It mostly because I couldn’t watch it on a streaming platform ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ sorry for letting everyone down.
natty_mh
It’s almost like it’s impossible to stream the NHL.
Falcon3492
It was also the first only on cable final since I believe 1993. The NHL really shot themselves in the foot by going back to an only on cable final. People have been dropping their cable service for years, so by limiting your audience your almost assuring yourself a smaller audience that will be tuning in to see the STANLEY CUP Finals. By and large this was truly a really stupid decision by the NHL.
shmoove_cwiminal
There was no drama. 2-0 lead after 2 games, 3-1 after 4. Series was over before it started. As a fan, it’s hard to care when one of the two teams in the series doesn’t appear to care.
JustSixTrees
If it were on a streaming platform instead of cable this shit wouldn’t happen
PDXalreadtused
Because it was only on tnt, tbs and tru- tv of all places, blacking out a finals and forcing people to subscribe to live tv is a travesty. I’m not upgrading, I’ll watch so illegal stream.
toasty327
Ratings are down because the games were only on premium channels. With so many people cord cutting, they are likely to not opt into espn+or an app with tbs
wikipuff
What happens when the finals are on basic cable and not Network TV in America
gentleman_bronco
The NHL doesn’t do a good enough job making the game accessible to watch. If you want old *and new* fans, it needs to be easy to find and watch. Gary Bettman thinking everyone has cable is a dumb strategy.
Broncotron
I don’t get TBS. 5 hockey games isn’t going to get me to reup my cable package.
Melting_Plastic
I had cable and ESPN+. Once the rangers were eliminated, I dropped both. Honestly, I’ll ride the high seas next year especially since I couldn’t watch like 1/4 of the games with just ESPN+
Bettman is slowly killing the casual fan but the owners keep raking in the money so nothing will change any time soon
OldDirtyInsulin
Serious (stupid) question:
Why doesn’t the NHL (and NBA) stream games for free? The ad revenue couldn’t cover the cost to provide that kind of server bandwidth or what? I’d watch a lot of hockey and basketball if it was easy and free to do so. Instead I watch, like, none of it.
ARussianSheep
Watched it from the high seas. Maybe if hockey were easier to watch without a cable service or 4 different streaming subscriptions, their ratings would be better.
lilscammah
Look at the teams making it past the first 2 rounds… makes a lot of sense
KevinKCG
The NHL worked so hard to not conflict with the NBA that they shot themselves in the foot. This was the worst NHL finals in my memory and a huge part of the problem was the giant gaps between games.
People just lost interest when it would take weeks for the NHL final to start and end.
Also, surprise, surprise, the team that went several millions of dollars over the Salary Cap limit beat the team that was cap compliant. I’m so shocked…
CosmicMarbles
It doesn’t help that the NHL is so stupid when it comes to deciding how people can watch their games. I want to watch Vancouver games throughout the year, but even if I pay for a membership, half are still blacked out for me. Why would I even pay for that?
I don’t have cable, Lots of people are getting rid of it. Having the finals be only cable was a stupid idea. Everyone likes to make it out as if it’s all due to the final having to south teams. But it’s largely because the NHL continues to shoot themselves in the foot.
Just have one streaming site, one membership to pay for. If the process of trying to watch a game wasn’t such a pain in the ass, numbers would be a lot better.
PressureDense9552
Get rid of Bettman. I bet things get better. Oh, and get rid of those dam online betting commercials. thats were I draw the line. They come on. I change the channel
NHL viewership has been trending down pretty hard since ESPN took over from NBC. That articles was from February 2023.
Charming_Weird_2532
Because the final was two markets that are small. Bettman constantly talks about growing the game but actively goes against what he says. If he truely wants to grow the game of hockey he needs to allow for more hockey on the world stage. Letting there be more international tournaments and players to go to the Olympics would grow the game more rather than trying to get shit markets to the final.
No-Dish-2695
Even Snoop Dogg called it, NHL sucks at marketing.
DeadStringScrolls
To me personally, this was the least interesting matchup possible out of the pool of 16 teams. Can’t speak for others, or any other reasons. Fairly limited broadcasting I’m sure didn’t help either… this winds up hurting a good number of established and up & coming sports.
Kevolved
No. I’m done caring about sports. I broke my hand “finding a stud” after game 7 of Florida Bruins. I say I’m done, but I’ll still watch the bruins and pats, but that’s it.
Yes it’s sad, but now maybe I can enjoy it as “just a game” and if my team is playing I’ll root for them but I’m done going to the games.
MaddVentures_YT
Cord cutting era while the SCF is on a cable network.
