ESPN+ is planning 5 unique alternate telecasts often called “the OviCast” as viewers observe the Alex Ovechkin’s chase of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL objectives file.
The primary particular stream is Thursday evening as Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals face the Minnesota Wild. Further video games with the additional telecast can be on April 10, 12, 15 and 17, because the common season winds to a detailed.
Conventional broadcasts of those self same video games can be obtainable throughout Disney platforms, with the April 12 matchup between the Capitals and the Columbus Blue Jackets slated to air on ABC.
Ovechkin, whose nicknames embody “Ovi” (thus the identify of the stream), entered Thursday with 889 profession objectives, needing 5 to tie Gretzky and 6 to turn into the all-time chief.
Whereas alternate telecasts are more and more customary (and ESPN has led the way in which, with its “Mannigcast” shows of Monday Evening Soccer) the “OviCast” is a big step towards a extra specialised viewing expertise. They’ll function an remoted digicam on Ovechkin in a single field with details about his pursuit of the file beneath. The standard recreation feed will seem in a second field, together with Ovechkin’s recreation stats.
Ovechkin, 39, has led the Capitals on many deep playoff runs, delivering long-suffering followers the workforce’s first Stanley Cup in 2018. His pursuit of Gretzky has captured the eye of many informal hockey followers, serving to with tune-in for the NHL. The star has confirmed remarkably sturdy. On this, his twentieth season, he’s among the many league’s main purpose scorers.
When Gretzky retired in 1999, his profession complete of 894 was 93 greater than every other participant in historical past. It lengthy appeared to many within the sport just like the mark would by no means be equaled.
ESPN+ had 24.9 million subscribers as of the tip of Disney’s most up-to-date quarter. Its future as a stand-alone service is unsure given ESPN’s high-profile initiative to launch a flagship streaming service, which can embody linear community programming, by the autumn.
