Future of NHL on NBC

[Hockeyholic]

They have three more years on their contract ( Expires in 2021). After that, do you think the NHL will go back with NBC? Maybe move to ESPN or FOX? CBS?

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[edog37]

They have three more years on their contract ( Expires in 2021). After that, do you think the NHL will go back with NBC? Maybe move to ESPN or FOX? CBS?

if one of those entities offered a better deal, yes.

 

[SkalbaniasGhost]

Split package.
NBC(COMCAST).
ESPN(DISNEY). NHL is a business partner of Disney.Internet Video Streaming & Consumer Applications
AMAZON and/0r APPLE/or DAZN(2 of the 3).

 

[Price is Wright]

If i'm a sports league I'm contacting Netflix.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

Espn may use some of money currently used for MNF for hockey or MLB playoffs They are fed up with paying the most for the worst deal in the NFL James Andrew Miller: Why ESPN Could Abandon NFL Football (Guest Column)

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Wouldnt mind ESPN. Hearing ESPN Hockey Theme and Steve Levy during WC 2016 really took me back.

 

[Ernie]

If i'm a sports league I'm contacting Netflix.

At least figuring out some kind of streaming platform. Nobody owns sports streaming yet, you've got to think that the digital rights could eclipse what they're making from their cable deals.

 

[Hoser]

At least figuring out some kind of streaming platform. Nobody owns sports streaming yet, you've got to think that the digital rights could eclipse what they're making from their cable deals.

YES, I've been saying this to friends for years: the first sports league to properly execute an à la carte streaming service will make oodles and oodles of money. They already make tons of money off diehard fans, and what none of them do particularly well (except perhaps the NFL) is capitalize on casual fans. Make it convenient for casual fans to watch single games on a streaming service for <$10 and you could make a killing.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Wouldnt mind ESPN. Hearing ESPN Hockey Theme and Steve Levy during WC 2016 really took me back.

Just don't forget the bumps to ESPN Classic in favor of poker tournaments and the basketball highlights during intermissions.

I'm perfectly fine with the NHL never going back to ESPN. I wouldn't mind a split contract though. NBC as the primary broadcaster, FOX or ESPN having a few games.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

If Bettman settles for another exclusive deal, that's the last straw. He needs to be fired.

 

[Gnashville]

ESPN continues to go full on politics and abandon sports, it’s daytime schedule is unwatchable anymore. It’s basically just calling all whites racist and any black that doesn’t protest like Prescott a sell out. NBC and Fox 1 are what ESPN was 2 decades ago, good coverage, actual interviews with players and coaches and well sports coverage.

 

[Hooby Dooby Doo]

I'm fine with NBC. However they need to market games better and show more games per week with a better assortment of teams. Yes I get the Blackhawks draw ratings and whatnot but 4-5 times per month is a little nuts.

They need to dump NBCSN for the cup finals as not everyone gets that channel. You don't see the NBA finals on ESPN or the World Series on FS1.

If they do renew with NBC then ensure all playoff games are available to watch without relinquishing some to NHL Network and the Golf Channel. There's no excuse to have USA channel showing reruns of law and order while a playoff game is on Golf.

The 3 other major sports have more than one channel to show. MLB has Fox, TBS and ESPN.
NBA has espn and tnt . Fox could definitely get in the running for national games since they already have the footprint in the regional broadcasts.

But as stated earlier, Bettman better not make NBC the exclusive parter. If so, it needs to be much better . Not to mention, I only see Doc Emerick around for a few more years. Wouldn't be surprised to see him on the edge of retirement by the time the current contract expires.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

If Bettman settles for another exclusive deal, that's the last straw. He needs to be fired.

Yeeeahhh, Bettman has consistently made the best decision on TV rights despite people whining about it every time.

I remember folks being pissed last time he turned down ESPN, who was offering a third of the money to broadcast a quarter of the games NBC was.

 

[Stumbledore]

If Bettman settles for another exclusive deal, that's the last straw. He needs to be fired.

By the time that the next deal is finalized, Bettman will be ready for pasteurization.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Yeeeahhh, Bettman has consistently made the best decision on TV rights despite people whining about it every time.

I remember folks being pissed last time he turned down ESPN, who was offering a third of the money to broadcast a quarter of the games NBC was.

I think it means he sucks at negotiating if a deal with multiple networks isn't the best he can do.

 

[Its a Trap]

Yeeeahhh, Bettman has consistently made the best decision on TV rights despite people whining about it every time.

I remember folks being pissed last time he turned down ESPN, who was offering a third of the money to broadcast a quarter of the games NBC was.

