There has always been advertising during hockey games. However, it has become particularly invasive over the past two years. You have the normal items that have been a part of TV broadcasts for some time now. We’re talking about commercial breaks and on-ice ads.
A few years back, some digital elements started to creep into the watching experience. Namely, those digital advertisements near the blue line and on the glass behind each goal. These were jarring because of how unnatural they looked. Additionally, ad stickers began showing up on helmets during the Stanley Cup bubble.
Things took another turn for the worse in 2023 with the introduction of digital dasherboards and on-jersey advertising patches. The NHL is now flooding every single game with ads. It’s not quite at the level of those ridiculous European hockey leagues, but the situation is heading that way.
Seriously, it is only a matter of time before some team puts a Skoda car behind one of the goals. The New York Islanders already tried it with a Honda. And, as we learned when the NHL signed a deal with Fanatics to become the league’s jersey manufacturer, Gary Bettman isn’t afraid to be ridiculed if money is involved.
Now, it is reasonable to expect some ads during an NHL broadcast. It’s unreasonable to think teams won’t try to make money selling space. But this raises an interesting question. How much advertising during hockey games is too much?
More Hockey: 7 of the best hockey commercials of all time
Ultimately, advertising shouldn’t be a distraction from the game. And that’s what the sport is on the verge of doing. Constantly changing digital ad boards, on-ice ads on-screen at every moment and the standard sponsored elements of a broadcast are overwhelming.
But this isn’t even about the fan experience. All this advertising during hockey games is bad for those paying to have their brand seen. Viewers are so inundated with ads that nothing sticks. It has become the proverbial ten pounds of shit in a five-pound bag. Everyone loses.
So, how much advertising during hockey games is too much? There is no definitive quantity that can answer the question. However, NHL broadcasts have passed the tipping point and need to scale back on the ads for the sake of everyone involved.
Keep Reading: Alex Meruelo is a cheapskate who is ruining the Arizona Coyotes
