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

[Lt Dan]

Woo we were first at some thing positive for once

As a ducks fan how much do of the increase do you think is the team doing better and having a direction vs the change in broadcast location?

I would think the lion's share is the improved play of the team and the growth of the youth

 

[Sendhelp2Anaheim]

As a ducks fan how much do of the increase do you think is the team doing better and having a direction vs the change in broadcast location?

I would think the lion's share is the improved play of the team and the growth of the youth

I’d prob agree with you, tho I still think the team kinda sucked at hockey still, we just had good goaltending.


We need a real coach

 

[LuGBuG]

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?

Picture was great and less then a handful of times it buffered and one game cut out for a bit that I can recall, and I saw at least parts of every single game.

 

[Lt Dan]

We need a real coach

You are (obviously) going to know muc more about this than me, but I read somewhere that Cronin was almost fired after last season and that the increase in points in the standings was really in spite of him.


I am curious where they go. I like that they hired new blood over a re-tread. With their youth I think the best move is another young coach from the AHL or Juniors.
But, human nature: teams usually do the opposite of the last move when it doesn't work out. IMO, The old "we tried a new guy and are going to go with experience" is probably going to come in to the fold here.
The following just got fired :
Torterella- I have to imagine that ship has sailed in the NHL, but he does get short term results (Trouba's endorsement of condemnation would likely decide this IMO)
Babock got re-hired so never say never

Laviolette- Sports love people that have won championships and he is also a short term results guy

Bylsma- Won a cup and a former Duck.....

 

[chaz4hockey]

Anyone know whether this viewership increase on OTA was better financially for the team versus the cable model?

 

[Scorofeyev]

I hope the picture is better for the Ducks than the free channel the Knights switched to this year. I put game 1 on espn even with their horrible broadcasts because the picture quality difference is night and day.

 

[hangman005]

I hope the picture is better for the Ducks than the free channel the Knights switched to this year. I put game 1 on espn even with their horrible broadcasts because the picture quality difference is night and day.

It's funny I pay for a VPN so I could pay for Knight time plus so I didn't have to watch through ESPN + cost probably 4 times as much. But was worth it... but thats probably steam vs on air.

 

[FiveTacos]

You are (obviously) going to know muc more about this than me, but I read somewhere that Cronin was almost fired after last season and that the increase in points in the standings was really in spite of him.


I am curious where they go. I like that they hired new blood over a re-tread. With their youth I think the best move is another young coach from the AHL or Juniors.
But, human nature: teams usually do the opposite of the last move when it doesn't work out. IMO, The old "we tried a new guy and are going to go with experience" is probably going to come in to the fold here.

I think the bigger reaction will be to go the opposite of "old guy who shakes fist at young guys and plays the hell out of middling vets instead.". Cronin was brought in as a development guy, but he was clearly not interested in being that.

 

[MCB]

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

That is correct, both are on victory plus

 

[Andy]

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

Im at a point where I'll pay if it's all in one place.

Right now, from what I understand, I can't watch all 82 habs games unless I pay for multiple networks, or get cable to sub to those networks.

It's just dumb.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Anyone know whether this viewership increase on OTA was better financially for the team versus the cable model?

I would be curious to know what their ad revenue was. Traditional tv deals make more money because they have much bigger sponsors that enter into agreements to be shown during multiple telecasts and shows. NBA is going through new contract deals, and streaming platforms like amazon or ESPN are still much more reliable and lucrative.

Streaming platforms that aren't connected to a bigger entity are doomed with the same low level advertisers that content creators and podcasters have, and nothing wrong with Squarespace or Audible or Manscaped or whatever, but I can't imagine they generate competitive ad revenue.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

I liked the Victory+ stream when I used a VPN to watch!

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Seems inevitable there will free streaming of most if not all regular season games as feeder systems for sports gambling as traditional tv advertising continues to die off.

 

[crowi]

This is PROMOTING THE GAME, as it should be. It's sad the league and most of the teams are so against it.

 

[King'sPawn]

Shocker. Make it accessible, fans use the platform.

If only more teams would follow suit.

 

[Summer Rose]

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

Thanks.

It's almost, but not quite, entirely unlike the model of terrestrial television that you can pick up using an antenna at no cost other than buying a television and an antenna (unless you live in a country like the UK where you have to pay a "television license fee" but the tradeoff there is that most BBC programming involves no commercials whatsoever).

The tradeoff that the broadcaster is making is that by allowing people to watch for free, you will naturally attract more viewers, which means you can sell the commercial slots for more money. Sometimes it works out that they make more money that way, as opposed to charging people for a subscription (which generates money in itself), but that results in lower viewership, meaning the commercial slots are worth less when trying to sell them.

 

[account deactivated]

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.

I mean, Anaheim jumped on board Victory Plus after Dallas, so seems like they were going on a trail that had already been blazed.

All ribbing aside, the season started out a bit rough as they took until like halfway through the season for the app to become available on Samsung TVs, but it's been awesome seeing Victory Plus add the WHL to it's platform, and I would expect the Blues to be following since I know they aired a few of their games.

There were definitely hiccups the first night that both Dallas AND Anaheim played, and then again when they played AND the Texas Rangers played. As long as their infrastructure keeps getting expanded and it remains free (I get the need to charge Rangers fans since they play 600 games a season), it could be nice.

 

[zegrassyknoll]

This is PROMOTING THE GAME, as it should be. It's sad the league and most of the teams are so against it.

The Samuelis are the GOATs at promoting the game in the area.

They've made a huge investment in youth/adult hockey and OCVibe is going to make it a really incredible experience to go to a game.

 

[ORRFForever]

It's almost, but not quite, entirely unlike the model of terrestrial television that you can pick up using an antenna at no cost other than buying a television and an antenna

Yes! I thought that too. I thought, "How is that any different than the way things used to be?"

 

[SmokeyDuck]

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.

???

Ads, plus converting those new viewers to ticket and merch sales.

 

[account deactivated]

Ads, plus converting those new viewers to ticket and merch sales.

Yep and it's much easier for the company to track all traffic via the apps and their website and use that demographic data as leverage to gain more ad revenue from the companies already in their portfolio and more add more companies as their portfolio expands.

 

[Nico Hischier]

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.

I switched from fubo to directv stream which is even more like cable. It has everything in one and you can watch at 2 different houses which is nice

 

[Power Surge]

I switched from fubo to directv stream which is even more like cable. It has everything in one and you can watch at 2 different houses which is nice

Sounds better I'll look into it start of next season, similar price?

 

[sxvnert]

The nhl would make infinitely more money moving to this format.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Bold strategy paying off

Its the opposite of what Hawks decided to do which was remove themselves from almost everyone in Chicago area's TV's