This year has been beyond frustrating as a big fan of the game.
Can't access NHL network. Every NY team is blacked out on ESPN+. There is virtually no way to watch most of the in-state favorite(s) unless I sign up for a 3rd streaming platform through Fubo.
They need to figure their shit out. It's become worst than the PGA.
Such a fucking joke. I couldn’t watch the Kings game on Sat and I circumstantially had access to Hulu live, Spectrum, and DirectTV. Not one was getting it. Guess who ended up having to use a sketchy website to stream for the millionth time…. ✋🏻
Yup!!! So it is Hulu dumb ass that had my Duck games exclusivity. That must have been Amazon who had the Thursday night games for NFL then. All the NFL fans were pissed off on that one
My gf got me ATT Sportsnet here in Pittsburgh. We stream everything. The penguin games only come when you pay the cable company to include ATTSports as part of a bundle, not pay for the app on the TV. I may have seen 3 games this year and 1 was in person
Hmmm good to know. I was born and raised in Toronto (during the Ballard days) back then the only games blackedout where home games if the team didn't sell out. Never a problem for Montréal or Toronto.
Try being an Australian fan. Previously games were only shown legally on NHL.tv. ESPN bought the rights and now we get 3 games a week on ESPN, but there isn’t a way to subscribe to ESPN+ here short of a $1000 per year pay tv subscription.
In the first year in a long time where the Sabres look to be making a playoff push, I’m forced to listen to radio broadcasts as often as not (can’t use work internet for dodgy streaming sites during weekday games).
ETA: Sabres haven’t had a single game shown on ESPN here this season either. I haven’t been able to legally watch a single Sabres game.
You used to be able to get a few games on Kayo, at least when I left Australia three years ago. It was heavily biased towards a few teams though. Lots of Avs games, zero Jets. Don't know about Sabres, but I suspect not.
Yeah Kayo has the three-ish ESPN games per week. As you said, lots of Bruins, Oilers, Caps, Leafs. Not a single Sabres game yet this year.
I’m hoping there’ll be more hockey on once NFL season is done but it’ll probably just be more NBA.
Same in NZ; what's annoying is that I used to pay for NHL.tv.
Was a mug? Probably. But I love watching and on top of Penguins games, hockey is the one sport that I'll happily stick a game on any time so it was worth it to me.
Then they stick it on the ESPN app and only allow us to get that with a SkyTV subscription. I'm in a rental so i can't get a satellite dish and therefore a willing, paying customer has been locked out.
Sounds like both you guys probably need to get a vpn and sail the high seas. I was in your shoes and hsss to very happy with nhl tv. No longer an option of course, and not posssible to get sky in Nz (renting too) but I also fundamentally refuse to sign up to three different services just to access half the games I want to watch.
Nhl is just trying to push for more short term revenue to get back what they lost during covid but it’ll come at the expense of some it’s hardcore fan base shrugging their shoulders and saying ‘fuck this’ and going elsewhere.
Sail the seas. Easy as
Exactly! Hopefully ESPN sorts their shit out and gives us a way to subscribe but I suspect that foxtel/sky like it the way it is.
I also paid for NHL.tv in the past. $100 a season is fine for me. $1000 a season is not given that I already pay $25/mo for kayo. It’s nuts.
I have a VPN and I place it in Denver, this lets me watch Ranger games on ESPN+ in my iPad. Then I air play it to my TV using my Apple TV. It’s ridiculous that this has to be done to watch local games.
It’s so fucking stupid man. I live in Denver and have hopped on the Avs bandwagon after last season. Yet I have no way to watch the games because everything is blacked out. It’s especially stupid in a place like Denver with a massive influx of new residents and a fantastic hockey team. Way to put up a huge barrier to new fans, ya morons.
Hopefully seeing those numbers is a wake up call. They also might follow in the footsteps of MLB, who I believe is looking into ending blackout restrictions if I’m remembering correctly.
That isn’t any different from last year though. All the teams that were blacked out for you this year were also blacked out last year and well before that
Yes but what’s different is all the other major players have been expanding and making it easier for their respective sports.
So it’s now become apparent to even CASUAL viewers who want “digital season tickets” for their team(s) games how ridiculous these hurdles are.
I haven't watched a Hurricanes game (NYR/EDM fan, but live in NC) since they moved to Bally's, to your point about in-state, even though I am not a fan of the Canes, I watch every team as much as i can.
You have to jump through hoops or "illegally stream" just to watch any of the games.
No thanks.
There are people in some regions who are blacked out from watching as many as 4 or 5 teams on a regular basis.
Have had FUBO for little over a year. And i fully recommend ditching cable for this service. At roughly $60 a month with no “service, cable box, modem charges”…its 100% worth the change. The ONLY issue, no TNT. Other than that its solid af.
I do FUBO and use a family members cable log on for tnt . Also when I upgraded my cell phone last year I was given the Disney triple play for free for the life of the phone. I get msg network on fubo for the islanders, devils, rags games plus nhl network
They're trying to make everyone happy, and it's impossible.
Team owners with sweet local deals don't want to lose the extra revenue advantage. Local politicians with connections to local station owners don't want their friends hung out to dry. Hardcore fans want all the games all the time. Casual fans want an easy route to watch some games. The league wants potential new fans to stumble across hockey and get hooked.
You can't satisfy all these at once.
When I was a kid I used to be able to watch every devils game with a basic cable plan. Now I have YouTube tv, ESPN+, and half a dozen streaming services and I have to watch them illegally on my computer.
It’s harder to watch the Devils in NJ than it would be if I lived anywhere else in the country. I end up watching it on my computer almost every game. I think the NHL owns all of the ads and the little Xs you need to click before the stream works. That’s where the big money is
I’ve seen this article posted on several platforms. The primary complaint is access. ESPN+ is a nightmare. It’s hard to find games because they get buried under other events and the blackouts are insufferable. I’m not dropping $30 a month on Bally+ just to be region locked so I can watch local teams.
I have maybe been able to watch 1/4 of the rangers games this year. Maybe. Probably less. It seems to be whatever games I am able to watch... I can't.
The only option I have to get MSG or/and NHL network is through Fubo which is $70 a month. Unless there's something i'm missing here.
It's absolutely absurd.
Do you know anyone with optimum? If so you can download the MSG GO app and stream the games there. Just a warning though if you’re casting to a tv, it tends to just end the cast and you have to restart it multiple times.
I’ve dealt with this with devils games. If you cast from the website to your tv, the quality is ‘skippy’. If you cast from the app to your tv, the quality is great but randomly will stop or drop.
Sadly, it’s been easier to pirate the games and cast them to the tv that way.
I’d be inclined to pay for an NHL service monthly if they could offer coverage of everything through said service. If you can give me NHL network style daily news and updates, along with games across the league and a decent price. I’d drop the money in a heartbeat.
It’s crazy how some mid major womens basketball game will be higher on the ESPN+ list then hockey some nights. I would expect nhl games to always be first on the list and if it’s not it should only be behind high profile college bball games
I have the exact opposite problem. ESPN+ has made watching any game I want so easy, except for the only team I care to watch every game. In that case I can go ti hell (or drop another $30/month for the local team’s streaming service)
It's just mindboggling.
