The NHL is one of America’s top major professional sports leagues. It’s the pinnacle of ice hockey and the one that everyone who plays would love to compete in. However, it’s a league that is starting to experience a decline.
It’s always found itself in a very difficult position to compete with some of the other sports that are played in the US. The NFL, NBA, and MLB have typically always been favored more by the domestic population, and it seems soccer is enjoying a surge amongst fans at home.
The 2024 Copa America tournament, the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup (which will be held in the US, Mexico, and Canada), and the MLS’ continued improvement in terms of athletes and expansion teams have helped to shine the spotlight on a sport that was once considered an afterthought for many Americans. Indeed, it wouldn’t be a surprise if we were to see more people begin to bet on these now that sports betting is legal across most states, with some using tools like a margin calculator to try and determine the best value they can get from a bet that they may want to place.
NHL’s decline
As a result, the NHL has started to experience a domestic decline. While findings have it as the eighth most popular event in Finland, 16th in Russia and 19th in Sweden, it’s clear that Americans just aren’t in love with the game as much as they once were. Of course, the NHL is still incredibly popular in Canada, but that can often go without saying. And it should be noted that local viewership ratings actually slightly increased during the 2023-24 season.
The decline is something that has happened since the 1990s, with studies claiming that teenage interest in the game has dropped from 45% to 35%, while adults have also seen a decline of 5% from 35% to 30%. The older generation of sports fans in the US are among those who are more likely to watch the sport, but this is perhaps due to the fact that they have grown up with it and it’s part of their lives.
Of all US sports fans, around 17% continue to watch the NHL, with 25% between the ages of 55-64 being the highest bracket. Interestingly, those between 18-24 (13%) and 35-44 (12%) are among those who watch it the least. This could increase now people can place bets and use sites like Pinnacle online betting and the resources that they provide. In contrast, 16% of those in the 25-34 age bracket still watch.
Are American broadcasters to blame?
It’s possible to look at the broadcasters and the amount that they are willing to spend to highlight just how far the NHL is beginning to decline in terms of its popularity. Broadcasters will often spend millions to show the games if they know they can attract audiences.
The league’s media rights from American broadcasters brought in around $625 million for the 2023/24 campaign. Although it sounds like a reasonable deal, it’s incredibly low compared to the other major sports that are popular across the nation.
In comparison to the MLB, it’s just a third of their annual rights revenue, while it is 23% of what the NBA receives in total. To make the figures look even smaller, it’s just 5% of what the NFL gets for American TV contracts.
With this in mind, it’s possible to argue that the NHL is losing its popularity, although it does seem that it can be based on age groups. With new opportunities available, perhaps it could boost itself and become appealing to those demographics in which it hasn’t been as successful as compared to others.
