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Morning Edition

February 18, 2025

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The NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off stole the show from the NBA’s All-Star weekend. As Team USA and Team Canada clashed in front of a roaring Bell Centre crowd and a record-breaking TV audience, the basketball world’s annual festivities faded into the background—highlighting the NBA’s ongoing battle to revive interest in its All-Star events.

— Meredith Turits [[link removed]] and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

NHL 4 Nations Face-Off Steals the Spotlight from NBA All-Star Weekend

David Kirouac-Imagn Images

MONTREAL — It’s rare the NHL can upstage the NBA—especially when hockey has been struggling with ratings during the regular season and special events like the 2025 Winter Classic on New Year’s Eve [[link removed]], which drew record-low viewership. But when Team USA squared off against Team Canada on Saturday night in the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off, NBA All-Star festivities were barely a footnote to the evening.

The new international best-on-best hockey tournament featuring the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and Finland stole the spotlight as an overwhelming reception swept social media—an online buzz as big as the earsplitting roar within Montréal’s Bell Centre.

The enthusiasm was validated by the game’s huge ratings: According to ESPN, the U.S.-Canada game averaged 4.4 million viewers [[link removed]] on ABC, peaking at 5.2 million. It makes the matchup the most-viewed non-Stanley Cup Final hockey broadcast since 2019.

“Real humans are watching NBA skills competition over USA vs Canada and I feel bad for them,” wrote one person on X. [[link removed]] “I didn’t have Gary Bettman outshining Adam Silver on my bingo card this year,” wrote another. [[link removed]]

Even as Mac McClung won his third consecutive Slam Dunk Contest [[link removed]], pro basketball fans made clear that they had their attention elsewhere. “I’m the biggest NBA fan on the planet,” a 4 Nations Face-Off viewer posted on X [[link removed]]during the U.S.-Canada game, “but the difference in buzz vibe and intensity between NBA’s All-Star weekend and the NHL 4 Nations is astronomical.”

The NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off is, as of now, a one-off; the league will return to its normal All-Star Game in 2026 on Long Island, N.Y., at UBS Arena. Despite worries about fan reception for a novel tournament, 4 Nations Face-Off was able to unseat a well-established, Saturday primetime event in a league far bigger than the NHL, which is struggling to grow as fast as it wants.

The massive response to 4 Nations Face-Off shines another stark light on the flagging interest, poor viewership, and years-long struggle [[link removed]] to make the NBA’s All-Star events relevant again. It’s a problem even NBA commissioner Silver has explicitly addressed, and the NHL’s eclipse is one more indication that the league has an All-Star conundrum on its hands.

SPONSORED BY UBS

Crafting a Successful F1 Team With Toto Wolff

The F1 75 Live launch event takes place Tuesday at The O2 in London, where Formula One teams will reveal what’s new for the 2025 season. Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team will celebrate its highly anticipated new driver lineup with George Russell and F1 newcomer Kimi Antonelli as they take to the grid for the Silver Arrows in 2025.

As a proud sponsor of the team, UBS sat down with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team Principal Toto Wolff at the end of the 2024 season to discuss how important it is for the team to stay at the top of its craft ahead of each season.

Hear from Toto [[link removed]] as he shares his hopes for Kimi Antonelli and George Russell this year.

NBA All-Star Game’s New Format Sparks Criticism, Calls for Change [[link removed]]

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The 2025 NBA All-Star Game did not have the nonsense of past years—like tons of halfcourt heaves—but the format brought around a new set of issues and additional questions for the future of the mid-season showcase.

One of the glaring issues was the reduction in the time of actual basketball played. This was partly by design (each game had a target score of 40) as the league hoped a shorter game would bring out a sense of urgency among its players. However, the TV timeouts had to come in after every 10 to 15 points, which limited the flow of the game.

The format also meant that two teams would play just one short game apiece. Players during the first round game between Team Chuck and Team Kenny only played around seven to eight minutes per game—and Rockets star Alperen Sengun played just four minutes before his team was eliminated.

Warriors star Draymond Green, who was not an All-Star but a member of TNT’s studio crew, gave the new format a “zero” out of 10 while citing the lack of basketball played.

“You work all year to be an All-Star and you get to play up to 40, and then you’re done,” Green said.

Another delay occurred during the first timeout of the final game. Comedian Kevin Hart led in recognizing the Inside the NBA crew for its All-Star coverage over the last few decades. (TNT is losing the rights to the All-Star Weekend to NBC starting next season, but Inside the NBA will continue its regular game coverage since TNT agreed a deal with ESPN in November [[link removed]].)

While the celebration had positive intentions, it caused a play stoppage of around 20 minutes in the middle of the championship game. All-Star Jaylen Brown appeared to be caught mouthing “get them out of here” [[link removed]] to the camera during the delay and acknowledged the tribute’s awkward timing after the game.

“That kind of took the gas out of everything for a little bit,” Brown said.

Criticizing the Players

Charles Barkley had a counterargument supporting the league against the criticism from Green and other players about the new All-Star format.

“His generation messed the game up,” Barkley said on the broadcast.

Barkley alluded to how over the last decade or so, stars have devalued the entire All-Star weekend.

It also served as an indirect shot at LeBron James, Green’s friend. James, who was named to a record 21st All-Star Game this year, announced hours before the game that he would not participate due to “foot and ankle discomfort.” He has also refused to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest, while Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, two players who, like James, were the face of the NBA at one point, have both won the event.