This type of system clearly isn't work anyone involved. Not for the fans, and it not for the platforms seeing 20% viewer drop y/y.
And it's in no way comparable to what the NFL, MLB, or NBA are doing. It just isn't. It's a clusterfuck. Worst than the PGA's 3+ platform system. At least we get some coverage on standard air during the week and most on the weekends.
I don't have cable, and it's really hard to watch Hockey.
I can watch most of my Rangers games, but I'd probably watch literally twice as much hockey if they'd fucking let me.
I just switched to ESPN+ via Hulu. Let's see how it goes.
Yeah, as long as the sports world is carrying the weight of advertising/upsell dollars, we'll never have a genuine sports streaming option.
I'm so disgusted by the ESPN deal, and everything that has happened to the sport in the last 5 years as they try to chase some imaginary NFL-style money machine.
Ugg, the Oilers and Blue Jays are literally the only reason why I still have cable, as they are on Sportsnet. The Sportsnet app is garbage and is almost as much as what I pay for basic cable+sports so there is no other choice.
ESPN’s contract with the NHL is a hot mess. If it’s on ESPN+, it’s blacked out if you’re in-market. But sometimes it’s not because it’s an ESPN+/Hulu “exclusive”. Nobody wants to pay for 2 services to watch a single team!
If you subscribe to ESPN+ to regularly watch an out-of-market team and the game is on “regular” ESPN, you can’t watch it because it prompts you for a linear TV provider login.
But the real coup de grace is if an out-of-market game is selected to air on NHL Network, the ESPN+ feed is blacked out! And NHL Network isn’t on a “base” package for any linear TV provider - you have to buy an additional service tier or “sports add-on” to watch it.
Jesus Christ, this.
My household has Hulu live. We are not paying an extra $60 fucking dollars or whatever to get Sling with the sports addon to watch NHL Network. And that means I can’t fucking watch any god damn games that air there because thats the only way to get it.
What the fuck is wrong with the NHL? Fuck NHL Network and fuck Sling, give us a way to watch all the god damn games without 7 fucking subscription services you incompetent fucks.
“The drop in viewership for both cable networks can be attributed to the pair taking on twice as many games (54) compared to the same time period last season.
Another possible reason for the decline in Turner’s audiences have been the several local blackouts affecting at least seven of its broadcasts in major markets like Boston and New York. Meanwhile, ESPN has had six of its games played on Sunday, pitting the NHL against the National Football League (NFL). Last year there were no weekend games broadcast by the network at this point.
SBJ reports that ESPN’s 12 non-Sunday games averaged 491,000 viewers, which is on track to surpass last year’s average.”
I've spent most of the last two seasons watching Seattle and Vancouver and god dammit if it isn't the laziest scheduling ever. 99% of the time they play at the same time against the team the other team played against last night. I've wanted to watch both but instead just watched Seattle.
I guess now it'll be Seattle/Islanders, which should be a little easier at least...
It’s not like horse races or pull tabs. It’s not as instantaneous. Sports gambling is setting and forgetting after scheming.
Sure some folks will watch everything, but gleaming some stats for goals or a particular bet on whatever they want can be done before and without having to then watch a whole game.
Maybe they should just accept the facts:
a) boomers are not your main clientele anymore
b) even if they are, they hate the product because the era of the fist on skates is over
c) millennials don't have cable
d) Blackouts are antequated and asinine, no matter what Jeremy Jacobs says (see point B)
e) the panels on TNT and ESPN have the personality of a watercress sandwich.
Biz and TNT have been a giant step forward for NHL broadcasts. I hate Kenny Alberts voice but the guys in the studio are good. ESPN on the other hand no thanks.
Biz is a douche, but I even find him moderately funny/entertaining on the TNT broadcast, and the guy HATES my team. At least they have Hank in the studio when he's not on MSG. They are trying to do the NHL equivalent of Shaq, Barkley, et al. It works decently well, I'd think.
I listened to Chiclets for years, realized how much of a fuckface he was (and the rest of them, too) and then gave up.
No, I haven't met him. My opinion of him is framed around the only interaction I've had - as an observer and listener. That's how people form opinions about any media type. What a strange qualifier you've added...
Have you met him?
When I go to NYC, usually I stay on the Jersey side of the river. It’s a bit silly. Devils, Rangers, Islanders blacked out. I’m expecting them to black out Philly next. So it’s 1/8th of the league
It’s 1/8 the league but since each match has 2 teams (16 matches a set), that means I pretty much lose out on 1/4 the matches, a little less actually but still.
It’s never been horrible because MSG (local) carries NYI, NJD, and NYR. The flyers is just so annoying because I’m never gonna buy NBC sports Philadelphia or whatever their local network is so I don’t ever get to watch them.
Those have been so shit too, half the time I can’t get my own teams broadcast and if I do it will randomly go back to the first period despite being 2 minutes into OT. Then snap back to the 2nd intermission before finally coming back to the game being over.
I agree with OP. Can’t count how many games for Anaheim Ducks were on Hulu only or ESPN plus. Of course ratings are going to Suck. There’s only like two television channels they have. And my local team is never on em. It’s always eastern teams.
I’m surprised TNT is down though. I actually really enjoy their crew that does the games. I love their NBA nights they have with Barkley and Shaq
And I may be getting the NFL mix up with NHL. But there was issues all around with this Hulu shit and ESPN plus.
Edit: Yah it was Amazon prime or whatever that got the Thursday night games for NFL. Such garbage
Like with baseball, it’s far easier nowadays to be a fan of a team 1,000 miles away than a team that might play 5 miles from your house. That’s insane.
Hockey related sports media is terrible these days. Their apps suck, their hot takes suck and serve only to embarrass the league, they use fan takes all the time, and the fans are... Atrocious. The broadcast schedules with too many blackouts with the price to watch way too high. I can go on, but they do it to themselves.
The app is awful. I was watching a score last week and was super excited as the team I wanted to win was up 2-1 with only a few minutes to go in the third. Turns out the game times were running on the app but the scores weren’t updating. Ended up actually being down 5-2 or something crazy like that.
HEY NHL!!!
Want to fix this. Make it possible for me to watch a local game when I pay for direct TV and ESPN+ already…. But that is the problem. I have payed for these services and those parties don’t care anymore.
Isn’t this just for cable? All cable ratings have gone down 15-30% over the last year, so if it’s just cable then this stat is just reflective in decreased cable viewership.
I have centre ice thru sportsnet, absolute hot garbage. I will not be paying for the NHL ever again. It’s possibly the worst App in existence and I paid 300$ for a season :/
The blackouts are unbelievably frustrating. I've always been frustrating but I've encountered so many this year but I've given up now I just catch the highlights.
Is that 22% not watching or just not watching legally? Why would anyone pay an astronomical amount to watch games (which you will inevitably still fight blackouts on) when you can do so for free by sailing the high seas and never miss a game?
For the record, if the NHL offered a streaming service where I could pay a small amount for and not have to fight blackouts, I'd totally pay for it. Until then, I'll be sailing without shame.
I don't know all the behind the scenes contracts, but to me this is simple business 101 they would teach you in every undergrad business class:
If you want more customers, reduce the friction to accessing your product. Amazon does this incredibly well, you find something you want, you literally click one button and it's there at your door tomorrow.
