ESPN signs 7 year deal with the NHL
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All the start times are posted now, looking at the NHL app. I can’t see any pattern to even begin to make a guess on a national TV schedule.
I think both Turner and Disney are waiting for the NBA schedule release, which should be coming soon. I think once they have the NBA schedule available then both networks can work on the NHL national schedule was well.
EDIT: Marc Stein confirms NBA schedule will be released in 7-10 days, so I’m guessing that will the time National schedule will be released too
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Their NBA schedules are locked into time slots (Wednesday at 9:30, Friday doubleheader’s, and Sunday night second half on ESPN,
/ Thursday doubleheader’s and Tuesday second half on TNT). What ever games are scheduled into those slot shouldn’t affect NHL schedule. Similarly, ESPN’s college basketball schedule is also locked in by time slot (with certain conferences getting certain time slots).
My guess the broadcast schedule is done, but they are holding it to get a new news cycle out of it.
I know that, but it makes sense to announce both schedules at the same time to set up your fall and spring sports lineups. Besides ABC is airing some Saturday afternoon games as that is the only slot available as NBA has the Saturday night and Sunday afternoon slots. For the most part you are right, but I’m sure they are instances where there might be scheduling conflicts and it helps now both networks have both.
Disney buys NHL's stake in BAMTech for 350 million. The 10% ownership was part of the 6 year streaming rights deal for the NHL and ESPN that also paid the league 100 million a year. It just ended before the new 7 year deal kicks in.
BAMTech is now the Disney streaming services that technology manages and powers Disney plus and ESPN +.
It turned out to be a pretty good deal for the NHL. If you add it all together it was 950 million over 6 years. That is about 158.3 million a year which was not for behind the old NHL/NBC tv deal at around 200 million a year. The funds probably came at a good time for the league after a tough financial year.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw34aiXCq2b4qKiGLTwAuvhU&cf=1
BAMTech is now the Disney streaming services that technology manages and powers Disney plus and ESPN +.
It turned out to be a pretty good deal for the NHL. If you add it all together it was 950 million over 6 years. That is about 158.3 million a year which was not for behind the old NHL/NBC tv deal at around 200 million a year. The funds probably came at a good time for the league after a tough financial year.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw34aiXCq2b4qKiGLTwAuvhU&cf=1
I don't know if it's quite the positive instead of the league just needing cash right now here's the full Sports Media article. Seems like had NHL had kept their stake and waited for ESPN to buy them out their stake would currently be worth half a billion. MLB kept their 15% stake it's worth a little over $750m. Seems like something in normal times for the league NHL probably wouldn't have sold and rode the equity of Disney, but they need the cash injection now obviously.
NHL sells remaining Disney Streaming Services stake for US$350m
NHL sells remaining Disney Streaming Services stake for US$350m
Disney now holds 85% share of renamed BAMTech division.
- Posted: August 16 2021
- By: Rory Jones
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Getty Images
- NHL triggers clause to sell off remaining holding
- MLB retains 15% share in Disney Streaming Services
The NHL exercised a contract option to trigger the US$350 million deal and the transaction is expected to close prior to the end of Disney’s 2021 fiscal year. Had Disney used its own option to buy the NHL’s shares it would have cost the media giant US$500 million.
Disney first invested in the technology company, previously named BAMTech, in 2016 when it acquired a 33 per cent stake. In 2017, Disney paid an additional US$1.58 billion to take over as majority shareholder, securing another 42 per cent of BAMTech’s shares.
Having renamed the division Disney Streaming Services following that 2017 investment, Disney now owns 85 per cent of the company, with the remaining 15 per cent share owned by Major League Baseball (MLB).
MLB created the digital streaming entity in 2015 as a spin-off of MLB Advanced Media, with its technology now used as the backbone for the Disney+ and ESPN+ platforms.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney could buy MLB’s remaining share, valued at upwards of US$752 million, from 2022.
For the NHL, the deal provides a cash injection and comes after it agreed a seven-year domestic broadcast partnership with Disney-owned ESPN in March. That deal includes a package of 75 annual regular season games on Disney’s ESPN+ and Hulu streaming services.
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Kirk Van Houten
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My understanding is that th 350 million is a one time thing and not ongoing over the 7 year rights relationship.
