Anaheim Ducks see largest local viewership increase in NHL this season after moving to free streaming platform

[MMC]

 

[MrLunatik]

Good to see.

Hopefully we see more of this.

 

[JKG33]

I believe it. The way of the seas can be preferable when streaming packages are insanely expensive. But if you make it free (or even minimal cost) and people will flock to it. You still get the viewer numbers and ad revenue, and local goodwill. Seems like a no brainer kinda move.

Tbh I had no idea the Ducks did it, I thought Utah down the stretch was the first team do try this

 

[Mr Kot]

I know people hate them, but free streaming with some ads is infinitely better than spending $100.00 + per streaming platform to see a game that should be available on one.

 

[Unholy]

Victory can have a few issues here and there but definitely was a plus to be able to watch games on the app of my tv, phone or the website itself. A lot better than the previous option

 

[Sendhelp2Anaheim]

Woo we were first at some thing positive for once

 

[jetsforever]

Didn't know they made it free, pretty cool

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Here's an idea.

Free streaming with ads and no blackouts.

 

[Power Surge]

It's 20 bucks a month for Fanduel Tampa down here to get all Lightning games. But I opted for q 100 for Fubo so I can get Fanduel NHL network and ESPN because I'd rather get all the NHL channels I can.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I don't understand aren't all game in the world already completely free on google?

Yes, if you want to watch an unreliable worse product.

 

[Voight]

I believe it. The way of the seas can be preferable when streaming packages are insanely expensive. But if you make it free (or even minimal cost) and people will flock to it. You still get the viewer numbers and ad revenue, and local goodwill. Seems like a no brainer kinda move.

Tbh I had no idea the Ducks did it, I thought Utah down the stretch was the first team do try this

Believe Dallas does it as well

 

[Leonardo87]

 

[SomeDude]

Hopefully this catches on before I completely lose interest in the league and my team because I no longer am willing to pay a ridiculous amount and also jump through 7 hoops to bypass blackouts just to watch Conor Dewar play 17 minutes a night.

 

[cowboy82nd]

It's 20 bucks a month for Fanduel Tampa down here to get all Lightning games. But I opted for q 100 for Fubo so I can get Fanduel NHL network and ESPN because I'd rather get all the NHL channels I can.

Fubo, what is that? I'm looking into Flohockey. It says for $150.00 a year, I get all NHL, AHL, and USHL games. I wonder if anyone has this and can confirm.

 

[Power Surge]

Fubo, what is that? I'm looking into Flohockey. It says for $150.00 a year, I get all NHL, AHL, and USHL games. I wonder if anyone has this and can confirm.

It's like YouTube TV or sling where you get all your local channels. Basically cable except it doesn't have TNT so I have to get HBO max to get any games on TNT.

 

[LuGBuG]

As an east coast Ducks fan it was awesome. Most accessible and cheapest it’s ever been for me (had to get a VPN). The streams were also fantastic 99% of the time. On the same device on the same tv the Victory+ stream looked much much better then a Sportsnet stream.

 

[ORRFForever]

I don't understand. If it's free streaming, how does the team make money?

If they went from paying to free, you'd expect viewership to skyrocket.

???

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Whoa, you can stream games online? I had no idea..

I’m too broke to pay to watch ads in-between ads on helmets and mentions of gambling sponsors. Good work Ducks, more teams should do the same.

 

[SomeDude]

I don't understand. If it's free streaming, how does the team make money?

Ads during the free steaming.

 

[ORRFForever]

Ads during the free steaming.

Oh okay.... TBH, I don't really understand the whole streaming thing - I'm old.

Thanks.

 

[SomeDude]

Oh okay.... TBH, I don't really understand the whole streaming thing - I'm old.

Thanks.

We’re in the middle of a lot of change when it comes to sports broadcasting.

The old way was teams would just sell the local broadcasting rights to someone who would produce the broadcasts. The production company would make their money by selling the games to networks who would make their money from ads and contracts with cable companies who make their money by subscriptions and local ads.

Now since tv is transforming to a more a la cart format, the cable companies and networks are being cut out/going under. So teams are having to be more involved with the process instead of just signing a contract and cashing a check.

You have options like ESPN+ who advertise as carrying all local broadcasts, however games are blacked out to local markets if they don’t sell out because the NHL is stuck in 1973.

Locally, the Pens have teamed up with the Pirates to offer a paid streaming option, but it rarely works (in my experience when I used a free trial) and also gives revenue to the Pirates and their grifting owner, whom I refuse to give a penny towards.

The idea of free streaming is smart because, as demonstrated by this report, it brings a ton of eyes to the product which allows you to charge more for ads and also creates more fans who are going to spend more money on the team in the long run.

The Ducks (and I think the Stars do this too) are smart and hopefully more teams copy them.

 

[Gliff]

Imagine if they did away with Blackouts also.

Anaheim actually is kind of a trailblazer in broadcasting (in some ways). They were the first to have the radio setup they do (I think Friedman talked about it on 32 thoughts at some point) and now this.

I expect teams will be copying this soon.

 

[ORRFForever]

We’re in the middle of a lot of change when it comes to sports broadcasting.

The old way was teams would just sell the local broadcasting rights to someone who would produce the broadcasts. The production company would make their money by selling the games to networks who would make their money from ads and contracts with cable companies who make their money by subscriptions and local ads.

Now since tv is transforming to a more a la cart format, the cable companies and networks are being cut out/going under. So teams are having to be more involved with the process instead of just signing a contract and cashing a check.

You have options like ESPN+ who advertise as carrying all local broadcasts, however games are blacked out to local markets if they don’t sell out because the NHL is stuck in 1973.

Locally, the Pens have teamed up with the Pirates to offer a paid streaming option, but it rarely works (in my experience when I used a free trial) and also gives revenue to the Pirates and their grifting owner, whom I refuse to give a penny towards.

The idea of free streaming is smart because, as demonstrated by this report, it brings a ton of eyes to the product which allows you to charge more for ads and also creates more fans who are going to spend more money on the team in the long run.

The Ducks (and I think the Stars do this too) are smart and hopefully more teams copy them.

Great post. Thanks!

 

[kerrabria]

How good is the actual streaming platform? Is it high quality picture? Does it lag or crash with any frequency? Can you pause and rewind?

 

[gary559]

Here's an idea.

Free streaming with ads and no blackouts.

Thank you. This is how you get viewers and keep revenue. Paywalling is incredibly stupid.