NHL fans are paranoid about lack of media coverage for their sport. They believe the NHL doesn't get respect from ESPN. Much less from newspapers, which have been steadily shedding hockey beat writers.
So it's no surprise hockey fans reacted with frustration when it was announced the league's national TV partner, NBC, has relegated two Stanley Cup Playoffs game telecasts to the Golf Channel next week.
MORE: Complete bracket, schedule for 2018 NHL playoffs
Rather than showing Game 4 of the Devils-Lightning and Ducks-Sharks series on NBC Sports, NBCSN, USA Network or CNBC, the doubleheader will air on the Golf Channel next Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET).
Yes, the same 24-7 golf channel that airs hockey-centric shows such as "Golf Central" and "School of Golf."
NHL fans were quick to voice their dismay on Twitter:
Nothing says "Stanley Cup Playoffs" like the Golf Channel. pic.twitter.com/wDPwsMZEKx
— Steven Shepard (@POLITICO_Steve) April 9, 2018
How do we know that Sharks-Anaheim and Tampa Bay-New Jersey are NBCS/NHL's lowest-rung first-round series? Because they both get Game 4s shifted nationally to the Golf Channel. https://t.co/bsBQIlLD0n
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) April 10, 2018
NBC blamed the decision on a programming "conflict." The company also noted that it was the first such conflict since it began airing the Stanley Cup Playoffs six years ago.
“Since we began televising every game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2012, we have and continue to receive great cooperation from CNBC and USA Network, who will air several nights of playoff games this year,” said Jon Miller, president of programming for NBC Sports & NBCSN in a statement. “However, because of programming conflicts on Wednesday night, April 18, for the first time we will extend coverage to Golf Channel, our widely distributed 24/7 sports network.”
SN STAFF PREDICTIONS
EAST: Lightning-Devils | Bruins-Leafs | Capitals-Blue Jackets | Penguins-Flyers
WEST: Predators-Avalanche | Jets-Wild | Golden Knights-Kings | Ducks-Sharks
It's a no-win situation for NBC, the NHL and the clubs involved.
There's bound to be plenty of hockey fans who won't be able to find these games on Golf Channel next week. And if they do find them, they'll still be annoyed at having to click around.
On the other hand, Golf Channel is an all-sports cable channel available in 70 million homes.
With the Olympics and NCAA men's basketball tournament telecast across multiple channels, NBC is betting hockey fans will be able to watch the games they want when they want to watch them. Even if they still think hockey gets the shaft from TV suits.
"The bottom line is it's just for one night — and the games will be shown on all-sports channel," said one TV source. "Would it be better to show them on CNBC, which is all business, or USA, which is entertainment?
