The national television broadcast plans for the upcoming NHL regular season for both ESPN and TNT were released on Wednesday, and the Columbus Blue Jackets won't be featured on either channel.
Instead, the club will be featured three times on ESPN+/Hulu, with their remaining 79 games broadcast on the local Bally Sports Ohio channel. The three games that will be streamed on ESPN+/Hulu are:
- Nov 9, 7:30 PM - vs. Dallas Stars (ESPN+/Hulu)
- Feb 29, 7 PM - vs. Carolina Hurricanes (ESPN+/Hulu)
- Apr 11, 7:30 PM - @ Florida Panthers (ESPN+/Hulu)
The @WaltDisneyCo & ESPN announce the 23-24 NHL schedule
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) August 30, 2023
Oct. 10 | Opening Night tripleheader (ESPN/ESPN+)
Feb. 2-3 | #NHL All-Star Skills (ESPN) & All-Star Game (ABC/ESPN+)
Feb. 17-18 | NHL Stadium Series (ABC/ESPN+)
June 24 | Stanley Cup Final (ABC/ESPN+) pic.twitter.com/Mtr4uz7r7W
.@NHL_On_TNT Unveils Blockbuster 62-Game Schedule for 2023-24 @NHL Season, Starting Wednesday, Oct. 11
— Warner Bros. Discovery Sports U.S. PR (@WBDSportsPR) August 30, 2023
Full Release: https://t.co/t0oq8riy2u pic.twitter.com/RmvELwuHHC
On the one hand, it's hardly surprising that a smaller market team that is coming off a 31st-place finish isn't featured prominently (or at all) on a national broadcast. On the other, there are arguments to be made that the franchise should be much more competitive this season, and also that the networks are shortsighted in not showcasing up-and-coming and small market organizations, who could eventually become more important players nationally. Still, there isn't necessarily a correlation between actually winning hockey games and being nationally televised frequently.
The Blue Jackets open the season on October 12 against the Philadelphia Flyers at Nationwide Arena.
