How Long Are NHL Games on TV?
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How long are NHL games on TV? The answer may surprise you!
NHL Regular Season Games
NHL regular season games are typically three periods of 20 minutes each, with an intermission between the second and third periods. The clock is stopped when the puck is not in play, so the total playing time of an NHL game can vary. Some games may go into overtime, which is an extra period of five minutes during which the teams play until one team scores.
Length of game
NHL regular season games are televised in high definition on either NBC, NBCSN, NHL Network, or ESPN+. Regional blackouts may apply.
NHL games are 90 minutes long, plus commercials. If the game is tied at the end of regulation time, a five-minute sudden-death overtime period is played. If the game is still tied after overtime, a shootout is used to determine the winner.
Number of commercials
NHL regular season games are three hours long, but the game itself is only about two hours. The other hour is made up of commercials, intermission, and other stoppages of play.
There are three 20-minute intermissions during an NHL game, and each team is given a two-minute break between the second and third periods. There are also commercial breaks after the first and second periods, as well as during every intermission. In total, there are about 60 minutes of commercials during an NHL game.
NHL Playoff Games
The National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament among 16 teams in the NHL, held after the conclusion of the NHL regular season. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded to the playoff champion at the end of the playoffs.
Length of game
NHL game broadcasts on TV typically last around 2.5 hours, give or take a few minutes depending on commercials and the length of intermission. That’s just an average, though—games can run shorter or longer than that, especially if they go into overtime.
The average length of an NHL game has been slowly creeping up over the years. In the 1980s, games averaged around two hours and 20 minutes. By the early 2000s, they were averaging closer to two hours and 40 minutes. And according to NHL.com, the average game time for the 2017-2018 season was two hours and 50 minutes—the longest it’s ever been.
Number of commercials
NHL games are broken up into three 20-minute periods with intermissions after the first and second periods. There are a total of 60 minutes of playing time in an NHL game. While the average fan may not care about how long commercial breaks are, it’s still a valid question.
According to How Long Are They, commercials take up about 15 minutes of an NHL broadcast. That leaves 45 minutes of actual game time, which is about 75% of the broadcast. That said, the NHL does have more commercials than other sports leagues like the NBA and MLB.
Commercials vary depending on the broadcaster. NBC airs fewer commercials than other networks like CBC, TSN, and ESPN. In Canada, CBC airs about 3 to 4 minutes of commercials per intermission while TSN airs closer to 5 minutes. In the United States, NBC airs between 2 to 3 minutes of commercials per intermission while ESPN airs closer to 4 minutes.
NHL All-Star Game
The 2020 NHL All-Star Game will be played on Saturday, January 25 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC in St. Louis. This year’s game will feature a skills competition and three-on-three tournament.
Length of game
NHL All-Star Games are typically about 2.5 hours long, including commercials. If you’re lucky, you might find a game that’s only 2 hours long!
Number of commercials
NHL All-Star Game broadcasts on NBC average about 2 hours and 20 minutes of game action, but when you factor in timeouts, intermissions, and commercials, the broadcast is closer to 3 hours. That’s still 20 minutes shorter than the average NFL game broadcast.
