National TV Networks Banking on Another Red Wings Playoff Push
The Detroit Red Wings announced their 2024-25 national broadcast schedule, composed of 15 games across ABC, ESPN and TNT. Many of these games are scheduled late in the season.
Last season, the Detroit Red Wings' playoff push caused lots of excitement down to the final minutes of the season. Apparently, the TV networks took as much notice as the fans.
The Red Wings will be broadcast nationally 15 times in the 2024-25 season. The team announced its national TV schedule on social media Thursday, featuring games on the ABC, ESPN and TNT networks.
The Red Wings graced the national airwaves 13 times last season, so this upcoming season puts an even greater spotlight on the franchise. Coming off a season in which only a tiebreaker kept them out of the playoffs, there are big expectations for Detroit to be a competitive team again, scrapping for a playoff spot much the same as in 2023-24. This season, the national broadcasts are banking on the momentum of the team's success. Eight of the 15 national games will come after the All-Star Game, when the playoff push would heat up.
ABC will broadcast the Red Wings four times on the network's local channels in 2024-25, while two more games will be aired on the ESPN channels including March 1's outdoor game against Columbus at Ohio Stadium. The ESPN networks are also streaming two games only on ESPN+: Oct. 17 vs. the New York Rangers and Dec. 3 at Boston.
TNT is picking up seven games. Two of those — March 12 vs. Buffalo and the season finale April 16 at New Jersey — will be blacked out to local viewers. That means that if Detroit's potential playoff push comes down to the final game like it did in 2023-24, fans wouldn't be able to watch the game if they don't have TNT in their channel package.
A chronological schedule of nationally broadcasted games, channels and times can be found below:
Oct. 17 vs. New York Rangers — ESPN+, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 6 at Chicago — TNT, 8 p.m.
Nov. 13 at Pittsburgh — TNT, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 3 at Boston — ESPN+, 7 p.m.
Dec. 18 vs. Philadelphia — TNT, 7 p.m.
Jan. 16 at Florida — ESPN, 7 p.m.
Feb. 8 vs. Tampa Bay — ABC and ESPN+, 1 p.m.
Feb. 22 vs. Minnesota — ABC and ESPN+, 12:30 p.m.
March 1 at Columbus (Outdoor Game) — ESPN, 6 p.m.
March 12 vs. Buffalo — TNT (not available locally), 7:30 p.m.
March 16 vs. Vegas — TNT, 1 p.m.
March 22 at Vegas — ABC and ESPN+, 8 p.m
March 29 vs. Boston — ABC and ESPN+, 8 p.m.
April 6 vs. Florida — TNT, 5:30 p.m.
April 16 at New Jersey (last game of regular season) — TNT (not available locally), 7:30 p.m.
Also from THN Detroit