The NHL knew things had to change with its All-Star Game.
Television ratings — not to mention the entertainment value — were bad and getting worse by the year. According to Sports Media Watch, the 2015 All-Star Game on NBCSN had just 1.2 million viewers. The 2012 game had 1.3 million, and the 2011 game had 1.5 million.
By comparison, last year’s NBA All-Star game on TNT drew an average of 7.8 million viewers.
Suddenly, in 2016, the NHL stumbled upon a hit. A 3-on-3 tournament format was introduced with 11 players representing each of the four divisions.