NHL, Turner Sports reach 7 year TV deal for games on TNT, TBS

[oknazevad]

Having it up against a full slate of games hurts because you are basically dividing your audience. Fans are going to watch their local game vs the national game. Also, Saturday is an awful tv night because people go out.

I think TorontoSports was floating the idea of a Saturday night spot where the Turner game is the only game on TV at all. Which will never happen as Saturday night is a popular night for attending games (one of those things people do when they go out) and the teams won't be willing to give up the gate from them.

So it'll be a Wednesday night game, just as it would have been were it on USA or FS1, with some weekend games as well. The real question is whether they put it on TNT and bump AEW to TBS, or vice versa. That's really a wash, as both channels carry sports (with TBS's MLB coverage moving to Tuesdays next season) and both are not only essentially equal in terms of household availability and average ratings, but on most cable systems they are directly adjacent on channel lineups. For example, I have Verizon FiOS, and TNT is Ch 51 while TBS is Ch 52. It's not like one is in the 200s, like NBCSN was for a long time.

The one thing regarding AEW that makes me think they're staying put is that they are now getting over a million total viewers with NXT no longer head-to-head, and have favorable demographics (top ten on cable week in and week out). Turner execs might not want to upset the apple cart of the momentum there.

 

[jkrdevil]

I think TorontoSports was floating the idea of a Saturday night spot where the Turner game is the only game on TV at all. Which will never happen as Saturday night is a popular night for attending games (one of those things people do when they go out) and the teams won't be willing to give up the gate from them.

So it'll be a Wednesday night game, just as it would have been were it on USA or FS1, with some weekend games as well. The real question is whether they put it on TNT and bump AEW to TBS, or vice versa. That's really a wash, as both channels carry sports (with TBS's MLB coverage moving to Tuesdays next season) and both are not only essentially equal in terms of household availability and average ratings, but on most cable systems they are directly adjacent on channel lineups. For example, I have Verizon FiOS, and TNT is Ch 51 while TBS is Ch 52. It's not like one is in the 200s, like NBCSN was for a long time.

The one thing regarding AEW that makes me think they're staying put is that they are now getting over a million total viewers with NXT no longer head-to-head, and have favorable demographics (top ten on cable week in and week out). Turner execs might not want to upset the apple cart of the momentum there.

I said yesterday when Turner was first reported that TBS made more sense. But if they are putting the Final and Winter Classic on TNT the majority of their coverage is going to be on TNT.

 

[LadyStanley]

My thumb is on the IR so no quotes or summary

 

[Lunatik]

With ow Turner seemed to buy into and promote All Elite Wrestling, I am excited to see what they do with the NHL.

 

[ChompChomp]

Having it up against a full slate of games hurts because you are basically dividing your audience. Fans are going to watch their local game vs the national game. Also, Saturday is an awful tv night because people go out.

That happens in the NFL too. And Saturday night is just as awful as early Sunday for NFL (much of the country is in church going time when the early slate begins).

The flip side is have the entire NHL playing on Saturday nights staggered between 7pm ET and 10pm ET. TNT has a national double header and the rest on RSNs.

But here's the kicker that would make it interesting: Bettman said they aren't sure what they are going to do with the NHL Network. This is what I propose:

Convert NHL Network into a Red Zone/Strike Zone type channel. So during this Saturday slate, you can opt to watch NHLN which will bounce around between the games (including the HNIC games), focusing on when a team is on the PP, the end of a game/OT/SO, penalty shots, and then also show you every goal just like Red Zone. No commercials, no intermissions (I mention staggering the start times on Saturday above, this is why). So just like the NFL, you can opt to watch your local team on the local RSN, the national game(s) on TNT, or the NHLN Saturday Coverage ("NHL In the Crease"?).

I know for me, I'd be watch this NHLN In the Crease I propose until my team is playing, likely every Saturday of the season.

I'd also propose the league make sure the entire league (or close to it) is also playing on Thursdays in addition to Saturdays and have NHL In the Crease on Thursdays as well.

 

[Fenway]

I suspect McDonough and Levy will be used on the 25 games on ESPN/ABC. A lot depends on what night of the week the NHL will be slotted on ESPN - Saturday and Monday are out during football season, Sunday would be ratings suicide against Sunday Night Football so................

Turner will have 72 regular-season games so we are looking at at least twice a week with doubleheaders on at least one night. The streaming games on ESPN

ESPN and Turner work together on the NBA schedule and will do the same for the NHL.

The Turner NHL studio show can easily be done in Manhattan where Warner has plenty of studio space and I would not rule out Olbermann as the host. The man does know his hockey. He left Turner on good terms so........................

 

[Fenway]

Something else the national media has overlooked - AT&T OWNS Turner and all the Warner properties and DirecTV

Time will tell but I think this is a good deal for US hockey fans.

 

[Coinneach]

 

[NextBigThing]

Between the NHL, NBA, and MLB AEW is gonna get bounced around like a ping pong ball. Tough break for a young and upcoming company, but hey Vince dealt with much worse with WWE back in the day.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Between the NHL, NBA, and MLB AEW is gonna get bounced around like a ping pong ball. Tough break for a young and upcoming company, but hey Vince dealt with much worse with WWE back in the day.

but back in the day Vince owned the WWF and Im sure the World Wildlife Foundation wasn't making his life any easier.
What's AEW?
Wrestling feels like it took a major step back from when it was in the Attitude era when I was a kid, prob be tough not to bounce like a ping pong ball even without the new NHL deal

 

[jkrdevil]

Between the NHL, NBA, and MLB AEW is gonna get bounced around like a ping pong ball. Tough break for a young and upcoming company, but hey Vince dealt with much worse with WWE back in the day.

