NHL executives fuming over Gary Bettman’s Frozen Frenzy schedule

If you were anywhere near a screen on Tuesday night, chances are you caught at least part of the NHL’s Frozen Frenzy: 16 games in one night, staggered start times, and wall-to-wall hockey. It was a dream for fans, but not everyone across the league is celebrating.

According to insider Pierre LeBrun, while most fans and media praised the action-packed schedule, a few NHL team executives weren’t exactly thrilled behind the scenes.

“I would imagine most hockey fans loved the Frozen Frenzy last night, not sure how they couldn’t,” LeBrun said. “But I did get some grumbling from some NHL team execs. Some not happy with start times and how it’s tough to sell in their market, etc.”

For viewers, the night delivered everything the league could hope for , I mean with nonstop highlights, wild finishes, and more goals than anyone could keep up with. But from a business perspective, the format raised some eyebrows. Teams with early or odd start times said the staggered schedule made local ticket sales and TV viewership tougher to predict. Not sure if that will imapct the league’s decision to keep the concept going in future seasons…

Let’s not forget how Sportsnet’s streaming services cashed at the worst time last night. With a full 16 game slate of NHL action and with Game 4 of the World Series happening, the stream dropped with fans receiving only a “Stream Not Available, check your connection.” message for angry fans.

Not to mention, the weird scheduling continues tonight with just one game on the calendar...

But I mean still, the buzz online was undeniable. Social media was flooded with clips, memes, and live reactions, and some fans are already calling for Frozen Frenzy to become an annual tradition.

It makes sense for them as they see it as a win for hockey entertainment, but, meanwhile, some execs see as a logistical headache. The NHL may have found a marketing gem, but balancing national hype with local realities might be the next big challenge.

We’ll see how Gary Bettman will react to the reactions of his many franchise executives…