There is no clear picture yet on which outlet will acquire the NHL’s remaining media rights. Plus: Fox has its replacement for Urban Meyer and more.
Status of NHL’s remaining media rights in flux
Incumbent NBC remains interested in maintaining its relationship with the NHL, according to The Athletic, but talks between the sides have been “strained” of late over price issues, per Sports Business Journal. With ESPN announcing Tuesday that it has acquired the NHL’s primary media rights package, NBC is negotiating for a secondary package that includes three Stanley Cup finals in seven years, an annual conference final and half of the postseason.
Fox Sports is widely expected to be NBC’s rival for that secondary package, but its interest level is not clear. The Athletic reported that Fox will make a “hard push” for the rights, but Sports Business Journal said Fox has not held “meaningful talks” with the league lately as it focuses on its NFL negotiations.
For its part, after news of ESPN’s NHL deal broke Tuesday, NBC said in a statement that it “continue[s] to discuss a potential future with the league as we focus on the season at hand. [The Athletic 3.11, SBJ 3.10]
Fox picks Stoops as Meyer’s replacement
Fox Sports said this week that it has hired former University of Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops as the replacement for Urban Meyer on its “Big Noon Saturday” college football pregame show. The news was first reported by the New York Post. Stoops previously made guest appearances on the Fox pregame show prior to the Oklahoma-Texas “Red River Rivalry” games in 2018 and 2019. [Fox Sports]
Plus: Rivera, Eli, Tait
ESPN said Thursday that it has reached a contract extension with baseball reporter Marly Rivera. … Eli Manning said Monday that he will begin hosting a college football version of his brother Peyton’s ESPN+ NFL travelogue “Peyton’s Places” titled “Eli’s Places.” … Former Cleveland Cavaliers voice Joe Tait has died at 83. He had been battling cancer. [ESPN PR 3.11, Eli Manning/Twitter 3.8, AP 3.10]
