ESPN/ABC Sports pres: Deal still possible

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rekrul

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This isn't even news. ESPN has said since declining the option that they want the NHL in a revenue sharing deal and the league told ESPN to shove it.
 

DevilsFan

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rekrul said:
From the USAToday site

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2005-06-16-hiestand-tv_x.htm


"Spice rack: ESPN passed on a one-year, $60 million extension of its NHL deal. But ESPN/ABC Sports President George Bodenheimer says, "We're still willing to talk to them. There's a drop-dead date, but it's not looming." ...


Contingency in case of a NBA work stoppage or perhaps they try to get the NHL at a high discount?

ESPN would be fools for not taking on the NHL in some capacity. They just would like it to be cheaper than in the past. And it's in the NHL's best interest to have cable exposure in the U.S. . . . they NEED it especially with the relaunch. If they are the "everything sports network" hockey would still be a nice draw on ESPN2. The analysts on there are great. All they need it to increase the coverage (NHL2night), have more media access, and try new cameras and mics everywhere.
 

HockeyCritter

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I’d almost rather the deal fell through and the NHL was forced to use a broadcast network other than ESPN. Maybe that way hockey will get some decent time slots, a regularly scheduled game of the week, and a network that will put a little effort into promoting the sport.
 

HSHS

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As long as it is a short-term deal, then they should have no problem bidding with ESPN in the mix. I believe in a few short years the NHL will be able to get a decent fixed income deal again instead of the revenue sharing one with NBC.

For the reasons stated many times: HDTV, mikes, better product (hopefully)
 

Yus

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Meh, almost all NHL games are shown on ESPN2, and I don't even know of a single cable or satelite provider that carries ESPN2HD.
 

RangerBoy

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Maybe the NHL wants NO part of ESPN

Here’s the inside scoop on the ESPN-NHL split. Contrary to most reports, the league wanted no more to do with the network. This goes back a couple of years as Gary Bettman watched ESPN’s treatment of the NHL become shabbier and shabbier. League strategy now centers on several TV options. If nothing else, ESPN showed that it knew how to kick a loyal partner when the NHL was down

http://www.msgnetwork.com/content_n...ticle&sports=ice-hockey&team=other&league=nhl
 

Scoogs

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rekrul said:
Contingency in case of a NBA work stoppage or perhaps they try to get the NHL at a high discount?

Yes yes. I certainly wouldnt wish a lockout on any type of sports fan. It's total BS and it just makes you sad and angry.

But if the NBA does get locked out, we are basically trading positions from this past season. We will get the exposure and hopefully snag alot of fans in the process...
 

DARKSIDE

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The NHL should tell ESPN, thanks, but no thanks. Look for other options that were mentioned before like TNT. Don't go back to those back-stabbers. I know ESPN is a business. And I also thought they were a sports network, so what is it with these dam poker games night after night after night. :shakehead
 

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DARKSIDE said:
The NHL should tell ESPN, thanks, but no thanks. Look for other options that were mentioned before like TNT. Don't go back to those back-stabbers. I know ESPN is a business. And I also thought they were a sports network, so what is it with these dam poker games night after night after night. :shakehead
It's filler, a lot of it during times when they could have been showing hockey.
 

Trizent

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DevilsFan said:
ESPN would be fools for not taking on the NHL in some capacity. They just would like it to be cheaper than in the past. And it's in the NHL's best interest to have cable exposure in the U.S. . . . they NEED it especially with the relaunch. If they are the "everything sports network" hockey would still be a nice draw on ESPN2. The analysts on there are great. All they need it to increase the coverage (NHL2night), have more media access, and try new cameras and mics everywhere.

ESPN announced prior to lockout that NHL2Night was not going to be on ESPN2 anymore. I guess that could change, but 2004-05 wasn't supposed to have it.
 

shOOt_the_mOOn

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DARKSIDE said:
The NHL should tell ESPN, thanks, but no thanks. Look for other options that were mentioned before like TNT. Don't go back to those back-stabbers. I know ESPN is a business. And I also thought they were a sports network, so what is it with these dam poker games night after night after night. :shakehead

I agree. ESPN's coverage of the NHL has always been marginal at best. The NHL can do much better than taking the bargain basement price that ESPN is trying to scoop up.

I hope the NBA does have a lockout. Then ESPN can stick to Football one night a week and fill the rest of their time slots with Poker and Scrabble tournaments.

That'll be sure to increase their ratings. ;)
 

shOOt_the_mOOn

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mooseOAK said:
It's filler, a lot of it during times when they could have been showing hockey.

I'm assuming that you mean that this filler only occured as a result of this lockout. And if that is what you are referring to then I disagree completely.

They missed the boat big time by not covering the world juniors (and their lame attempt at only covering a few games that the US team participated in was a joke), and the World championship in Austia.


They just aren't interested in being a "partner" when it comes to hockey.

They've made their beds.....now let them sleep in them.
 

Dave is a killer

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shOOt_the_mOOn said:
I agree. ESPN's coverage of the NHL has always been marginal at best. The NHL can do much better than taking the bargain basement price that ESPN is trying to scoop up.

I hope the NBA does have a lockout. Then ESPN can stick to Football one night a week and fill the rest of their time slots with Poker and Scrabble tournaments.

That'll be sure to increase their ratings. ;)

Speaking of which ... the show "cheap seats" is showing the 2003 Scrabble Championships tonight ... forget which time :shakehead
 

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DARKSIDE said:
The NHL should tell ESPN, thanks, but no thanks. Look for other options that were mentioned before like TNT. Don't go back to those back-stabbers. I know ESPN is a business. And I also thought they were a sports network, so what is it with these dam poker games night after night after night. :shakehead


I agree. And then have Bettman announce that the NHL is not interested in persuing a deal with ESPN due to their lack of professionalism....

That would make some headlines.

New CBA makes headlines....

Rule changes make headlines....

NBA lockout gets more folks willing to give the NHL a looksee....




Poker is a fad right now that will pass. And Scrabble?? Please.....

The NHL is still a major *sport* with nowhere to go but up. Walk away from ESPN and watch them come crawling back in a coupla years.

Meanwhile, make it look the NHL is the one doing the dumping.
 

borro

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ToeBlake said:
I agree. And then have Bettman announce that the NHL is not interested in persuing a deal with ESPN due to their lack of professionalism....

That would make some headlines.

New CBA makes headlines....

Rule changes make headlines....

NBA lockout gets more folks willing to give the NHL a looksee....




Poker is a fad right now that will pass. And Scrabble?? Please.....

The NHL is still a major *sport* with nowhere to go but up. Walk away from ESPN and watch them come crawling back in a coupla years.

Meanwhile, make it look the NHL is the one doing the dumping.

Scott Van Pelt from ESPN is on a Maryland board I frequent. I toldhim I thought ESPN's apparent "heavyhandedness"sucked. His response was kind of hockey hasn't been missed by many people. My response was he doesn't go to the right places!:] Hockey building an American audience is critical. We don't need gimmicks like a shootout. We need the red line to go away and clamp down on senseless violence. Keep real grit and checking, ditch all the hugging that slows play down.
 

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Terry Frei who moonlights for ESPN.com was on the radio last week and said he believes the NHL will be there next season.
 

GKJ

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if I were the NHL, and all this stuff is true that the NHL wants no part of ESPN (which I find hard to beleive regardless of how they've been treated) I would take back ESPN, but only in a limited role, and make sure there isn't a no-compete clause with other channels. This way the NHL can still go to TNT if both sides are interested in airing games and TNT can be the primary channel. It can work since TNT and ESPN also shared the NBA.
 
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