More Changes Coming

In an exclusive from FOS media and entertainment reporter Ryan Glasspiegel, there are already growing discussions about changes in the festivities [[link removed]] for next year, which will be played at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

Earlier start time: Moving the game’s start time to 5 p.m. ET (compared to this year’s 8:20 p.m.) to better accommodate East Coast viewers, account for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and potentially address declining ratings [[link removed]]. One-on-one tournament: A proposed $1 million cash prize tournament, which would be similar to the event conducted by women’s basketball league Unrivaled that concluded Friday and had a $350,000 prize pool. Giannis Antetokounmpo said he’d “love to do it.” Team USA vs. Team World: Antetokounmpo suggested the format, but NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed doubts during a press conference in January, calling it an “old-fashioned concept.”

As these ideas gain traction, next year’s event may look very different in hopes of reigniting fan interest.

LOUD AND CLEAR All Complaints

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

“I think it’s more fun to complain about the nba than to actually watch it. Crazy, cancel all star weekend and let’s just give everybody a break since we’re so miserable around this time…”

—Kevin Durant posted on X on Monday [[link removed]], the day after the NBA All-Star weekend wrapped up in the Bay Area. The league instituted a new format this year to try to boost competition during the game, but the change became the lead topic among the commentators on TNT’s broadcast and fans and pundits on social media.

The 15-time All-Star made his first All-Star game in 2010, nearly a decade before the league first made any major changes to the traditional East vs. West format.

EXCLUSIVE

Top ESPN Editor Placed on Leave

Cristina Daglas, an executive editor of ESPN.com, has been placed on administrative leave following undisclosed human resources complaints, according to FOS media and entertainment reporter Ryan Glasspiegel. Daglas, who was ESPN’s first female MLB deputy editor, has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s editorial leadership for more than a decade.

Read more on Glasspiegel’s exclusive here [[link removed]]. For everything you need to know about sports media, subscribe to our Tuned In newsletter [[link removed]], which will arrive in your inbox twice per week.

ONE BIG FIG Sweet 16 for CFP?

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

16

The number of teams the College Football Playoff could expand to as momentum builds within the SEC and Big Ten [[link removed]], according to Yahoo! Sports. The conferences are considering expanding the CFP to 14 or 16 teams, hoping the format—which moved from four to 12 teams this past season—will include automatic qualifiers per league, similar to March Madness.

The CFP changes may reportedly be predicated on a scheduling arrangement the two conferences are finalizing with TV partners that will boost revenue. They could also lead to the SEC finally adding a ninth conference game.

STATUS REPORT Two Up, One Down, One Push

Peter Casey-Imagn Images

William Byron ⬆ The Hendrick Motorsports driver won the Daytona 500 for the second straight year after a wild final lap. While individual payouts are no longer revealed in NASCAR, Byron will win a share of a purse worth $30.3 million, the most in the event’s history.

Jannik Sinner ⬆⬇ The World No. 1 in men’s tennis received a three-month suspension after settling a case with the World Anti-Doping Agency for testing positive for the drug Clostebol last year. Sinner, who avoided a ban of up to two years, will not miss any Grand Slam tournament. Read more [[link removed]] from FOS media and entertainment reporter Ryan Glasspiegel.

Justin Tucker ⬇ Seven more massage therapists have accused the Ravens kicker of sexual misconduct, bringing the total number of accusers to 16 across eight spas across the Baltimore area, according to The Baltimore Banner.

Napheesa Collier ⬆ The professional women’s basketball league Unrivaled cofounder defeated Aaliyah Edwards in the finals of the league’s inaugural 1-on-1 tournament Friday to win a $200,000 cash prize. The prize is nearly as much as her yearly salary in the WNBA [[link removed]] which was $208,219 last season, per Spotrac. Edwards, who was a WNBA rookie last season and made under $73,500 [[link removed]], won $50,000 as the tournament’s runner-up.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS NETWORK

Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould On Saving the Conference and Its Future

The Pac-12 Conference has faced one of the most challenging periods in its history, but what happens next? In this interview, Adam sits down with Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould to discuss the conference’s survival, media rights, expansion, and the future of the Pac-12.

She shares what it was like stepping into leadership during such a critical time, the tough decisions she’s had to make, and her vision for where the Pac-12 will be in the coming years. They also dive into the lessons learned from the conference’s collapse, what it means for college athletics, and how the Pac-12 is positioning itself to compete in the modern era.

Watch the full Next Up episode here [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters Auburn’s Cade Belyeu lost his mother to cancer the morning of the college baseball’s season-opener. He still decided to play—and hit a home run in the sixth inning. Take a look [[link removed]]. A fan beat Bucks star Damian Lillard in a shooting contest at NBA All-Star weekend to win $100,000 from MrBeast. Check it out [[link removed]]. FOS asked Eagles fans at the Super Bowl parade what excuses they gave for skipping work. Watch it here [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks YouTube TV, Paramount Agree on New Deal [[link removed]]by Eric Fisher [[link removed]]The multiyear distribution agreement resolves an increasingly fractious carriage dispute. Mac McClung’s Dunk Contest Winnings Eclipse His NBA Guaranteed Salary [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The three-time dunk contest champion has played just five career NBA games. Inside the Push for the NHL’s Next Era of International Competition [[link removed]]by Meredith Turits [[link removed]]Players have been clamoring, and the league is all in. Question of the Day

What did you watch on TV over the weekend?

NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off [[link removed]] NBA All-Star Game [[link removed]] Daytona 500 [[link removed]] All three [[link removed]] None [[link removed]]

Friday’s result: 38% of respondents said they planned to watch the Daytona 500.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Shows [[link removed]] Written by Meredith Turits [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]]

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