ESPN doesn't pick up its option

[Doc Holliday]

...looks like the ESPN broadcast is another casualty of these very well conducted CBA negotiations. 60 millions less to share boyz...

www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2005/05/27/Sports/espn_nhl050527.html

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

However, ESPN may simply have declined its option in order to negotiate a more favourable deal for itself with the NHL whenever the labour situation is resolved.

Gee, I though this one was pretty favourable.

This development also allows the NHL to negotiate the rights with another U.S. cable network.

OK, I'm stumped—name one.

[seventeen]

News Release from NHLPA - Oh good, an opportunity to raise $120MM.

[mic]

No money, no players. Ready to see Traverse in a Habs uniform again ? The owners should begin to think what comes after the lockout.

[Habit]

NHL.com is part of the ESPN.com network. Does the TV deal affect the whole web operations?

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Bettman once said that in order to land a major US television deal the league would have to expand into more US-based cities. They stopped at 24 US cities and the deal never materialized. It was a gamble that didn't pay off.

And now not only do they not have the deal, they're losing a media sports giant in the process. Why? Because, some owners were signing players to whatever they demanded and those same players are now saying, "I-me-my-more!"

I thought this lockout was to help save the game.

Hmpf!

[rhabdo]

ESPN didn't need much arm twisting to drop the NHL.

[HFTO]

Obviously this is not a done deal,but you'd think that for the negotiations the league will press the ceiling that much lower.
HFTO

[Habsinthe]

rhabdo said:

ESPN didn't need much arm twisting to drop the NHL.

No, they didn't.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

hfto said:

Obviously this is not a done deal,but you'd think that for the negotiations the league will press the ceiling that much lower.
HFTO

Could also be a ploy by ESPN perhaps. There's nothing stopping the NHL going to another network, but they're going to need takers.

Once there are no takers, I'm wondering if ESPN will entertain bringing the NHL back to their network, but at a substantially lower cost.

Even if this isn't the agenda and NBC picks up the options for '07 and '08, the game continues to lose ground in the US.

Cheers.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

disgruntled70shab said:

hfto said:

Obviously this is not a done deal,but you'd think that for the negotiations the league will press the ceiling that much lower.
HFTO

Could also be a ploy by ESPN perhaps. There's nothing stopping the NHL going to another network, but they're going to need takers.

Once there are no takers, I'm wondering if ESPN will entertain bringing the NHL back to their network, but at a substantially lower cost.

I wouldn't bet on it:

ESPN announced that it would not pick up its $60 million option under the previous contract, but tried to retain the rights for less money.

The New York Times reported that Mark Shapiro, ESPN's executive president for programming and production, said Bettman "was uncomfortable cutting the rights fees to anything below $60 million.''

The Times reported that NHL spokesman Frank Brown confirmed that the league wasn't satisfied with the negotiations.

"When the now-expired contract was negotiated, the $60 million option price tag took a work stoppage — potentially a long-term work stoppage — into consideration," Brown said. "We have no interest in further devaluing the product.''

Even if this isn't the agenda and NBC picks up the options for '07 and '08, the game continues to lose ground in the US.

Cheers.

NBC is signed up for 7 regular season games and some playoff games. They will only forward money to the NHL if they make a profit—no cash advance. Sweet deal, eh?

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

We interrupt this broadcast of the Stanley Cup finals to bring you the opening round of "Fear Factor", Gary Bettman gets buried in a coffin with scorpions.



I'd watch that!

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

One area where the NHL lags miles behind the NFL, the NBA and Major League Baseball is in television revenue. Those three sports have gotten billions of national TV dollars. The NHL has gotten only tip money by comparison.

In May 2004, NBC agreed to a deal with the NHL, but it wouldn't pay a rights fee, instead deciding to share revenue.

ESPN had reportedly agreed to pay the league $60 million for the 2004-05 season before it failed to materialize. Then it chose not to exercise a $70 million-per-year option on the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. There is still a chance that it could televise games, but not if Snider has his say.

"We will have another cable network other than ESPN," Snider said. "ESPN, in the last few years, didn't do a good job for hockey and, quite frankly, I'm glad they are gone. They tried to take advantage of us, and I'm predicting we will go in another direction."

In response to that, ESPN spokeswoman Diane Lamb said: "No one has done more to promote and market the NHL than ESPN, and it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise."

