NHL makes 12-year/$5.2 billion Canadian TV deal w/ Sportsnet, CBC licensing, TSN out

[sting13]

Shaw and Bell have Sportsnet channels, I realize this. I'm inquiring about Center Ice, which is currently offered on Shaw and Bell...if Rogers has sole control of it, how are Bell and Shaw able to offer it?

I assume by control they are talking in regards to what games and feeds are shown
and what fee they charge. They can't just show it on Rogers. For example, Rogers
is not a cable company in Manitoba. They are not going to just eliminate Centre Ice
for a whole province.

 

[uncleben]

Could you name this mythical area of Canada for me, I've been looking high and low for it for years (Hint: this is the satellite age, now go find it.)


[spoil]Answer: IT DOESN'T EXIST[/spoil]

So I'm pretty much screwed as a Panthers fan living in Ontario. Rogers doesn't offer cable services in my location, only Bell and Shaw.

Big shock! It does exist!
There definitely are still areas without full choice.

 

[rojac]

Shaw and Bell have Sportsnet channels, I realize this. I'm inquiring about Center Ice, which is currently offered on Shaw and Bell...if Rogers has sole control of it, how are Bell and Shaw able to offer it?

Think of Rogers as a middle man. Rogers essentially buys Centre Ice from the NHL and resells it to other broadcasters. So, instead of Bell buying Centre Ice from the NHL, they'll buy it from Rogers.

 

[Inkling]

So you basically want TSN to become Sportnet but with the CFL rights.

TSN is great at taking under appreciated properties and growing them. They did that with the World Junior tournament. They had a big part of it with the CFL. I agree it would be nice if they could do it with junior hockey in general (not just the WJHC). A lot of people who will spare no expense to watch Canada at the World Junior tournament hardly give a second thought to their local junior team. Maybe they could now work their magic with the WHL, OHL and QMJHL. Sportsnet has covered them but probably hasn't done as much as they could.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

Bettman also said the Phoenix Coyotes were financially stable.

There is, nor has there ever been any reason to believe the things that Gary Bettman says.

You really think Rogers would risk the backlash of releasing the information and not following through with it?

 

[Lustaf]

When everyone from TSN moves over, won't that presumably improve the product?

Ugh... I don't want that. I enjoy watching the same production for the World Jrs as the NHL.

 

[Deebo]

The Jets signed a 10 year contract with TSN of which after this year, 7 years
remain and they have to allow TSN Jets to show a certain amount of games.
They will just make sure the Jets don't play that many games on Wed, Sat and Suns
to honour their contract with TSN.

They don't seem to have many Wednesday night games scheduled this season, which will probably continue. They only have 2 Wednesday games left this season after tonight.

 

[Wetcoaster]

Ad on Craigslist today:

[email protected]

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Excellent/mint condition.

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It's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests unless you are offering NHL national broadcast rights.​

 

[Trap Jesus]

I don't see how Center Ice is going to be profitable enough for them to keep it up. How many games are going to be on National TV (even if it features American teams)? It sounded like 5 or something on Saturdays, and with less games to choose from on Weekdays, they're going to be getting all the bottom of the barrel stuff on Center Ice. Not too many people in Canada are consistently going to dish out money to see Florida or Nashville play. Even as a Bruins fan, I don't know if I'll get it again (as I'd expect to see a lot of Bruins games broadcast over one of the networks).

 

[BraveCanadian]

Could you name this mythical area of Canada for me, I've been looking high and low for it for years (Hint: this is the satellite age, now go find it.)


[spoil]Answer: IT DOESN'T EXIST[/spoil]

Interesting that you bring that up since they also have a program for providing CBC through Shaw Direct in areas that over the air have been decommissioned recently.

They do a pretty decent job

http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/explore/strategies/dtv/coverage-maps/

Also, providing service across Canada as much as they can is not the only unique part of their mandate that a private broadcaster would not have to worry about.

But I'm sure you already know that.

 

[Slot]

Could you name this mythical area of Canada for me, I've been looking high and low for it for years (Hint: this is the satellite age, now go find it.)


[spoil]Answer: IT DOESN'T EXIST[/spoil]

Anywhere north of 60o satellite coverage gets very very spotty.

 

[Pilky01]

You really think Rogers would risk the backlash of releasing the information and not following through with it?

What risk? They have a monopoly for the next 12 years!

 

[viper0220]

This probably the end of the NHL being big in Canada, Rogers will make you pay for everything so long nhl.

 

[optimus2861]

I'm pretty sure the CRTC ruled a couple years ago that one cable provider can't stop other providers from broadcasting anything

It does mean that Rogers gets to play kingmaker, and set their own price on the content. If the other cable providers don't pay up - and what choice do they have? - they can't broadcast it. And if Rogers chooses to play dirty and not sell it to the others... I'm not sure there's any recourse.

