Who wants to see Eastern Conference teams play Western Conference teams every night? Really (frank)ing stupid the way the schedule was made up this season. What we want is more rivalry games, Edmonton and Calgary for example, Florida and TB etc....

The NHL has gone woke and with it the fans slowly walk away

Well Written Jeremy. I think part of it may be due to COVID lock downs. Messed everything up I believe.
- Bigfrog

I will say this. I was a teenager in the 90s. Most of my friends had grand parents or great grandparents still affected mentally by the depression. We’d see cellars full of canned goods, and money hidden throughout the house. If you go back and watch “It’s a wonderful life” you’ll see a scene where there’s a “run on the banks”. People didn’t trust the institutions and I’ve had several friends who had to go through every book in the house and even one that found shoe boxes of cash under floor boards.

I do believe there’s kind of a fiscal PTSD, as well as people realizing how many things we took for granted. People got sick of being inside and watching TV, or streaming video. It’s not something I thought I’d see in our lifetime. Economically, we have valued and possibly over valued entertainment. Now I see people doing the math of budgeting down to the penny. A lot of tv service cancellations and reduction of certain spending. That may just be on my end of things, I’m interested in other takes to be sure

ESPN basically doubled the amount of games they broadcast, and is running a lot of those extra games up against Sunday Night Football. TNT also is showing a lot more games than last year and a lot have been blacked out in big regional markets. Those things alone probably explain the vast majority of the per game decline year over year.

That being said, people are also just bailing on cable TV in general and also are not necessarily keen on giving Sinclair/Bally $200 a season either.
- Sven22

I have to think that the blackout rules need to be revisited. Not everyone is willing to search through 3 or 4 platforms to find where they can see a game. That, and highlights are posted so quickly via twitter, the NHL app etc. keep an eye on Bally, they’ve cancelled some deals and other platforms are looking into the same. I hear the same about $ budgeting for cable service or even streaming services. Hockey isn’t the same priority in the U.S. as other sports. NFL is the golden child. But there were a couple nights where college basketball (not during march madness) outperformed the NHL. Hockey came in around 7th behind football, pro wrestling, golf, NASCAR and others.

Who wants to see Eastern Conference teams play Western Conference teams every night? Really (frank)ing stupid the way the schedule was made up this season. What we want is more rivalry games, Edmonton and Calgary for example, Florida and TB etc....
- Shady1962

I think there’s something else there. Edmonton and Calgary are geographically fairly close. If expenses are continuing to go up, limiting travel could go a long way budget wise.

Are the viewership numbers down on TSN and SN in Canada? If not it's an American viewership problem.

Chicago market down due to their on and off ice struggles? Won't account for all the drop though.

TBH, hockey is a niche sport and people in many USA markets aren't followers. Maybe people are cutting the cord and not subscribing to ESPN + to save expenses.

Doubt if Bedard playing in Arizona or Anaheim will move the needle. As a Chicago fan you know where I'd like him to wind up. Might be better for the league too.

I have to think that the blackout rules need to be revisited. Not everyone is willing to search through 3 or 4 platforms to find where they can see a game. That, and highlights are posted so quickly via twitter, the NHL app etc. keep an eye on Bally, they’ve cancelled some deals and other platforms are looking into the same. I hear the same about $ budgeting for cable service or even streaming services. Hockey isn’t the same priority in the U.S. as other sports. NFL is the golden child. But there were a couple nights where college basketball (not during march madness) outperformed the NHL. Hockey came in around 7th behind football, pro wrestling, golf, NASCAR and others.
- Jeremy Laura

Wing games on NHL Network are blacked out for me even though I am 500 miles from Detroit (by roads), but still in MI. Ridiculous. But if it is on Balley I can watch it.

Yeah, these are all per game viewership numbers. Increase in games that go head-to-head with NFL or some NBA games are not getting many viewers. So decrease the # of games with this kind of competition (like it was last year) and your #'s will be better.

Erne was waived today. Zadia was already on the roster, so is Ned or Vrana coming up or is Stevie making room for a trade? I think we will find out tomorrow if it is internal the Griffs played last night and Ned won and will play tonight as well. Zadina had 3 shots on net.
I get a feeling Ned is coming up.

The reason is that the NHL has become nothing more than a men’s league hockey game with no hitting.Rivalries no longer exist. I love the red wings and watch every game but have no interest in any other games. One time I would circle games between Edmonton/Calgary or Montreal/Boston. And other fans I guarantee you were turning in to watch Detroit/Colorado. The nhl should definitely change the playoff format to 1 against 16 etc so more teams would play each other. The woke left has destroyed hockey. Hockey used to be big hits , big fights , big saves and big goals. Not anymore

Wing games on NHL Network are blacked out for me even though I am 500 miles from Detroit (by roads), but still in MI. Ridiculous. But if it is on Balley I can watch it.
- HenryHockey

