Breaking News NHL TV Contract

[Egil]

Will they show games on OLN in Canada? It is afiliated with TSN (who owns the Canadian rights), but they might black it out (like WWE on Spike). Anyone know?

 

[Larry Fisher]

OLN as in the Outdoor Life Network that shows all the rodeo action?

Can't say I would have predicted this station acquiring the NHL's rights, but all the power to them. It is standard on Shaw cable packages in Alberta, so that adds another option to my viewing pleasure.

Here's hoping this pans out...wonder who they would bring in for Play-by-Play and Colour and what not???

 

[NJDevils#4]

Damn...I live in Jersey and I get comcast, but OLN doesn't ring a bell. Pretty sure we don't get it. Does anyone know if we will be getting it?

 

[fan mao rong]

Will they show games on OLN in Canada? It is afiliated with TSN (who owns the Canadian rights), but they might black it out (like WWE on Spike). Anyone know?

I don't know they are affiliated wilth TSN. I see the link on TSN's website but TSN is an ESPN offshoot and OLN is a Comcast entity. If there is a conflict with the Canadian rights then one would think the Canadian rights holder will get priority. lt is said one night a week the OLN will have exclusive rights to national broadcast in the states or somesuch . Pinaccio and a collegue have some of the story today (Tuesday) in the Philadelphia Inquirer or at www.philly.com.

 

[Trizent]

OLN is in 65M homes
ESPN is in 89M homes
ESPN2 is in around 85M homes.

ESPN(2) was to have 40 NHL regular season games during the 03-04 season.

OLN Canada is different than OLN USA. I don't think that you will see any games on OLN Canada.

 

[Dave is a killer]

I get Comcast Cable and the two HD channels ... heck yes!

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

No, I don't believe that the league was trying to gain leverage against ESPN. Comcast is going to try to start a channel to compete with ESPN. They're going to bid for the contracts of the NFL and NBA in addition to the NHL. Last year they tried a hostile takeover of Disney (ESPN) and now they want to compete with them.

I anticipate OLN becoming a standard channel, at least eventually.

If Comcast is trying to compete with ESPN, then I would imagine ESPN will match to try and squeeze them out. Too bad. No ESPN up here, but we do have OLN.

 

[NJDevils#4]

Nevermind, I just realize we do get OLN...Channel 43 here in Central NJ..

Man, they have some real garbage on this channel.

Today on OLN - RV Today, Birdwatcher's, Buckmasters....

God this is pathetic

 

[Slats432]

OLN!!! Is that the channel that has "Creepy Canada" and "Cottage Life"? OMG what have we become?

A group of people that will whine and complain about ego, status and perception.

The best deal they could get is the best deal they could get. Let's wait for Comcast to turn OLN into a secondary sports channel and develop a long term partnership that will be successful for both organizations.

 

[Jester]

Nevermind, I just realize we do get OLN...Channel 43 here in Central NJ..

Man, they have some real garbage on this channel.

Today on OLN - RV Today, Birdwatcher's, Buckmasters....

God this is pathetic

why they willing to shell out 100 mil for the NHL... they are also bidding for the NFL.

 

[Montrealer]

I'm sure if they add NHL and a few sports they'll relaunch with a new branding, like SLN (Sports Life Network) or something.

 

[NJDevils#4]

I'm sure if they add NHL and a few sports they'll relaunch with a new branding, like SLN (Sports Life Network) or something.

God, lets hope so.

 

[Dave is a killer]

I'm sure if they add NHL and a few sports they'll relaunch with a new branding, like SLN (Sports Life Network) or something.

no, Comcast owns OLN, and the rumor is that they're going to turn OLN into Comcast Sports Net sports flagship channel ... I'm stoked ... **** ESPN & their fishing, poker, cheerleading & spelling bee specials

 

[hatrik22]

Comcast would televise games nationally twice a week. On one of those nights, Comcast would retain exclusivity in U.S. markets as the only game available on TV at that time.

So does this mean they will black out the local team's game if it is played at the same time as the national game??? That would suck

 

[Trizent]

According to TSN (sorry, no link.. but it was second headline below Bert's reinstatement) ESPN still has right-to-match, so whatever deal is agreed upon, they will have the chance to match it.

I'm not sure which I want, OLN (which is extended cable where I live) or ESPN (which I don't even get, since I live in Canada). I'm likely going to order Center Ice.. Living in Ontario means we get Leaf games only.. oh wait! no we don't! they're on LeafsTV.. we get no games except Fri and Sat..

Looks like I'll be doing well in university this winter.

LEAFTV 12 games plus all preseason.

TSN/SportsNet ON 50 games.

CBC the rest

 

[Trizent]

Comcast would televise games nationally twice a week. On one of those nights, Comcast would retain exclusivity in U.S. markets as the only game available on TV at that time.

So does this mean they will black out the local team's game if it is played at the same time as the national game??? That would suck

What would really suck is that OLN USA is in 2/3 of the homes ESPN2 is in.

 

[Diamond Dan 5150]

Its great they have someone willing to throw 9 figures at them, but if I'm the 4th league in America, I wanna be on the largest brand name sports network as much as possible. So if that means ESPN doesnt want to pay, then you just take what they will give you and wait till you build the ratings to demand more dinero.

