NHL CONFIRMED - NHL, Turner Sports reach TV deal for games on TNT, TBS

[Fenway]

NHL, Turner Sports reach TV deal for games on TNT, TBS

The NHL and Turner Sports announced a seven-year media rights agreement Tuesday that will have regular-season, Stanley Cup Playoff and Stanley Cup Final games televised on TNT and TBS starting next season and running through 2027-28.

Turner Sports joins the Walt Disney Co. and ESPN as the NHL's national media rights partners in the United States for the next seven seasons. The NHL, the Walt Disney Co. and ESPN announced a multiplatform media rights deal March 10.

As part of the agreement, Turner Sports' networks will televise the NHL Winter Classic, the League's annual New Year's Day outdoor game, in all seven seasons of the deal. They will show all games in the Stanley Cup Final in 2023, 2025 and 2027, one conference final series each season and half of the first two rounds of the playoffs along with 72 regular-season games per season.

Bleacher Report, which is owned by Turner, will have rights to use NHL highlights on its digital platform.

The Stanley Cup Final will air on ABC in in 2022, 2024, 2026 and 2028 as part of the deal with the Walt Disney Co. and ESPN. They have the rights to air one conference final round per season, half of the first two rounds of the playoffs, 25 regular-season games on ABC or ESPN, and 75 additional national games that will stream on ESPN+ and Hulu.

They will also stream more than 1,000 out-of-market games each regular season on ESPN+, which will replace NHL.TV.

NBC has been the NHL's national media rights partner since 2005-06. Its 10-year agreement with the League expires after this season.

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[Jdavidev]

Question is, does Turner have a streaming app? Is it a cable sign-in or pay-to-play subscription? And if so, will the games be on it?

Can I lose cable completely now? I was able to drop down my cable tier when NHL stopped blacking out NHL network games on the app the past two seasons, but some early round playoff games were still on it. TNT/TBS and ESPN are all part of the basic package, so maybe I can just drop down one more tier in the future if I can't get rid of it.

 

[talkinaway]

So, doing the math, of the 1312 regular season games played each year, only 75 will be streamed on ESPN+/Hulu. Granted, those games will mostly come from the pool of games that don’t involve a Canadian team, so the Bruins will be over represented simply because of that.

I want more details on what packages I’ll need for those streamed game - will they be available on both ESPN+ and Hulu? I’ve got Hulu via Spotify, and don’t have any real desire for ESPN+ yet. I’m eventually going to resubscribe to Disney+, and if I can’t get all the games via Hulu, I’d consider getting the triple bundle.

Also curious about the HBO Max deal. Is that going to be an “on demand” home for the TBS/TNT games? Even though I have HBO Max, I hope that they’re not going to make it so you have to have cable AND two streaming services ....it doesn’t look like that’s the case now. HBO Max could be fun for the lead up programs to the winter classic and the international games (remember, we’re scheduled to play one in October....)

 

[MrMars]

So, doing the math, of the 1312 regular season games played each year, only 75 will be streamed on ESPN+/Hulu. Granted, those games will mostly come from the pool of games that don’t involve a Canadian team, so the Bruins will be over represented simply because of that.

I want more details on what packages I’ll need for those streamed game - will they be available on both ESPN+ and Hulu? I’ve got Hulu via Spotify, and don’t have any real desire for ESPN+ yet. I’m eventually going to resubscribe to Disney+, and if I can’t get all the games via Hulu, I’d consider getting the triple bundle.

Also curious about the HBO Max deal. Is that going to be an “on demand” home for the TBS/TNT games? Even though I have HBO Max, I hope that they’re not going to make it so you have to have cable AND two streaming services ....it doesn’t look like that’s the case now. HBO Max could be fun for the lead up programs to the winter classic and the international games (remember, we’re scheduled to play one in October....)

ESPN can take up to 8 games from each team, Bruins definitely will be all 8. So if 4 end up on ABC/ESPN then only 4 can show up on ESPN+, but it is capped at 8. The national games on are both Hulu and ESPN+ (The 75 ESPN produced games) so either service would work. The out of market package (Currently NHL.TV) would require ESPN+ So if you are in Boston you won’t get more Bruins games on ESPN+ over Hulu but definitely a ton more games in total.

The Turner press release mentions simulcasts for HBO Max which hopefully means games on TBS/TNT maybe simulcasted on HBO Max if someone doesn’t have cable. Details really are not clear yet but more info I’d imagine would get out soon.

With ESPN most likely getting 8 Bruins games and Turner having a total of 72 exclusive games (Team cap has not been announced yet that I’m aware of) NESN and Jack cannot be happy campers.

Edited to add Zucker on the media call. No games on HBO Max next season, Turner just wanted those rights for the future if they wanted to go down that path. More of a future proof move.

 

[Troublesome 85]

Id be happy if i had cable

 

[McGarnagle]

You know Turner is going to treat hockey as an afterthought and will prioritize NBA and MLB games in the spring.

I don't like this.

 

[mjhfb]

Maybe I'm just getting old, but why the heck do they have to make it so complicated?

 

[BruinDust]

Will be interesting to see who TNT/TBS get to be in the studio. I find one of the draws of NBA on TNT is Shaq and Sir Charles. I'm just a casual basketball fan but I've always found these two entertaining. Hopefully they can find some entertaining personalities for their studio crew.

 

[bossfan]

Maybe I'm just getting old, but why the heck do they have to make it so complicated?

The answer to that is money.

 

[Alicat]

Maybe I'm just getting old, but why the heck do they have to make it so complicated?