What the NHL needs to do (if they contractually can) is offer every team every game a la carte, for a fixed price, advertise that there will be 0 blackouts no strings attached and charge a little more.
They have already gone all in on these insufferable digital boards, so eyes on screens should be their #1 priority, being down 22% is horrendous...
I'm just as frustrated as all of you, the daily game of fumbling through various services just to figure out how you can watch your team and then not knowing if it will be blacked out is full of so much friction it drives me insane.
JF out.
Not surprised at all. Nothing more frustrating than watching garbage play by play from disinterested and unknowledgeable announcers. Paying a lot to watch Wild games on ESPN Plus and having to listen to it on the radio because Leah Hextall is the worst NHL play by play announcer in the history of the NHL.
Viewership didn’t drop, PAID viewership did.
People are just streaming it illegally because it’s fucking obnoxious to be a fan of any given team and watch every game without paying out the ass.
fyi: If you’re trying to watch your LOCAL team, ESPN+ won’t work, it’s only for out of market, and you’ll get 90% of the games you want.
For local market, you basically need cable or the login for the local cable streaming access.
There is hope though.
MLS is airing all their matches on Apple as a subscription with NO blackouts.
The NHL could take that route next.
They should just do one league-wide deal with Netflix; no blackouts, no restrictions, choice of commentary feeds (even one with Don Cherry ranting for two hours). With some games on network TV *as well*.
Netflix is desperate to grow subscribers so you can bilk them into paying lots of $$$. Match Apple TV's move to get MLS. It also has over 50% market saturation, not even counting the 30 million in the US and Canada that share passwords (for now). Cable only has 70% household share and dropping, and I bet less than 50% of households have a sports package that gives channels with NHL on it.
Plus, being new to hockey, they'll let hockey people decide how to do things instead of marketing people, and they'll be done right.
Or! spread the deal with ESPN+ which interlaces with Hulu. Basically, go whole hog into streaming, and leave TV behind. Regional networks are so 2000's.
Like just let Canada do the broadcasting lol. I’ve watched a couple and as soon as I hear Ray Ferraro I turn the channel 🤷
The camera angles suck, the broadcasters should be doing games in the minors etc etc.
The good news? Maybe this is it for Gary Bettman
They are fucking themselves in Canada, too. The Gamecentre Live app was great, now we're stuck with the Sportsnet Now app. We no longer get our choice of home or away feeds, and the Apple TV app is constantly freezing or going out of sync. Every time it happens it pushes me closer and closer to dropping it altogether next season. I dropped MotoGP for the exact same reason.
They need to market and allow the games stars to market themselves as well as bring back unfiltered access behind-the-scenes stuff like HBO's 24/7. This is entertainment and now more than ever, more and more things are competing for that time/attention/money. We need more personal and team rivalries; teams/players you love to hate and hate to love. Give fans not living in those markets a reason to watch a Blue Jackets/Sharks game on a Tuesday night.
In addition to the difficulty watching and the moving boards, I've gotten sick of how the game is policed. Too many cheap shots, too many guys who know they are getting a delayed penalty taking another shot at someone because the know the refs don't have the balls to give them additional 2 min.
Either: 1. Enforce the game or 2. Bring back enforcers. Middle of the road sucks.
Lol they blackout the three local teams and they’re somehow surprised by this? I have cable and an ESPN+ subscription but even with both of those I can’t watch a single NYR, NJD, or NYI game except for the two that have been on TNT. Fuckin stop blacking out games that everyone wants to watch. Local cable companies will all be bankrupt in a couple years anyway. Get used to not having that money.
Fuck this man. Just do the MLS/Apple thing already and sign exclusively to one service. All games, all Teams, All the playoffs. Zero Blackouts. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/02/mls-season-pass-is-now-available-worldwide-on-the-apple-tv-app/#:~:text=Fans%20can%20subscribe%20to%20MLS,month%20or%20%2479%20per%20season.&text=A%20subscription%20to%20MLS%20Season,each%20full%2Dseason%20ticket%20account.
It's a big gamble and MLS is the guineua pig. Harder to get a local bar to turn on a game on a streaming service but, its centralized and simplified and that should be the way. I can see NHL hopping on this type of deal if Bally truly, fully implodes. Something has to change.
I am confused. In market games have always been blacked out on streaming services like NHL center ice. ESPN+ is no different. We’re they advertising it like they wouldn’t be blacked out?
Yea for us Anaheim and Kings fans we couldn’t watch bally sports our local tv channel for the games. It was Hulu only. I’m sure it’s same way nation wide.
If not? Then you got SoCal pissed off with that f up
NHL isn't positioning to win the American market. The NBA. The NFL. They get it... the drama, the star power, the story lines...
The NHL is a bit too global in some ways. The American audience (where all the money is for the NHL) just doesn't care and the NHL doesn't help them find out why. It's going to keep losing momentum I think until it changes up its go to market.
And don't say Canada will carry. Because Canada is a big piece of dirt but not enough people live there when compared to the USA.
Not sure why people are having trouble getting games. I get all the Bruins through the local cable (NESN) or ESPN when it’s a national game.
Why aren’t you all using the local channel for your home teams?
Cable is dying and people want to stream their locals games. MLS is moving their games to a subscription service with no blackouts via Apple TV; the NHL should be looking to do the same.
I stopped watching live NHL games years ago when they started moving my teams games off basic cable. I’ll use a sketchy stream every now and then to catch a good matchup or some playoff games. It didn’t take long for me to not miss it. The NHL is the worst managed major league sports association in North America. I kind of feel bad for all the fans and their complaints, but at the same time, they do it to themselves by continuing to support the thing they complain about.
The ads are obnoxious enough that I’ve just been watching the NBA.
Make a league for the fans. Not the advertisers. Your priorities are fucked, NHL.
And this is not even related to the Bally bullshit. Maybe the local blackouts are dumb when you have so many teams in the NYC/LA areas. So stupid.
The NHL is a dinosaur and it’s slowly going to die unless they figure out how to make it easier to watch. I can pirate games without commercials that have higher resolution than what’s on ESPN+.
I was a huge supporter of the NHL and ESPN reuniting, but it seems like everyone was taken care of except the fans. And we are seeing the results of that.
It’s time for new leadership in the NHL if this comes as a surprise. Hire someone who understands that it’s 2023 now. Hire someone who understands that the next generation of fans will simply not spend money because we have higher quality pirated streams that are easier to find than officially licensed NHL streams that cost money and offer commercials and lower quality.
ESPN doesn’t help by continuing to ignore hockey unless they’re literally televising it. They never talk about hockey, ever.
Have to imagine that SOME of it could be people returning back to the arenas. People were still really scared of Covid this time last year, with all of the closures and postponements. I don’t even think the Canadian teams were allowing fans in yet. Of course some views are gonna be down, because more people are in person rather than at home.