Pertinent example: the TSN-Habs channel for regional Canadiens games is only available to Bell cable or satellite subscribers. If you're with any other provider, you can't get it. I presume TSN-Jets is the same.

 

[Evil Doctor]

When everyone from TSN moves over, won't that presumably improve the product?

That's hardly going to happen. TSN is more than just hockey. Journalists and play-by-play guys stay, so does the production staff. They just move over to new content. Basically it's just the hockey colour guys that will likely move.

Hey look, Hockey Central is now on. Look closely people, that's what you're getting for the next 13 years....

 

[Trap Jesus]

That's hardly going to happen. TSN is more than just hockey. Journalists and play-by-play guys stay, so does the production staff. They just move over to new content. Basically it's just the hockey colour guys that will likely move.

Hey look, Hockey Central is now on. Look closely people, that's what you're getting for the next 13 years....

TSN is majorly reliant on hockey. This isn't just a move-onto-the-next-thing type of situation for them, it looks like a major blow.

 

[Stats01]

I have a feeling they will target NBA broadcasting and try to have as many games with whatever team which drafts Wiggins. TSN that is...

Ok but for like the millionth time. Rogers owns the NBA rights. Rogers currently own almost every sports entity. TSN has NBA games on Thursday nights but every other night it's Sportsnet. Rogers is the true definition of sports leader.

The main products TSN owns are the WJHC and the CFL, MNF, and SNF. everything else is on Rogers.

 

[rojac]

It does mean that Rogers gets to play kingmaker, and set their own price on the content. If the other cable providers don't pay up - and what choice do they have? - they can't broadcast it. And if Rogers chooses to play dirty and not sell it to the others... I'm not sure there's any recourse.

Pertinent example: the TSN-Habs channel for regional Canadiens games is only available to Bell cable or satellite subscribers. If you're with any other provider, you can't get it. I presume TSN-Jets is the same.

If nothing else, it gives Rogers another bargaining chip in negotiating carriage fees for Shaw and Bell's cable channels. "Cut your carriage fee for MuchMusic or Comedy Network or The Movie Network by 10% and we'll knock 15% off the cost of Centre Ice."

 

[Ducksforcup]

As an American, I'm happy for the league that they are getting this pile of money...but...

I certainly hope HNIC continues to operate more or less in the same way. Watching HNIC with my Dad (on Center Ice) was and will continue to be a special experience.

 

[sipowicz]

What is the team split for the new Sportsnet/NHL TV deal, I think I heard it was 65/35 for Canadian/US based teams, too bad the NHL is so reluctant to put more teams in Canada yet this is where the majority of NHL revenue comes from.

Guess to lil' Gary having a few thousand follow hockey in the Arizona desert makes more sense than a couple million following and supporting a team in Quebec City!

 

[cutchemist42]

Yo NHL, we're giving you a massive tv contract for a crappier product, throw us a bone here (8th franchise in Canada)

 

[MotorMaster]

Rogers owns everything, screw Rogers and their crappy services. Aren't they trying to buy the Buffalo Bills too?

 

[rojac]

As an American, I'm happy for the league that they are getting this pile of money...but...

I certainly hope HNIC continues to operate more or less in the same way. Watching HNIC with my Dad (on Center Ice) was and will continue to be a special experience.

My impression from the news conference is that HNIC production and broadcast crew may be available for use by Sportsnet for more than just Saturday night games.

 

[LadyJet26]

It does mean that Rogers gets to play kingmaker, and set their own price on the content. If the other cable providers don't pay up - and what choice do they have? - they can't broadcast it. And if Rogers chooses to play dirty and not sell it to the others... I'm not sure there's any recourse.

Pertinent example: the TSN-Habs channel for regional Canadiens games is only available to Bell cable or satellite subscribers. If you're with any other provider, you can't get it. I presume TSN-Jets is the same.

TSN-Jets is offered by every cable company in Manitoba. Even Bell subscribers are going to have to pay for it next season.

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

Ugh... I don't want that. I enjoy watching the same production for the World Jrs as the NHL.

Not everyone will move over.

It's gonna be an interesting summer in terms of who goes where. All of the CBC crew and then some of the TSN crew will be in the running for a smaller pool of jobs.

Dreger/Mckenzie will stick with TSN for a bit I believe. TSN will still try and give a lot of coverage on Sportscentre, That's Hockey, etc. LeBrun may move over, he's more of a freelancer.

Cuthbert/Miller will stay with TSN as long as their contracts run as they both do CFL games as well.

With very little games to do, one of Ferraro/Johnson will get let go and probably resurface with Rogers.

Not sure what will happen with Duthie, probably depends on how long he under contract for.

Ward is almost a sure bet to jump ship IMO. Doesn't fit without TSN having games.