The third edition of the NHL Frozen Frenzy promises to leave fans wanting more. The league’s experiment with scheduling all 32 teams in one euphoric session has come with mixed results. But that doesn’t mean fans don’t like it.
The idea of having all 32 teams play in one night started as a marketing gimmick to boost TV ratings. The first year wasn’t as successful as last year’s edition. This time around, it seems the bugs have been worked out and the event will usher in plenty of bang for fans’ bucks.
The staggered start times would allow hardcore fans to capture glimpses of every game. While most fans will focus on their favorite teams, having the opportunity to watch virtually every team in action is something too tempting to pass up.
Check out USA Today’s full rundown of games on Tuesday night’s slate.
It’s also worth pointing out that the NHL has bet one of its marquee events on a Tuesday night. The weekend is just too hard to compete with. The NFL, NBA, and MLB World Series all garner plenty of attention.
Plus, people have lives. So, sitting at home on a Saturday night to watch 16 hockey games may not quite top out a night out. Even if fans wanted to go to their favorite pub to watch a game, they likely wouldn’t catch all 16.
Fans wanting to imbibe all of the action would do well to sit at home on a Tuesday night after a tough day at the office. It makes for a fun weeknight event. After all, it only happens once a year. So, it’s worth taking out time for.
Incidentally, Monday night is not a good idea for such events. The NHL would have to compete with Monday Night Football and the World Series. Plus, the NBA also tends to take away some oomph from the NHL.
So, Tuesday night it is. While the league could pull off a similar feat on a Thursday night, the Frozen Frenzy, at least this season, will fall on a Tuesday night.
Hockey fans should make their best effort to catch as many games as possible. Cable rights, streaming packages, and local blackouts can get in the way. But then again, the NHL is also looking to encourage fans to sign up for its premium NHL TV packages. As such, there’s an incentive to go that route.
Regardless of how many games fans get to watch on Tuesday night, it’s worth sinking one’s teeth into the Frozen Frenzy. No other league does anything like this. Sure, just about every NFL team plays on Sundays. But then again, the NFL has been careful to showcase certain teams on Sunday and Monday nights.
The NBA and MLB don’t really do this sort of thing, either. So, kudos to the NHL for trying to be creative. Hopefully, this sort of event will lead to bigger and better events showcasing one of the world’s most intense sports.