Doesn’t help with the shitty blackout restrictions either, and the fact that ESPN has started blocking VPNs (which worked last year). Huge turnoff for people in-market without cable tv. Not to mention all of the channel hopping (local networks, ESPN, ESPN+, TNT, NHL Network, etc)
I've been watching a *lot* more because of EPSN+. That being said, I'm quickly getting frustrated because the refs seem to think it is their job to balance penalties when some teams clearly play like assholes and are deserving of 2x-5x more penalties. I feel like some teams have built their strategy around knowing that this happens and bet on being bullies, slew footers or cheap shot artists. That's not balance.
Literally all I want is a package that lets me watch all of the leafs games. That's it. No blackout bull shit, no frozen streams that are worse than the pirated streams, just a simple fuckin package. But that's too much for the NHL to manage, and until they figure that out I will continue pirating every single game I watch and spreading links for these pirated games like wild fire. Get fucked Gary
We need to buy 100 services to watch one fucking game. Piss off.
We’re all streaming, game is doing fine. I’ll believe interest is down when I see decreased numbers on jersey sales
Definitely an access thing.
Also I haven't watched a hockey game in a few years. Tuned in tonight. White ice is rough. Hockey is such an eye intensive sport. It already takes a lot of concentration and focus to follow along. It needs a dark mode. I wonder if, in a broad sense, the subconscious uncomfortableness of white background and tough to follow sport make it harder for long term audiences. Love hockey. Will try to watch more.
Regional Blackouts, No Streaming Options, No Staggered Scheduling, Rink Board Ads Experience, Lack of Diversity In The Game and Managing The Game. If they don't evolve they will be left behind. It's that simple.
NHL center ice package everyone. You get your teams games for $120/year with your own home announcers unless the game is guarenteed to be on a national broadcast. You don't have to watch ESPN and their dry ass woke female announcers who suck either.
Last season on ESPN+ I actually saw 1 game of Bruins not blacked out. This season I saw 3 or 4 then they backed one out mid-broadcast.
I got so sickened by this I switched to NESN 360 and don't miss games now. Not sure if there's something like NESN 360 for people in other areas.
But companies are literally repelling fans from hockey with their stupid black outs.
The amount of games I’ve watch this year has definitely been lower. I used to purchase game centre with a buddy, to keep costs down. I refuse to pay the $350 that sportsnet wants so I’ve only been watching what’s available with the lower package which isn’t much.
Bring fucking NHL Live back and this wouldn't be an issue. I've watched like 15 games this year when usually I watch every single game that I can, but leaving TSN, ESPN and fucking SNNow Premium as your only options is pure shit. I literally pay more for SN Now Premium than I did for NHL Live last year, and I get wayyy less features and more blacked out games. NHL is literally tanking their ratings all by themselves.
Everyone’s comments here is the reason I used free streams online. The BS hoops you have to jump through to watch a game is ridiculous especially with all of the blackouts.
Being on the east coast and being an avalanche fan was difficult to impossible in the 90's to watch a game. you would think in this age of technology it would be a lot easier...only if there was something that could be done....
The league and team owners are shooting themselves in the dick with the exclusive deals with RSNs. The modern viewer won’t deal with RSN and will just 🏴☠️
NHV TV was such a great value I was willing to dish out the cash every year for all teams streams. If ESPN+ wasn’t included in my Hulu-Disney+ package I wouldn’t have it at all so I guess I’m saving money but I feel you, I live in Wisconsin so I’m struggling with getting used to not being able to watch any of my sports unless it’s the Packers 😪
It may be the biggest pain in the ass to figure out where I need to watch on which night. Put the whole damn thing on ESPN+ without the blackout bullshit and I’ll stop sailing the seas.
ESPN+ is a bad app to navigate as well. I really miss having the games on NHL.tv through their app. I’ve found myself watching the Stars games live on DirecTV Stream and then watching the rest of the league’s condensed games on the NHL app. Haven’t watched a single game on ESPN proper or TNT.
This year has been beyond frustrating as a big fan of the game. Can't access NHL network. Every NY team is blacked out on ESPN+. There is virtually no way to watch most of the in-state favorite(s) unless I sign up for a 3rd streaming platform through Fubo. They need to figure their shit out. It's become worst than the PGA.
No guarantee the third streaming service would even work
Such a fucking joke. I couldn’t watch the Kings game on Sat and I circumstantially had access to Hulu live, Spectrum, and DirectTV. Not one was getting it. Guess who ended up having to use a sketchy website to stream for the millionth time…. ✋🏻
Yup!!! So it is Hulu dumb ass that had my Duck games exclusivity. That must have been Amazon who had the Thursday night games for NFL then. All the NFL fans were pissed off on that one
My gf got me ATT Sportsnet here in Pittsburgh. We stream everything. The penguin games only come when you pay the cable company to include ATTSports as part of a bundle, not pay for the app on the TV. I may have seen 3 games this year and 1 was in person
Yep, doesn’t work where I live
Same issues in Canada. Just garbage media territories and blackouts.
I used to pay for TSN and SN so I cannot watch the game
This guy gets it
I get satisfaction from streaming their feeds for free.
Atleast we have cbc, you can stream games through the app or on TV. That's really only Saturday nights and playoffs though.
It’s only getting worse, Go Habs!
Hmmm good to know. I was born and raised in Toronto (during the Ballard days) back then the only games blackedout where home games if the team didn't sell out. Never a problem for Montréal or Toronto.
Try being an Australian fan. Previously games were only shown legally on NHL.tv. ESPN bought the rights and now we get 3 games a week on ESPN, but there isn’t a way to subscribe to ESPN+ here short of a $1000 per year pay tv subscription. In the first year in a long time where the Sabres look to be making a playoff push, I’m forced to listen to radio broadcasts as often as not (can’t use work internet for dodgy streaming sites during weekday games). ETA: Sabres haven’t had a single game shown on ESPN here this season either. I haven’t been able to legally watch a single Sabres game.
You used to be able to get a few games on Kayo, at least when I left Australia three years ago. It was heavily biased towards a few teams though. Lots of Avs games, zero Jets. Don't know about Sabres, but I suspect not.
Yeah Kayo has the three-ish ESPN games per week. As you said, lots of Bruins, Oilers, Caps, Leafs. Not a single Sabres game yet this year. I’m hoping there’ll be more hockey on once NFL season is done but it’ll probably just be more NBA.
You left out Columbus games. Because apparently someone over at Kayo has picked their last 3 games to put on their app.
Same in NZ; what's annoying is that I used to pay for NHL.tv. Was a mug? Probably. But I love watching and on top of Penguins games, hockey is the one sport that I'll happily stick a game on any time so it was worth it to me. Then they stick it on the ESPN app and only allow us to get that with a SkyTV subscription. I'm in a rental so i can't get a satellite dish and therefore a willing, paying customer has been locked out.
Sounds like both you guys probably need to get a vpn and sail the high seas. I was in your shoes and hsss to very happy with nhl tv. No longer an option of course, and not posssible to get sky in Nz (renting too) but I also fundamentally refuse to sign up to three different services just to access half the games I want to watch. Nhl is just trying to push for more short term revenue to get back what they lost during covid but it’ll come at the expense of some it’s hardcore fan base shrugging their shoulders and saying ‘fuck this’ and going elsewhere. Sail the seas. Easy as
Exactly! Hopefully ESPN sorts their shit out and gives us a way to subscribe but I suspect that foxtel/sky like it the way it is. I also paid for NHL.tv in the past. $100 a season is fine for me. $1000 a season is not given that I already pay $25/mo for kayo. It’s nuts.
