2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs General Discussion

[henchman21]

What are some of the smarter hockey folks thinking on here about the dismal Stanley Cup finals viewership and even post cup win coverage?

This has to be about the quietest post cup excitement and media for awhile. I don't even follow many Avalanche channels on social and it just feels empty out there.

I'm really curious to see what happens to the Knights org when they hit a wall and have to rebuild. I wouldn't be shocked to see them go to a middling attendance team. Especially after the NBA and MLB set up in Vegas. Coyotes had some stellar attendance numbers and talent in their early years too... Did the NHL gain some cap and make some noise for maybe 5-10 years to just put another team in the desert?

The ratings were not bad, not even close. They were actually quite good for cable. The 2020 and 2021 games on cable were in the 1.5m range. This series was in the 2.5-2.8m range. That's quite a jump. It is down compared to broadcast airings (simply factor of a 160m market vs 60m market), but was very solid for a cable broadcast for the NHL.

I've personally seen plenty of coverage, but I follow a lot of general hockey things on Twitter and watch some ESPN.

 

[JLo217]

The ratings were not bad, not even close. They were actually quite good for cable. The 2020 and 2021 games on cable were in the 1.5m range. This series was in the 2.5-2.8m range. That's quite a jump. It is down compared to broadcast airings (simply factor of a 160m market vs 60m market), but was very solid for a cable broadcast for the NHL.

I've personally seen plenty of coverage, but I follow a lot of general hockey things on Twitter and watch some ESPN.

Interesting. I had read they were low. Fair enough.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

On the whole LTIR thing. I don't think they need to do away with it, but they do need to tweak it somehow because it is absolutely abused at times.

So maybe, for the first year the player goes on LTIR, you only get 50% cap relief. If they stay on LTIR through the beginning of the following season, you can then up it to 100% cap relief. That way you can't go out and buy an equal player and then just get ridiculously loaded day one of the playoffs, but it still allows you some relief so you can make some adjustments. And when it actually becomes career threatening (after a year of not playing) you get full cap relief until the player returns, retires or has their contract expire.

 

[henchman21]

Interesting. I had read they were low. Fair enough.

They weren't amazing or blow your socks off... but being on cable vs broadcast TV is the stuff people are latching onto. Avs/Tampa ratings for being on broadcast were far worse even though they hit higher numbers (mid 4m range) since broadcast should be well over 5m. It is easier to slam the ratings without context. The NHL knew this would happen when they gave some of the finals rights to TNT.

 

[JLo217]

They weren't amazing or blow your socks off... but being on cable vs broadcast TV is the stuff people are latching onto. Avs/Tampa ratings for being on broadcast were far worse even though they hit higher numbers (mid 4m range) since broadcast should be well over 5m. It is easier to slam the ratings without context. The NHL knew this would happen when they gave some of the finals rights to TNT.

That's great input. Were last years finals put on TNT?

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

What are some of the smarter hockey folks thinking on here about the dismal Stanley Cup finals viewership and even post cup win coverage?

This has to be about the quietest post cup excitement and media for awhile. I don't even follow many Avalanche channels on social and it just feels empty out there.

I'm really curious to see what happens to the Knights org when they hit a wall and have to rebuild. I wouldn't be shocked to see them go to a middling attendance team. Especially after the NBA and MLB set up in Vegas. Coyotes had some stellar attendance numbers and talent in their early years too... Did the NHL gain some cap and make some noise for maybe 5-10 years to just put another team in the desert?

 

[henchman21]

That's great input. Were last years finals put on TNT?

Nope... just ABC and ESPN+. This year was on TNT, TBS, and TruTV... a couple of the games missed TBS IIRC. ESPN and TNT will alternate years through the current TV deal. So the 2025 will be a good comparison to see how good or bad these numbers really were.

 

[JLo217]

Nope... just ABC and ESPN+. This year was on TNT, TBS, and TruTV... a couple of the games missed TBS IIRC. ESPN and TNT will alternate years through the current TV deal. So the 2025 will be a good comparison to see how good or bad these numbers really were.

Naturally for Vegas lol

This is what I'm saying.

 

[Balthazar]

"I wonder why hockey is a niche sport in the US"

 

[henchman21]

See... this is twisting the data and it is also incorrect. It is to set a narrative. You can't compare cable vs broadcast TV and expect anywhere near the same numbers. You're comparing numbers in a market of ~60m vs a market of ~160m. So while it is mentioned, it makes it sound worse. It is also flatly incorrect. Game 5 for Stars/Lightning in 2020 was 2.713m and not 2.79 (game 5 was NBC).

