The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs kicked off on April 19 with high hopes for heart-pounding hockey action, but what fans got instead was a broadcast experience that left many shaking their heads. TNT, one of the NHL’s key broadcasting partners, has taken heat for its choice to call games remotely from a studio in Atlanta. Fans have been vocal, slamming the decision as a buzzkill that strips away the electric atmosphere playoff hockey thrives on. With the stakes sky-high in the conference finals, the NHL is grappling with more than just goals and saves—it’s facing a viewership crisis and a wave of fan frustration.
The numbers tell a grim story for U.S. audiences. According to Nielsen ratings cited by Sports Media Watch, viewership for the first two rounds on ESPN platforms has plummeted 28% compared to 2024, averaging just 886,000 viewers per broadcast. TNT Sports isn’t faring much better, with a 19% drop year over year, averaging 882,000 viewers. The second round was particularly rough, with games on both ESPN and TNT down 25% to 1.2 million viewers. This follows a trend from the opening round, where U.S. ratings tanked 27%. It’s a tough pill to swallow for a league banking on playoff fever to draw eyes.
A big factor in the U.S. viewership slump is the heavy presence of Canadian teams. Five of the 16 postseason teams this year were Canadian, up from four last year, and three of the four second-round series featured a Canadian squad—the first time that’s happened since 2004. Since ESPN and TNT Sports cater exclusively to U.S. audiences, and Canadian markets don’t count toward U.S. ratings, this has been a major drag on the numbers. Of the 34 games TNT Sports aired this postseason, 21 involved a Canadian team. It’s no surprise that U.S. ratings are hurting when so many games feature markets that don’t register in the data.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. North of the border, Canadian fans are tuning in like never before. The NHL reports that second-round games averaged 2.2 million viewers in Canada, a whopping 45% jump from last year. When you combine U.S. and Canadian audiences, the picture brightens: the second round averaged 3.4 million viewers across both countries, up 12% from 2024 and a ten-year high. Overall, the playoffs are averaging 2.8 million viewers per game across the two nations, a 5% increase from last year. With the Edmonton Oilers as the lone Canadian team in the final four, Canada’s hockey obsession is carrying some serious weight.
NHL playoff viewership is down a massive 28% on ESPN platforms, with games averaging just 886,000 viewers.
Stanley Cup playoff games are also down 19% on TNT Sports platforms.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 21, 2025
Still, the U.S. viewership dip and TNT’s remote broadcasts have fans questioning the league’s priorities. Playoff hockey is supposed to be raw, intense, and in-your-face, not phoned in from a studio 1,000 miles away. As the conference finals heat up, the NHL needs to figure out how to win back its American audience and deliver the kind of broadcast experience that matches the on-ice passion. Fans deserve better, and they’re not shy about saying so.
ESPN and TNT’s broadcasting setup sparks backlash with fans asking for a better viewing experience
Fans are fed up, and it’s not hard to see why. The Stanley Cup Playoffs, one of the most electrifying events in sports, deserve a broadcast that matches its intensity. Instead, ESPN and TNT’s setup—particularly TNT’s choice to call games remotely from a studio in Atlanta—has sparked a firestorm of backlash. Social media is buzzing with frustration, and the criticism is sharp: weak audio, bizarre camera angles, and a viewing experience that feels disconnected from the action.
One fan on X summed it up, tweeting, “ESPN NHL broadcast is terrible,” while another longed for the days of NHL on NBC, saying, “You simply can’t beat those intros narrated by Doc Emrick.” The sentiment is clear: the current setup isn’t cutting it.
When does ESPN’s deal with the nhl expire
— Rob Gucci (@heatdaddy69420) May 22, 2025
The decision to stick with remote broadcasting reeks of cost-cutting, and fans aren’t buying the excuse. Sure, remote coverage made sense during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we’re well past that now. Most sports have returned to on-site announcing, capturing the raw energy of the crowd and the rink. Yet, TNT’s choice to keep announcers holed up in a studio feels like a slap in the face to fans who live for the playoffs’ heart-pounding moments. Without being in the arena, announcers miss the little things—the roar of the crowd, a player’s intensity, or the drama unfolding off the puck. It’s those nuances that make hockey broadcasts unforgettable, and right now, they’re being lost in translation.
The backlash isn’t just about nostalgia for better days; it’s a demand for quality. Fans are vocal, with some asking, “When does ESPN’s deal with the NHL expire?”—a clear sign they’re ready for change. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are a marquee event, and viewers want a broadcast that feels alive, not like a budget-friendly compromise. As the playoffs roll on, the pressure is on ESPN and TNT to ditch the remote setup and bring back on-site coverage that captures the electric atmosphere hockey fans crave. They deserve nothing less.
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