- www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/hockey/12150208.htm

Way to torch that bridge, Ed.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

A lot of you have asked about the streaming of online video of AHL games, so this should come as very good news. The American Hockey League announced recently a multi-year partnership with B2 Networks to offer fans around the world the opportunity to watch AHL regular-season and Calder Cup Playoff games on B2 Networks' broadband broadcasting network.

All 1,080 games (plus playoffs) played in the AHL during the league's upcoming 2005-06 season are scheduled to be available worldwide for just $6 (US) per game. Fans will be able to watch the action while listening to their own team's audio on the live broadcasts. Any fan worldwide with a high-speed cable modem, T1 or DSL broadband connection and Windows Media Player 9 or higher will be able to view the games through the links to be provided on the official Web sites of the American Hockey League (theahl.com) and all 27 of its member teams.

The AHL and B2 Networks teamed to broadcast 48 contests from five AHL cities via the broadband broadcasting company's state-of-the-art network during the 2004-05 regular season and the 2005 Calder Cup Playoffs.

- oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3195599

*

Fans and media members will again be able to enjoy true real time game scoring in the CHL this season through the use of Pointstreak at www.centralhockeyleague.com , while high speed internet users will have the ability to view and listen live to roughly 60 percent of the CHL’s schedule on CHLtv.com. A full schedule of the pay per view service, utilizing live video streaming feeds from across CHL arenas, will be available on www.chltv.com prior to the start of the season.

- www.centralhockeyleague.com/news/?id=6345

*

Ontario Hockey League launches OHL Live Stream
Created: Mar 11, 2005

The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Interactive Netcasting Systems Inc. (INSINC) today announced plans to deliver over 2,000 OHL hockey games via the Internet. The program, to be developed over a three year term, will result in OHL games being broadcast live on a pay-per-view (PPV) broadband basis.

Click Here to visit the OHL Live Stream Broadcasts

The webcasting initiative starts this weekend and will continue throughout the rest of the regular season with free webcasts of the final games of the 2005 OHL playoff drive. OHL playoff games will be available on a PPV basis for $8.95 per game. A variety of viewing packages will be made available to fans prior to the start of the 2005-2006 season.

INSINC, a pioneer in the delivery of streaming media, is delighted to partner with the OHL to develop what will be the most extensive, searchable database of highlight hockey clips available to date over the Internet.

“This is a lot more than just delivering live, broadband content over the Internet, states INSINC President and CEO, Hugh Dobbie. “This program will deliver valuable highlight content to fans, scouts, players and coaches who either missed a game or would like to review game clips for both strategic and entertainment purposes.

“With the tremendous growth of the Internet, and over 60% over Canadian Internet connections now broadband, we believe this to be the ideal way for the OHL to reach out and bring more value to our fans, said OHL Commissioner David Branch. This program gives our fans, as well as the family and friends of our players the opportunity to watch practically all of our games live on the Internet. It also provides the opportunity to use this program for pre-scouting purposes and as a development tool for our players and officials.

Webcasts for all teams will be made available from the OHL website located at www.ontariohockeyleague.com.

Approximately 60% of the games will be broadcast quality feeds picked up from regional OHL broadcasts on Rogers Television, Cogeco Cable and select U.S. broadcasters, The balance of the games will be provided using a special “scout feed that will combine visuals from the press box camera and the live audio from the team radio broadcast.

- www.ontariohockeyleague.com/news/?id=1190

[NWTHabsFan]

So, the lockout year showcased other great hockey to the NHL-starved masses. In response, other leagues all continue to build on that momentum, while the league wallowing in the mud can't quite seem to get it started quite yet. Fire the PR and marketing guys, or have they hired them back yet?!?!

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

The minor and junior leagues are riding the wave of 21st century broadcasting technology, and are creating revenue generation opportunities in the process.

The NHL will be available on select radio networks in the USA.

[franko]

mrbozo said:

The NHL will be available on select radio networks in the USA.

And will in all likelihood be ignored.

[franko]

however . . .

Comcast may bid to televise NHL
Sources say the cable company is preparing an offer for the league's national TV contract for 2005-06.
By Tim Panaccio
[Philadelphia] Inquirer Staff Writer

When Comcast Corp. named former Fox cable guru Jeff Shell as president of programming in February, the idea was to expand the company's national portfolio in a big way.

He might just do that with the NHL.

According to sources inside and outside the company, Comcast is preparing an offer to televise NHL games for the 2005-06 season.

Comcast has not made a formal proposal to the league, but the company has informed officials that it intends to become a major player in the bidding rights.

