OT: NHL inks 7 year deal with ESPN

[AmericanDream]

Well...better not treat us like crap again...this will be split as well..NBC likely still gonna air games too. Love that theme song though!! Gary Thorne come on down!

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[Mrfenn92]

Pregame hosted by Max kellerman and Barry melrose. Stephan A Smith in between the bench. Gary Thorne and Patrick Sharp in the booth.

 

[AmericanDream]

Pregame hosted by Max kellerman and Barry melrose. Stephan A Smith in between the bench. Gary Thorne and Patrick Sharp in the booth.

Steve Levy and Bucci calling games well.
.that would be nice to see...Levy used to call good games as well.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Steve Levy and Bucci calling games well.
.that would be nice to see...Levy used to call good games as well.

Think both will be in the booth.
Wonder who they start hiring

 

[AmericanDream]

Think both will be in the booth.
Wonder who they start hiring

Jeremy Roenick...come on down!!!!

 

[Kevin Musto]

ESPN has the budget to put together some good NHL content. There's some untapped potential there for sure.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

ESPN has the budget to put together some good NHL content. There's some untapped potential there for sure.

Really?

They have been firing workers in droves and ESPN will be budgeting minimal $ into NHL like they did after landing NBA deal in 03

 

[Kevin Musto]

Really?

They have been firing workers in droves and ESPN will be budgeting minimal $ into NHL like they did after landing NBA deal in 03

I hadn't heard about that.

But regardless the firing of workers, although unfortunate, doesn't seem to have had much of an impact on the production value of their shows.

An NHL show like First Take or The Jump would probably do a lot to drive interest in the league.

 

[ClydeLee]

I was, not expecting, but hoping they would focus on some big streaming service connections and elements in their deal. Maybe that will come to pass but I don't know.

I do not get the doom and gloom. Every complaint about how ESPN treated the NHL or will treat the NHL is still better than anything NBC provides. So someone seems to think that NBCSports provides good coverage and is better than tertiary ESPN coverage? Nobody stumbles onto NBCSports. They can for ESPNs options and having the actual sports network that plays sports besides your game and not just fishing and hunting shows will help drive attention.

 

[Marotte Marauder]

As someone who has watched games on snowy 13" B&W TV with rabbit ears and giant snowy closed circuit feed in a theater, I don't need much. I don't need PBP, color analysts, intermission shows. Just get the game on my screen and I'm gooooood.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I look forward to random broadcasts on ESPNU after the end of OT in a Missouri Valley Conference game.

 

[AmericanDream]

welp....back to this shit we go..

 

[jaysoneil]

I could get down with the vintage ESPN hockey theme song over NBC any day of the week.

 

[AmericanDream]

still being reported this will be a split venture-so ESPN AND another network...I can't see why NBC wouldn't want to keep hockey and Sunday sport programming like they have with it. A NBC/ESPN split makes sense and would be pretty solid IMO. Can't rely on just one network anymore.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Eh, I'm good if the vid is quality.

I don't watch those shows, but cringe at the thought of a bunch of dingus commentators yelling at each other soap opera style in childish McDavid vs Matthews debates.

 

[nmgrbhfn]

Do you think the Hawks are getting calls about Murph and Big Z?

 

[Mrfenn92]

Do you think the Hawks are getting calls about Murph and Big Z?

Wrong thread

 

[Malaka]

Cap is going up 10-20 million yay

 

[Putt Pirate]

I did read that NBC is shuttering NBC Sports channel by the end of the year. So good idea to split between the 2.

 

[jls24]

"It is highlighted by: exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final on ABC in four of the seven years of the agreement, with the ability to simulcast/megacast on ESPN+ and additional ESPN networks"

"Additionally, the NHL’s out-of-market streaming package, with more than 1,000 games (formerly on NHL.TV), will now be available for fans to stream only as part of an ESPN+ subscription."

Sounds like they are really focusing on their ability to stream games via ESPN+ and Hulu. The only thing that could make me happier at this point is if they confirm they have both Home and Away feeds.

 

[Larmer83]

welp....back to this shit we go..View attachment 405640

Too bad that Fred Willard passed away.

 

[Kurtosis]

Finals on ABC is cool.

 

[Mrfenn92]

$400 million a year from ESPN

 

[cassac]

$400 million a year from ESPN

That seems low to me.

 

[Mrfenn92]

That seems low to me.

Double what nbc pays for the whole tv package. Plus the nhl has the other half of the tv package to shop around with.
Fox and CBS are expected to bid on the other half of tv rights.