 

[sethro109]

I am wondering why these final games weren't on ABC. Why was most of the finals aired on TNT? If you want to grow the game, don't make it cable only. Hell, I'd argue to increase viewership, the Stanley Cup finals should be free to stream online. That way when you hook new viewers, they'll be willing to pay for cable to watch all of the playoffs.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I am wondering why these final games weren't on ABC. Why was most of the finals aired on TNT? If you want to grow the game, don't make it cable only. Hell, I'd argue to increase viewership, the Stanley Cup finals should be free to stream online. That way when you hook new viewers, they'll be willing to pay for cable to watch all of the playoffs.

TNT is owned by Warner Brothers not Disney. Warner Brothers/TNT coughed up a lot of money for this deal, no way are they going to let their games be aired on ABC or any other competitor in their market area (the US).

 

[sethro109]

TNT is owned by Warner Brothers not Disney. Warner Brothers/TNT coughed up a lot of money for this deal, no way are they going to let their games be aired on ABC.

Well that's my mistake, but then it should be airing on the CW. And in the future, I still think whichever network gets the broadcasting rights should also have to stream it for free on their corresponding web sites.

 

[the_fan]

Avs no doubt. Last seasons cup run was one of the most dominant runs of the last few decades. 16-4 with bad goaltending is highly impressive. Most games saw the opponent hang on for dear life.

My point in all the Vegas talk is that their management group does more to win than the Avs staff. The Avs core is without any doubt superior, they just haven't been backed enough except the one year which saw them crush everyone they faced as a result of the trades. Give us more of that aggressive dealing and wheeling and see the team win more rounds as a result.

Management doing more to win is one thing, having luck throughout the season and playoffs as far as injuries and stuff is another. Avs went through million injuries, lost their captain for a season, Manson who was a key player in last year’s run was also injured, they had to rely on EJ and JJ on defense etc….

There wasn’t much CMac could do to salvage this season. It was cursed from the beginning

 

[Mighty Makar]

 

[Alienblood]

Well well

 

[the_fan]

What is a torn Lebron?

 

[henchman21]

I am wondering why these final games weren't on ABC. Why was most of the finals aired on TNT? If you want to grow the game, don't make it cable only. Hell, I'd argue to increase viewership, the Stanley Cup finals should be free to stream online. That way when you hook new viewers, they'll be willing to pay for cable to watch all of the playoffs.

The shortest story, this is how they go so much from TNT for secondary rights.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Bring on next season. Get an actual 2C Avs and maybe you can beat an expansion team. Maybe.

 

[RECKLESS]

Best things about Vegas winning:
- The West was supposed to be weak and the East got smacked in the end.
-This f***en cursed season is officially over and we can go back to winning ways!

 

[The Kingslayer]

Best things about Vegas winning:
- The West was supposed to be weak and the East got smacked in the end.
-This f***en cursed season is officially over and we can go back to winning ways!

Agreed with the first part.

 

[Grigowski]

what Mac knew or believed, may not be the same what Landy and management believed.

Yeah, but i think we can put the theory that our management "didn´t know" to sleep. They knew.
That's what I wanted to say.

Bring on next season. Get an actual 2C Avs and maybe you can beat an expansion team. Maybe.

We allready have our 2C... And you know his name....

 

[The Kingslayer]

Yeah, but i think we can put the theory that our management "didn´t know" to sleep. They knew.
That's what I wanted to say.



We allready have our 2C... And you know his name....

Lol dont. Please dont. I cant go through another season with SOB as 2C.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Management doing more to win is one thing, having luck throughout the season and playoffs as far as injuries and stuff is another. Avs went through million injuries, lost their captain for a season, Manson who was a key player in last year’s run was also injured, they had to rely on EJ and JJ on defense etc….

There wasn’t much CMac could do to salvage this season. It was cursed from the beginning

Wasting the prime of the core has been an ongoing issue with Sakic and company. They had a cup capable roster for multiple seasons and only once were actively trying to win. More could and should have been accomplished. Tampa is a prime example what a contender should be doing when they have what it takes to win multiple cups.

Outside of the miserable drafting record they have done mostly a great job setting the Avs up for playoff success, only to get cautious when it came time to get the final pieces. Imagine if they didn't win the cup last season, this core might have never lifted one otherwise.