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Report: ESPN likely getting at least part of NHL rights


Georgie56

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I see this potentially being a split between either ESPN and NBC or ESPN and Fox I think its most likely going to be ESPN/NBC largely because both Comcast and Disney have poured a lot of resources to streaming across both ESPN Plus and Peacock so I expect those to continue.

 

I have serious doubts that ABC is going to be part of the TV package this go around as ESPN is only after partial NHL rights.

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7 hours ago, doublejman69 said:

If Fox is part of the NHL package there is some speculation that FOX could be swapping at least one large market O&O for another Fox affiliate...

I don't see this happening unless they try and get WFXT back for a 3rd time. They tried to own every NFC market station but buying WJZY in Charlotte bombed. FTS is better to get an already established station like they have with KCPQ and KTVU. 

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4 minutes ago, nickp said:

Didn't ESPN not renew the NHL's TV contract after the lockout 

ESPN already had one foot out the NHL door when they gained the NBA from NBC in 2002. The last contract was a one year deal for the Locked Out 2004-05 season with ESPN 2 sharing with NBC. NBC would have taken the games ABC had. ESPN is now seeing how vital the NHL was for them and how people longed for the National Hockey Night days.

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7 minutes ago, jerseyfla said:

ESPN already had one foot out the NHL door when they gained the NBA from NBC in 2002. The last contract was a one year deal for the Locked Out 2004-05 season with ESPN 2 sharing with NBC. NBC would have taken the games ABC had. ESPN is now seeing how vital the NHL was for them and how people longed for the National Hockey Night days.

ESPN’s attitude towards covering the NHL changed when they got the NBA TV rights in 2002 

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10 hours ago, TVNewsLover said:

Which markets and why?

It should be pointed out that talks are only at preliminary stages at this point but Fox is kicking the tires at WFXT in Boston. Even though Boston is a AFC market, national games on fox in Boston for the most part do very well, any Bruin game on fox would also get good ratings. Fox would be trading station(s) in non NFC markets. The only way talks would extend farther is if Fox has the same NFL packages going forward(Sunday afternoon, Thursday night and flex scheduling) and part of the any NHL package.

 

Before people start speculating, WFXT is the only station FOX is looking at this time.

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1 hour ago, channel2 said:

The station they gave up because they just had to have their Niners Station?

When fox traded WFXT there wasn’t any flex scheduling for Sunday afternoon games and Thursday night football wasn’t as big as it is now. It’s no secret that in the past that Fox wanted o&o stations in NFC markets. We will see what Fox’s next NFL contract offers, but it’s likely fox will be airing more AFC (Pat) games and with Boston being one of the few markets were the NHL will get at least decent ratings, Fox’s focus has probably change to owning those stations that will get high ratings for the sporting events that Fox will air.

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How come Fox is so aggressive about having O&Os in strategically-located markets but the other networks would apparently rather jump into a pool of ice water than buy stations? NBC presumably got all their seething out of their system once they got their long-sought Philly and San Francisco O&Os - and pre-empted a big long tantrum about Dallas-Fort Worth by simply conditioning their investment in Hicks Muse's deal for LIN on gaining control of KXAS...

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  • 3 weeks later...

It shouldn't be surprising that ESPN got half of the NHL contract, It sounds like FOX and NBC are pushing very hard for the other half, NBC has better streaming option and Fox is a little more willing to do multiple regionals on game nights. Its likely the NHL will at least get double from there last US rights fees.

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Important to note that the NHL.TV streaming package is moving wholesale to ESPN+. With this deal, Disney/ESPN becomes the 'A' rights holder to the NHL. 

 

NBCU and Fox are in contention for the remaining rights. I'd wager that NBCU will keep their slice of it, aiming to bolster Peacock and USA Network.

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On 2/21/2021 at 12:13 PM, jerseyfla said:

I don't see this happening unless they try and get WFXT back for a 3rd time. They tried to own every NFC market station but buying WJZY in Charlotte bombed. FTS is better to get an already established station like they have with KCPQ and KTVU. 


Tjey could get WRAZ in Raleigh sicnce that where the Canes are at that would make another close by FOX O&Os like Tampa and Orlando.

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  • 1 month later...
7 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

Looks like NBC is gonna be out of the NHL entirely after the current season ends, if true.

 

 

This would lead me to believe that Fox may be the leading candidate for the second package.

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