He is talking about the previous deal with BAMTech. The agreement the NHL reached with MLB to create the spin off BAMTech paid the league 100 million per year for 6 years for the rights (which just expired), plus a 10% stake in BAMTech. Most of BAMTech was sold to Disney, but the NHL retained that 10% stake. They just sold it to Disney for $350 million. So the original deal with MLB ended up being valued at $950 million (the $600 million total for rights + $350 million value of the ownership stake).
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It's a difference of about $5 million per team (I don't know if Vegas and Seattle would see the payouts - but $5mm for 30 teams, $4.83mm for 31, and $4.69mm for 32).
Probably not worth waiting around for.
I don't imagine they would've seen the additional payout had they waited for ESPN to buy out at $500m. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't get any cut of this $350m. I'm not sure how the league intends to use this money if its just gonna be some $10m checks to help make owners more whole after the pandemic or will it be used to re-source the leagues Central emergency funds that got tapped during the pandemic.
I agree if the option was triggered by the NHL it seems short sided on the leagues part. Especially being 500 million if they had some patience.I don't know if it's quite the positive instead of the league just needing cash right now here's the full Sports Media article. Seems like had NHL had kept their stake and waited for ESPN to buy them out their stake would currently be worth half a billion. MLB kept their 15% stake it's worth a little over $750m. Seems like something in normal times for the league NHL probably wouldn't have sold and rode the equity of Disney, but they need the cash injection now obviously.
NHL sells remaining Disney Streaming Services stake for US$350m
NHL sells remaining Disney Streaming Services stake for US$350m
Disney now holds 85% share of renamed BAMTech division.
- Posted: August 16 2021
- By: Rory Jones
Getty Images
The Walt Disney Company has acquired the National Hockey League’s (NHL) ten per cent stake in Disney Streaming Services for US$350 million.
- NHL triggers clause to sell off remaining holding
- MLB retains 15% share in Disney Streaming Services
The NHL exercised a contract option to trigger the US$350 million deal and the transaction is expected to close prior to the end of Disney’s 2021 fiscal year. Had Disney used its own option to buy the NHL’s shares it would have cost the media giant US$500 million.
Disney first invested in the technology company, previously named BAMTech, in 2016 when it acquired a 33 per cent stake. In 2017, Disney paid an additional US$1.58 billion to take over as majority shareholder, securing another 42 per cent of BAMTech’s shares.
Having renamed the division Disney Streaming Services following that 2017 investment, Disney now owns 85 per cent of the company, with the remaining 15 per cent share owned by Major League Baseball (MLB).
MLB created the digital streaming entity in 2015 as a spin-off of MLB Advanced Media, with its technology now used as the backbone for the Disney+ and ESPN+ platforms.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney could buy MLB’s remaining share, valued at upwards of US$752 million, from 2022.
For the NHL, the deal provides a cash injection and comes after it agreed a seven-year domestic broadcast partnership with Disney-owned ESPN in March. That deal includes a package of 75 annual regular season games on Disney’s ESPN+ and Hulu streaming services.
Does anyone know if the 350 million is considered hockey related income with the players getting half? I would think so but I am not sure. The league has gotten 1 billion between this and the Seattle Kraken expansion fee. We know the players don't see anything from the expansion fee.
Still not a bad deal for the NHL overall but it does appear to be a bit desperate with the new information you provided.
Ernie
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Since the stake was part of the overall rights deal it would have to be hockey related income.
That's a pretty big chunk out of the NHLPA's debt.
So it looks like ABC is going to be airing a nationally televised games on Saturdays at 3pm ET once football is done. Any word on the regular broadcast schedules for ESPN and ESPN+?
If you’re correct, I’m going to wager that the March 19 game is skipped over, since that is the opening weekend of March Madness:
2/26 NYR @ PIT
3/5 CHI @ PHI
3/12 PHI @ CAR
3/19 NJ @ EDM ??
3/26 CHI @ VGK
4/2 PIT @ COL
4/9 WSH @ PIT
4/16 MIN @ STL
4/23 NYR @ BOS
Every ESPN Twitter or Instagram post about the NHL has a hundred posts underneath that say "Not a sport" or "This isn't the NBA."
Yeah lots of trolls - they do it every sport that is not Basketball. Baseball, Soccer, Golf etc.
A lot of kids on twitter that support the NBA. Don't get overly sensitive about it.
Ernie
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Twitter is a cesspool. Wouldn't read much into it.
But the NHL could learn a lot from the way the NBA has marketed itself - it's about the sport but also about the personalities and the story lines. Obviously the NHL hopes that ESPN can help with that.
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