“[C]onversations are happening at the highest level“, between NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and ESPN executive VP of Content John Skipper, to bring the NHL back to ESPN in 2008. Games would air on ESPN2 as soon as the 2008-09 regular season, reports the Sports Business Journal.
Currently, the NHL has television deals with NBC and Versus. The Versus deal lasts until the 2010-11 season, while NBC will start a two-year deal this year, with an option for the second year — the 2008-09 season. That the NHL and ESPN are talking seems to indicate that there is a belief in NHL headquarters that NBC will not be picking up that option.
While these talks are preliminary, they seem to confirm that NBC will be ditching the NHL after this year. The league began talking to ESPN “the week of July 16 when the NHL approached ESPN about NBC?s nine-game regular-season schedule, plus the playoffs.” ESPN would take over NBC’s current role in the television deal. This could mean ESPN2 would air Sunday afternoon games and part of the Stanley Cup Finals, or even that ESPN or ABC could get involved. The deal could also resemble previous deals ESPN has made with the Arena Football League and WNBA; ABC may air one game at the start of the season and then part of the Stanley Cup Finals, while weekly games would air on ESPN2 throughout the season.
Versus would be the only stumbling block to getting a deal done. The Comcast owned network has exclusive cable TV rights, though sources cited by the Sports Business Journal say that “Versus would be willing to waive that clause, but only if it gets something in return ? either a lower rights fee, a stronger schedule or a deal extension.” Versus also hopes “for a situation that mirrors the NBA, where ESPN and TNT push viewers to each network?s games.”
News of a potential reunion between the NHL and ESPN was previously rumored by some in the blogosphere. Sources cited by The Buzz on the Burgh blog say “it is believed ESPN would listen to an offer of 35-40 million for broadcasting rights.” Hockeybuzz.com reported nearly two weeks ago that “ESPN is desperate to get back into the hockey game, and has let it be known. Versus has the NHL this season and the option to re-up for another 3 years…I am being told that Versus is on the fence and the NHL may offer up a package of games to Versus, while returning the majority of the deal to ESPN next season.”
