NHL TV Rights Battle - Expires at end of next season

[cross16]

Interesting article here that outlines that ESPN appears to want back into the NHL and there could end up being a bit of a battle for the NHL's US TV rights that are due at the end of the next season. 

 

Would certaintly be welcome news to the NHL who is going to need all the revenue they can and would also make sense to leverage different outlets to try and both maximize dollars but also coverage. 

 

https://frontofficesports.com/nhl-media-rights-espn-nbc-sports-bidding/

[Heartbreaker]

Interesting article today in the Globe and Mail about blackouts. 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/article-blackout-rules-make-watching-hockey-in-canada-confusing-frustrating/

 

The Reddit thread echos a lot of the frustration as well: 

Love. 

 

[The_People1]

46 minutes ago, Heartbreaker said:

Interesting article today in the Globe and Mail about blackouts. 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/article-blackout-rules-make-watching-hockey-in-canada-confusing-frustrating/

 

The Reddit thread echos a lot of the frustration as well: 

Love. 

 

 

If they show home games on TV, then fans might choose to stay home and watch instead of paying to go watch live.  

[Heartbreaker]

3 hours ago, The_People1 said:

If they show home games on TV, then fans might choose to stay home and watch instead of paying to go watch live.  

 

Who can watch live right now?

 

Love.

[cross16]

11 hours ago, The_People1 said:

 

If they show home games on TV, then fans might choose to stay home and watch instead of paying to go watch live.  

Is this really true though?

 

every flames game has been on TV for years and it doesn’t seem to affect their attendance. Chicago blacked out it’s games forever and when they changes course didn’t see a dip in attendance. 
 

I’ve never quite understood the blackout will mean more fans in the stand argument. 

[travel_dude]

The regional restriction on SN and TSN confound me.

You can only watch games depending on what the networks decide (have deals on).

Being a CGY or EDM fan outside the prairies or North is a struggle.

Lucky to see more than a couple games unless national coverage.

This year should have revisited that.

Every game is a rivalry game.

 

[sak22]

The Walt Disney Company, ESPN and National Hockey League Reach Groundbreaking Long-Term Agreement - ESPN Press Room U.S.

 

Quote

Stanley Cup Final, Stanley Cup Playoffs and NHL Regular Season action return to ABC and ESPN networks

Under the new agreement, the NHL’s Stanley Cup Final and Stanley Cup Playoffs action will return to the ABC and ESPN networks – including exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final in four of the seven years of the deal – beginning with the 2021-22 season.

Additionally, in each season of the agreement, ESPN and ABC will have live, exclusive coverage of one Conference Final series and half of all First Round and Second Round games from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Throughout the regular season, 25 games from the NHL schedule will be carried live, exclusively on ABC or ESPN.

Live game coverage, plus studio, surround and original programming plans across all of The Walt Disney Company’s networks and streaming platforms will be announced in the coming months, including a new weekly studio show during the NHL season on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.

A positive first step.

 

As a weird side note the last NHL games for ABC and ESPN were Darryl Sutter coaching the Flames in the 2004 finals.

[cross16]

Be interested to see the $ on this one. Could be really good news for the cap. 

 

Coverage wise that seems like a big win for the NHL. 

 

Edit: Apparently it's $400 million which is double the rumored $200 mill NBC pays. And they have 1 more US TV deal to do. 

 

HUGE revenue win for the NHL. 

 

 

[robrob74]

2 hours ago, cross16 said:

Be interested to see the $ on this one. Could be really good news for the cap. 

 

Coverage wise that seems like a big win for the NHL. 

 

Edit: Apparently it's $400 million which is double the rumored $200 mill NBC pays. And they have 1 more US TV deal to do. 

 

HUGE revenue win for the NHL. 

 

 

 

 

I was listening to the radio, on my way to do a home visit for a family I work with in schools, and they were saying Betman says this barely affects the financials. The cap is going to remain the same for a bit until the players pay back what they owe the league. Apparently it's a lot. So we will be at the same cap hit for the next few years. It probably just evens it out sooner rather than later.

