TNT joining ESPN as the Other NHL US Broadcast Partner

[IKnowPhysics]

FYI, ESPN+ is currently $5.99 per month or $59.99 annually.  Unknown if NHL out-of-market games will be tiered into a separate subscription/price.  It'd be nice if it only cost $60/year, as NHL.tv/NHL Center Ice was about ~$160 for the regular 82 game season (and didn't include games broadcast on NBCSN or NBC).

I'm hoping that whoever else gets the remaining unnegotiated national TV rights doesn't also force games onto a streaming-only cable+ subscription.

Edited March 10, 2021 by IKnowPhysics

[IKnowPhysics]

https://www.sportico.com/business/media/2021/espn-nhl-on-verge-of-new-media-rights-deal-1234624492/

 

Quote

Sources on Tuesday said ESPN is on the verge of inking a seven-year contract with the NHL that will see that Disney cable net earn the right to televise as many as four Stanley Cup Final matchups between 2022 and 2028. While terms of the agreement—which has yet to be finalized—remain murky, it is believed that ESPN will pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $2 billion to $2.25 billion for the package.

NBC currently pays ~$200M/year for the whole shebangabang, but the ESPN contract equate to roughly $285M-$321M/year for only whatever ESPN is getting rights to (NBCUniversal/Comcast is also expected to sign a new contract and retain significant content for big dollars).  That's a shitload of cash.

The increased expenditure makes me hopeful that television production budgets will be first rate, visibility will be high, and the game will experience growth.  However, two contracts makes me weary that we may need to subscribe to Peacock and ESPN+ to get 100% Sabres coverage.  We'll see.

[Brawndo]

Officially announced will be 400 Million over Seven Years.  Double the present NBC Deal.

 

[spndnchz]

Disney pulled back on this statement, saying it was premature. 

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

14 minutes ago, spndnchz said:

Disney pulled back on this statement, saying it was premature. 

?????

[spndnchz]

15 minutes ago, spndnchz said:

Disney pulled back on this statement, saying it was premature. 

 

1 minute ago, Ruff Around The Edges said:

?????

Just reported on Bloomberg 

[ubkev]

This video made me a little happy and a little sad. Man, I used to love hockey so much more than I do now.

[erickompositör72]

23 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

Oh great, the politics sports channel is now encroaching on one of the few bastions of escapes left. Wpnderful, I fully expect to hear 24/7 on game telecasts that I'm racist just for being born, call me excited 😞

We'll get through this together, snowflake 😜

[erickompositör72]

12 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

Nope. I've seen and heard enough from that network of stations. I won't subject the grandkids to it, whom I watch hockey with.

Sorry, your grandchildren are going to be exposed to tolerance and open-mindedness everywhere they go, whether you like it or not. And they will be the most progressive generation that ever lived.

Again, we'll get through it together, snowflake... I know it's tough 😜

[Scottysabres]

1 minute ago, erickompositör72 said:

Sorry, your grandchildren are going to be exposed to tolerance and open-mindedness everywhere they go, whether you like it or not. And they will be the most progressive generation that ever lived.

Again, we'll get through it together, snowflake... I know it's tough 😜

Calling their grandparents, parents and themselves racist just because they were born with a certain skin pigmentation is tolerance? And I actually don't take them to those "Progressive Bastions of, what do you call it again? Progressiveness?Interesting.

Ya, ummm, I'm going to give an easy pass on allowing them to be subjected to that, starting with ESPN, which commentators on that network have espoused my grandchildren are guilty of actual crimes against humanity, simply for being born.

Again, no thanks. I'd like them to grow up understanding they have worth as human beings, but, thanks for the offer? I guess?

[erickompositör72]

34 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Calling their grandparents, parents and themselves racist just because they were born with a certain skin pigmentation is tolerance? And I actually don't take them to those "Progressive Bastions of, what do you call it again? Progressiveness?Interesting.

Ya, ummm, I'm going to give an easy pass on allowing them to be subjected to that, starting with ESPN, which commentators on that network have espoused my grandchildren are guilty of actual crimes against humanity, simply for being born.

Again, no thanks. I'd like them to grow up understanding they have worth as human beings, but, thanks for the offer? I guess?

