go kim johnsson said:
They're about to lose WWE which is their main cash cow. They might bring over Smackdown, but I don't think it will happen. Vince McMahon is about ready to move back to USA.
I know everyone wants the NHL to go to Spike, but I don't understand why the NHL fits into Spike's plan. TNT, fine. FX, maybe, UPN you have a chance. TBS, doubt it. I don't think the NHL fits on a station that includes Slamball, Ride with the Funkmaster, and Mythbusters.
Someone tell me who is going to be lining up for the NHL's services...
Spike could care less about losing WWE. They're perfectly happy to build around the UFC reality show, and they're going to start airing old UFC matches. They also spent millions on the CSI syndication rights. Even though WWE does big ratings for them, and puts them in the top 2 or 3 rated cable networks, Spike was paying them about 500K a week based on a deal signed 5 years ago, when wrestling was on fire. It was doing ratings in the 5's and 6's, now its in the 3's. And wrestling has never, and will never be able to get ad rates that reflect their ratings because their average viewers have the lowest per capita income of anything on TV.
There's no chance of Spike bringing over Smackdown, first, its under contract to UPN until Spetember 2006, and even if they wanted to, the new USA deal would prevent it because of exclusivity.
TNT or TBS won't go for the NHL. Maybe if AOL still owned the thrashers there'd be a chance, but not now. Their sports money is going to go to the NBA and the Braves.
FX might have some interest, but it'd be a very small rights fee and they're a weaker network than Spike.
Fox Sports obviously would have interest, but its not feasible to do a national deal with them.
USA just spent alot of money getting the WWE rights, and they already televise golf which carries a high rights fee. I doubt they'd have much interest.
There's really nowhere else to go, unless the NHL starts paying for TV time, like an infomercial. That's something I joked about a few months ago, but nothing would suprise me anymore.