That’s not the point of his post. The NHL is the only league that has a national deal with only one broadcaster and that’s a problem.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

That’s not the point of his post. The NHL is the only league that has a national deal with only one broadcaster and that’s a problem.

It's kinda accepted that the NHL isn't quite at the popularity of the other 3...

... And they'll likely get that second broadcaster this time around, as sports broadcasters are starving for content.

 

[tony d]

Will be interesting to see where they go with the next TV deal and yes streaming through Netflix is a must for their next deal.

 

[FMichael]

Wouldnt mind ESPN. Hearing ESPN Hockey Theme and Steve Levy during WC 2016 really took me back.

Those black & white commercials were the best.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

By the time that the next deal is finalized, Bettman will be ready for pasteurization.

haha, the way some of you guys milk the things he says...

 

[UNITEDSTATESOFHOCKEY]

They have three more years on their contract ( Expires in 2021). After that, do you think the NHL will go back with NBC? Maybe move to ESPN or FOX? CBS?

Pretty sure ESPN is going to take a big swing at it. As frustrating as NBC is I think the NHL might be better staying with them and trying to get NBC to make some improvements and more of a commitment to it because if the NHL goes to ESPN, it will get buried in the fall/ early winter programming by College Football and buried within sports center and their highly annoying talk shows by NCAAFB, NCAABB, NFL and NBA. Not to mention they have nobody there that knows anything about it, that's one of the reasons they never talk about it, what is Stephen A Smith or the highly annoying John Buccigross going to tell us about Nashville's penalty kill?! Also lets remember ESPN is sinking, who knows what kind of state it will be in in a few years time.

IF nbc would put some effort into it and treat it like their main featured sport, brought in some new programming people and directors and better on screen talent I think the NHL would pop and ratings would go up. A lot of my friends that like sports, don't watch the NHL because they have even said the broadcasts are dull and boring. Everything from the in studio people to the graphics and music on TV is as low budget and annoying as it gets. The graphics they use to show the "starting goalies" and its shows some goalie skating across the crease is about 10 years old and looks like something out of a video game. Another thing about NBC is the teams they show. They refuse to show teams outside the northeast and the Blackhawks or Red Wings. by in large its 8 teams that chew up 90% of the National games. by christmas, as if the broadcast isn't already unwatchable, you have already seen these teams 10 times this season. and my last rant is their NHL TV scam, with the blackout restrictions, that make no sense what so ever and the constant issues with it, its a joke.

Longer than normal post but to sum it up, NBC is probably the right place for NHL if they stepped up their game a bit and acted like it was their main sport.. which it is, but everything they do, they do on the cheap.

 

[gstommylee]

If i'm a sports league I'm contacting Netflix.

Which is stupid cause not everyone has netflix.

 

[gstommylee]

Pretty sure ESPN is going to take a big swing at it. As frustrating as NBC is I think the NHL might be better staying with them and trying to get NBC to make some improvements and more of a commitment to it because if the NHL goes to ESPN, it will get buried in the fall/ early winter programming by College Football and buried within sports center and their highly annoying talk shows by NCAAFB, NCAABB, NFL and NBA. Not to mention they have nobody there that knows anything about it, that's one of the reasons they never talk about it, what is Stephen A Smith or the highly annoying John Buccigross going to tell us about Nashville's penalty kill?! Also lets remember ESPN is sinking, who knows what kind of state it will be in in a few years time.

IF nbc would put some effort into it and treat it like their main featured sport, brought in some new programming people and directors and better on screen talent I think the NHL would pop and ratings would go up. A lot of my friends that like sports, don't watch the NHL because they have even said the broadcasts are dull and boring. Everything from the in studio people to the graphics and music on TV is as low budget and annoying as it gets. The graphics they use to show the "starting goalies" and its shows some goalie skating across the crease is about 10 years old and looks like something out of a video game. Another thing about NBC is the teams they show. They refuse to show teams outside the northeast and the Blackhawks or Red Wings. by in large its 8 teams that chew up 90% of the National games. by christmas, as if the broadcast isn't already unwatchable, you have already seen these teams 10 times this season. and my last rant is their NHL TV scam, with the blackout restrictions, that make no sense what so ever and the constant issues with it, its a joke.

Longer than normal post but to sum it up, NBC is probably the right place for NHL if they stepped up their game a bit and acted like it was their main sport.. which it is, but everything they do, they do on the cheap.

I don't think the ESPN can afford another big national sport tv deal.

 

[Stumbledore]

haha, the way some of you guys milk the things he says...

Well played, sir.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I am still unsure about leagues putting games online. Internet lags and you are screwed.