My take on the viewership situation may be limited based on the subscriptions I have, but people don't seem to have access to games as much. I use YouTube TV paired with an Amazon Fire Cube. YouTubeTV has five ESPN channels, but they haven't broadcast a single game this year. I mistakenly purchased the ESPN + app, only to find out all local games are blacked out, so I had to get an NHL package just to watch Wings games. So, with YouTubeTV, I get zero NHL games, with ESPN +, I only get out-of-market games. I'm not sure how other providers are on games and if it's unique to YouTubeTV, but if the only way people are getting games is via NHL and/or ESPN + subscriptions, then obviously their viewership is going to be way down.
- bluelineenforcer
I get Bally Sports Detroit on DirectTV. Dish does not carry Balley, and just recently Dish started to carry some Bally stations and may soon carry all...but I have not seen it yet. I guess if ESPN carries a game at the LCA I would be blacked out up here, even tho I am 500 miles from Detroit here in da UP. I steam the ESPN+ on
https://v2.sportsurge.net/#/groups/0
I guess you can try that, it has been free, so far....