The Las Vegas Golden Knights hoisted the Stanley Cup in front of 19,000 Golden Knights faithful in a packed T-Mobile Arena in June 2023, however, fewer than three million were watching on TV. In comparison, over 13 million tuned into the last game of the NBA Finals in 2023. The World Series had at least eight million viewers per game, while the NHL has only had three games reach eight million viewers since 2006.
Most hockey fans will say that it’s the most electric sport to watch or play, so what’s behind hockey’s low popularity? There’s much to blame, starting with the NHL itself.
In the league, games are spread across three platforms: Hulu, ESPN+ and cable television. Purchasing Hulu or ESPN+ provides access to nearly every NHL game. To watch local teams, fans must also have a cable provider to watch the area’s sports network. Also, fans must pay upwards of seven dollars a month for ESPN+ or Hulu.

The NHL is not entirely to blame, however. ESPN, even with full broadcasting rights, still fails to promote the NHL on social media. On an Instagram post from late January about hockey, a comment reads, “Why [doesn’t] hockey get any love on this platform that often?”
Of course, northerly places like Canada have frequent access to ice, so these places often produce the most players and fans.
“My parents are Canadian,” senior Brandon Kwan said. “So [hockey’s] in my blood.”
Hockey gear can also set a hockey player back upwards of $10,000. Just a stick can cost between $100-$300, and hockey teams travel far and frequently. These costs add up, making hockey one of the most expensive sports to play.
“I was spending nearly $12,000 per season,” Kwan said. “You can kick a soccer ball around and pretend there’s a goal, but you can’t do that with hockey.”
In California, where access to ice is limited, it can be a very hard sport to play. Many West Coast teams have faced threats of relocation, or they frequent the bottom of attendance lists (San Jose and Arizona posted the two lowest attendances last season).
This “new era” De La Cruz mentioned, with new players such as Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks, will hopefully bring a new wave of fans and media coverage. However, if the league fails to solve these issues, hockey may never reach the mainstream in the United States.