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News Article: Playoff Viewership tanking

Team_Spirit said:
*on espn. I bet it's up overall.

800k Americans watched Ottawa/Toronto this is actually impressive
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Great post.

In general, the nhl has never been more popular and more healthy revenue wise.

There are issues:

1. Streaming and access to games - canada is f***ed but the Anaheim example hopefully sets the tone for other markets to follow.

2. The playoff salary cap loophole is ridiculous. So glad bill daly indicated in nhl network it will be addressed in the next cba.
 
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KirkAlbuquerque said:
The 4 O6 teams being out of it certainly have something to do with it. Along with other legacy teams like Philly and Pitt.
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Just opportunity for the league to diversify its portfolio and not have risk in key teams.

I remember the 2010 (maybe 2009 playoffs?) Nashville made it to the second round. As a Canadian it was my first real exposure to the fanbase and the team. It was awesome. Have big respect for that team and its fans after that year - and I’m a Jets fan.

That was the year they still had blue and silver home jerseys - but handed out yellow towels and shirts maybe?

Next year they rebranded yellow.

Teams will never get the wide following of the bruins or rangers without playoff exposure.

Look at the respect Tampa and Florida have put to their names. Tampa was a total joke for years. Then they got hulk hogan exposure in the playoffs and it’s all good. Assuming hogan hasn’t done anything detrimental to his brand since.
 
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I think a lot of the reasons presented here are valid:

-- A good chunk of big market/long-standing/star-studded teams are missing (Rangers, Red Wings, Penguins, Flyers, Bruins, Blackhawks)
-- Streaming and subscription services.
-- Advertising and betting (this is a big one for me that drives me away)
-- Tired matchups
-- Other sporting interests

It could be just as simple as the fact that the next generation of fans don't care to sit through an entire game. They can either catch the exciting plays on TikTok or watch a Game in 30 or highlights. My son is a huge hockey fan, and even he is preoccupied during games with his iPad, or deciding to go shoot hoops or play mini-sticks, or decide to play video games during the intermissions which carries over into the play.

This is pure conjecture on my part, but these "up and coming" fans just do not have the wherewithal to sit through a game, let alone a 7-game series with intense interests. Just too much going on in an instant gratification society these days.
 
KrisLetAngry said:
Yep.

During playoff time I want to watch the games I want to watch.

I shouldn't need to purchase multiple programs.

My father big Habs fan. Doesn't get to watch games often. Spent money on a cable package. Sits down turns on his TV and knows there's a Habs game about to be on.

Blacked out. He can't watch it.

So we have a paying customer that was willing to pay a lot of money and he doesn't even get to watch his team play.

Viewership down? Paying customers can't even view.
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As far as I know, all playoff games are available nationally in Canada via Sportsnet and CBC with no blackouts. For the playoffs in Canada, you need only a cable subscription that includes Sportsnet, SN360, CBC or a subscription to the Sportsnet+ app which provides the games that air on those channels.

The one Montreal game so far in these playoffs aired on both CBC and Sportsnet as does the second game tonight. So, there is no reason your father should have blacked out.

If you are referring to him being blacked out of a regular season game, then yes, if he lives west of the Belleville-Pembroke line, he is outside the Montreal TV terrirory and any games on TSN or RDS (french) would be blacked out. He would only get games on SN/360 or TVA Sports (french). Any games that are part of the Monday night Amazon Prime package would only be available to him via Amazon Prime Video. But once again, this is only in the regular season; it does not apply to the playoffs.

There are no regional broadcasts in Canada during the playoffs. There are no games broadcast anywehere other than Sportsnet/CBC and those games are all available nationally. So, blackouts do not come into play during the playoffs in Canada.
 
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rojac said:
As far as I know, all playoff games are available nationally in Canada via Sportsnet and CBC with no blackouts. For the playoffs in Canada, you need only a cable subscription that includes Sportsnet, SN360, CBC or a subscription to the Sportsnet+ app which provides the games that air on those channels.

The one Montreal game so far in these playoffs aired on both CBC and Sportsnet as does the second game tonight. So, there is no reason your father should have blacked out.

If you are referring to him being blacked out of a regular season game, then yes, if he lives west of the Belleville-Pembroke line, he is outside the Montreal TV terrirory and any games on TSN or RDS (french) would be blacked out. He would only get games on SN/360 or TVA Sports (french). Any games that are part of the Monday night Amazon Prime package would only be available to him via Amazon Prime Video. But once again, this is only in the regular season; it does not apply to the playoffs.

There are no regional broadcasts in Canada during the playoffs. There are no games broadcast anywehere other than Sportsnet/CBC and those games are all available nationally. So, blackouts do not come into play during the playoffs in Canada.
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I should specify this was regular season.

During playoffs as a Canadian it's pretty great.
 
Some Other Flame said:
Playoff format sucks monkey balls. And games are increasingly behind various paywalls that just aren't worth it
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I'm not quite dinosaur aged, relatively speaking on this site, but getting up there. Up until this winter my wife and I still had a cable package basically to watch sports. We live in Canada. I like NHL, NFL and F1. She's a curler. So we kept our cable package to have access to all the TSNs and Sportsnets. Finally decided to cut the cord and just pick up the Sportsnet+ app, and thank God we did. I couldn't believe that the app has access to every single NHL game. It's basically like having NHL Center Ice or whatever the league's product is called. Would always get out of town games blacked out on cable. Not on the app. It's night and day and wish I made the switch earlier (not that I really needed to watch more of my shitty Rangers games this year).
 
Satoru Gojo said:
Lots of big American markets missing the playoffs

New York
Buffalo
Detroit
Pittsburgh
Boston
Philly
Chicago
eam
It’s probably more then just that but yeah
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There's also the fact that there are five Canadian teams in the playoffs. That will generally reduce the ratings for a series because you're drawing only from one US market (or zero in the case of TOR-OTT) instead of two.
 
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Danarqhy said:
Soft, non-violent Hockey for the snowflake generation. The NHL is a watered down version of its previous self, but I was told that this emasculated version of Hockey is what people want to see. How can it be? :huh:
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I like a good fight. Been that way since 1964.

I don't like a fight every 10 minutes.
 
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