I would have been happy with USA Network, At least most homes have that.

 

[rekrul]

no, Comcast owns OLN, and the rumor is that they're going to turn OLN into Comcast Sports Net sports flagship channel ... I'm stoked ... **** ESPN & their fishing, poker, cheerleading & spelling bee specials

not to mention stupid a smith and woodie paige telling viewers that hockey sucks, more T.O......

BUT everyone remembers sportschannel it sunk, FOX Sports has tried national sports type of things with no success. the new comcast channel A) better know how to promote hockey if they are giving $100 mil to gary bettmen's NHL and its lousy market dept. B) Better get the NFL thursday night deal AND NASCAR-only two sports that are growing. C) Give the viewer something better than the glowpuck in HD, great opurtunity for hockey.

on the other hand losing ESPN means the gold standard in sports programming ( even though everyone here agrees it has really sucked the last few years ) in now all basketball all the time in winter. What little preseasnce the NHL had on espn is gone, how can the NHL expect to grow a new base if any casual fan is not going to get to see sidney crosby's (possible) brilliance on sportscenter in the comming years?

 

[bwunderlich]

smart move by comcast. OLN has really benefited from lance armstrong's incredible run as they've televised the Tour De France for several years. with lance retired, OLN will still have us hard core cyclists watching in the month of july by overall numbers will shirley be down.

frankly, i welcome the challenge to espn (remember when they used to be a sports channel) and OLN/Comcast could do it. Next we'll have OLN Classics and maybe, just maybe we'd get to see vintage games from the 70s-80s.

 

[Naych_PHX]

Lame... no OLN here with my basic cable. I woulda liked to have seen it on on either Spike or USA.
The ESPN thing, does that mean that potentially BOTH Comcast and ESPN will have deals??

 

[Fighter of Foo]

Comcast would televise games nationally twice a week. On one of those nights, Comcast would retain exclusivity in U.S. markets as the only game available on TV at that time.

So does this mean they will black out the local team's game if it is played at the same time as the national game??? That would suck

What will probably happen is the same thing that happens with baseball on Saturdays. Fox has exclusive rights to all televised baseball games from about 1pm EST to 7pm EST (so it can broadcast a day game on either coast w/o any competition. So in response, every team in baseball that isn't slated for those slots plays a night game that day instead (stupid Fox...baseball should have day games all weekend long )

So my guess is that those exclusive games will either be a Saturday or Sunday, allowing the other teams to schedule around them (ie exclusive game at night, so everyone else plays a matinee). There's no way that the NHL would allow that much revenue (from local TV broadcasts) to just vanish like that for a slightly better national TV deal.

 

[barnburner]

Comcast would televise games nationally twice a week. On one of those nights, Comcast would retain exclusivity in U.S. markets as the only game available on TV at that time.

So does this mean they will black out the local team's game if it is played at the same time as the national game??? That would suck

I don't think this would apply to local broadcasts.

 

[santiclaws]

I don't think this would apply to local broadcasts.

What else could it possibly apply to? There are no national channels carrying games unless you count NBC.

I think this is a very good move. If Comcast gets NFL, OLN (under whatever new name it will have) will explode, since people will be clamoring for it. It will soon be in as many homes as ESPN. Then, if they have a half a brain, they heavily promote hockey during the NFL broadcasts. I'm sure that's the plan, anyway.

 

[dwkdnvr]

Some quick thoughts:
- IMHO, it's clear that Comcast is looking to transition OLN from what it is now to something more broadly sports oriented. Complaining that the NHL is now on the 'rodeo network' misses much of the point, since the NHL will be a key part of their re-branding away from rodeo/hunting/fishing.
- Getting away from ESPN is IMHO a good thing. ESPN is increasingly less about *showing* sports and more about sports as an avenue to advance ones ego - it's all about spouting strong opinions, focussing on 'bad boy' players and scandals, bragging rights in fantasy leagues etc. It's patently clear that the ESPN viewers couldn't care less about hockey, and that probably won't change any time soon, so staying slavishly beholden to them is a losing proposition.
- A new Comcast net will initially attract more open minded/curious viewers looking for an alternative to ESPN, and thus might be a more receptive audience than we'd find on a more established station
- HD MUST be a big part of the equation. IMHO this is so important that if the only way the NHL gets widespread HD coverage is to go with ESPN, it may be worth it just for that.

Okay, maybe not the most coherent collection of thoughts, but I think this may be a good thing overall.

 

[dwkdnvr]

I get Comcast Cable and the two HD channels ... heck yes!

The article was pretty vague on the HD connection. The InHD stations would be the logical avenue, but for Colorado folks that could be interesting. Last year, Altitude took over one of the InHD channels for HD broadcasts of Nuggets home games, and the obvious assumption is that they'll do this for Avs games as well. If Comcast plans to run additional new/commited programming through them, it could lead to conflicts.

IMHO anyone that picks up the NHL but doesn't get it on HD is desperately in need of a clue.

Of course, InHD would screw the satellite guys out of HD - it's a cable-only property right now.