treble 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 NHL agrees to two-year deal with NBC NEW YORK (AP) -- NBC will broadcast NHL games the next two seasons under a revenue-sharing deal, replacing ABC as the league's broadcast partner. The deal, announced Wednesday, will call for NBC to broadcast seven regular-season games beginning in January and six playoff games in regular Saturday afternoon time slots. The network also will televise Games 3-7 of the Stanley Cup finals in prime time. The two-year agreement may be renewed for an additional two years at NBC's option. The deal is subject to approval by the league's board. For NBC, which last did NHL regular-season games 29 years ago, the deal represents a move back into televising major professional team sports. In recent years, the network has focused on events like the Olympics, Triple Crown horse racing and Notre Dame football while competitors had the NFL, NHL, NBA and major league baseball. ``We're acquiring a major, established sport that is rich in tradition,'' said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Sports, ``and we're doing it in a way which fits our strong historical commitment to financially sound deals which offer significant upside for both parties.'' Still, the network is not a neophyte when it comes to hockey. The NHL's first broadcast deal, to air Stanley Cup playoff games, was with NBC in 1966. The NHL also has a cable broadcast deal with ESPN, which the league is trying to renew. NBC also has a revenue-sharing deal with the Arena Football League in which the network paid no rights fee. This is probably the best the league could hope for. They weren't going to make the same amount of money as they did on the ABC deal, but they're getting just as much TV exposure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
converge241 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 spike tv was the frontrunner at one point and would have paid for the rights but that perception problem of the nhl being on that type of network would accelerate its slow death in america Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DerangedHermit 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 Hmmm....I like this... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
starvenger 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 If this means less Barry Melrose, it can't be a bad thing... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DerangedHermit 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 If this means less Barry Melrose, it can't be a bad thing... Barry Melrose scares me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nl5xsk1 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 Good luck getting ESPN to re-up now that they've chosen NBC over ABC. And it's not like they can use Fox Sports as an alternative. Are there any cable channels that are part of the same 'family' as NBC that might play weekly weeknight games? I'd be willing to watch USA or one of the other random cable channels if it meant seeing weekly hockey coverage. Looks like another year of getting the Center Ice package to see more than 13 games next year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 Hey look at that. I could have afforded to buy the rights to the NHL broadcasting. NFL TV rights: Billion Dollars. NHL TV rights: ...um...do you have a station? FREE!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 Does this mean that Hockey will get better, worse, or the same? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted May 19, 2004 I Would have tried to ink a deal with Spike. They have nothing else but wrestling. They would have aired it 2-5 times a week...and I'm sure CBS wouldn't mind picking up the Stanley Cup Finals. I guess the seven regular season game is just a testing period for NBC to learn how to broadcast it. The Hockey season starts Late October right? That means...NBC would use Nascar (which draws 10xs the amount Hockey does) to promote it.(thats a good thing). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 NBC will be better than ABC because outside of Arena Football... NBC doesn't have any other leagues on it. While the NHL was bounced around with the NBA. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 If John Tesh doesn't write the theme song, I'm not interested. But anyway, it'll be odd seeing it on NBC. They're probably thinking "Hey, can't be worse than the XFL." I hope they remain on ESPN though, as Brian Engblom and Darren Pang are good announcers. I like the Panger. I like that Stanley Cup national over-the-air coverage doesn't start until Game 3, that way the games that are shown to the entire audience will be more crucial and thus more exciting. On the other hand it does screw over the team with home ice in a way as the national audience will get more road games. Whatever. It's hard to tell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted May 19, 2004 Once again, It has Nascar which is the #2 sport in America. (speaking in terms of ratings and popularity)...although it only retains the rights to it for 12 races (Fox and NBC/TNT split 18 races apiece, with TNT drawing 6 races)... NBC should also make a serious charge at getting more Golf Tournaments (does it even HAVE a Major?)...and not those low tier ones that none of the top 10 play. Of course the Athens Games will help alot for NBC as do every single Summer/Winter Games do... NBC needs to get smart...It botched it's attempt create a Alternative to the NFL and thus aquired something that is pretty much a niche sport that hasn't grown since getting the exposure (AFL). Sadly...No other sports will help right now...with the exception the one Tennis Major it gets... getting more Tennis wouldn't hurt. Soccer will never catch on and ABC did shit with it, but I couldn't see how airing the playoffs would be a bad idea...Put a SHIT load of money into getting the World Cup...which around the world...means more then the Summer Games(for the most part) NBC helped itself slightly by getting the NHL but it won't do much good...basically allows them to show something other then Gravity Games and other "x" sports that don't draw dick. NHL isn't going to magically get better thanks to a new home...The game still has a crisis and inability to promote stars. Baseball struggled for a while but they finally seem to have gotten out of the "rut" and are getting back to good standings as ratings are up and attendence has improved. Hockey, needs to seriously re-evualute it's problems within the structure of the game itself and how it promotes the sport. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 A little bit more..... Despite a murky labor situation that could result in a lockout, the NHL has reached a revenue-sharing deal that will put regular-season games on NBC for the first time in nearly three decades, and reached an agreement to extend its coverage deal with ESPN. The deal, announced Wednesday, will call for NBC to broadcast seven regular-season games beginning in January and six playoff games in regular Saturday afternoon time slots. The network also will televise Games 3 through 7 of the Stanley Cup finals in prime time. The two-year agreement may be renewed for an additional two years at NBC's option. The deal is subject to approval by the league's board. That setup echoes the current arrangement with ABC, which showed regional telecasts on five regular-season Saturdays and has aired several playoff games. The first two games of this year's Stanley Cup finals will air on ESPN, then ABC will broadcast the remaining games. The NHL's current agreement with ABC Sports and ESPN -- both owned by Disney -- was to expire after this season. That deal had the networks paying $600 million over five years for TV rights, according to Bloomberg. The NHL reached an extension on its cable broadcast deal with ESPN on Wednesday, highlighted by ESPN's exclusive coverage of the first two games of the Stanley Cup finals and the All-Star Game. The deal, which covers the 2004-05 season with ESPN options for the 2005-06 and '06-07 seasons, continues ESPN and ESPN2's exclusive postseason coverage of the conference finals and adds exclusivity for two games from each conference semifinal series. An industry source familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press the first year of the deal would be worth $60 million, with the two optional years being worth $70 million each. "ESPN has been, is now and will continue to be the definitive cable sports viewing destination, and our partnership with ESPN has been an extremely productive one," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. "We are very pleased that the partnership will continue to be one of growth and we greatly appreciate all of ESPN's efforts and support on our behalf." For NBC, the deal represents a move back into televising major professional team sports. In recent years, the network has focused on events such as the Olympics, Triple Crown horse racing and Notre Dame football while competitors locked up deals with the NFL, NHL, NBA and Major League Baseball. "We're acquiring a major, established sport that is rich in tradition," said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Sports, "and we're doing it in a way which fits our strong historical commitment to financially sound deals which offer significant upside for both parties." "We think that this structure makes enormous sense for both sides of the deal," added Ken Schanzer, president of NBC Sports. Still, the network is not a neophyte when it comes to hockey. The NHL's first broadcast deal, to air Stanley Cup playoff games, was with NBC in 1966. The network last broadcast NHL regular-season games 29 years ago. The last NHL game on NBC was the 1994 All-Star Game, according to Bloomberg, which added that the network hasn't shown any of the four major professional team sports since its contract with the NBA expired in June 2002. "This is the right deal at the right time with the right parties," Bettman said. "It's a big win for NBC, which puts the network back on the map as far as the major sports," Sean Badding, a media analyst with market researcher Carmel Group in Monterey, Calif., told Bloomberg on Tuesday. "The NHL isn't the top ticket, but it's up there after football, baseball and basketball." The deal gives NBC its first major sports league presence since allowing its deals to expire with the NFL (1998), Major League Baseball (2000) and NBA (2002) over the past six years. Ebersol has said over and over again that, unlike a cable station that has both subscriber fees and advertising, his network's one revenue stream (advertising) makes it harder to compete for major sports in an era of skyrocketing rights fees. "I believe both sides will do very well, not only in viewing levels, but in profits that both sides will take out of this deal," he said. Under the extension of the league's cable deal, ESPN2 will televise 40 fully exclusive regular-season games on a consistent Sunday-and-Wednesday schedule. "For many years, the NHL has been an important programming element for ESPN and we are thrilled to continue the relationship," George Bodenheimer, President ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports, said in a statement. "The increased exclusivity and addition of the All-Star Game will enhance the already outstanding coverage we provide for our fans and the value we deliver to our affiliates and advertisers." The NHL is bracing for an offseason that will feature labor talks to head off a potential lockout that could disrupt next season after the collective bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15. Bloomberg pointed out that completing contracts with television partners may be an important strategic goal for the league as negotiations with its players association intensify. During the 1998-99 NBA season, which was shortened by a players lockout, NBC made payments to the league even though games were canceled. The NBA returned the money when the labor dispute was settled. NBC also has a revenue-sharing deal with the Arena Football League, renewed Tuesday for two more years, in which the network paid no rights fee. Information from The Associated Press, SportsTicker, Bloomberg and ESPN.com business reporter Darren Rovell was used in this report. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted May 19, 2004 ABC is going to get no ratings for this years Stanley Cup Finals if its Calgary vs Tampa. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted May 20, 2004 San Jose/Tampa gets even worst ratings. It NEEDS Calgary/Phily Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 NBC should also make a serious charge at getting more Golf Tournaments (does it even HAVE a Major?)