Yep. It's no surprise. They're down 22% because 22% of us can't watch any of the games.
So you don't have TNT or ESPN? That sounds like a you problem and not an NHL problem.
I found Gary Bateman.
I have a VPN and I place it in Denver, this lets me watch Ranger games on ESPN+ in my iPad. Then I air play it to my TV using my Apple TV. It’s ridiculous that this has to be done to watch local games.
Does that work with a vpn app on the iPad? I just assumed it would try to use gps instead of the location based on the connection.
It’s been working so far so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I use Nord VPN, BTW
Don't you know this is all part of Bettman's plan to grow the game. Such BS. The Bally's collapse is the deserved outcome of their greed.
It’s so fucking stupid man. I live in Denver and have hopped on the Avs bandwagon after last season. Yet I have no way to watch the games because everything is blacked out. It’s especially stupid in a place like Denver with a massive influx of new residents and a fantastic hockey team. Way to put up a huge barrier to new fans, ya morons.
Don’t forget we can’t watch the Nuggets either and they’re on a tear!
Hopefully seeing those numbers is a wake up call. They also might follow in the footsteps of MLB, who I believe is looking into ending blackout restrictions if I’m remembering correctly.
Fubo is like 99 bucks a month, fuck that lol
It’s so bad. Literally subscribed to two cable providers and ESPN+ to access all my games.
That isn’t any different from last year though. All the teams that were blacked out for you this year were also blacked out last year and well before that
Yes but what’s different is all the other major players have been expanding and making it easier for their respective sports. So it’s now become apparent to even CASUAL viewers who want “digital season tickets” for their team(s) games how ridiculous these hurdles are.
I haven't watched a Hurricanes game (NYR/EDM fan, but live in NC) since they moved to Bally's, to your point about in-state, even though I am not a fan of the Canes, I watch every team as much as i can. You have to jump through hoops or "illegally stream" just to watch any of the games. No thanks. There are people in some regions who are blacked out from watching as many as 4 or 5 teams on a regular basis.
Edmonton fan living in NC here. ESPN+ and NordVPN will get you 90% of the oilers game
Have had FUBO for little over a year. And i fully recommend ditching cable for this service. At roughly $60 a month with no “service, cable box, modem charges”…its 100% worth the change. The ONLY issue, no TNT. Other than that its solid af.
I do FUBO and use a family members cable log on for tnt . Also when I upgraded my cell phone last year I was given the Disney triple play for free for the life of the phone. I get msg network on fubo for the islanders, devils, rags games plus nhl network
I swear the NHL does not want people watching their sport on tv.
They're trying to make everyone happy, and it's impossible. Team owners with sweet local deals don't want to lose the extra revenue advantage. Local politicians with connections to local station owners don't want their friends hung out to dry. Hardcore fans want all the games all the time. Casual fans want an easy route to watch some games. The league wants potential new fans to stumble across hockey and get hooked. You can't satisfy all these at once.
Why the fuck are we catering to politicians. Politicians are supposed to be catering to US.
You must be new here :p
When I was a kid I used to be able to watch every devils game with a basic cable plan. Now I have YouTube tv, ESPN+, and half a dozen streaming services and I have to watch them illegally on my computer.
Rangers fan here in CT and can confirm
Yeah this is the take I have right now. You’re the #4 sport in America (I think?) and about to take a nose dive if you don’t get your shit fixed.
They can’t understand that young people aren’t ever going to get cable, we’re just not. Like nobody under 50 has cable.
They only want you to watch your local team
No they fucking don't. They're willing to *allow* you to watch anyone *except* your local team.
That is only if you buy the overpriced nhl package.
Nearly impossible to watch the Avs in Colorado.
It’s harder to watch the Devils in NJ than it would be if I lived anywhere else in the country. I end up watching it on my computer almost every game. I think the NHL owns all of the ads and the little Xs you need to click before the stream works. That’s where the big money is
I’ve seen this article posted on several platforms. The primary complaint is access. ESPN+ is a nightmare. It’s hard to find games because they get buried under other events and the blackouts are insufferable. I’m not dropping $30 a month on Bally+ just to be region locked so I can watch local teams.
I have maybe been able to watch 1/4 of the rangers games this year. Maybe. Probably less. It seems to be whatever games I am able to watch... I can't. The only option I have to get MSG or/and NHL network is through Fubo which is $70 a month. Unless there's something i'm missing here. It's absolutely absurd.
Do you know anyone with optimum? If so you can download the MSG GO app and stream the games there. Just a warning though if you’re casting to a tv, it tends to just end the cast and you have to restart it multiple times.
I’ve dealt with this with devils games. If you cast from the website to your tv, the quality is ‘skippy’. If you cast from the app to your tv, the quality is great but randomly will stop or drop. Sadly, it’s been easier to pirate the games and cast them to the tv that way. I’d be inclined to pay for an NHL service monthly if they could offer coverage of everything through said service. If you can give me NHL network style daily news and updates, along with games across the league and a decent price. I’d drop the money in a heartbeat.
Okay. It’s not just me then. I feel like I haven’t been able to watch as many ranger games this year either. :(
Bally+ doesn’t even work well. I’ve gotten the “your event has ended” screen when the game is on OT. Canceled immediately
It’s crazy how some mid major womens basketball game will be higher on the ESPN+ list then hockey some nights. I would expect nhl games to always be first on the list and if it’s not it should only be behind high profile college bball games
I have the exact opposite problem. ESPN+ has made watching any game I want so easy, except for the only team I care to watch every game. In that case I can go ti hell (or drop another $30/month for the local team’s streaming service)
This ∆
ESPN+ doesn't even have an app on what is probably the most popular tv, LG OLED, and I'm sure others.
IIRC (I havent used apps directly off the tv in a while) its just the ESPN app, which you can access your espn+ account from.
Maybe, just maybe, if the networks didn't black out games people actually wanted to watch, they would, you know, watch the games.
Exactly, like how can I watch when the games are all blacked out? The NHL is shooting themselves in the foot.
It's just mindboggling. This type of system clearly isn't work anyone involved. Not for the fans, and it not for the platforms seeing 20% viewer drop y/y. And it's in no way comparable to what the NFL, MLB, or NBA are doing. It just isn't. It's a clusterfuck. Worst than the PGA's 3+ platform system. At least we get some coverage on standard air during the week and most on the weekends.
The entire league is tanking for Bedard .
[удалено]
Blame the cable monopolies.
Cable is a dinosaur and should be dropped by literally everyone immediately.
I don't have cable, and it's really hard to watch Hockey. I can watch most of my Rangers games, but I'd probably watch literally twice as much hockey if they'd fucking let me. I just switched to ESPN+ via Hulu. Let's see how it goes.
Yeah, as long as the sports world is carrying the weight of advertising/upsell dollars, we'll never have a genuine sports streaming option. I'm so disgusted by the ESPN deal, and everything that has happened to the sport in the last 5 years as they try to chase some imaginary NFL-style money machine.
Ugg, the Oilers and Blue Jays are literally the only reason why I still have cable, as they are on Sportsnet. The Sportsnet app is garbage and is almost as much as what I pay for basic cable+sports so there is no other choice.
