It’s time for another installment of Why Does Espn Hate Hockey?, and this time we’re focusing on the 2017 NHL season. This year, the league decided to go back to the basics by removing the fun stuff from the format and bringing back the good old days of 5 on 5 and 1 on 1 action. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that this didn’t sit well with the sports network, espn. For those of you who don’t follow hockey, let me introduce you to the most popular sport in North America. It’s time to find out why.
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Too Much Fun
Hockey is one of the most popular sports in North America, and that popularity is reflected in the TV ratings as well as the merchandise sales. The NHL is the pinnacle of the sports world when it comes to hockey, and with the exception of the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the league has been able to generate fantastic ratings every year. In 2016, the NHL averaged a 20.3 rating, making it the network’s highest-rated program for adults aged 25–54. In addition to being the highest-rated show on ESPN, it’s also the most-watched show in the NHL’s history; averaging 24.3 million American viewers per game in 2016.
Part of the reason why the NHL is so appealing is because of the sheer amount of action that comes with the sport. Each game is a full 60 minutes long, and at a maximum of 82 minutes, that’s a lot of action for TV viewers who are sometimes impatient when it comes to sports. The good news for hockey fans is that the 2017 NHL season is going to be the shortest in a while as each team only has 6 games. That’s not a lot of time for the puck to go around, and it certainly doesn’t help that there are fewer games than usual.
Scared Of Change
The other aspect of the popularity of the NHL is the ability for fans to follow their favorite teams. In years past, the NHL used to play a large part in shaping the teams that we love to watch play today. The Minnesota Wild are one example as they evolved from a farm team for the Chicago Blackhawks to a consistently competitive franchise in their own right. Or consider the Philadelphia Flyers who, after years of mismanagement, were one of the first teams to get a taste of the sweet life in the 2010s.
With all of the expansion and realignment in recent years, the 2017 NHL season is going to be different from any other before it. The number of games has decreased, and teams are playing each other more. When the NHL finally realigned a few weeks ago, it was clear that the Columbus Blue Jackets were in for a big shock as they were in the unfamiliar position of playing each of their other teams twice. While TV viewers may welcome the chance to see their favorite teams play more frequently, the worry for hockey fans is that this year’s reduced schedule isn’t exactly going to make the league any more competitive.
Not Gonna Give Up Many Wins
One of the things that will make the NHL season stand out this year is the introduction of a new logo and uniforms for the league. For the first time in many years, the NHL will be utilizing a 3-color scheme for their logo and jerseys. The logo will feature black, white, and red, the traditional colors of both the United States and Canada. In addition, the team uniforms will be manufactured in the United States for the first time in decades, putting American-made product on the ice for the first time since the 1970s.
While fans will love the new look, the NHL isn’t going to be giving up any victories just yet. The league is still determined to make the 2017-18 season as tough as possible especially since some of the established teams are already struggling. Teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Arizona Coyotes don’t have much winning culture, and even though they’ve turned things around, they’re going to have a hard time matching the intensity of the NHL’s best teams.
Why Does Espn Hate Hockey?
Now that you’re well-versed in the appeal of the NHL, it’s time for the rhetorical questions. Why does espn hate hockey? Let’s find out.
One of the most glaring issues with hockey is the inconsistent gameplay that comes with the sport. Sometimes, a single game can go by without a score being officially recorded. In other instances, a team can put together a 30-minute stretch of play without the opposition doing anything of note. This is frustrating for anyone who enjoys fast-paced sports, and it’s something that espn is keen to point out.
Hockey is also one of the most popular sports in Canada and the United Kingdom, making it the target of a lot of trolling online. This is mainly due to the fact that many English-speaking fans prefer to jeer at the game rather than cheer for their favorite team. Despite this, Canada and the UK still love their hockey, and the fans continue to support their national teams wherever they may play. You’d think that with so much international appeal, espn would embrace the opportunity and show the world how hockey is really done.
Another issue with hockey is the officiating. It can be extremely frustrating to see a goal denied simply because the referee got tangled up with the traffic controller, and it’s even more unfortunate when it’s a blatantly obvious goal. This is another area where espn can improve, as they often get the names of the officials wrong and show a complete lack of professionalism in their handling of the game. The fact that they can’t even spell the referee’s name correctly is a massive red flag to anyone who watches the sport regularly.
Additionally, the limited schedule in 2017 is going to hurt the league as it forces teams to play more often. It’s well-known that teams play better when they don’t have to wait long for the next game, and that’s going to impact the 2017 season. The NHL is already suffering as more and more fans are deciding to stay at home rather than go to the arena because they don’t want to miss a single game. That’s a problem as it means the teams that are lucky enough to make it to the postseason will be that much more determined to bring home the bacon. It also means that the amount of injuries are likely to increase as the games become more physical.
The Answer
So, we’ve established that there are several reasons why espn might not like hockey. The question now becomes, does this mean that they will never, ever cover a hockey game? The answer very well may be yes. While they occasionally cover an NFL game, the truth is that the majority of their coverage focuses on college football and basketball. If you want to keep up with the latest news in hockey, then there are a number of alternative news websites, Twitter, and Facebook accounts that can help you keep up with all of the exciting action. For those of you who want to keep up with all of the happenings in the world of hockey, then subscribing to a daily newspaper that covers the sport is probably the best option available. Alternatively, you could always follow your favorite team online and be notified when new content becomes available. If you want to keep up with the latest news in hockey, then it’s probably a good idea to follow the right news outlets.