Typically only die-hard fans are paying attention when all-star games roll around but the NHL seems to have broken the code to reaching a wider audience for a competition that has no effect on the regular season.
The 4 Nations Face-Off replaced this year's All-Star Game and is the first best-on-best international tournament organized since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. American viewers are eating it up and it's thanks for league commissioner Gary Bettman.
According to the NHL, 10.1 million people watched Saturday's Team USA vs. Team Canada round robin match (h/t The Athletic's Chris Johnston). That's more than every Stanley Cup Final game since 2014. For context, there have been 64 Stanley Cup Final games played since then.
NHL puts NBA All-Star Weekend to shame with 4 Nations Face-Off success
The biggest boon from the NHL's 4 Nation's Face-Off success was a rare victory over the NBA. Fans online couldn't get enough of the fierce competition displayed by players with everything to lose if they get injured in a meaningless game and cannot play for a Stanley Cup down the stretch of the season.
Meanwhile, the NBA's biggest stars couldn't even be bothered to play by the rules during the skills competition and mini-tournament. Fans called them out on it and even Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant seemed to have enough of the pointless event.
The NHL has players fighting their asses off in an extremely intense 4 nations tournament while representing their country.
— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) February 16, 2025
The NBA has players trying to scam the all star skills competition to do as little competition as possible.
pic.twitter.com/97ji6fbB5G
I don’t care what the format is if the players are willing to play competitive ball. That’s not what’s happening. The intensity of NHL’s 4 Nations highlights that difference. You can’t really do that in the NBA, but yesterday was not enough actual basketball, competitive or not https://t.co/0cawoTtyHH
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) February 17, 2025
I’m the biggest NBA fan on the planet but the difference in buzz, vibe and intensity between NBA’s All Star weekend and the NHL 4 Nations is astronomical.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 16, 2025
Pains me to say it. But it’s not even close.
4 Nations is absolutely brilliant. The NBA effort this weekend (again) ……
The @NBA league office this weekend is going to beg players to pretend to play hard during their exhibition to showcase the game.
— Donnovan Bennett (@donnovanbennett) February 16, 2025
The @NHL league office this weekend is going to kindly ask if their best players will stop fighting so hard during their exhibition to showcase the…
Credit is due to Bettman. For as much flak as he's taken from fans and players over the years, he deserves the praise and attention the league has been getting as a result of his brain child.
On top of that, he's earned himself even more good will with hockey fans by announcing more best-on-best tournaments will be coming in the future. After NHL players compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, the World Cup of Hockey will return in 2028. That will alternate with the Winter Games for the foreseeable future.
So while the NBA and other leagues have to figure out how to re-gain interest from fans and make All-Star competitions more entertaining and meaningful, the NHL seems to be set for now and could poach valuable viewership away from them.