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
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