...and not those low tier ones that none of the top 10 play. NBC has the US Open (aside from the British, the tournament I make sure to watch every year), as well as the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, Players Championship (the so-called fifth major) and Bay Hill Invitational, among others. They're doing all right at golf. Sadly...No other sports will help right now...with the exception the one Tennis Major it gets... getting more Tennis wouldn't hurt. They have two majors -- Wimbledon and the French. ESPN pretty much has the market cornered on the ATP Masters Series and the big WTA events, though. NBC helped itself slightly by getting the NHL but it won't do much good...basically allows them to show something other then Gravity Games and other "x" sports that don't draw dick. It depends on how they market it. NBC could actually give hockey a HUGE boost if they can market it successfully, and could force the NHL pooh-bahs to get their heads out of their asses. I have every reason to expect they would want to do so, given that they have no other major team sports and therefore not as diluted a focus. ABC never seemed interested in hockey, for whatever reason -- maybe due to their focus on football, college and pro, for the first half of the season -- and that was exacerbated when they got basketball. If ABC retained the hockey rights, I would've been shocked and dismayed. NBC could very well be very good for the league. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 Under the extension of the league's cable deal, ESPN2 will televise 40 fully exclusive Detroit Red Wings games on a consistent Sunday-and-Wednesday schedule. edited for accuracy Hey wait, I thought we still weren't sure there's going to BE a 2004-05 season for NBC to televise...wouldn't that suck for them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spaceman Spiff 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 NHL on NBC? Y'know what that means? Peter Puck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
treble 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 I think the deal starts whenever the next hockey season is. If it's 2005, then the 2 years start then. And, hopefully, rather than just go for the big market teams like ABC did who either aren't very good or are boring (Rangers and Devils, for the most part), they actually show games with teams that most people say are exciting (Canucks and Oilers come to mind at first). Show a Colorado/Vancouver or Detroit/Edmonton game, it's not the end of the world and will probably be more exciting than a Rangers/Islanders game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 NBC should also make a serious charge at getting more Golf Tournaments (does it even HAVE a Major?)...and not those low tier ones that none of the top 10 play. NBC has the US Open (aside from the British, the tournament I make sure to watch every year), as well as the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, Players Championship (the so-called fifth major) and Bay Hill Invitational, among others. They're doing all right at golf. They've also got one of the best analyst in any sport Johnny Miller. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nl5xsk1 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 First of all, I have to eat my words. I thought that ESPN would fuck them over for not re-upping with ABC. So, it's good to know that I'll get my semi-weekly coverage of the Wings and Avs. (/sarcasm) Why all American hockey fans don't invest in the hockey package is beyond me. The ESPN coverage sucks, the major network coverage even worse. If you have any inclination to watching great players on the less-than-stellar teams (Nash, Kovalchuk, Iginla {before this postseason}) you need to invest in the package. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 Indeed. I suppose it's one thing if you live in either Detroit or Colorado, as you get to see your team pretty well throughout the season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
starvenger 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 Under the extension of the league's cable deal, ESPN2 will televise 40 fully exclusive Detroit Red Wings games on a consistent Sunday-and-Wednesday schedule. edited for accuracy Heh. Although to be fair they show a lot of Avs and Stars games as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nl5xsk1 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 Indeed. I suppose it's one thing if you live in either Detroit or Colorado, as you get to see your team pretty well throughout the season. Aren't those games blacked out due to local coverage? I know that normally when the Bruins are given an ESPN game (maybe once a year, if that much) that we normally still get the piss-poor NESN coverage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brush with Greatness 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 and six playoff games in regular Saturday afternoon time slots. FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DangerousDamon 0 Report post Posted May 20, 2004 Indeed. I suppose it's one thing if you live in either Detroit or Colorado, as you get to see your team pretty well throughout the season. Aren't those games blacked out due to local coverage? I know that normally when the Bruins are given an ESPN game (maybe once a year, if that much) that we normally still get the piss-poor NESN coverage. yes, they are always blacked out, I don't think that I have seen a non- Stanley Cup Finals game that wasn't blacked out for the Red Wings and sometimes even when they are not blacked out depending on who they play and if its the playoffs, I have watched Wings games on three channels (ABC/FOX/ESPN, local station, and the holy grail of hockey coverage, CBC) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted May 21, 2004 Indeed. I suppose it's one thing if you live in either Detroit or Colorado, as you get to see your team pretty well throughout the season. Aren't those games blacked out due to local coverage? I know that normally when the Bruins are given an ESPN game (maybe once a year, if that much) that we normally still get the piss-poor NESN coverage. Well, my two teams are from Ottawa and Boston, so I haven't gotten blacked out before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
