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 Post subject: Details on the NHL's New TV Deal with ESPN/ABC and Turner
PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:30 am 
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So the big news in the National Hockey League is their new deal with Turner Sports, which is a seven-year deal that will start with the following season, 2021-22. It was reported a month ago that the NHL will return to ESPN and ABC for the first time since the 2003-04 season, but afterwards, several different U.S.-based networks vied for that secondary slot. It was between NBC and FOX mostly, though in a shocker, NBC announced that they would end their relationship with the NHL, which began in the 2005-06 season.

NBC's departure comes a few months after it was announced that NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) would fold at the end of this year. Though at that time, the plan was to move NBCSN's NHL coverage (including Wednesday Night Hockey) to the USA Network, which resulted in WWE's NXT program moving to Tuesdays. For 16 seasons, NBC Sports had been the sole outlet for NHL national coverage in the States, originally airing games on Mondays and Tuesdays on what was then known as the Outdoor Life Network, later Versus, and now NBCSN. Wednesdays were added to the NBCSN schedule in 2012, with the night being rebranded as Wednesday Night Rivalry from 2013-18, and later Wednesday Night Hockey since the 2018-19 season.

Regarding playoffs, NBC and its networks aired the playoffs extensively, with opening round games airing on NBC, NBCSN, USA, CNBC, and even the Golf Channel on one occasion in 2018. NBC and NBCSN shared coverage of the Stanley Cup Final, with the original format seeing NBCSN air Games One and Two, while the rest aired on NBC. In 2009, Games One and Two of the Penguins/Red Wings Final aired on NBC, while Games Three and Four aired on NBCSN, followed by the rest on NBC. This format remained until 2016, which began the routine of Game One on NBC, Games Two and Three on NBCSN, and the rest on NBC.

So with NBC out, FOX was expected to get the B package, but surprisingly, that went to Turner Sports, which had never aired NHL hockey--unless you count the Atlanta Thrashers airing on Turner South, which later became SportSouth and is now known as Bally Sports Southeast. So what are the full details? They are as follows:

Out of the seven Stanley Cup Finals in this deal, ESPN will have four, while Turner will have three. ESPN will have the even-numbered years in this deal, and the Final will air on ABC. Turner will have the three odd-numbered years, and the Final will air on TNT. TNT's first Final will be 2023, and will mark the first time ever that the SCF will air entirely on cable.

ESPN/ABC will have 25 nationally televised games, while 72 will air on TNT and TBS. One of the 72 games is the Winter Classic, which TNT will carry.

Regarding the Stanley Cup Playoffs, each side will carry half of the first two rounds, and they will swap the Conference Finals each year. The Conference Finals swap is similar to how the same networks swap the NBA's Conference Finals, and how TBS and FOX swap League Playoffs in MLB. For example, if ESPN/ABC has the West Final and TNT has the East Final next season, they will switch conferences on the following year and continue from there.

HBO Max will simulcast Turner's exclusive regular-season and playoff games, and out of market games will be moved off NHL.TV and on to ESPN+.

So that's that. And next season is the Seattle Kraken's first year. I wonder which side will air their first game.

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 Post subject: Re: Details on the NHL's New TV Deal with ESPN/ABC and Turne
PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 2:03 am 
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TNT doing the Stanley Cup Finals is not the first time that it will air exclusively on cable.

During parts of the 1980's, USA Network did some of the Edmonton games.

Also, between 1988 to 1992--the regional outlet then known as SportsChannel America did most of the playoffs (except when local teams were involved, they used their own coverage separate from the national feeds.)


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