It's actually possible to hear someone say these things and not be offended, but rather, realize it's coming from a place of legitimate pain. I bet even you could do it, if you put your mind to it!

 

I bet your grandchildren will be able to!

[Weave]

2 hours ago, ubkev said:

This video made me a little happy and a little sad. Man, I used to love hockey so much more than I do now.

Well stated.  I miss being interested in hockey.

37 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Calling their grandparents, parents and themselves racist just because they were born with a certain skin pigmentation is tolerance? And I actually don't take them to those "Progressive Bastions of, what do you call it again? Progressiveness?Interesting.

Ya, ummm, I'm going to give an easy pass on allowing them to be subjected to that, starting with ESPN, which commentators on that network have espoused my grandchildren are guilty of actual crimes against humanity, simply for being born.

Again, no thanks. I'd like them to grow up understanding they have worth as human beings, but, thanks for the offer? I guess?

 

1 minute ago, erickompositör72 said:

It's actually possible to hear someone say these things and not be offended, but rather, realize it's coming from a place of legitimate pain. I bet even you could do it, if you put your mind to it!

 

I bet your grandchildren will be able to!

 

Stuff it, you two.

[erickompositör72]

2 minutes ago, Weave said:

Well stated.  I miss being interested in hockey.

 

 

Stuff it, you two.

He started it 😛

[Andrew Amerk]

15 minutes ago, erickompositör72 said:

He started it 😛

I don’t care WHO started it! 

Go to your room!

[SwampD]

I will never forget that ESPN dropped the NHL for poker.

… Poker.

They are going to have to prove to me that they mean it.

NHL.TV was the best entertainment deal going and NBC did a great job, giving us every single playoff game as long as they owned the rights (something ESPN never did.)

It better be either cheaper or better, until then, I'll withhold my enthusiasm.

Edited March 11, 2021 by SwampD

[IKnowPhysics]

On average, if all teams are treated the same (they're not, especially Canadian teams) the 25 games on ABC/ESPN is about 1.5 games per season for any team.  The 75 games is about 4.7 games per team per season.

I'd ballpark Buffalo, due to our high relative ratings and American market, around 1 ABC game, 2 ESPN games, and 5 ESPN+/Hulu games.  We'd likely be flexed a bit on the ABC games based on team performance.

Compare the 100 total regular season games for this deal to NBC's expiring deal for 109 regular season games last season, in which the Sabres had five games last year on NBCSN.

[Brawndo]

Per Chris Johnson on Saturday Night Headlines. 
 

Foxsports has entered the bidding process and is considered the front runner for to be the Second US NHL TV Rights Holder. 
 

Apple is considering joining as a streaming platform as well. 

[Eleven]

Well, 

1.  We knew this was coming; it's been an open secret for at least 10 months.

2. Maybe ESPN radio will move past NBA and NFL and cover some hockey now.

3.  Who am I trying to kid?  Forget 2.

[triumph_communes]

Every game that can’t be streamed from one location for every single game for a team deserves full on pirating 

 

im not subbing to 5 services just to watch a team out of market play 

Edited April 25, 2021 by triumph_communes

[Brawndo]

10 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

Every game that can’t be streamed from one location for every single game for a team deserves full on pirating 

 

im not subbing to 5 services just to watch a team out of market play 

NHL.tv is apparently moving to ESPN Plus and will show over 1000 games. Not sure if this helps or hinders the cause 

[Thwomp!]

ESPN+ is super cheap and already has a couple hockey games a night. I like their coverage and set up.  The NHL might actually be innovating here for once.  Easy to fit in under the big Disney umbrella.

[Hoss]

14 hours ago, Eleven said:

Well, 

1.  We knew this was coming; it's been an open secret for at least 10 months.

2. Maybe ESPN radio will move past NBA and NFL and cover some hockey now.

3.  Who am I trying to kid?  Forget 2.

ESPN absolutely abandoned hockey because they didn’t have rights. Hockey will return to ESPN’s regular talking points, guaranteed. They’ll make sure to sell their own product.

[spndnchz]

With shutting down NBCSN and leagues going to the Peacock service I’d expect a bunch of shuffling before next season

[Brawndo]

 

[Brawndo]