It’s seems like a perfect storm.
1. The move to ESPN+ is a disaster. I live 60 - 70 miles outside Philly, and my cable company only offers ESPN+ as a separate package in conjunction with their premier tier programming. Between phone cable and Internet, it’s over $300 a month. Insane!
2. With inflation a lot higher than the actual reported numbers, people’s budgets do not allow for the enormous cost. We used to be able to watch games on basic cable with no blackouts. Now you have to pay for everything, and then search all
Over the place for what channel it MIGHT be on. That’s just plain ridiculous.
3. The Flyers for one, flat out STINK! GM here is incompetent, to say the least.
4. The game has turned into the ice capades. The instigator rule is the worst thing to happen to hockey. Seeing unscripted fights, standing up for teammates brought people out of their seats, to get a better view. The last great nasty rivalry series between the Wings and the Avs was Epic!! When will we ever see that again?
5. Scheduling the Kraken against the Flyers is ho hum. More rivalry games with the nastiness is electrifying the building. Mr Bettman is trying to cater to casual fans in hopes of more revenue. He has neglected the hardcore hockey fans for years by making the game kinder and gentler. It’s HOCKEY ffs!!
6. Go woke, go broke!! Hockey isn’t exactly a non contact, soft sort. While EVERYONE is welcome, shoving things down people’s throats, doesn’t unify, it breeds resentment and contempt. Most people love everyone around them, myself included. However, singling out or pushing an agenda is divisive. People will come to their own ideas in their own time frame. Pushing an agenda does nothing to foster an inclusive environment. It’s human nature.

Add all this up, and the perfect storm forms.

It had to happen at some point.

Bring back some “old time hockey, Eddie Shore, aye”!!!

The NHL has made it horrible to support teams nationally or locally. Some teams stuck on Ballys Sport Network has to pay for old cable to watch games on TV. I only read about my teams and don't even bother spending money on their products.

This has always been my concern, Chicago, NY and NJ need help, so the draft goes their way. I went to a lot Chicago games in the mid/late 90s and at times there were just a few thousand attendees. I’m from Chicago, let that franchise burn down. I would have stripped them of their next 5 first round picks for the cover up. I don’t believe Bedard will save the franchise. Culture will save them. And until they force the owner to sell, winning at all costs.

Jeremy Laura: NHL viewership down, where are the fans going?
- Jeremy Laura

Great article Jeremy!

I can say that I have been watching fewer games specifically because of the god awful sportsnet app. The service was soo much better when it was a different app last year.

I can say that I have been watching fewer games specifically because of the god awful sportsnet app. The service was soo much better when it was a different app last year.
- lemieux_66

I can tell you that I’m not hearing a ton of positivity about the platform shift.

Get woke go broke

I have center ice every year for a long time...pretty much the only reason i keep the dish connected with the bare minimum package. I expect Wings games against Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto to be stolen by Sportsnet and TSN so i have to watch them from free streaming site since i don't have those channels anymore and i refuse to pay for that package when i already pay for center ice package. This season it seems more and more Sportsnet and TSN are stealing games that have the Wings and no Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal so again i'm forced to watch via free streaming sites because of them on games that have nothing to do with Canadian teams near me.

Because of this crap i will stop buying Center Ice package from now on and just stream for free online. With Center Ice package i never know which broadcast i will be forced to watch while with the free streaming site, i can choose which broadcast i want for each game which i like that option a lot.

I have center ice every year for a long time...pretty much the only reason i keep the dish connected with the bare minimum package. I expect Wings games against Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto to be stolen by Sportsnet and TSN so i have to watch them from free streaming site since i don't have those channels anymore and i refuse to pay for that package when i already pay for center ice package. This season it seems more and more Sportsnet and TSN are stealing games that have the Wings and no Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal so again i'm forced to watch via free streaming sites because of them on games that have nothing to do with Canadian teams near me.

Because of this crap i will stop buying Center Ice package from now on and just stream for free online. With Center Ice package i never know which broadcast i will be forced to watch while with the free streaming site, i can choose which broadcast i want for each game which i like that option a lot.
- dcz28

Center ice isn’t cheap. I’ve never subscribed. I did subscribe to the NHL app when I was still working (on disability now) so I could watch other games. The games I miss on TV i have to listen to and it’s actually kind of relaxing. We camped all over Michigan when I was growing up and would listen to old radio shows: Sherlock Holmes, Lone Ranger, etc while sitting at the campfire. I enjoyed that so much. Just cook a dog over the fire pit and hang out. Those simple times seem to go by so fast

Good article Jeremy!

Idk if inflation is hitting the US like it is in Canada but its brutal up here, can imagine there's lots of subscriptions/tv packages being canceled to save a buck so that's likely effecting the numbers. Its pretty expensive to live for the average person.

I'd agree with what many others have said, the NHL product has gotten too soft, fans don't want to see guys getting knocked out cold but the lack of contact and mostly perimeter play isn't all that entertaining. Also think the terrible reffing and how some games almost seem fixed has angered some fans.

The wokeness has probably turned some fans off. I don't think its that hockey fans don't support these causes or groups but I can't watch a game without it being this night honoring some certain group or whatever, it gets tiring when it literally feels like it's every game and honestly its not really an exaggeration to say that it's almost every game, it is in Canada anyways. People get enough politics and culture wars throughout their day, they don't want it thrown in their face at their favorite sporting events.

Hockey is way down the list in sports popularity in the US, its just the way it is.

I believe there's some other reasons for viewership being down, hockey is a very expensive sport so there's likely less kids playing then in years past, basically less families involved in hockey means less people watching it.

Habits have changed, people binge watch series now so hockey takes a back seat to that and people love these series cause they can watch them without commercials!
How do you get people to turn off Netflix and turn on the hockey game??

Anyway, there's a lot of factors at play, Idk what it will take to turn the NHL viewership numbers around.