ESPN could cut ties with NHL

[GKJ]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-0502170398feb17,1,363012.story?ctrack=1&cset=true



I know not many people here are fans of ESPN, I am not a fan of ESPN, but there is no way you can lose your main cable outlet. That would be devestating both sides not just the owners.

Click to read more...

 

[Reilly311]

Please register to log in

 

[jratelle19]

It would probably be an interesting read if I didn't have to register to read it. Sorry, don't like giving out my e-mail address unless it's absolutely necessary>

 

[GKJ]

Hmmm...worked for me and I'm not registered.



I found this on the Oilers board: http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/10917919.htm

 

[LazRNN]

...deleted...

 

[SuperUnknown]

I guess next offer will be back down to a $35M cap...

 

[McDonald19]

ESPN already was going to cut way back on NHL games this year anyway, and already got rid of NHL2Night...

but still this is a major problem for the NHL to deal with.

 

[futurcorerock]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp...y?coll=la-headlines-sports&ctrack=1&cset=true

Reiley, your contributions are worthless. Can't you just read and be content?

 

[Mess]

Hmmm...worked for me and I'm not registered.



I found this on the Oilers board: [url="http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/10917919.htm"]http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/10917919.htm[/url]

Love the last paragraph

The arrangement was the beginning of a two-year contract that showed how far the NHL had fallen. Instead of getting a rights fee like the other major professional leagues, hockey entered into a revenue-sharing deal with NBC.
At this point, even if the NHL does play again, it doesn't look like there will be much revenue to share.

Note to players : Linkage BAD

 

[Hoek]

The way they've been "promoting" the sport perhaps it's good riddance. How about getting on SpikeTV or something crazy like that? Even they could do better, LOL.

 

[GKJ]

The way they've been "promoting" the sport perhaps it's good riddance. How about getting on SpikeTV or something crazy like that? Even they could do better, LOL.

If you have to go to a cable network not geared for sports, essentally meaning that ESPN doesn't want you, there's a lot more underlying issues than player salaries.

 

[barnburner]

It would probably be an interesting read if I didn't have to register to read it. Sorry, don't like giving out my e-mail address unless it's absolutely necessary>

Check out this site:
http://www.dodgeit.com/

Give you a generic email address that works great when you don't want to give out any private information.

 

[Levitate]

yeah apparently ESPN is telling the NHL "get a deal done now or we're through"

which is bad bad bad for the NHL if they think they can slack off and grind this thing out.

It makes me laugh, it really does...it's just one thing that shows how hurt the league is gonna be if they have a protracted lockout. you lose you're only real source of TV income...yeah that'll help

 

[Cropduster]

if this is true, and I dont think it is, this would be the downfall of the NHL, at least here in the states

 

[Chileiceman]

I'd rather them cancel the season and the next one tahn ESPN not show hockey.
If ESPN drops there rights I will not be able to watch hockey for the next 3 years because all we get are tape delayed broadcasts of some the games they show in North America.
If this happens the NHL would lose lots of its internatiol fanbase

 

[FLYLine27*]

This would indeed kill hockey in the states. Good work Gary. Still holding out for that unrealistic deal? :

 

[triggrman]

I can't tell you the last NHL game I watched on ESPN.

 

[X8oD]

This would indeed kill hockey in the states. Good work Gary. Still holding out for that unrealistic deal? :

whats unrealistic about his deal?

Last i checked, hes winning. the players are conceding his demands left and right.

 

[Reilly311]

People don't watch ESPN for hockey.

 

[Lou is God]

People don't watch ESPN for hockey.

Don't know what your point is but no matter how little ESPN shows NHL games the sad fact is that the NHL needs ESPN more than ESPN needs the NHL.

 

[dakota]

get centre ice... and better yet the NHL would make more off of CENTRE ICE sold throughout the world... i still dont know why they dont do more of this... the local tv will always be there and market centre ice like sunday ticket and you will se many subscribers...

 

[FLYLine27*]

whats unrealistic about his deal?

Last i checked, hes winning. the players are conceding his demands left and right.

45 million cap with without linkage is fine. But last I heard Bettman said "no linkage, 42.5 million deal" was off the table. That is unrealistic.

 

[dakota]

Don't know what your point is but no matter how little ESPN shows NHL games the sad fact is that the NHL needs ESPN more than ESPN needs the NHL.

i disagree there is no ESPN in Canada and it does fine here... the NHL has there own network as well... i dont think the NHL needs ESPN as much as you think. What was ESPN paying them anyway for rights? Was it significant... the main source of TV revenue is local rights ... this is where the teams are going to have to share their local revenues from TV imo... as these national contracts dry up...

 

[Dr Love]

i disagree there is no ESPN in Canada and it does fine here

Because you have TSN (and CBC), there's no demand for ESPN. The NHL needs a national TV contract. It would be pretty embarrassing if they didn't.

 

[dakota]

45 million cap with without linkage is fine. But last I heard Bettman said "no linkage, 42.5 million deal" was off the table. That is unrealistic.

well, if revenues go down... so too does the cap as the owners will not be able to afford this deal when the revenues decrease... and judging by this thread revenues have gone down... and will continue to go down... so I doubt the 42.5 deal with no linkage will be around much longer...

i mean if I am making $10 and offer you $5 to help me... and the next year I can only make $7 I will probably not be offering you $5 to help me it will be more like $3... you cant pay out what you cant afford... i think that is clear with the cancellation of the season... the owners cannot afford the last player offer.