If NHL Teams Don’t Value Radio, Then Why Should Radio Value the NHL?

· Yahoo Sports

The hometown call. We all love it. There is nothing better than reliving the biggest moments in your favorite franchise’s history through the voices that were there to describe them. For generations, fans had a choice. They could watch the television broadcast or tune into a dedicated radio crew whose job was to paint every detail of the action. That choice is slowly disappearing in the NHL.

The real issue isn’t whether fans notice the difference between a television and radio broadcast. It’s whether teams still believe radio is valuable enough to deserve its own product. Earlier this week, the Columbus Blue Jackets became the latest NHL franchise to answer that question.

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The club announced that Steve Mears and Jody Shelley will continue handling television duties, but after 17 seasons, Bob McElligott’s run as the team’s dedicated radio play-by-play voice has come to an end. Beginning this season, the television broadcast will also serve as the radio broadcast.

From a business standpoint, the move is easy to understand. One broadcast team. One production. Lower costs.

The Blue Jackets aren’t breaking new ground, either. They’ll become the fifth NHL franchise to adopt the model, joining the Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues.

Whether it’s the right move for listeners is another conversation. There was plenty of social media reaction to showcase the disgust of the Blue Jackets decision this week.

One Is Not The Same

Television and radio are different mediums that demand different skills. Television allows the pictures to tell much of the story. Radio requires the broadcaster to become the viewer’s eyes. You need description of puck movement, player positioning and the atmosphere inside the arena with far greater detail. Both broadcasts can feature the same personality approach, but they shouldn’t sound the same.

Apparently, that distinction no longer carries enough value for some organizations. It’s a shame, but also a risky proposition.

Entering the 2026-27 season, 15 percent of the NHL will rely on a television simulcast instead of producing a dedicated radio broadcast. For teams, it’s another opportunity to reduce expenses while continuing to distribute their games across multiple platforms. That’s understandable.

Professional sports franchises, like every other business, constantly look for ways to operate more efficiently. As media revenues evolve and expenses continue climbing, every department is scrutinized. But every cost-cutting decision creates consequences somewhere else.

This one changes the value of the relationship between teams and their radio partners.

For decades, carrying a professional sports franchise wasn’t simply about filling three hours of programming. Radio stations built entire marketing campaigns around their teams. They created imaging, promotions and sponsor integrations. They sent personalities to games, broadcasts and community events. Being the flagship station became part of a station’s identity.

That investment made sense because listeners couldn’t get that experience anywhere else. The hometown call on radio was special, unique, and only found in one place.

A television simulcast changes the equation.

A Two-Way Street

If the exact same audio is available on television, streaming platforms and terrestrial radio, the station is no longer offering an exclusive listening experience. It’s simply another distribution outlet. That distinction matters.

Sports radio operators have traditionally pursued play-by-play rights because the games strengthened their brands, created appointment listening and gave advertisers unique access to passionate audiences. The hometown radio voice became intertwined with both the franchise and the station carrying the games.

As teams continue reducing their investment in dedicated radio broadcasts, they also weaken one of the biggest reasons stations aggressively pursue those rights. Providing a product that you can’t get anywhere else. That’s beginning to be no longer the case, and yet somehow just accepted. That can’t happen.

If I’m running a sports radio station, why should I continue paying significant rights fees, dedicating valuable programming inventory and investing promotional resources into a product the team itself no longer believes it deserves its own presentation?

That’s not an emotional reaction. It’s a business question.

Teams are absolutely entitled to control expenses. No one should fault them for searching for operational efficiencies. But partnerships work both ways. If one side continues reducing its investment, the other side eventually reevaluates its own. That’s just smart business.

If more NHL franchises continue down this path, sports radio operators may eventually decide the return on investment no longer justifies the cost. Rather than compete to become the flagship station, they may choose to invest those dollars and inventory into local personalities, original programming, podcasts or digital content they completely control. Why be tied to a franchise that doesn’t want to invest into your medium?

Ironically, the money teams save by eliminating dedicated radio broadcasts could eventually cost them something much more valuable: radio partners eager to promote their brand 365 days a year. That’s not music team executives in the NHL want to hear as they compete for attention with other teams, leagues, and sports.

For decades, sports radio has helped NHL teams deepen their connection with local fans. But if franchises continue treating radio as little more than another speaker for the television broadcast, they shouldn’t be surprised if radio stations eventually stop treating NHL play-by-play like premium programming.

Because once one side decides the partnership is transactional, it’s only a matter of time before the other side reaches the same conclusion.

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John Mamola

John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at [email protected].

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