Rogers dropping NHL rights makes Ohtani deal possible for Blue Jays ( If it happens )

[lakeshirts37]

Who is Ohtani and why does he affect the NHL? Edit Googled him he is a baseball player who will like sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers though the Blue Hays have met with him along with the Cubs and San Francisco Giants.

Do you live under a rock?

 

[Fatass]

If this means the end of Ron Maclean, then YEH!

 

[Fatass]

Do you live under a rock?

TBH I had to Google this guy too. It’s a hockey forum. But after reading about this guy he sounds like a modern day Ruth. (Japan produced though) Very cool if he comes to Canada. But don’t see why he would. Baseball is not very popular up here. Especially compared to hockey. Unless he wants to be anonymous away from the diamond. That could be part of his choice. He could live up here and no one would know him off the field. Maybe he wants that?

 

[NextBigThing]

TBH I had to Google this guy too. It’s a hockey forum. But after reading about this guy he sounds like a modern day Ruth. (Japan produced though) Very cool if he comes to Canada. But don’t see why he would. Baseball is not very popular up here. Especially compared to hockey. Unless he wants to be anonymous away from the diamond. That could be part of his choice. He could live up here and no one would know him off the field. Maybe he wants that?

Huh? He would instantly become Canada’s most popular athlete. Some people on this forum need to get out of the hockey bubble.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Ohtani is ridiculously more popular of an athlete than any hockey player today, it's not even close. Folks that are talking about not knowing about him are just professing to be in a bubble. He'll be a huge draw for the Jays on both sides of the border and over in Japan.

 

[mouser]

Ohtani is amazing, but as a BoH moderator I’m questioning whether this thread should be moved into the non-hockey business sub-forum?

Discussion seems to mostly focus around MLB baseball player Ohtani, not Roger’s current or future NHL rights deals.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Do you live under a rock?

No, I live in a house. Do you?

 

[DoyleG]

The problem the NHL will have is that, if Rogers drops NHL coverage, they would need someone to pick up the slack in a big way in Canada.

The CBC's announcement of layoffs shows that it's not in any position to take on the expectations that the NHL has in terms of broadcasting in Canada. This is especially true given the CBC's declining OTA reach, which allows some avoidance of the long-running issue of cable cutting.

BCE is notable that they had an opportunity to take the rights and said no. They have very good reasons to have taken that route. Having TSN carry the games isn't enough as they would need large portions of the CTV sked to meet the NHL demands. That takes up airtime that they could better use. Not to mention that the playoffs go through the sweeps period of TV programming, a period in which the NHL would demand more of those TV slots. There's a reason BCE hasn't been gun-ho about broadcasting the Olympics after the 2010-12 period.

 

[Ciao]

Bell has made round after round of layoffs and is in no position to overpay for an NHL contract.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Ohtani is amazing, but as a BoH moderator I’m questioning whether this thread should be moved into the non-hockey business sub-forum?

Discussion seems to mostly focus around MLB baseball player Ohtani, not Roger’s current or future NHL rights deals.

All speculation at this point, but the potential ramifications for the NHL are huge.

Canada has:
* 2 'major' national sports properties: the NHL and the Blue Jays (sorry CFL & MLS, but let's be real here)
* A media duopoly

Rogers pulling out of bidding to focus on building their business around the other, and using regional NHL rights to fill in the gaps, could leave Bell as the lone bidder, and lead to the NHL getting a below market deal.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Ohtani is amazing, but as a BoH moderator I’m questioning whether this thread should be moved into the non-hockey business sub-forum?

Discussion seems to mostly focus around MLB baseball player Ohtani, not Roger’s current or future NHL rights deals.

move it. imo it does not affect hockey (yet anyway).

 

[Ciao]

All speculation at this point, but the potential ramifications for the NHL are huge.

Canada has:
* 2 'major' national sports properties: the NHL and the Blue Jays (sorry CFL & MLS, but let's be real here)
* A media duopoly

Rogers pulling out of bidding to focus on building their business around the other, and using regional NHL rights to fill in the gaps, could leave Bell as the lone bidder, and lead to the NHL getting a below market deal.

I don't know that it would be "below market" but it will likely be for a lot less money.

Neither Rogers nor Bell are in a position to overpay for NHL rights, and I would think that the gravy train is near its end.

I don't think that Rogers would close the door completely , but they probably won't the eager bidders they once were.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

The idea that signing SO would mean Rogers dropping NHL rights makes little to no sense.

Rogers already promotes the Jays non stop and has a monopoly for the Summer months content wise only competing I guess with CFL games couple times a week.

I don't see exclusive rights next time though I would guess TSN/Sportsnet shares

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Also this comes from Steve Simmons a TSN employee so take that for what it worth...and he also says Scott Neidermayer is a top 10 D of all time yeesh

 

[StreetHawk]

And considering that Ohtani is MVP level at both pitching and as an everyday player, it's as if Gretzky was entering FA as both the greatest forward of all time AND as a Vezina winning goalie.

Nothing even close to him since Babe Ruth with the Red Sox over a century ago.

Like a football player playing both sides.

Like Randy Moss at WR and Revis at CB all in one.
or he does what Trent Williams and Nick Bosa both do so SF 49ers.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

https://vx.twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1733578636911935702?s=20

https://vxtwitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1733579104916492574?s=20

Probably a good guess to say they had no shot

 

[Kane One]

Looks like Rogers will keep hockey after all.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Looks like Rogers will keep hockey after all.

Which is probably good, TSN can't compete with the on air trio of McLean, Elliot and Cuthbert.

Though neither Sportsnet or TSN could compete with the production we saw from CBCs HNIC from 80s-2013

 

[willy702]

Not like they are really related but Rogers probably losing more than 70m a year on their deal. They should have supported an even more stupid and ridiculous bid. While they were at it, maybe get the Canadian government to offer a tax credit on the insane amount of cash they could have gotten from Ohtani's deal. I mean why not give him a clean billion for 12 years?

 

[lakeshirts37]

No, I live in a house. Do you?

sick brag you have a house

 

[berklon]

Looks like Rogers will keep hockey after all.

Not if the new deal isn't drastically cheaper than the current one. Rogers won't be overpaying again.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Well this blew up in their face. Now the have the problem of saying they were willing to spend all this money.. Will the still do it to have a balance roster

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Not if the new deal isn't drastically cheaper than the current one. Rogers won't be overpaying again.

While I do agree on the overpay aspect the thing is that now without Ohtani in Toronto they pretty much have to pay the NHL. I'm sure Gary celebrated the outcome of this contract.

 

[Jumptheshark]

This blew up in their faces. Fans are now asking 'since you have this money to spend' Jay's are fans are expecting the Jay's to go out and players

 

[rojac]

This blew up in their faces. Fans are now asking 'since you have this money to spend' Jay's are fans are expecting the Jay's to go out and players

I think most Jays fans understand that there were two budgets — one with Ohtani and one without because Ohtani would have actually generated more money for Rogers. That being said, of big names available this off-season, only Ohtani and Juan Soto (trade) are off the board.