Predators parody SNL sketch while unveiling extended 2026-27 schedule

The Nashville Predators are leaning into the humor surrounding their brand identity. On July 16, the hockey club debuted a three-minute marketing video to promote the 2026-27 regular season schedule, directly lampooning a Comcast Corporation-owned *Saturday Night Live* sketch that previously mocked the team.

Marketed as a “channel-flipping” simulation, the video’s opening segment recreates the infamous “Predators in your community” bit. The original NBC sketch, which aired in November and poked fun at the team’s name, featured a character awkwardly declaring his role as a “Predator.” In the new team-produced video, a director introduces “a new batch of lines” that are supposedly inoffensive, only for a player to start saying, “Kids love nothing more than seeing Pre—” before abruptly walking off the set.

Beyond the SNL callback, the creative spot highlights key dates on the upcoming calendar. It includes a cooking segment featuring a deconstructed hot dog to announce matchups against the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 3 and April 1, and a home-relocation show featuring “The Star Family” to tease games against the Dallas Stars on Oct. 3 and April 10. A mockumentary style clip, reminiscent of *Storage Wars*, features a fan disappointed by a “Vegas Golden Knights 2026 Stanley Cup Champion” shirt to promote games against the Golden Knights on Oct. 13 and Jan. 26.

The release coincides with the league-wide announcement of the schedule framework. Notably, the upcoming season will feature an 84-game slate for all teams, an increase from the 82-game format used in previous years. The team also utilized the video to showcase mock merchandise, including a fragrance called “Vange by Vange” promoted by winger Luke Evangelista.

What to watch

• The NHL schedule expansion to 84 games may impact revenue and broadcast inventory for the league and its media partners.
• The Predators’ engagement metrics on social media following this high-production video release.

Source: original release