When the NHL split its national TV rights between ESPN and Turner Sports two years ago, fans were ecstatic to have hockey back on the Worldwide Leader after 16 years and curious to see what awaited them on TNT. After all, Turner was best-known for its NBA coverage and had never aired NHL games.
Now, as TNT airs the Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and Golden Knights, fans have lauded the network for its coverage and soured on that of ESPN.
On the games, many of the voices are the same as before. The biggest difference is in the studios, where TNT is more edgy and fresh. TNT chief content officer Craig Barry acknowledged there’s competition between the two networks but was diplomatic about their differences.
“They do what they do really well,” said Barry, who oversees new parent company Warner Bros. Discovery Sports’ remote and studio production. “They cater to a certain hard-core fan. We like to open it up more. We want it to feel like a big event, and we want to give the fans the best possible presentation. That’s not knocking anybody else. It’s just that it’s a privilege, and we treat it as such.”
As it did with its NBA and MLB shows, WBD Sports formed an ensemble of talent for its NHL show that clicked. Though nothing can match what “Inside the NBA” has built, there has never been a hockey panel on U.S. TV like TNT’s.
The primary cast of host Liam McHugh, Wayne Gretzky, Paul Bissonnette, Anson Carter and Henrik Lundqvist (he replaced Rick Tocchet, who became the Canucks’ coach) is entertaining, informative and irreverent, taking Barry’s cue to “open it up more.”
“When we approach our shows, we believe in that intersection of sports and culture,” Barry said. “To cast a wider net by making sure that we are talking with the fan and not at the fan, where anything that’s worth talking about that’s adjacent is on the table by being authentic and honest and some days unapologetic. That DNA in our shows is what we’ve been able to sprinkle into the NHL.”
It starts with McHugh, who is nothing like he was at NBC. TNT cut him loose from NBC’s strait-laced ways, letting out his personality. Bissonnette, who hosts the popular “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast, oozes with personality and self-deprecating humor. Carter is the quietest of the crew but brings depth. Gretzky is the game’s best ambassador, and Lundqvist brings a goalie’s perspective and flair. Is there a hockey analyst who’s better dressed and groomed than him?
“It’s not rocket science,” Barry said. “It’s people who legitimately like each other and like spending time together. It’s chemistry. Then you have to lean into the style and culture of each individual that works on the show. That creates that dynamic that is a true representation of your audience.
“Television’s imperfect. People are imperfect. It’s OK to make mistakes. Our shows have differentiated themselves by leaning into those mistakes and having some fun with them.”
Barry said the analysts keep their conversations authentic by largely staying out of production meetings. Though they’re welcome to attend, their reactions are authentic if they’re not privy to the script.
“Then what you’re dealing with is them reacting in real time to anything that they’re seeing on the screen the same way that the audience is reacting to it,” Barry said. “It’s creating an emotional connection with the audience. It flows really organically.”
TNT wouldn’t be receiving plaudits without the people behind the cameras. Canadian hockey broadcasts have long been superior to U.S. ones. So Barry hired former TSN and Sportsnet director Paul Hemming – aka “Chopper” – to be the lead director. More recently, Hemming directed Sharks and Hurricanes games on their regional networks. Lead producer Kevin Brown – aka “Brownie” – came over from NBC. Michele Zarzaca, WBD’s talent services manager, was key in helping assemble the studio cast.
Barry said he isn’t concerned about viewership of the Stanley Cup Final considering it’s airing entirely on a cable network for the first time since ESPN aired it in 1994. The series is available on TNT, TBS and truTV.
“You could argue that our media landscape is so fragmented anyways that it’s forced us to become pretty platform-agnostic,” he said. “I think people understand where to find their sports. Is a national broadcast going to always have access to a larger audience? Yeah, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have larger access to the audience that is interested in that sport.
“What’s important is how do you deliver the shows and the events. That’s what really is going to be the differentiator. If you’re doing the best you can, then you can’t worry about what the difference in the distribution is.”
Remote patrol
“Hit & Run,” The Score’s Sunday morning baseball show hosted by Matt Spiegel, simulcasted an hour on Marquee Sports Network for the third time. Marquee general manager Mike McCarthy said more simulcasts are in the works.
“We have a great partnership with The Score, and we’ve been experimenting and ideating for 3.5 years about simulcasting,” he said. “We’ve dipped our toe in the water on Sunday mornings to see the technology components involved. We’re still in that experimental mode, but we have aspirations for things to come.”
White Sox Hall of Famer Frank Thomas is joining “Friday Night Baseball” on Apple TV+ as a special correspondent starting Friday. He’ll provide game analysis and commentary and interview players. His interview with Mike Trout will lead into the Mariners-Angels broadcast, which begins at 8:30 p.m.
Adam Amin and Eric Karros will call the Cubs-Giants game at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on Fox-32.