[cross16]

26 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

 

I was listening to the radio, on my way to do a home visit for a family I work with in schools, and they were saying Betman says this barely affects the financials. The cap is going to remain the same for a bit until the players pay back what they owe the league. Apparently it's a lot. So we will be at the same cap hit for the next few years. It probably just evens it out sooner rather than later.

 

Yup exactly. I didn't mean to imply this was going to be a big boost to the cap it's just a real win for the NHL to get such a guaranteed revenue stream. Players have been in escrow for a while so there is a lot of catching up to do but that was also negotiated in the latest CBA. 

 

They already agreed to essentially keep the cap flat the next couple of seasons so this would not have boosted the cap in the short term, but it may keep it from going down any further or provide a boost sooner than we previously thought. Especially given the 7 year term. 

[robrob74]

17 minutes ago, cross16 said:

 

Yup exactly. I didn't mean to imply this was going to be a big boost to the cap it's just a real win for the NHL to get such a guaranteed revenue stream. Players have been in escrow for a while so there is a lot of catching up to do but that was also negotiated in the latest CBA. 

 

They already agreed to essentially keep the cap flat the next couple of seasons so this would not have boosted the cap in the short term, but it may keep it from going down any further or provide a boost sooner than we previously thought. Especially given the 7 year term. 

 

 

It sure sounds like a mess there. When they were talking about it, it sounds like it's really hard to get a game in the States. They say it is easier in Canada, but at the same time I think, is it really? 

 

I think it would be a good idea to do one team one device use streams. If I want to watch the Flames, I can just pay a monthly fee to watch their games. I know a lot of BC people who are fans of the Flyers, or the Red Wings, the Kings, etc and hate the Canucks. I think it would be a good seller. Although, some of them would be happy to get the whole NHL package. Me, I only watch the Flames. But you'd think games would be more accessible in this day and age.  

[sak22]

23 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

 

It sure sounds like a mess there. When they were talking about it, it sounds like it's really hard to get a game in the States. They say it is easier in Canada, but at the same time I think, is it really? 

 

Yes, if all you have in the US is a basic cable package all you really get are the one game a week on starting January on NBC until playoffs and even playoffs are limited, and the coverage for those games has really been limited to Washington, Boston, NYR, Philly, Pitts, Detroit and Chicago.  

[robrob74]

33 minutes ago, sak22 said:

Yes, if all you have in the US is a basic cable package all you really get are the one game a week on starting January on NBC until playoffs and even playoffs are limited, and the coverage for those games has really been limited to Washington, Boston, NYR, Philly, Pitts, Detroit and Chicago.  

 

wow! That’s like how it was when all we saw were Saturday night games. TSN used to show a bunch. But that’s bad if they’re trying to grow the game. 

[cross16]

18 hours ago, robrob74 said:

 

 

It sure sounds like a mess there. When they were talking about it, it sounds like it's really hard to get a game in the States. They say it is easier in Canada, but at the same time I think, is it really? 

 

I think it would be a good idea to do one team one device use streams. If I want to watch the Flames, I can just pay a monthly fee to watch their games. I know a lot of BC people who are fans of the Flyers, or the Red Wings, the Kings, etc and hate the Canucks. I think it would be a good seller. Although, some of them would be happy to get the whole NHL package. Me, I only watch the Flames. But you'd think games would be more accessible in this day and age.  

 

This is cool. AHL did this and I could just purchase the games for the Heat but at the same time it really didn't save me much $. I think they need to package it all to justify the price tag they are asking 

16 hours ago, robrob74 said:

 

wow! That’s like how it was when all we saw were Saturday night games. TSN used to show a bunch. But that’s bad if they’re trying to grow the game. 

 

This is only 1 of 2 US TV deals expected so there are more games coming. 

[sak22]

 

TNT picks up the remaining US deal.  225 mil for 7 years.  A bit of a surprise as it seemed like a major network NBC, Fox or CBS.  Their NBA production is very good, curious to see how they handle the NHL, but over 600 million for the next 7 years is a big win for the league.

[travel_dude]

^^^^^^

Supposedly, the others underbid.  TBS is smart for taking risk on the future.  The game is still under-exposed in the USA, but with big name prospects coming into the game and the potential interest due to the Olympics, the market could grow.  Lots of hipsters and coffee drinkers could expand the viewership as well.