I remember watching a good NHL game featuring Detroit on a Sunday afternoon. Game went into overtime. NBC had to go to its golf programming, so never saw the end....
Hockey is really lucky that Ed Snider and Comcast bought NBC. Or else they would have never got a National TV contract. All these moves, for Vegas, Seattle and Houston are in the efforts of obtaining another. And frankly the NHL has not bargaining power. NBA, College basketball, NASCAR, golf all trump the NHL. Only a matter of time that with all the Mexicans getting in ahead of the wall, that MLS does too. NBC does not even touch hockey, until the NFL season is over.
Hockey is still a novelty sport outside out the stronghold of the northern U.S., where it is engrained, and the Eastern seaboard up to Washington now. With some traction on the West Coast.
But hardly the material of a national sport. Give Bettman credit though, he keeps increasing revenues. And the value of his franchises. Though really the bottom could fall out anytime, if the cap or revenue sharing ever took a hit.
