NHL stays with NBC and Versus

Looks like 10 more years of Millbury and the Crash Test dummy Pierre McGuire.

It was announced, early today, that the NHL has agreed to a new television deal with NBC/Versus that rounded out to 200 million dollars over 10 years.  According to USA Today, Versus will have its name changed to include NBC in the title and will add over 50 more regular season games next year.  NBC/Versus will get exclusive rights to playoff games after the first round which allows one more round for a silent Steigerwald should the Penguins get past the first round next year.

Steigy will only get one series to call starting next year. 

According to USA Today:  "This season, Versus' NHL games averaged just 0.2% of U.S. households, while NBC averaged 1% of U.S. households." Meanwhile ESPN, owned by Disney whose company is worth is roughly $79 billion, is forced to sit on the sidelines once again.   

League Commissioner Gary Bettman has been criticized over the years for trying to Americanize the game of hockey and while we've seen clues with the expansion of franchises into southern markets, it appears Bettman is ignoring the one channel ALL sports fans watch in the United States.  Also,the NHL could see significant coverage on ESPN if the NFL remains locked out next season and the increasing possibility of an NBA lockout becomes a reality.  Instead, Bettman elects to go with a broadcast that only true fans can find.  Why? If he's going to go that route why not move the Hurricanes back to Hartford?  Why not move Florida Panthers to Hamilton, Ontario?  Why not move the Coyotes...well that one is still very possible.  The point is, the NHL could have placed their league on the U.S. map with an exclamation point.  Instead, they elected to stay with the same network that brings you bass fishing and turkey hunting.


 On the other hand...


With hockey staying on Versus and not going to ESPN all NHL fans will be guaranteed one thing: there will be a ton of games on cable TV.  As mentioned before, Versus shows turkey hunting and bass fishing along with Streetball reruns to go with the NHL.  ESPN, on the other hand, shows MLB, NBA, NFL, NASCAR, College Baseball, College Football and College Basketball.  With that in mind, where would the NHL fit in?  Most likely on ESPN 3 with all the other programs nobody watches.  How much has ESPN cared to show hockey highlights?  What makes you think Skip Bayless or, wannabe gangster, Jim Rome will talk about the NHL?  Even if they did, would you really want to hear them?  I wouldn't.  To use a food analogy, you can be the Chipotle Burrito or you can be the hash browns at McDonalds; looks like the NHL will be the Burrito.

At this point, the NHL is stronger than it ever has been over the last 10 years and while it continues to grow, more sports fans will become immersed...or not.  Does it really matter if more people continue to watch hockey?  It's the last remaining sport tied deeply into its roots and history.  Can we really expect the casual fan to care about names like Al Iafrate, Scott Stevens, Tie Domi, Bobby Clarke or Stan Mikita?  My guess is no.  So I say, well done NHL.  You have made the right decision.


written by Jon Pennline