I'm at the point where they just need to let me know what channels/apps I need to watch the damn games.

 

[VanIsle]

Will be interesting to see who TNT/TBS get to be in the studio. I find one of the draws of NBA on TNT is Shaq and Sir Charles. I'm just a casual basketball fan but I've always found these two entertaining. Hopefully they can find some entertaining personalities for their studio crew.

Milbury and Jones hahaha.

Agreed they should find someone as entertaining as Shaq and Charles.

 

[Dr Hook]

So it looks to me since I have Hulu live TV I can get TBS/TNT for those games and need to add the ESPN+ instead of NHLTV which means it will actually save me a little money. I can get on board with that. The only downside is if Hulu and other streamers don't get Bally Sports (former Fox) back, I won't be able to watch the 2 Bruins/Stars games unless they are picked up for national broadcast. Potentially a small bummer, but just a small one.

 

[BruinsFanMike82]

On the bright side, this probably means no more Olczyk after this year's playoffs. Right? Right? Please?

 

[Fenway]

On the bright side, this probably means no more Olczyk after this year's playoffs. Right? Right? Please?

Eddie's main gig is with NBC Sports Chicago and of course NBC and horse racing.

I have no inkling of what Turner will do for announcers BUT they are owned by AT&T now that currently employs

ESPN is talking to Sean McDonough about being the #1 voice for the NHL and Sean wants it.

 

[NextBigThing]

NESN
NESN Plus
ABC
ESPN
ESPN2
ESPN+
Hulu
TNT
TBS
HBO MAX

That’s all you’ll need to watch hockey next season. Thanks for making it simple, Gary.

 

[Smitty93]

NESN
NESN Plus
ABC
ESPN
ESPN2
ESPN+
Hulu
TNT
TBS
HBO MAX

That’s all you’ll need to watch hockey next season. Thanks for making it simple, Gary.

ESPN+, Hulu, and HBO Max are really all that matters as an addition, and it sounds like HBO Max isn't going to be involved immediately and I haven't seen anything suggest there will be exclusive HBO Max games like there will be with ESPN+. If you could already watch on NESN or NBCSN, then you can watch on ESPN/Turner Sports channels. I'm not that concerned about it. I think it probably sounds worse than it's going to be.

 

[sooshii]

NESN
NESN Plus
ABC
ESPN
ESPN2
ESPN+
Hulu
TNT
TBS
HBO MAX

That’s all you’ll need to watch hockey next season. Thanks for making it simple, Gary.

I have exactly one of those currently, and it’s the one that @MrMars confirmed would not carry any games next season (HBOMax).

 

[Fenway]

​

 

[Alicat]

Eddie's main gig is with NBC Sports Chicago and of course NBC and horse racing.

I have no inkling of what Turner will do for announcers BUT they are owned by AT&T now that currently employs

ESPN is talking to Sean McDonough about being the #1 voice for the NHL and Sean wants it.

 

[Bearclaw]

Eddie's main gig is with NBC Sports Chicago and of course NBC and horse racing.

I have no inkling of what Turner will do for announcers BUT they are owned by AT&T now that currently employs

ESPN is talking to Sean McDonough about being the #1 voice for the NHL and Sean wants it.

Is there any chance that ESPN brings Gary Thorne back?

 

[Fenway]

Is there any chance that ESPN brings Gary Thorne back?

He will be 73 next season BUT now living in California. ESPN has the rights to one conference final round per season, half of the first two rounds of the playoffs, 25 regular-season games on ABC or ESPN, and 75 national games that will stream on ESPN+ and Hulu. I certainly could see him doing some of the streaming games from out west.

I suspect McDonough and Levy will be used on the 25 games on ESPN/ABC. A lot depends on what night of the week the NHL will be slotted on ESPN - Saturday and Monday are out during football season, Sunday would be ratings suicide against Sunday Night Football so................

Turner will have 72 regular-season games so we are looking at at least twice a week with doubleheaders on at least one night. The streaming games on ESPN

ESPN and Turner work together on the NBA schedule and will do the same for the NHL.

The Turner NHL studio show can easily be done in Manhattan where Warner has plenty of studio space and I would not rule out Olbermann as the host. The man does know his hockey. He left Turner on good terms so........................

 

[chrisab123]

I love this for many reasons. It gets the NHL in America back to pre strike popularity in the mainstream and gives the league the national respect that it truly deserves. Miss the friday night games on ESPN.

 

[Fenian24]

Is there any chance that ESPN brings Gary Thorne back?

Please no, Mario Lemieux's butler is a terrible announcer.

 

[BMC]

He will be 73 next season BUT now living in California. ESPN has the rights to one conference final round per season, half of the first two rounds of the playoffs, 25 regular-season games on ABC or ESPN, and 75 national games that will stream on ESPN+ and Hulu. I certainly could see him doing some of the streaming games from out west.

I suspect McDonough and Levy will be used on the 25 games on ESPN/ABC. A lot depends on what night of the week the NHL will be slotted on ESPN - Saturday and Monday are out during football season, Sunday would be ratings suicide against Sunday Night Football so................

Turner will have 72 regular-season games so we are looking at at least twice a week with doubleheaders on at least one night. The streaming games on ESPN

ESPN and Turner work together on the NBA schedule and will do the same for the NHL.

The Turner NHL studio show can easily be done in Manhattan where Warner has plenty of studio space and I would not rule out Olbermann as the host. The man does know his hockey. He left Turner on good terms so........................

Oh Christ not that asshole.

 

[Olden McGroin]

Shaq on TNT attempts to name 3 NHL teams: