Can ESPN stop covering hockey?

[EpochLink]

Unless Cleveland has an NHL team with LEBRON JAMES playing power forward, ESPN will not be paying attention to hockey.

 

[supsens]

They own 20% of tsn, and have a show called sports center because of it. So no, no they cant.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

ESPN is becoming more irrelevant each year. They think people want to watch their meathead analysts break down NFL schedules before they even have the draft.


The world is changing the sports leagues don't really need them anymore

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

I would not be surprised if they got the NHL tv rights in 2021.

 

[Canes]

Yeah NBCSN with morons like Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick do hockey justice!

 

[cowboy82nd]

I guarantee people watch ESPN more than they watch hockey. If ESPN covered the NHL as much as many on this thread would like ratings for Sports Center and similar programs would continue to sink.
The USA just doesn't get the game of hockey and I don't believe the NFL can do a whole lot to change that.

Why would the NFL change anything?

 

[Shockmaster]

I stopped watching ESPN on a regular basis during Tebow's training camp with the Jets.

"Reporting live from Jets Training Camp, it's Sal Paolantonio!"

Literally every 15 minutes you would hear that.

 

[End of Line]

Just don't pay attention to it? Seems pretty easy imo.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I don't get the ESPN hate. At least online the NHL is front page news and the coverage is fine.

 

[Voight]

Their online content has sucked, minus Wysh.

They had some good articles when LeBrun was there, minus the fact he took every possible chance to pump Sid's tries. Too bad they got rid of him.

I barely bother with their TV programming now aside from PTI (huge LeBatard fan).

 

[libertarian]

Yea ESPN should stop covering hockey. After all they are doing a great job destroying the NFL.

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

Listen, I mean it's like you don't like to listen to stories about Lebron, Kaepernick, and Ronda Rousey on repeat. I mean c'mon, people love it! Also, all their shows are amazing like Stephen A. Smith, Max KellerWeedMan and that one lady talk about the same subject, and then more boring stalks of wood talking about the same subjects that we just heard about from the last show. I mean, I love blindly agreeing with the left-sided politics as much as any other guy. Also, does anyone else love hearing about the Cowboys? I mean how about dem Cowboys!!! Same with the Warriors, and the Cavs. I mean if Lebron sneezes I want a full 10 minute segment on that. Also, if somebody kneels, I want 20 minutes of talking the same subject that we already had 10000 stories about the last week. I mean hockey? I mean that sport is nawt c00l en0bgh 4 m3, 1 w@n7 20 s70r13$ 0n lewon bames and wonda wousey.

 

[Fantomas]

If the NHL were an actual draw, it would draw more acclaim. Simple as that.

Was the WNBA draft a draw? Because that thing was on ESPN's front page for about a day a while back.

 

[The Jones Zone]

Seeing as how Greg Wyshynski is covering playoff games for them, that's good enough for me that they have stopped already

 

[Paperbagofglory]

The only thing ESPN gets right is their sports documentaries, 30 for 30 is fantastic. I think they were the ones that made the Bird Vs Magic documentary as well.

 

[iamjs]

The only thing ESPN gets right is their sports documentaries, 30 for 30 is fantastic. I think they were the ones that made the Bird Vs Magic documentary as well.

I only tune in for the 30 for 30s. The rest of ESPN is just noise to me.

 

[Johnny HFBOARDS]

I don't think I ever clicked of ESP.... for anything hockey

 

[Voight]

The only thing ESPN gets right is their sports documentaries, 30 for 30 is fantastic. I think they were the ones that made the Bird Vs Magic documentary as well.

Correct - but that was Bill Simmons' brainchild. So it wasn't some ESPN master idea,

I am still impressed they chose the Gretzky trade as the first one. Not that its not a major sports story, but ESPN choosing a hockey related one? Maybe they did so in case it failed they could blame it on being hockey related.

 

[Samcanadian]

Seeing as how Greg Wyshynski is covering playoff games for them, that's good enough for me that they have stopped already

They needed even more social justice commentary and political bias in their coverage, so they picked the worst one available and told him to take care of their NHL coverage.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Their online content has sucked, minus Wysh.

They had some good articles when LeBrun was there, minus the fact he took every possible chance to pump Sid's tries. Too bad they got rid of him.

I barely bother with their TV programming now aside from PTI (huge LeBatard fan).

And Toews. Lebrun never misses a chance to praise him

 

[Voight]

And Toews. Lebrun never misses a chance to praise him

As a Chicago fan I will not dispute this.

 

[Matty Sundin]

Seeing as how Greg Wyshynski is covering playoff games for them, that's good enough for me that they have stopped already

Jesus thank God I live in Canada and don't get ESPN lol

 

[Dont Toews Me Bro]

ESPN is still a thing?

 

[SlimCharles]

30 for 30s are great and I still watch PTI and occasionally Around the Horn. As someone said earlier in this thread, they stopped truly covering hockey 14 years ago. Many of us used to listen to Thorne and Clement while looking forward to NHL 2Nite after. I was very pissed at ESPN when they dropped hockey. It felt like they were killing a part of my childhood. "Guys what the hell is the Outdoor Network?"

Here's the last NHL 2Nite episode:

 

[berlin]

Haven’t watched ESPN in over a decade.