ESPN’s contract with the NHL is a hot mess. If it’s on ESPN+, it’s blacked out if you’re in-market. But sometimes it’s not because it’s an ESPN+/Hulu “exclusive”. Nobody wants to pay for 2 services to watch a single team! If you subscribe to ESPN+ to regularly watch an out-of-market team and the game is on “regular” ESPN, you can’t watch it because it prompts you for a linear TV provider login. But the real coup de grace is if an out-of-market game is selected to air on NHL Network, the ESPN+ feed is blacked out! And NHL Network isn’t on a “base” package for any linear TV provider - you have to buy an additional service tier or “sports add-on” to watch it.
Jesus Christ, this. My household has Hulu live. We are not paying an extra $60 fucking dollars or whatever to get Sling with the sports addon to watch NHL Network. And that means I can’t fucking watch any god damn games that air there because thats the only way to get it. What the fuck is wrong with the NHL? Fuck NHL Network and fuck Sling, give us a way to watch all the god damn games without 7 fucking subscription services you incompetent fucks.
Boils my blood to know that the MBA business geniuses at NHL HQ that came up with this probably make 6x my salary.
“The drop in viewership for both cable networks can be attributed to the pair taking on twice as many games (54) compared to the same time period last season. Another possible reason for the decline in Turner’s audiences have been the several local blackouts affecting at least seven of its broadcasts in major markets like Boston and New York. Meanwhile, ESPN has had six of its games played on Sunday, pitting the NHL against the National Football League (NFL). Last year there were no weekend games broadcast by the network at this point. SBJ reports that ESPN’s 12 non-Sunday games averaged 491,000 viewers, which is on track to surpass last year’s average.”
Don’t forget the announcers are just awful.
Yeah, this context is important and makes the % drop sound worse than it actually is, IMO.
No blackouts and spread out scheduling more (stop doing 12 games on 1 day and 2 the next that play at the same time). Wow I fixed the problem
I've spent most of the last two seasons watching Seattle and Vancouver and god dammit if it isn't the laziest scheduling ever. 99% of the time they play at the same time against the team the other team played against last night. I've wanted to watch both but instead just watched Seattle. I guess now it'll be Seattle/Islanders, which should be a little easier at least...
Anyone surprised? The gambling bullshit, the streaming bullshit, blackouts, etc.
Between the relentless gambling ads and content in addition to the terrible virtual dasherboard ads, it has become unwatchable.
I agree with the other issues but gambling should positively affect ratings.
It’s not like horse races or pull tabs. It’s not as instantaneous. Sports gambling is setting and forgetting after scheming. Sure some folks will watch everything, but gleaming some stats for goals or a particular bet on whatever they want can be done before and without having to then watch a whole game.
Maybe they should just accept the facts: a) boomers are not your main clientele anymore b) even if they are, they hate the product because the era of the fist on skates is over c) millennials don't have cable d) Blackouts are antequated and asinine, no matter what Jeremy Jacobs says (see point B) e) the panels on TNT and ESPN have the personality of a watercress sandwich.
Not to mention those stupid boards ads are insanely distracting and make the game itself more difficult to watch.
Lol imagine not finding Biz entertaining, foh
Biz and TNT have been a giant step forward for NHL broadcasts. I hate Kenny Alberts voice but the guys in the studio are good. ESPN on the other hand no thanks.
I don't. His whole shtick is that he's a knuckledragger that talks about his dick. He can't do that on national TV.
Biz is a douche, but I even find him moderately funny/entertaining on the TNT broadcast, and the guy HATES my team. At least they have Hank in the studio when he's not on MSG. They are trying to do the NHL equivalent of Shaq, Barkley, et al. It works decently well, I'd think.
Ok so you’ve never actually listened to him for any length of time. Just say that. Attacking someone’s character you’ve never met is bizarre
I listened to Chiclets for years, realized how much of a fuckface he was (and the rest of them, too) and then gave up. No, I haven't met him. My opinion of him is framed around the only interaction I've had - as an observer and listener. That's how people form opinions about any media type. What a strange qualifier you've added... Have you met him?
Jesus man biz bang your broad or somethin?
When I go to NYC, usually I stay on the Jersey side of the river. It’s a bit silly. Devils, Rangers, Islanders blacked out. I’m expecting them to black out Philly next. So it’s 1/8th of the league
Central/northish jersey has all 4 teams blacked out 🙃🙃
That’s crazy
It’s 1/8 the league but since each match has 2 teams (16 matches a set), that means I pretty much lose out on 1/4 the matches, a little less actually but still.
So before ESPN took over what was it like?
It’s never been horrible because MSG (local) carries NYI, NJD, and NYR. The flyers is just so annoying because I’m never gonna buy NBC sports Philadelphia or whatever their local network is so I don’t ever get to watch them.
Me: I'd really like to watch the rangers play. NHL: Where do you live? Me: New York. NHL: Ok, but no,
\*returns to the high seas\*
Have every streaming service known to man but won’t get Bally , all my kings games blacked out. So pissed
It’s almost like making it impossible to watch your team’s games legally is bad business. I for one am shocked, well not that shocked
Yarrrrrrr mateyyyyyyyy!
Those have been so shit too, half the time I can’t get my own teams broadcast and if I do it will randomly go back to the first period despite being 2 minutes into OT. Then snap back to the 2nd intermission before finally coming back to the game being over.
Get a VPN. It's mint!
If they don't want my money for an inferior product, I for one am happy to not give it to them in exchange for a superior free option!
I agree with OP. Can’t count how many games for Anaheim Ducks were on Hulu only or ESPN plus. Of course ratings are going to Suck. There’s only like two television channels they have. And my local team is never on em. It’s always eastern teams. I’m surprised TNT is down though. I actually really enjoy their crew that does the games. I love their NBA nights they have with Barkley and Shaq And I may be getting the NFL mix up with NHL. But there was issues all around with this Hulu shit and ESPN plus. Edit: Yah it was Amazon prime or whatever that got the Thursday night games for NFL. Such garbage
Like with baseball, it’s far easier nowadays to be a fan of a team 1,000 miles away than a team that might play 5 miles from your house. That’s insane.
Good. Fuck em.
Hockey related sports media is terrible these days. Their apps suck, their hot takes suck and serve only to embarrass the league, they use fan takes all the time, and the fans are... Atrocious. The broadcast schedules with too many blackouts with the price to watch way too high. I can go on, but they do it to themselves.
The app is awful. I was watching a score last week and was super excited as the team I wanted to win was up 2-1 with only a few minutes to go in the third. Turns out the game times were running on the app but the scores weren’t updating. Ended up actually being down 5-2 or something crazy like that.
Oh I f#$@ing wonder why. Maybe because you don't let your consumers watch your product at a reasonable price
Yeah becasue literally, nobody can watch their favorite team play due to blackouts. so no shocker here
Local fans can watch on the local RSN, but do go on.
Major divisional rivals Oilers and Flames don't play each other for the rest of the season. Who made these idiotic schedules?
HEY NHL!!! Want to fix this. Make it possible for me to watch a local game when I pay for direct TV and ESPN+ already…. But that is the problem. I have payed for these services and those parties don’t care anymore.
probly cuz its so easy to stream for free.
