What this means for the NHL?
Sean Shapiro, NHL writer: This is good news for the NHL, on several fronts. Getting a partial national TV deal between ESPN and another network, likely NBC, should net larger revenues and in the long run help raise the salary cap as the league comes out of the pandemic. From a publicity standpoint, the power of ESPN can’t be understated, having hockey as part of the regular offering gets the sport back into more mainstream conversations and higher up in SportsCenter highlights.
What does this mean for ESPN?
Richard Deitsch, sports media writer: The NHL returning to ESPN represents a homecoming for both parties. The two entities have a long history together, beginning in 1979 with agreements with individual teams. ESPN was the definitive cable rights partner from 1985 to 1988 and 1992-2004; multiple generation of hockey fans were raised with ESPN on the NHL. The league possesses attractive demos for ESPN (a younger audience than other major sports) and significant hockey inventory will make ESPN+ an attractive streaming option for NHL fans as games will certainly appear on that service. Look for the NHL to get a content push across the ESPN universe.
What does means for NBC?
Deitsch: The answer is we’ll see. NBC certainly has an interest in retaining the NHL but the question is at what price? Comcast Chair and CEO Brian Roberts said earlier this month during a Morgan Stanley conference on technology, media and telecom earlier in the month that his company was prepared to walk away from sports rights (other than the NFL) that it currently carries if the price wasn’t right. If NBC joins ESPN as a partner, you’ll see inventory mixed between USA Network, Peacock and NBC. I still expect NBC to retain, with Fox a dangerous sleeper.
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