JustThatRandomKid
I’ll admit, I just didn’t take much interest in the final as is. every team I rooted for perished.
Jae_Alberts97
Once the Canadian teams are out, I’m watching the Blue Jays.
25 Comments
It mostly because I couldn’t watch it on a streaming platform ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ sorry for letting everyone down.
It’s almost like it’s impossible to stream the NHL.
It was also the first only on cable final since I believe 1993. The NHL really shot themselves in the foot by going back to an only on cable final. People have been dropping their cable service for years, so by limiting your audience your almost assuring yourself a smaller audience that will be tuning in to see the STANLEY CUP Finals. By and large this was truly a really stupid decision by the NHL.
There was no drama. 2-0 lead after 2 games, 3-1 after 4. Series was over before it started. As a fan, it’s hard to care when one of the two teams in the series doesn’t appear to care.
If it were on a streaming platform instead of cable this shit wouldn’t happen
Because it was only on tnt, tbs and tru- tv of all places, blacking out a finals and forcing people to subscribe to live tv is a travesty. I’m not upgrading, I’ll watch so illegal stream.
Ratings are down because the games were only on premium channels. With so many people cord cutting, they are likely to not opt into espn+or an app with tbs
What happens when the finals are on basic cable and not Network TV in America
The NHL doesn’t do a good enough job making the game accessible to watch. If you want old *and new* fans, it needs to be easy to find and watch. Gary Bettman thinking everyone has cable is a dumb strategy.
I don’t get TBS. 5 hockey games isn’t going to get me to reup my cable package.
I had cable and ESPN+. Once the rangers were eliminated, I dropped both. Honestly, I’ll ride the high seas next year especially since I couldn’t watch like 1/4 of the games with just ESPN+
Bettman is slowly killing the casual fan but the owners keep raking in the money so nothing will change any time soon
Serious (stupid) question:
Why doesn’t the NHL (and NBA) stream games for free? The ad revenue couldn’t cover the cost to provide that kind of server bandwidth or what? I’d watch a lot of hockey and basketball if it was easy and free to do so. Instead I watch, like, none of it.
Watched it from the high seas. Maybe if hockey were easier to watch without a cable service or 4 different streaming subscriptions, their ratings would be better.
Look at the teams making it past the first 2 rounds… makes a lot of sense
The NHL worked so hard to not conflict with the NBA that they shot themselves in the foot. This was the worst NHL finals in my memory and a huge part of the problem was the giant gaps between games.
People just lost interest when it would take weeks for the NHL final to start and end.
Also, surprise, surprise, the team that went several millions of dollars over the Salary Cap limit beat the team that was cap compliant. I’m so shocked…
It doesn’t help that the NHL is so stupid when it comes to deciding how people can watch their games. I want to watch Vancouver games throughout the year, but even if I pay for a membership, half are still blacked out for me. Why would I even pay for that?
I don’t have cable, Lots of people are getting rid of it. Having the finals be only cable was a stupid idea. Everyone likes to make it out as if it’s all due to the final having to south teams. But it’s largely because the NHL continues to shoot themselves in the foot.
Just have one streaming site, one membership to pay for. If the process of trying to watch a game wasn’t such a pain in the ass, numbers would be a lot better.
Get rid of Bettman. I bet things get better. Oh, and get rid of those dam online betting commercials. thats were I draw the line. They come on. I change the channel
https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/nhl-regular-season-2022-23-us-tv-ratings-audience-viewers-espn-turner-tnt/?zephr_sso_ott=7mOiwa
NHL viewership has been trending down pretty hard since ESPN took over from NBC. That articles was from February 2023.
Because the final was two markets that are small. Bettman constantly talks about growing the game but actively goes against what he says. If he truely wants to grow the game of hockey he needs to allow for more hockey on the world stage. Letting there be more international tournaments and players to go to the Olympics would grow the game more rather than trying to get shit markets to the final.
Even Snoop Dogg called it, NHL sucks at marketing.
To me personally, this was the least interesting matchup possible out of the pool of 16 teams. Can’t speak for others, or any other reasons. Fairly limited broadcasting I’m sure didn’t help either… this winds up hurting a good number of established and up & coming sports.
No. I’m done caring about sports. I broke my hand “finding a stud” after game 7 of Florida Bruins. I say I’m done, but I’ll still watch the bruins and pats, but that’s it.
Yes it’s sad, but now maybe I can enjoy it as “just a game” and if my team is playing I’ll root for them but I’m done going to the games.
Cord cutting era while the SCF is on a cable network.
I’ll admit, I just didn’t take much interest in the final as is. every team I rooted for perished.
Once the Canadian teams are out, I’m watching the Blue Jays.