The speed, the action, the thrill! These are all that make hockey a beautiful game. But to ensure the fans who haven’t made it to the stadium also get an unforgettable experience, the commentators become of paramount importance. With the 2025 playoffs in full swing, the NHL commentators are working overtime to keep the community updated on all the games. However, TNT’s controversial decision on its broadcasting strategies is leaving fans clamoring for a change ASAP.
NHL broadcasting and fans’ issues with the same are a tale of woes that never seem to end. Just days ago, TNT was once again at the center of things as fans claimed that they weren’t up to the mark for the task despite having the Great One, Wayne Gretzky, on its panel. And now, as the Oilers and the Kings locked horns for Game 3 of Round 1, the allegations came flying again.
Creator of NHL xG Bot, Neil Pierre-Louis, took to X on April 26 to share how the Oilers’ game-winning goal had very different depictions on two different broadcasting networks. “Here is a comparison of the GWG for Oilers Kings on TNT (remote broadcast) and Sportsnet (in person),” reads the caption of the post, as the two accompanying videos highlight just why TNT is on the receiving end of the fans’ complaints.
While the remote commentator on the TNT network does his best to live up to the moment when Evan Bouchard scored the fifth goal for Edmonton, the obvious absence of the crowd’s cheer makes the whole experience somewhat dull. On the other hand, Sportsnet’s coverage allows the fans to enjoy the goal to its fullest as the in-house fans’ loud applause elevates the whole moment to a whole different level.
Here is a comparison of the GWG for Oilers Kings on TNT (remote broadcast) and Sportsnet (in person) https://t.co/EHPChchcnz pic.twitter.com/moKANEdI4K
— Neil Pierre-Louis (@pierreanalytics) April 26, 2025
“By muting the crowd noises, you lose the ‘feel’ of the game that can’t be compensated by two guys in a remote studio 1,000 s of miles away,” one fan stated the obvious, while also mentioning that the TNT can easily fix this and give the NHL community the experience it deserves.
The story is developing
The post NHL Fans Expose TNT as Calls to Discontinue ‘Remote Broadcasting’ Goes Unheard appeared first on EssentiallySports.
