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Is Bettman avoiding NBC or is NBC avoiding Bettman?

Fenway

Fenway

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Bettman showed up twice on HNIC before and during Game 2 and also did a segment on French TVA but on NBC he has not been seen during either Games 1 or 2.

First, he did a sitdown with MacLean



It appears his spontaneous appearance on Coach's Corner might have been staged as he watched the segment off camera and then was invited on.



But he has been invisible on NBC and NBCSN so far.

I am a contract employee for NBC and I have no inside info on what management is thinking. I do know for a fact that NHL staffers were livid that NBC did NOT show Gladys Knight during Game 1. I also know that was not intentional but there was a mixup switching from the game truck to the intermission truck in Connecticut which caused nearly 20 seconds of dead air after the period ended. Then because the game was on the main network, someone at 30 Rock in Manhattan initiated the commercial break just as Gladys was starting. (Canadian viewers saw it)

There is a strong belief that Bettman has already decided who gets the US rights after 2021 and it will be a partnership between FOX and ESPN similar to what they had in 1995-1999. But right now the NHL/NBC relationship is like a husband and wife having separate bedrooms.

I am a grizzled veteran of the TV hockey business and I am close to retiring but I am still astounded at the production values from 23 years ago compared to today.



FOX Hockey Intro - June 1996

National Hockey Night open ESPN 1995
Click to read more...
 
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Killion

Killion

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Howie Hodge said:
He was simply mesmerized by Don's Jacket.....
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.... :laugh: no kidding Howie... of all the crazy fabric's he's had made into sport jackets over the years that one in particular absolutely takes the cake, wins the prize. Tell me he didnt steal some room curtains from the abandoned Kings Inn Casino & Hotel up in Reno.... opened in 75, closed & left to molder for years, believe now reno'd, residential but it was a haunt of urban archaeologists for many years, stuff going missing right down to the wall-wall carpeting, sinks & plumbing.... was there once just after it opened & pretty damn sure that exact fabric....
 
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Killion

Killion

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Fenway said:
...There is a strong belief that Bettman has already decided who gets the US rights after 2021 and it will be a partnership between FOX and ESPN similar to what they had in 1995-1999. But right now the NHL/NBC relationship is like a husband and wife having separate bedrooms.

I am a grizzled veteran of the TV hockey business and I am close to retiring but I am still astounded at the production values from 23 years ago compared to today.
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Huh. Very interesting indeed Fenway. So no longer any marital harmony, headed for a Divorce? Certainly would appear based on your first hand experiences & conjecture that thats the case. What do you suppose they'll likely receive in terms of $$$ come expiration of the current contract, thats a few years off, and what are the chances their able to turn the ship around, repair what sounds like a broken relationship?.... You'd think the NHL would work at that. If they alienate NBC, start giving them serious attitude as Bettman is wont to do when negotiating things like this, dealing with the PA & so on, prickly pear... thats not good. You'd want to have NBC bidding again. Upping the ante'.... And yes, while you are retiring, no longer your problem, anything you have to deal with I'd imagine a certain melancholy, that things would slide to this point in terms of production qualities & values etc. We all take pride in our work. Dont wanna see that happening.
 
Burke the Legend

Burke the Legend

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cheswick said:
NBC couldn't have been happy that the NHL skipped the winter games. I'm sure that didn't help the relationship.
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Well NBC is paying the NHL $200 million a year not $2 billion a year. If it was closer to the former then the NHL probably would have been giving that a bit more weight in the decision.
 

Melrose Munch

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Burke the Legend said:
Well NBC is paying the NHL $200 million a year not $2 billion a year. If it was closer to the former then the NHL probably would have been giving that a bit more weight in the decision.
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cheswick said:
NBC couldn't have been happy that the NHL skipped the winter games. I'm sure that didn't help the relationship.
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I agree with Cheswick. Playoff games being on Golf is all you need to know about that. But this is simple to solve: The next contract has to have a clause about winter olympic participation. Otherwise no TV deal.
 
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Bookie21

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Melrose Munch said:
I agree with Cheswick. Playoff games being on Golf is all you need to know about that. But this is simple to solve: The next contract has to have a clause about winter olympic participation. Otherwise no TV deal.
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If NBC tried to put a clause about Olympic participation, they'd probably have to go to Fox/ESPN, you can't dictate that. The NHLPA would have a field day with that lol
 
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Melrose Munch

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Bookie21 said:
If NBC tried to put a clause about Olympic participation, they'd probably have to go to Fox/ESPN, you can't dictate that. The NHLPA would have a field day with that lol
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I think Fox/ESPN/ABC definately would as well. You have to promote the sport.
 
Icedog2735

Icedog2735

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If Fox could pick up the same or a slightly increased inventory of national telecasts as to what NBC/NBCSN does now and then you add in national games on ESPN that would be a good deal for the NHL. What can't happen is a retreat to one national TV game on each network per week; at least NBCSN has a game most nights during the week by using Comcast feeds.
 