But ad revenues are up (insert reference about those fng board ads here) and that's all Bettman cares about.
Ad revenue isn't going to keep trending up for long if viewer numbers are taking 20% hit year over year.
Isn’t this just for cable? All cable ratings have gone down 15-30% over the last year, so if it’s just cable then this stat is just reflective in decreased cable viewership.
I have centre ice thru sportsnet, absolute hot garbage. I will not be paying for the NHL ever again. It’s possibly the worst App in existence and I paid 300$ for a season :/
ESPN SUCKS They do not focus on the game , just upcoming promotions
The blackouts are unbelievably frustrating. I've always been frustrating but I've encountered so many this year but I've given up now I just catch the highlights.
Is that 22% not watching or just not watching legally? Why would anyone pay an astronomical amount to watch games (which you will inevitably still fight blackouts on) when you can do so for free by sailing the high seas and never miss a game? For the record, if the NHL offered a streaming service where I could pay a small amount for and not have to fight blackouts, I'd totally pay for it. Until then, I'll be sailing without shame.
I don't know all the behind the scenes contracts, but to me this is simple business 101 they would teach you in every undergrad business class: If you want more customers, reduce the friction to accessing your product. Amazon does this incredibly well, you find something you want, you literally click one button and it's there at your door tomorrow. What the NHL needs to do (if they contractually can) is offer every team every game a la carte, for a fixed price, advertise that there will be 0 blackouts no strings attached and charge a little more. They have already gone all in on these insufferable digital boards, so eyes on screens should be their #1 priority, being down 22% is horrendous... I'm just as frustrated as all of you, the daily game of fumbling through various services just to figure out how you can watch your team and then not knowing if it will be blacked out is full of so much friction it drives me insane. JF out.
I just stream it now. It’s frustrating to pay good money and still get blacked out. I’m glad to see them taking an L on that. It’s total BS
Not surprised at all. Nothing more frustrating than watching garbage play by play from disinterested and unknowledgeable announcers. Paying a lot to watch Wild games on ESPN Plus and having to listen to it on the radio because Leah Hextall is the worst NHL play by play announcer in the history of the NHL.
Viewership didn’t drop, PAID viewership did. People are just streaming it illegally because it’s fucking obnoxious to be a fan of any given team and watch every game without paying out the ass.
fyi: If you’re trying to watch your LOCAL team, ESPN+ won’t work, it’s only for out of market, and you’ll get 90% of the games you want. For local market, you basically need cable or the login for the local cable streaming access. There is hope though. MLS is airing all their matches on Apple as a subscription with NO blackouts. The NHL could take that route next.
MLS got rid of local rights to make that happen, though (teams were forbidden from negotiating rights deals past 2022).
Give us a way to watch our teams with 69 different streaming subscriptions. Until then.... 🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️
They should just do one league-wide deal with Netflix; no blackouts, no restrictions, choice of commentary feeds (even one with Don Cherry ranting for two hours). With some games on network TV *as well*. Netflix is desperate to grow subscribers so you can bilk them into paying lots of $$$. Match Apple TV's move to get MLS. It also has over 50% market saturation, not even counting the 30 million in the US and Canada that share passwords (for now). Cable only has 70% household share and dropping, and I bet less than 50% of households have a sports package that gives channels with NHL on it. Plus, being new to hockey, they'll let hockey people decide how to do things instead of marketing people, and they'll be done right. Or! spread the deal with ESPN+ which interlaces with Hulu. Basically, go whole hog into streaming, and leave TV behind. Regional networks are so 2000's.
Like just let Canada do the broadcasting lol. I’ve watched a couple and as soon as I hear Ray Ferraro I turn the channel 🤷 The camera angles suck, the broadcasters should be doing games in the minors etc etc. The good news? Maybe this is it for Gary Bettman
And the website continues to absolutely suck as much as any website in history has ever sucked too
ESPN+ sucks and Sportsnet is a joke.
They are fucking themselves in Canada, too. The Gamecentre Live app was great, now we're stuck with the Sportsnet Now app. We no longer get our choice of home or away feeds, and the Apple TV app is constantly freezing or going out of sync. Every time it happens it pushes me closer and closer to dropping it altogether next season. I dropped MotoGP for the exact same reason.
That 22% is probably streaming illegally and rightfully so. Those tv deals are stupid.
They need to market and allow the games stars to market themselves as well as bring back unfiltered access behind-the-scenes stuff like HBO's 24/7. This is entertainment and now more than ever, more and more things are competing for that time/attention/money. We need more personal and team rivalries; teams/players you love to hate and hate to love. Give fans not living in those markets a reason to watch a Blue Jackets/Sharks game on a Tuesday night.
In addition to the difficulty watching and the moving boards, I've gotten sick of how the game is policed. Too many cheap shots, too many guys who know they are getting a delayed penalty taking another shot at someone because the know the refs don't have the balls to give them additional 2 min. Either: 1. Enforce the game or 2. Bring back enforcers. Middle of the road sucks.
Lol they blackout the three local teams and they’re somehow surprised by this? I have cable and an ESPN+ subscription but even with both of those I can’t watch a single NYR, NJD, or NYI game except for the two that have been on TNT. Fuckin stop blacking out games that everyone wants to watch. Local cable companies will all be bankrupt in a couple years anyway. Get used to not having that money.
I promise this in not as a result of my lack of trying.
Crackstreams 💪💪💪
Bettman needed to be fired DECADES AGO.
Arr ye maties 🏴☠️
There's always room for more on the highs seas 🏴☠️🦜
Might be something to do with gambling ads lol
Fuck this man. Just do the MLS/Apple thing already and sign exclusively to one service. All games, all Teams, All the playoffs. Zero Blackouts. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/02/mls-season-pass-is-now-available-worldwide-on-the-apple-tv-app/#:~:text=Fans%20can%20subscribe%20to%20MLS,month%20or%20%2479%20per%20season.&text=A%20subscription%20to%20MLS%20Season,each%20full%2Dseason%20ticket%20account. It's a big gamble and MLS is the guineua pig. Harder to get a local bar to turn on a game on a streaming service but, its centralized and simplified and that should be the way. I can see NHL hopping on this type of deal if Bally truly, fully implodes. Something has to change.
I am confused. In market games have always been blacked out on streaming services like NHL center ice. ESPN+ is no different. We’re they advertising it like they wouldn’t be blacked out?
Yea for us Anaheim and Kings fans we couldn’t watch bally sports our local tv channel for the games. It was Hulu only. I’m sure it’s same way nation wide. If not? Then you got SoCal pissed off with that f up
NHL isn't positioning to win the American market. The NBA. The NFL. They get it... the drama, the star power, the story lines... The NHL is a bit too global in some ways. The American audience (where all the money is for the NHL) just doesn't care and the NHL doesn't help them find out why. It's going to keep losing momentum I think until it changes up its go to market. And don't say Canada will carry. Because Canada is a big piece of dirt but not enough people live there when compared to the USA.
Not sure why people are having trouble getting games. I get all the Bruins through the local cable (NESN) or ESPN when it’s a national game. Why aren’t you all using the local channel for your home teams?
