The weeks leading up to the NHL’s annual Winter Classic just got a lot less entertaining.
Greg Brady of the Fan 590 in Toronto, reported Thursday that HBO will not be producing the popular “24/7: Road to the Winter Classic” television series.
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The Washington Capitals will host the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationals Park for this year’s edition of the New Year’s Day game, which features some personalities that would have made this year’s series appointment television. But Alexander Ovechkin and Patrick Kane might still receive some screen time, as Brady reports that the NHL Network might try to put something together since HBO has walked.
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The Caps would have been no stranger to the show, either, as they were featured on the first year of the behind-the-scenes television series in 2011 when they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 at Heinz Field.
UPDATE (5 p.m ET) — An HBO spokesperson confirmed via The Canadian Press that the network will not be producing “24/7” in 2015.
“Everybody at HBO enjoyed working with the NHL and its teams on 24/7 the past four years,” Kevin Flaherty wrote in an e-mail. “There was never an expectation that HBO would chronicle the lead-up to the Winter Classic every year. So we will not be involved with the NHL this season.”
Flaherty did add that the NHL will be finding a new network partner to produce a Winter Classic all-access show and will announce those plans Sept. 23 at Nationals Park, the 2015 Winter Classic venue.
Thumbnail photo via USA TODAY Sports Images/Rick Osentoski
