The Florida Panthers play in the NHL — not the NFL. If you’re reading this, chances are that you already knew that. But whoever put the graphics together for KABC in Los Angeles needed a reminder on Saturday night.
Florida defeated the Edmonton Oilers 3-0 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in a game that was televised in the United States on ABC. Just before KABC 7 in Los Angeles went to game coverage, its local news broadcast showed a graphic to get fans ready.
On the left side of the graphic was the logo for the Edmonton Oilers. The middle of the graphic compared the stats of the two teams. Naturally, the right side of the graphic displayed the logo of the Panthers — the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.
KABC in Los Angeles was getting viewers ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and — Carolina Panthers? pic.twitter.com/asevhg8ZmC
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 9, 2024
This is something of a risk any time you’re dealing with a team that shares a name with another professional sports team. We saw SportsCenter refer to the Panthers as “Carolina” in a graphic during their series against the New York Rangers.
The New York Rangers defeated the Carolina Panthers tonight, according to this ESPN graphic.
(h/t: @bradyacouto) pic.twitter.com/QcAqOhpXS8
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 25, 2024
And if the NFL Panthers’ logo was just a Panther, this would be funny. What takes this to another level is that the NFL’s team’s logo features not just a Panther but also the words, “Carolina Panthers.”
Fortunately they knew enough to realize that it was the Edmonton Oilers, not the Houston Oilers, facing off with the Panthers. Though, this series does have at least three more games remaining.
[Photo Credit: KABC]