ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon has angered hockey fans after making a statement on live TV. Claiming that people who live in Texas and like hockey are “not fans of real sports,” he is now facing backlash from the hockey community.
The Stanley Cup Finals are right around the corner, with Game One being played on Wednesday night in Edmonton. The Oilers are looking to take revenge on the Florida Panthers after last year’s Game Seven defeat. But right now, hockey fans are fuming over remarks made by the ESPN reporter.
Tim MacMahon is facing backlash
Tim MacMahon sparked outrage after making a controversial statement on live television.
“Texas folk who are hockey fans — it’s because they don’t know anything about real sports. They don’t know crap about football, they don’t know crap about basketball, they don’t know crap about baseball,” MacMahon said. He is now facing significant backlash.
Fans response
Ironically, ESPN holds the streaming rights for the NHL through the 2027–2028 season — something fans are now pointing out.
“Imagine airing this as the rights holder for the sport. How can they constantly whine about ratings and simultaneously air a dude going ‘hockey sucks and their fans are dumb’? Great move, ESPN,” one fan wrote on Reddit.
This is not the first time Tim MacMahon has been criticized. In 2016, the Dallas Mavericks’ owner revoked his media credentials.
Game 1 is played on Wednesday, in Edmonton. You can watch the clip below.
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