Melrose Munch

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Bookie21 said:
No they wouldn't. NBC has the rights to the Winter Games, You think ESPN would want to shut down coverage for 2 weeks to give the talent to NBC? Not a chance
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Fair, but what if Fox gets the olympics at some point? NHL should not be looking for a money increase from NBC without a clause. Or anyone in the future that has winter olympics rights.
 
Fenway

Fenway

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Melrose Munch said:
Fair, but what if Fox gets the olympics at some point? NHL should not be looking for a money increase from NBC without a clause. Or anyone in the future that has winter olympics rights.
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In 2011, NBC agreed to a $4.38 billion contract with the International Olympic Committee to broadcast the Olympics through the 2020 games, the most expensive television rights deal in Olympic history. NBC then agreed to a $7.75 billion contract extension on May 7, 2014, to air the Olympics through the 2032 games.
 
cutchemist42

cutchemist42

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Even though NBC avoided a dud event that no one watched, also remember when NHL officials used NBCs Super Bowl haspatality and than announced World Cup on ESPN days later?
 
Kimota

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So only Canada got Gladys? lol

Look it will continue being a ping-pong game cause Gary will always fail at getting a great TV contract. I predict deceptions and keep switching channels with half-ass deals in the years to come. And no amount of southern cities getting teams will change that.
 
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Fenway

Fenway

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Kimota said:
So only Canada got Gladys? lol

Look it will continue being a ping-pong game cause Gary will always fail at getting a great TV contract. I predict deceptions and keep switching channels with half-ass deals in the years to come. And no amount of southern cities getting teams will change that.
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One indisputable fact about hockey TV ratings - people watch WHEN THEY HAVE A ROOTING INTEREST.

Olympic final most-watched hockey game in 30 years

Canada's victory against Team USA in the Olympic gold-medal game Sunday night was the most-watched hockey game in the United States in 30 years.

The game drew an average viewership of 27.6 million, making it the most-watched hockey broadcast since the U.S. team beat Finland to win gold at 1980 Olympics. That game drew 32.8 million fans and came on the heels of the historic U.S. win against the U.S.S.R. in the "Miracle on Ice" game.

It was also the most-watched television broadcast ever in Canadian history, with an average audience of 16.6 million viewers. Nearly half of the Canadian population watched the entire game on average, while 80 percent of Canadians watched some part of the game (26.5 million). The game aired live on nine television networks in eight languages via Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium.

The NHL's most-watched games on network TV tilt heavily towards the 1970's - The 1994 Game 7 between the Rangers and Vancouver had a low number on ESPN because it was also on the Rangers MSG channel. The Montreal/Chicago game in 1971 was an astounding number for CBS given that Chicago was blacked out.

  1. May 18, 1971, Montreal-Chicago – game seven, 12.41 million, 20.6 rating CBS
  2. May 11, 1972, Boston-NY Rangers – game six, 10.93 million, 17.6 rating CBS
  3. May 10, 1973, Montreal-Chicago – game six, 9.41 million, 15.2 rating NBC
  4. June 15, 2011, Boston-Vancouver – game seven, 8.54 million, 4.8 rating, 8 share NBC
  5. April 30, 1972, NY Rangers-Boston – game one, 8.51 million, 13.7 rating CBS
  6. May 12, 1974, Boston-Philadelphia – game three, 8.30 million, 12.5 rating NBC
  7. June 9, 2010, Chicago-Philadelphia – game six, 8.28 million, 4.7 rating, 6 share, NBC
  8. May 7, 1972, Boston-NY Rangers – game four, 8.26 million, 13.3 rating CBS
  9. June 24, 2013, Chicago-Boston — game six, 8.16 million, 4.7 rating, NBC
  10. June 15, 2015, Chicago-Tampa Bay – game six, 8 million, 4.4 rating, 8 share, NBC
The NHL does not have the star power of the NBA - last Sunday Game 7 between Cleveland and Boston had the highest rating ever for a NBA game on ESPN and LeBron James played all 48 minutes. What also hurts hockey with casual fans is two intermissions as the 3 twenty minute periods concept came from maximizing concession revenue.

The NBC studio segments are unchanged from 2012 when everything was moved to Connecticut. I know the NHL is frustrated that NBC ignores the trade deadline and only covers the first night of the draft.

Another odd thing - For Game 1 Mike Tirico opened the telecast from the 'fortress' at T-Mobile Arena and was never heard from again. :dunno:
 

viper0220

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powerstuck said:
The joke is on the league. They won't get even close to 2 billions a year, not even from ESPN/FOX.
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The NHL knows that it won't get $2 Billion a year, they are not that stupid.

Any guesses to what the next US tv contract for the NHL will look like?
 
Smirnov2Chistov

Smirnov2Chistov

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So, is it kind of hush-hush that the NHL is not seeking renewing with NBC?

Politics aside, having ESPN on the NHLs side would be huge. But it’s a little worrying what other people’s reaction would be considering that many are still livid with what happened with them many years ago
 
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