If they move to the same timeslot on Wednesdays on TBS, AEW gets bounced only one or two weeks in October because of the MLB playoffs. They already have to move in the spring because TNT was Wednesday night playoff rights for the NBA. With the NHL now coming in, it probably makes sense for all parties for them to make a permanent switch to TBS.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

I suspect McDonough and Levy will be used on the 25 games on ESPN/ABC. A lot depends on what night of the week the NHL will be slotted on ESPN - Saturday and Monday are out during football season, Sunday would be ratings suicide against Sunday Night Football so................

Turner will have 72 regular-season games so we are looking at at least twice a week with doubleheaders on at least one night. The streaming games on ESPN

ESPN and Turner work together on the NBA schedule and will do the same for the NHL.

The Turner NHL studio show can easily be done in Manhattan where Warner has plenty of studio space and I would not rule out Olbermann as the host. The man does know his hockey. He left Turner on good terms so........................

guys Original 6 take is stupid. no kidding everyone knows there were teams before. but these are the original 6 that kept the NHL alive. and the 6 teams before the big expansion.
SO like is just easier to call them
the 6 teams that survived?

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Well there is a difference between the NFL’s NFC package (the most valued package in sports) and a couple of NHL games. For instance if WPIX in New York has either a Mets or Yankees game, and the CW is a scheduled an Tampa-Pittsburgh playoff game at the same time the Mets/Yankees are going to get priority.

CW affiliates don’t even carry the CW anymore. I don’t think the network is a priority for either CBS or Warner (or you would see NCAA tournament games on there rather than TruTV).

the CW affiliate here is a subset of Hearst Portland, the ABC Affiliate @jkrdevil.... much like the Fox affiliate here has ties or affiliations with Sinclair, which owns the CBS Affiliate here in Southern Maine.

 

[sonic92]

Well we're off to a wonderful start here aren't we?

 

[OG6ix]

Well we're off to a wonderful start here aren't we?

I saw that on Post game last night right? I was wondering why they chose Andrew Ference of all people.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

I saw that on Post game last night right? I was wondering why they chose Andrew Ference of all people.

Some dummy definitely did a search for 'Oilers captain' or something thinking it was McDavid.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

Some dummy definitely did a search for 'Oilers captain' or something thinking it was McDavid.

 

[OG6ix]

lol funny but not a big deal - NHL fans get so butthurt about this kind of stuff. I have seen a lot of little errors like this during NBA coverage and ESPN with MLB.

 

[cbcwpg]

The NHL will get into bed with anyone with just enough literacy to write a cheque.

 

[46zone]

lol funny but not a big deal - NHL fans get so butthurt about this kind of stuff. I have seen a lot of little errors like this during NBA coverage and ESPN with MLB.

I see this routinely with other sports as well; I don't understand why NHL fans get up in arms about it. I was watching FS1 yesterday and the commentators on one of the talking head shows got the positions of some notable NFL draft prospects completely wrong.

 

[OG6ix]

The NHL will get into bed with anyone with just enough literacy to write a cheque.

It's not like Jeff Zucker put that graphic together - could have been a non-sports fan for all you know.

This Hockey fan insecurity must come from Canada where the inferior complex comes out towards the states.

 

[PhillyWings]

Between the NHL, NBA, and MLB AEW is gonna get bounced around like a ping pong ball. Tough break for a young and upcoming company, but hey Vince dealt with much worse with WWE back in the day.

And when the NHL on Turner trails AEW in ratings....

 

[LuckyDay]

where does it state existing contracts are being sold to Peacock, LD..... ONCE NBCSN goes away.... nothing has been announced by IMSA/INDYCAR/NASCAR past Tokyo......

From the Variety article I had posted. They could be wrong.

 

[NextBigThing]

And when the NHL on Turner trails AEW in ratings....

I’ve probably posted this 3 or 4 times but I’ll say it again. Advertisers don’t value wrestling fans. The vast majority of them are uneducated, unemployed, and have little to no disposable income. It doesn’t matter how many viewers the wrasslin show gets or what the demo is because it attracts weak advertisers. Even if the NHL gets lower ratings, the networks will still choose hockey because of the significantly higher ad rate.

Don’t take this personally. There are exceptions and you could be one.

 

[OG6ix]

I’ve probably posted this 3 or 4 times but I’ll say it again. Advertisers don’t value wrestling fans. The vast majority of them are uneducated, unemployed, and have little to no disposable income. It doesn’t matter how many viewers the wrasslin show gets or what the demo is because it attracts weak advertisers. Even if the NHL gets lower ratings, the networks will still choose hockey because of the significantly higher ad rate.

Don’t take this personally. There are exceptions and you could be one.

I have asked you a few times to give me any stats/facts around your statement here. There are a lot of closeted Wrestling fans and I have seen families being a target demo for the WWE. I am sure there are those "hicks" that like it too but it's more entertainment than 1970s sideshow.

Again, I stopped watching wrestling years ago but started to again since I saw AEW on TSN. It's not that I disagree with you completely I am just looking for facts because WWE has been making money hand over fist the last decade.