"Talks haven't reached a price figure, but there is definite interest there on Comcast's part," one source said.

In April, ESPN chose not to exercise its $70 million option to televise the NHL for 2005-06 and 2006-07. Some confusion remains about whether ESPN still retains those rights.

The NHL has a two-year agreement with NBC to televise games when play resumes this fall. In Canada, the league has deals with the CBC and the Sports Network.

The league's previous five-year TV deal with ABC and ESPN was worth $600 million. Because of the lockout and canceled season, media observers don't foresee a deal approaching that figure in the league's immediate future.

Comcast spokesman Tim Fitzpatrick declined to comment on the company's interest in the NHL yesterday, and Shell could not be reached.

"The Comcast networks are always interested in compelling new content, including sports," Fitzpatrick said. "But our policy is not to comment on programming rumors or speculation."

Locally, Comcast, which owns the Flyers and 76ers, televises both teams, as well as the Phillies, on its cable channel.

To facilitate national telecasts in areas where Comcast does not have a presence, it would have two choices: Create a new national network or use one of its other networks - E! or Style or Outdoor Life, among others - to telecast games. Because the discussions are in the preliminary stages, the source said, Comcast has not decided which avenue it would pursue.

"It's not something we can talk about right now, at this stage," said Jack Williams, president of Comcast's regional sports television.

Flyers chairman Ed Snider also would not confirm that Comcast is a major player in the league's next national TV contract but said he hopes Comcast gets its foot in the door.

"We have to wait and see how it all plays out," Snider said. "I am not going to comment on it. There are other cable providers out there. There are over 200 channels. ESPN does not have a lock on everything.

"The bottom line is, obviously, there are all kinds of networks out there. There is Spike, which is men's programming. They all need programming.

"I don't think Comcast is any different. That doesn't mean any one is going to step up to the plate and do what the league needs, but I hope they do."

In its failed bid to acquire Disney last year, Comcast reportedly decided to increase its programming reach on a national level. Delivering NHL hockey would be a major step in achieving that goal.

"[Comcast chief executive officer] Brian Roberts is the smartest guy in this whole industry, the way he has quietly put together a sports behemoth. The only question is, where does he want to take it?" said Marc Ganis, president of Sportscorp, a Chicago sports media consultancy, in an interview earlier this year. "He could start a new national sports channel and be in a quarter of the cable homes in the country right off the bat."

The company's latest figures, from March, show that Comcast cable reaches more than 21.5 million homes.

[BadCompany]

Hmmm... Sydney Crosby a Flyer?

(Wouldn't that be some sort of conflict of interest, the owner of a team holding all National TV rights?)

[roke]

Doesn't Disney own ABC and ESPN? If so I don't think it'd be a conflict of interest since they did own the Ducks.

[BadCompany]

Good point.

Course, who really cares about the Ducks?

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

Unconfirmed rumor!
ESPN told Bettman that the $60M broadcast rights would be capped at $21.5M to $39M depending on 56% of advertising revenue.
Immediate 24% cut in pay with 15% deposited in an escrow account to be dispursed at the end of the year.
Take it or leave it.
No response from Bettman.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

nwthabsfan said:

So, the lockout year showcased other great hockey to the NHL-starved masses. In response, other leagues all continue to build on that momentum, while the league wallowing in the mud can't quite seem to get it started quite yet. Fire the PR and marketing guys, or have they hired them back yet?!?!

Updated: July 13, 2005, 9:26 PM ET

NHL bungles big news

By Scott Burnside

Special to ESPN.com

That's it?

The NHL and its players spent 301 long, bloody, locked-out days hammering out a new collective bargaining agreement, driving the game to the brink of irrelevance in the process. Then they reach a tentative deal the day after the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, one of the only dead days on the North American sporting schedule, a day in which they would be ensured of top billing in newspapers and sportscasts across America, and all the league can come up with is a 10-line press release? And trust us, some of those lines were short. The players' association was even more succinct, sending out a six-line missive.

Yes there's a tentative deal. We'll get back to you in about a week when we ratify. Until then, get lost.

"The operative word is tentative," explained Bernadette Mansur, vice president of communications for the league, when asked about the strategy for announcing the new deal. "Why would we discuss something that is not yet ratified by the PA or the league?"

Fair enough. And had the league not burned itself to the ground in pursuit of said deal, we might be more inclined to agree. But it did.

