The ESPN broadcast table at the venue for the 2024 Stanley Cup Final left a lot to be desired.
Since the Stanley Cup Final was moved to Edmonton, hockey fans noticed a change in ESPN’s pregame and intermission broadcast. Instead of a large ESPN-branded desk where analysts Steve Levy, Mark Messier, PK Subban and Emily Kaplan sat, they sat tightly packed at a plain gray desk that looked like it came straight from an IKEA warehouse.
The change drew so much attention that comparisons were immediately made to ESPN’s plush NBA Finals desk for this year, which comfortably sat six hosts behind it.
I am afraid that the budget of the ESPN table is very unbalanced pic.twitter.com/R0AWuvzwRh
—Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) June 15, 2024
So what’s up? Did ESPN skimp on their desk for the Stanley Cup Final after an excellent performance in Florida? Good, according Reception sports, ESPN changed desks because they liked the view that spot in the arena offered, but it had space limitations. As such, ESPN had to purchase a desk from a local furniture store to fit the space.
Still, NHL fans couldn’t help but make IKEA jokes about ESPN’s small broadcast desk.
NHL Fans Made IKEA Comparisons Over ESPN Stanley Cup Final Broadcast Table
Does ESPN use a Wayfair table for their analyst desk? pic.twitter.com/svoPcFn5Mw
– Annie O’D☘️ (@sweetannieod) June 14, 2024
Did ESPN spend $49.99 on a desk? pic.twitter.com/MSWbkkFMxW
– World Hockey Report (@worldhockeyrpt) June 14, 2024
I think I saw that ESPN desk at HomeGoods.
-Shawn Ferris (@shawnferris98) June 16, 2024
https://t.co/X3aI5FrZkg pic.twitter.com/OXVDKFaEfK
-Ava (@avatarrant) June 16, 2024
ESPN turned to IKEA to buy a desk for this Stanley Cup Final coverage
— ☃️ (@shawist) June 16, 2024
That NBA desk probably cost ESPN $20,000 to $30,000, while the NHL desk was borrowed from an office room. https://t.co/JsMvQNhlC7
-JM =^) (@JM539581) June 16, 2024
Who ran to IKEA in Edmonton for that bad boy? https://t.co/S8G0MBxoIq
—Andrew Knoll (@AndrewKnollNHL) June 15, 2024