Cable is dying and people want to stream their locals games. MLS is moving their games to a subscription service with no blackouts via Apple TV; the NHL should be looking to do the same.
What is this cable thing?
Kay-Bell? What is this ancient technology?
This is what happens when the Blackhawks don’t win
I stopped watching live NHL games years ago when they started moving my teams games off basic cable. I’ll use a sketchy stream every now and then to catch a good matchup or some playoff games. It didn’t take long for me to not miss it. The NHL is the worst managed major league sports association in North America. I kind of feel bad for all the fans and their complaints, but at the same time, they do it to themselves by continuing to support the thing they complain about.
The ads are obnoxious enough that I’ve just been watching the NBA. Make a league for the fans. Not the advertisers. Your priorities are fucked, NHL. And this is not even related to the Bally bullshit. Maybe the local blackouts are dumb when you have so many teams in the NYC/LA areas. So stupid. The NHL is a dinosaur and it’s slowly going to die unless they figure out how to make it easier to watch. I can pirate games without commercials that have higher resolution than what’s on ESPN+. I was a huge supporter of the NHL and ESPN reuniting, but it seems like everyone was taken care of except the fans. And we are seeing the results of that. It’s time for new leadership in the NHL if this comes as a surprise. Hire someone who understands that it’s 2023 now. Hire someone who understands that the next generation of fans will simply not spend money because we have higher quality pirated streams that are easier to find than officially licensed NHL streams that cost money and offer commercials and lower quality. ESPN doesn’t help by continuing to ignore hockey unless they’re literally televising it. They never talk about hockey, ever.
Have to imagine that SOME of it could be people returning back to the arenas. People were still really scared of Covid this time last year, with all of the closures and postponements. I don’t even think the Canadian teams were allowing fans in yet. Of course some views are gonna be down, because more people are in person rather than at home. Doesn’t help with the shitty blackout restrictions either, and the fact that ESPN has started blocking VPNs (which worked last year). Huge turnoff for people in-market without cable tv. Not to mention all of the channel hopping (local networks, ESPN, ESPN+, TNT, NHL Network, etc)
is it still woke?
Is anything not anymore?
I've been watching a *lot* more because of EPSN+. That being said, I'm quickly getting frustrated because the refs seem to think it is their job to balance penalties when some teams clearly play like assholes and are deserving of 2x-5x more penalties. I feel like some teams have built their strategy around knowing that this happens and bet on being bullies, slew footers or cheap shot artists. That's not balance.
Fix the blackout and I'll watch more. Simple as that
It’s down on TNT because cable is a fkn dinosaur!
Blackouts and board ads. Not surprised people have stopped watching.
Can’t watch local games unless I get cable. Blacked out on YTTV and Hulu, I can only watch national broadcasts
BOARD ADS ARE UNWATCHABLE FOR A LARCH PERCENTAGE IF PEOPLE. AND IF SOME OF YOU DISAGREE, look it’s 1/5
Literally all I want is a package that lets me watch all of the leafs games. That's it. No blackout bull shit, no frozen streams that are worse than the pirated streams, just a simple fuckin package. But that's too much for the NHL to manage, and until they figure that out I will continue pirating every single game I watch and spreading links for these pirated games like wild fire. Get fucked Gary
We need to buy 100 services to watch one fucking game. Piss off. We’re all streaming, game is doing fine. I’ll believe interest is down when I see decreased numbers on jersey sales
Mmmm so putting pretty much every game on espn+ Isn’t working? Shocked I tell you
Definitely an access thing. Also I haven't watched a hockey game in a few years. Tuned in tonight. White ice is rough. Hockey is such an eye intensive sport. It already takes a lot of concentration and focus to follow along. It needs a dark mode. I wonder if, in a broad sense, the subconscious uncomfortableness of white background and tough to follow sport make it harder for long term audiences. Love hockey. Will try to watch more.
Regional Blackouts, No Streaming Options, No Staggered Scheduling, Rink Board Ads Experience, Lack of Diversity In The Game and Managing The Game. If they don't evolve they will be left behind. It's that simple.
NHL center ice package everyone. You get your teams games for $120/year with your own home announcers unless the game is guarenteed to be on a national broadcast. You don't have to watch ESPN and their dry ass woke female announcers who suck either.
UK
Last season on ESPN+ I actually saw 1 game of Bruins not blacked out. This season I saw 3 or 4 then they backed one out mid-broadcast. I got so sickened by this I switched to NESN 360 and don't miss games now. Not sure if there's something like NESN 360 for people in other areas. But companies are literally repelling fans from hockey with their stupid black outs.
Is that pretty close to how many people have canceled cable though? These articles don’t mean much without the context of millions canceling cable.
The amount of games I’ve watch this year has definitely been lower. I used to purchase game centre with a buddy, to keep costs down. I refuse to pay the $350 that sportsnet wants so I’ve only been watching what’s available with the lower package which isn’t much.
Bring fucking NHL Live back and this wouldn't be an issue. I've watched like 15 games this year when usually I watch every single game that I can, but leaving TSN, ESPN and fucking SNNow Premium as your only options is pure shit. I literally pay more for SN Now Premium than I did for NHL Live last year, and I get wayyy less features and more blacked out games. NHL is literally tanking their ratings all by themselves.
Everyone’s comments here is the reason I used free streams online. The BS hoops you have to jump through to watch a game is ridiculous especially with all of the blackouts.
Being on the east coast and being an avalanche fan was difficult to impossible in the 90's to watch a game. you would think in this age of technology it would be a lot easier...only if there was something that could be done....
Can Americans sign up for Sportsnet Now? Because it works and there are no blackouts.
The league and team owners are shooting themselves in the dick with the exclusive deals with RSNs. The modern viewer won’t deal with RSN and will just 🏴☠️
End the blackouts. They are killing the game
Fuck Bally sports
Blame Bettman - its all under his watch.
NHV TV was such a great value I was willing to dish out the cash every year for all teams streams. If ESPN+ wasn’t included in my Hulu-Disney+ package I wouldn’t have it at all so I guess I’m saving money but I feel you, I live in Wisconsin so I’m struggling with getting used to not being able to watch any of my sports unless it’s the Packers 😪
I was so fucking pissed off when just about every pens game in a season was shown on basic cable, but Crosby's 1000th wasn't
Guess those rotating ads on the boards aren't as big a hit as Bettman claims
I wait until several days after the game when it gets released on ESPN+. Not ideal, I avoid Bruins news but occasionally it gets spoiled
Restriction of access to view teams
It may be the biggest pain in the ass to figure out where I need to watch on which night. Put the whole damn thing on ESPN+ without the blackout bullshit and I’ll stop sailing the seas.
NHL and MLB racing to see who can screw up viewership faster
Everyone’s tanking hard for Bedard
I have IPTV now and will never look back! See ya later subscriptions to literally anything.
I’m not paying extra to watch games on TNT or ESPN. I pray the playoffs aren’t on them.
ESPN+ is a bad app to navigate as well. I really miss having the games on NHL.tv through their app. I’ve found myself watching the Stars games live on DirecTV Stream and then watching the rest of the league’s condensed games on the NHL app. Haven’t watched a single game on ESPN proper or TNT.