What's that old saying about only getting one chance to make a first impression? We're pretty sure they didn't mean putting out a press release, then taking a nap. Where are the marketing people who are supposed to be helping the league revive interest in the game?

- sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?id=2107129

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

badcompany said:

Course, who really cares about the Ducks?

Ed Snider apparently couldn't give a flying duck.

mrbozo said:

"We will have another cable network other than ESPN," Snider said. "ESPN, in the last few years, didn't do a good job for hockey and, quite frankly, I'm glad they are gone. They tried to take advantage of us, and I'm predicting we will go in another direction."

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Updated: July 19, 2005, 1:06 PM ET

Don't quit spreading the gospel of hockey

By Terry Frei
Special to ESPN.com

In April, while on a book-promotion trip made possible because Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow had twiddled their thumbs and thumbed their noses at NHL fans, I detoured from media and bookstore appearances to speak to a fifth- and sixth-grade class at Blessed Sacrament School in Madison, Wis.

When Father Pat Norris opened the floor to questions, they came in quick succession. And were they about books or writing? Nope. First question: "When's the NHL coming back?"

And then, all from different kids: "Do you know Joe Sakic?" "Peter Forsberg?" "Steve Yzerman?"

Yes, the Wisconsin Badgers' home arena was within walking distance, and the sport always has been almost as big a deal in Madison as Plaza Burgers and State Street Brats, but I still was surprised. It turned out that more than one of the students was a rink rat, and the hockey interest in the class largely crossed all the aisles.

Interestingly, though, these kids were within driving distance of Chicago, but because they had limited opportunities to see the Blackhawks on television [Bill Wirtz refuses to allow local TV broadcasts of Blackhawk games - M. B-E], they weren't asking about Jocelyn Thibault.

- tinyurl.com/bz2aj

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Vell, vell, vell (now vee haf ein schpring):

NHL Talking to Four Contenders For Cable Rights
July 19, 2005
By John Consoli

The National Hockey League is talking to four parties interested in the cable TV telecast rights--ESPN, Comcast, Turner and Viacom's Spike TV, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

ESPN exercised its option to drop the final year of its rights following the end of this past canceled NHL season. ESPN was paying $70 million per season for the rights. With the expected ratification of the new players' collective bargaining agreement this week, the next season is on schedule, and now the cable rights talks have heated up.

Sources close to the talks said they are just in the preliminary stages and there is no deadline for reaching a new TV rights agreement. The NHL has a deal already in place for next season for the broadcast TV rights with NBC, but that is a revenue/expense share deal, in which the NHL does not just get rights money.

ESPN. although it exercised its option not to renew its rights deal, is still interested, but reportedly wants to pay less than the $70 million per year it paid under the old deal, or even to do a revenue/expense sharing deal similar to the NBC deal. But the NHL is not eager to do that type of pact for the cable rights, which include many more games on various nights than the broadcast deal, which includes just games on Saturday afternoons.

No one from the NHL would comment, nor would Comcast officials. Turner execs have said the network would be interested in NHL TV rights at what they consider to be a fair value price, as have ESPN officials. Spike TV execs could not be reached for comment.

Sources familiar with the discussions said that the NHL, if it cannot get what it believes to be fair value for the deal, would be willing to start the season without a national TV rights cable deal in place, relying instead on its regional cable telecast system. One source said the NHL "is not interested in doing a deal that minimizes the value" of the league and its game telecasts.

If Comcast gets the rights, it can air games either on its Outdoor Life Network. Or, it can create a new sports network. While Comcast officials would not comment, it has been rumoured that Comcast is planning to do just that, starting a new network where it can also telecast Thursday/Saturday night NFL games if it can do a deal for that package.

Comcast presently televises the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers games on its local cable system in that market.

- www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000981280

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Posted 7/19/2005 10:51 PM Updated 7/19/2005 10:52 PM

NHL, in search of cable deal, draws interest from many outlets

As the NHL seems ready to play games again, it has no national U.S. cable TV deal. An idea: Put games, with players and coaches miked live, on ad-free HBO, where anything goes with on-air expletives.

"That's intriguing," HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg says. "The only issues would be how much (money) they'd want and the games' significance. I'm not sure regular-season games would have the heat we'd need. But if they gave us an open book, we'd fill the pages."

Don't laugh. The NHL, which got microscopic national U.S. TV ratings before it shut down, needs TV for more than money. It needs TV to climb out of its hole.

- www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2005-07-19-hiestand-nhl_x.htm