[crzbrave]

Especially without NBA this year, no major networks show NHL games.. Why?

[leetreaper]

Because nobody gives a shit about hockey, whats to understand...

[NHL Pro Capper]

Very true, Canada has 7 teams vs 23 US teams and we have 2x as many viewers per game. I think Americans just get tired of watching hockey. Not because they are bored, but because they just think about how much work is required per shift and physically get tired. It's ok, we know you are all lazy. There is not a lot of breaks, and watching it is exhausting for you yanks.

NFL, there is only really 10-12 minutes a game of actual play over 60 min of football. You guys get, what, 6 timeouts each per game, AND a special 2 minute warning. Same with baseball, baseball is the only sport you can play while sleeping. NBA, don't even get me started. One little bump and there's the whistle. Hockey is a fast paced game, with fighting and hard hits every game. Definitely not appealing for the average American couch potato.

[crzbrave]

I will admit I never watched much Hockey before this year, but after putting 200 $ on the Flyers opening night I have been hooked and fell in love with the sport. It is intense as any other and action, there is fights and hits. I wish I could watch more games though.. Versus is the only channel I see any games on. Oh... and the Ducks and Kings game. Guess I should get the NHL package ... just don't understand why ESPN has ZERO hockey games televised.. It wasn't always this way was it?

[leetreaper]

Very true, Canada has 7 teams vs 23 US teams and we have 2x as many viewers per game. I think Americans just get tired of watching hockey. Not because they are bored, but because they just think about how much work is required per shift and physically get tired. It's ok, we know you are all lazy. There is not a lot of breaks, and watching it is exhausting for you yanks.

NFL, there is only really 10-12 minutes a game of actual play over 60 min of football. You guys get, what, 6 timeouts each per game, AND a special 2 minute warning. Same with baseball, baseball is the only sport you can play while sleeping. NBA, don't even get me started. One little bump and there's the whistle. Hockey is a fast paced game, with fighting and hard hits every game. Definitely not appealing for the average American couch potato.

Every word is true, move hockey to Canada and let us enjoy our beloved sports like bases, football and baskets.

[crzbrave]

Why are you in the hockey forum reading threads and posting sir ???

[leetreaper]

for fun and im in last place, gl.

[stevenash]

Short answer:
ESPN does not have the rights to any NHL game.

Versus has NHL which is owned by NBC/Universal

[gti175]

I'm sure it has to do with who has the rights to show the games, and i think its NBC and Versus in the States? Believe me, there are tons of small cities in Canada that would love an NHL team and we would probably have more fans to the games. Not the 8000 people that watch Tampa Bay or Florida..

[yisman]

ESPN never negotiated a contract to broadcast the games.

I'm sure they'd like some games this season, but the NHL has a contract with NBC and Versus.

[pattyb91]

Every word is true, move hockey to Canada and let us enjoy our beloved sports like bases, football and baskets.

you are an idiot...

ESPN tried extremely hard to get the TV rights for the NHL, but NBC payed more $$$.

[Mitchthecrane]

**** tv **** cable, i just get free live streams for all the games. Lower quality but still fine.

[EasyPicks]

Best sport to watch (at least for 90% of the world) is "real" football (not the one played with hands).

NBA (100% with crzbrave) = stops way too many times and it gets fking boring (ohh, and try to watch that on a national US tv station...ohhh boy the amount of commercial adds....yarcccc)

Baseball = is that a sport??? lolol. so many fat guys throwing balls to other beer belly fat guys!

American Football = love the strategy of the game....annoying stops and only one or two players/per team with real playing skills, the others = FAT SLOW BORING!

[TomJSports]

Short answer:
ESPN does not have the rights to any NHL game.

Versus has NHL which is owned by NBC/Universal

Yup, Versus, soon to be NBC Sports owns the rights to the NHL and some College Football conferences. They are hoping to push ESPN as a sports provider. I personally welcome it, as ESPN has become a joke.

Best sport to watch (at least for 90% of the world) is "real" football (not the one played with hands).

NBA (100% with crzbrave) = stops way too many times and it gets fking boring (ohh, and try to watch that on a national US tv station...ohhh boy the amount of commercial adds....yarcccc)

Baseball = is that a sport??? lolol. so many fat guys throwing balls to other beer belly fat guys!

American Football = love the strategy of the game....annoying stops and only one or two players/per team with real playing skills, the others = FAT SLOW BORING!

+1 Too many ads and stoppages. Even attending an NHL game is bad with all of the stoppages these days. Pigskin is annoying, because studies show that there is actually 11 minutes of actual game being played; fun to play though. Whereas in football you see men run more than 5 kilos a game and play two 45 minute halves unimpeded by commercials or timeouts. Even Olympic Hockey was much better than NHL because of no TV timeouts. I know sports fans in the US are used to it. But it is much more exciting for everyone to not mess with the flow and just play the damn game.

[DemoralizdDreamr]

Aside from the playoffs NHL is failry boring to watch. icing stops the game, offsides stops the game, puck over the boards stops the game. Teams spend most of the time in their own zone setting up the offense than dump it in and turn it over. Now the other team repeats this. NFL is the only sport i enjoy watching or NBA and tennis are up there as well.