NBC, which used to be the NHL's U.S. TV partner 3 years ago, had a slogan for its Thursday comedy block 40 years ago. It was called "Must See TV. Safe to say, the Blackhawks are not "Must See TV" even with Connor Bedard. It hasn't stopped ESPN, ABC & TNT from featuring the NHL's worst team in recent weeks.
This Rangers/Blackhawks' game was called by Mike Monaco, whom Hawks, Bulls & White Sox fans will remember calling these teams in 2020 & 2021 during the pandemic. Monaco was also the favorite to land the Sox TV PBP job that ended up going to John Schriffen instead. Monaco withdrew from that job because of his ESPN/ABC commitments. He still calls Red Sox games on a part time basis on NESN in Boston.
Having said that, the Hawks are getting yet another TNT game Wednesday vs the Colorado Avalanche at United Center. This game starts at 6:30P (CT) to accommodate TNT & TruTV as well as streaming on Max. They have now lost 15 in a row with a national TV audience.
For Chicago's teams as a whole, it's understandable if they are hard pressed to get a national TV game in the eyes of the networks & the league's broadcast partners, regardless of outlet.
The Hawks' United Center tenants in the Chicago Bulls know exactly what I'm referring. They are hard pressed to get 1 game on a channel not named CHSN. That's an issue in itself.
The numbers are in from Sunday's New York Rangers/Chicago Blackhawks' game on ABC and they're even worse than the Winter Classic.
According to Hockey Report HQ's Braylon Breeze, just 454,000 viewers tuned in for Sunday's 6-2 Rangers' road win over the Blackhawks on ABC. An Original 6 matchup opposite Bears/Packers on FOX and the ratings were about half of the audience that watched the Blues 6-2 win over the Hawks at Wrigley in the Winter Classic on New Year's Eve. Just 920,000 viewers watched that game on TNT.
Speaking of TNT, when the Hawks host the Colorado Avalanche Wednesday night, New York Islanders' TV voice Brendan Burke, the Hawks' own Darren Pang & rising NHL Network star Jackie Redmond will have the national call starting @ 6:30P (CT) from the United Center.
on January 5, 2025, 6:25 pm